iconomix - Current issue http://www.iconomix.ch/en/

Editorial

Dear reader

Yes, we asked for it! Your opinion, that is! What you think of iconomix, what you like and what you think could be improved. The user survey provides us with valuable pointers on how iconomix can remain an attractive tool in the future. It also reveals the areas of iconomix that don’t get a great deal of attention.

Manuel Wälti (iconomix management) and Julia Erdin (workshops)

2012/2013 iconomix user survey

Between December and March, we asked iconomix users in the German-speaking part of Switzerland for their opinion. Overall, 221 users responded to our survey.

This is what our initial evaluation of the answers has revealed: Users particularly appreciate the fact that iconomix resources are available free of charge and are always up to date. A number of teachers feel, however, that modifying the resources for use in their own lessons is too time-consuming. Many students find learning with iconomix informative and relevant, but also a bit too challenging at times. And what does this tell us? That we are on the right track, but there is still room for improvement.

2013 iconomix symposiums

This year, iconomix is holding two symposiums – one in German-speaking Switzerland (in Berne on 7 September) and one in French-speaking Switzerland (in Lausanne on 22 November). The topic for both symposiums is money, money creation, prices and the role of the Swiss National Bank. At the Berne symposium, the keynote speaker is monetary policy and currency expert, Professor emeritus Ernst Baltensperger.

iconomix gaining ground

With the iconomix programme, the Swiss National Bank is making a valuable contribution to improving the basic economic and financial literacy of the Swiss population. The more use the resources get in schools, the better iconomix serves its purpose. We were gratified to see that, according to the number website registrations, iconomix is already very well known in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. In 91% of all upper secondary schools, at least one person was a registered iconomix user, while in 65% of cases, even three or more teachers were registered.

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The iconomix newsletter in English will be published three times a year, in April, August and December. The newsletter provides information on modifications and updates to iconomix, the Swiss National Bank’s economics teaching programme.