Internet Use in Switzerland Using Wired Internet

By: Lauren SeminatoreSummer 2012 Session

Education System In Switzerland• Swiss law states that every child has a right to

education or training. • Each Canton(State) of Switzerland maintains it’s own

education system. • Each system varies but certain aspects of education

are maintained throughout the country such as:• duration (Primary and Secondary School)• starting age• general curriculum• recognition of equivalent certificates and diplomas• free of charge for citizens and foreign nationals• students age 15, decide to go onto vocational training,

college, or receive a vocational school leaving certificate

• Students with special needs go to other schools for more specialized education instead of inclusion classes.

Cantons of Switzerland

Education Statistics• 95% of students in Switzerland complete pre-school and

compulsory schooling (up to age 15) at the state schools. 5% attend a private school.

• The primary languages spoken in Swiss schools are German, French, Italian or Romansh. English is learned as a secondary language.

• 90% of people in Switzerland complete upper secondary education between 18 and 19 years of age.

• 99% of Swiss citizens are literate.

• 14:1 Student to teacher ratio

Facts About Switzerland• The world wide web was invented and developed in

Switzerland in 1994.• The country had been the first to adopt technology in

education. • The World Health Organization and the Red Cross originates

from Switzerland.• It is a very health conscious country.• Being that scientists from Switzerland have won Nobel prizes

for research in high energy physics, the country has been one of the first to eliminate WiFi in schools due to microwave exposure.

• Switzerland’s limits for radiation emitted by WiFi is very strict.• Health Canada allows the general population to be exposed to

a power density of 1000 microW/cm2. Switzerland allows 10 microW/cm2.

Definitions• Microwave: a comparatively short electromagnetic wave; especially: one between about one millimeter and one meter in wavelength. (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary)

• WiFi/WLAN (Wireless Local Area Networks):used to certify the interoperability of wireless computer networking devices.

• LAN (Local Area Network): supplies networking capability to a group of computers in close proximity to each other such as in an office building, a school, or a home.

• Fiber Optics: The science or technology of light transmission through very fine, flexible glass or plastic fibers.)

Examples of Wireless Devices• Wireless Networking (Routers)• Cellphones• Two-way radios• GPS• Bluetooth• iPad• Laptop

Wireless Vs. Wired• Less expensive• No cables/adaptors• Easier to install• Convenient for

compatible wireless devices

• Network without being bound to one computer

• More secure networks

• Faster if high-speed Ethernet cables are used

• No exposure to microwave radiation

Radiation Facts• The only radiation studies have been done on rats so

far.• In North America the WiFi base station transmitters

constantly pulse a microwave beacon signal, 10 times per second using 2.4 or 5.8 GHz frequencies.

• The lab studies show that rats exposed for long periods to low-level 2.4 GHz microwave radiation had an impaired immune system and developed more cancers than sham-exposed rats (Chou et al. 1992).

• Could this happen to students being exposed to WiFi over long periods of time?

Symptoms reported by Students exposed to WiFi in Classrooms• * Headaches

* Dizziness - Nausea - Vertigo (subsides when student leaves the school)

* Visual and Auditory Distortion

* Racing Heart Rate (Tachycardia)

• * Memory Loss

* Attention Deficit

* Skin Rash (goes away when the child leaves the area)

* Hyperactivity/Anxiety (behavior not previously seen in the child)

* Night Sweats

* Insomnia (microwaves affect melatonin levels)

Canada’s Findings• News Report Canada• Students/Parents from School In Canada discuss W

iFi Health Problems

Swisscom’s Solution• A company, Swisscom, has been trying to patent

a method to eliminate the radiation that comes from WiFi.

• They have created phones that emitted low radiation called the Digital Enhanced Cordless Telephone (DECT).

• Swisscom doesn’t produce WiFi devices so they can’t implement a WiFi solution yet since Apple and Cisco control that market.

• The Swiss government then hired Swisscom to install free fiber optic connections in schools and the computers may only use an LAN to connect to the internet.

Prevention to Exposure• Students in countries such as Germany, France,

and the UK have encouraged students to spend less time on cell phones.

• Hard wire Ethernet cables for internet connection as opposed to WLAN.

• World Health Organization (WHO) has recently reclassified microwave radiation from wireless communication devices and mobile phones as classification Class 2B "possible carcinogen." This is the same class as lead, DDT and car exhaust.

• The Council of Europe encourages WiFi be banned from schools.

Swiss Education• Switzerland ranks very high in education globally.• For 2011-2012, the country ranked #1 for World

Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report. • Surprisingly, Switzerland’s education is not

centered around technology use in the classroom.• Most of the schools in Switzerland are lucky to

have an Interactive White Board.• Digital projectors and scanners are the most

common use of technology in the classrooms.• PowerPoint and the use of Microsoft Office

programs are gaining popularity now.

My Suggestions• Teachers in Swiss schools are not putting enough emphasis

on the use of technology in the classrooms. With students achieving such a high level of education, technology will only enhance the learning process and not harm it.

• The case studies done in the country with interactive smart boards have been nothing but positive from both sides, the teachers and students.

• Basing lessons around the boards, incorporating more interactive educational gaming, and having students use webcams may open an entire new world for Swiss education.

• The mindset of Swiss education is something that resembles the saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Each canton would have to implement some sort of teacher incentive to incorporate more use of technology in the classroom.

References• http://microwavenews.com/news-center/whats-fcc• http://moe.eun.org/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=2db0f7d1-

089c- 4a3a-b157-db3d65a393b2&groupId=10620• http://geneva.angloinfo.com/information/11/schooling.asp#canton• http://www.edk.ch/dyn/16342.php• http://www.indexmundi.com/switzerland/demographics_profile.html• http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary• http://www.cesifo-group.de/portal/pls/portal/docs/1/1192890.PDF• http://www.safeschool.ca/The_Swiss_Model.html• http://www.thefreedictionary.com/fiber-optic• http://compnetworking.about.com/cs/lanvlanwan/g/bldef_lan.htm