From SINUS to SINUS Transfer: An Overview

The SINUS programme was initiated by the outcome of the 1996/1997 TIMS Study. This study pointed out the clear drawbacks of German pupils in mathematical and scientific understanding. The SINUS programme, which was initially intended for five years, started with 180 schools throughout the Federal Republic of Germany.

Cooperation amongst teachers played an exceptional role in the SINUS programme. Teachers in regional associations of schools (school groups) improved their teaching methods considerably. Review and evaluation of theirown math and science lessons was the key focus of the project. The school groups received both advice and practical support from coordinators, who worked in close cooperation both at the state and federal levels.

SINUS is meanwhile regarded as a reference programme. The successful approach of the programme will be gradually spread on a larger scale. To this end, BLK launched an inter-state transfer programme. New school networks were included in the SINUS programme at first in two phases (two years each). The first phase started along with the school year 2003/2004 with about 700 schools across 13 states on board. The second phase which began in 2005 covered nearly 1,800 schools with the objective of uniform dissemination of the SINUS approach. From August 2007 this was carried out individually by the states with the help of the centralised support offered through this website.

Both SINUS and SINUS Transfer programmes were centrally coordinated and scientifically followed up by the Leibniz Institute for Science Education (IPN), Kiel under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Manfred Prenzel.

This was done in cooperation with the Centre for Promotion of Mathematics and Science Teaching (ZMNU) at the Bayreuth University (Prof. Dr. Peter Baptist) and the State Institute of School Education and Educational Research in Munich (ISB, Christoph Hammer).