Iconomix: Good Evaluation from Zurich University of Teacher Education
As part of a multi-month project commissioned by the Swiss National Bank (SNB), the Zurich University of Teacher Education (PH Zurich) conducted an independent evaluation of Iconomix. The final report was submitted to the SNB in May 2026.
Nearly 20 years after its launch, the experts gave the National Bank's educational programme a positive assessment, while also providing practical recommendations to support its continued development.
Confirmation of educational quality
The evaluation confirms Iconomix's lasting contribution to economic education in Switzerland, highlighting the following key strengths:
- A strong focus on action-oriented, problem-based learning
- Real-world topics that are regularly updated
- A broad range of topics and teaching methods
Key areas for improvement
The most comprehensive external evaluation of Iconomix to date identifies several opportunities to further strengthen the programme's integration into the school landscape:
- Align the terminology used more closely with current subject-specific educational practice
- Differentiate content more clearly according to user groups and educational pathways
- Introduce cross-curricular learning objectives and improve the alignment between learning objectives and learning activities
Prioritized measures
Based on the recommendations of PH Zurich, the SNB's Economic Education unit responsible for Iconomix has defined several priorities and specified how they will be implemented:
- Better align the unit filter and unit information with current subject-specific educational practice
- Expand interdisciplinarity and define cross-curricular competencies for all units, thereby strengthening alignment with the revised curricula
- Expand the range of learning materials for lower-achieving students
The first measures will be introduced with the website relaunch in August 2026, including initial improvements to the subject-specific terminology. These enhancements will continue through the end of 2026 with an upgrade of the unit filter and search functionality. Further improvements will be incorporated into the Iconomix platform as part of the ongoing updates to individual units.
Eight facts about the project
- Commissioned by: Swiss National Bank (SNB)
- implemented by: Zurich University of Teacher Education (PH Zurich), led by Prof. Dr Nicole Ackermann, Chair of Vocational Education and Training with a focus on Didactics
- Project duration: November 2024 (kick-off) to May 2026 (submission of the final report)
- Project team: Six experts on the contractor's side, including the project lead, Prof. Dr Nicole Ackermann
- Purpose of the evaluation: To develop evidence-based recommendations for the further development of Iconomix, focusing on user experience and its contribution to education and society
- Scope of the evaluation: The impact (outcomes) of Iconomix on its primary target group – teachers – with particular emphasis on its use in the classroom and its contribution to teaching quality
- Methodology: The evaluation comprised an online survey (German-, French-, and Italian-speaking Switzerland; N = 325), semi-structured interviews (German- and French-speaking Switzerland; N = 41), and analyses of (a) the Iconomix unit portfolio, (b) teaching and learning materials for upper secondary education, and (c) the revised upper secondary curricula
- Final report: 62 pages, accompanied by a comprehensive appendix including the questionnaire, interview guide, sample description, and processed data
