Social issues
Austria
Pedagogics – on ousted observational learning
by Carl Bossard*
(7 February 2022) He was certainly a self-confident artist and knew he was skilled: the sculptor and master builder Erhart Küng (1420–1507). He came to Bern as a stonemason around 1455; soon he was responsible for the new construction of Bern Cathedral.
A patron saint for sceptics
An obituary of the educationalist Hermann Giesecke
by Michael Felten
(29 January 2022) I first met him a quarter of a century ago: the left-liberal educationalist was about to retire and was beginning to challenge the educational zeitgeist; I was a common grammar school teacher who had gained his first routine and now found time to marvel at the errors and effects of reformist educational thinking in regular schools.
When education reforms widen the education gap
by Carl Bossard*
(21 December 2021) Education always creates disparity. That’s the way. And at the same time, schools must ensure equal opportunities. That is the mandate. But to what extent is it made more difficult by the current wave of reforms?
Energy transition
Wind energy – nothing but hot air?
Talking to Ueli Gubler* about the Swiss energy transition
(14 December 2021) Many governments, including that of Switzerland, have decided to minimise CO2 emissions in the country due to the predicted global warming. It is assumed that man-made CO2 emissions are the reason for a predicted rise in the earth’s temperature.1
Organ donation: Swiss citizens should be able to decide
by Christian Gurtner, editor of the magazine «saldo»*
(30 November 2021) Today, organ donors must give their explicit consent. In future, even silence will be considered as a consent. That is what the Federal Council and parliament want. Now a referendum committee has formed: the voters should have the last word.