Thomas Ruoss
Thomas Ruoss, PhD
thomas.ruoss@ehb.swiss
ORCID: 0000-0002-2261-907X
Homepage SFUVET
Swiss Federal University for Vocational Education and Training Kirchlindachstrasse 79 3052 Zollikofen Switzerland
Short CV:
Senior Researcher and Head of BSc Study Program at Swiss Federal University for Vocational
Education and Training (SFUVET) since August 2021. Studied history, education, and economic and social history at the University of Fribourg,
University of Zurich, and Freie Universität Berlin (Masters degree in 2010).
PhD in Educational Science (University of Zurich) in 2016 with a thesis on "Local statistics, political practice, and the development of city schools from 1890–1930" [Lokale Statistik, politische Praxis und die Entwicklung städtischer Schulen, 1890–1930].
Former Research Associate at University of Zurich (2010-2018; 2020-2021), at the Research Group "Education, Culture & Society", KU Leuven (Belgium) (2018-2019) and at the German Historical Institute, Washington D.C. (USA) (2019).
Former research projects on "Banking and Education. Children- und Youthpolicy of Savings and Retail Banks in the 20th Century" (Swiss National Science Foundation), on evaluating historical education statistics, school system development, history of teacher continuing education, history of school administration, and research infrastructure project on development of a digital
knowledge portal, Bildungsgeschichte Schweiz (www.bildungsgeschichte.ch).
Membership in Panels and Boards
- Founder and board member of “Föderverein Bildungsgeschichte
Schweiz”
- Reviewer for Paedagogica Historica: International Journal for the History of Education, Jahrbuch Historische Bildungsforschung of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Erziehungswissenschaft, for ECER of the European Educational Research Association (EERA), for the Swiss Journal for Educational Research, for Zeitschrift für Pädagogik (ZfPäd), and for Arbeitsgemeinschaft Berufsbildungsforschungsnetz (AGBFN)
- Developer and Co-Founder of the knowledge portal www.bildungsgeschichte.ch 2
- Co-Editor of the series „Historische Bildungsforschung und
Bildungspolitikanalyse“ (https://www.uzh.ch/blog/ife-hbs/forschungsprojekte/laufend/schriftenreihe-hbb/)
- Member of the board “The Almanac” (www.hist-edu.ch)
- Member of the board “History of Education” of the Swiss Society
for the Research in Education (SSRE)
Prizes & Awards
2020 / 05 (postponed) Winner of a Visiting Fellowship at the Research Group History of Knowledge @Lund University
2019 / 09 Retail and Savings Banks History Award (WSBI – ESBG)
2014 / 07 Paper Prize der International Standing Conference for the History
of Education (ISCHE)
Research focus:
Educational science, vocational education and training, history of knowledge and statistics, history of education systems, economic knowledge & financial literacy education, digital humanities
thomas.ruoss@ehb.swiss
ORCID: 0000-0002-2261-907X
Homepage SFUVET
Swiss Federal University for Vocational Education and Training Kirchlindachstrasse 79 3052 Zollikofen Switzerland
Short CV:
Senior Researcher and Head of BSc Study Program at Swiss Federal University for Vocational
Education and Training (SFUVET) since August 2021. Studied history, education, and economic and social history at the University of Fribourg,
University of Zurich, and Freie Universität Berlin (Masters degree in 2010).
PhD in Educational Science (University of Zurich) in 2016 with a thesis on "Local statistics, political practice, and the development of city schools from 1890–1930" [Lokale Statistik, politische Praxis und die Entwicklung städtischer Schulen, 1890–1930].
Former Research Associate at University of Zurich (2010-2018; 2020-2021), at the Research Group "Education, Culture & Society", KU Leuven (Belgium) (2018-2019) and at the German Historical Institute, Washington D.C. (USA) (2019).
Former research projects on "Banking and Education. Children- und Youthpolicy of Savings and Retail Banks in the 20th Century" (Swiss National Science Foundation), on evaluating historical education statistics, school system development, history of teacher continuing education, history of school administration, and research infrastructure project on development of a digital
knowledge portal, Bildungsgeschichte Schweiz (www.bildungsgeschichte.ch).
Membership in Panels and Boards
- Founder and board member of “Föderverein Bildungsgeschichte
Schweiz”
- Reviewer for Paedagogica Historica: International Journal for the History of Education, Jahrbuch Historische Bildungsforschung of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Erziehungswissenschaft, for ECER of the European Educational Research Association (EERA), for the Swiss Journal for Educational Research, for Zeitschrift für Pädagogik (ZfPäd), and for Arbeitsgemeinschaft Berufsbildungsforschungsnetz (AGBFN)
- Developer and Co-Founder of the knowledge portal www.bildungsgeschichte.ch 2
- Co-Editor of the series „Historische Bildungsforschung und
Bildungspolitikanalyse“ (https://www.uzh.ch/blog/ife-hbs/forschungsprojekte/laufend/schriftenreihe-hbb/)
- Member of the board “The Almanac” (www.hist-edu.ch)
- Member of the board “History of Education” of the Swiss Society
for the Research in Education (SSRE)
Prizes & Awards
2020 / 05 (postponed) Winner of a Visiting Fellowship at the Research Group History of Knowledge @Lund University
2019 / 09 Retail and Savings Banks History Award (WSBI – ESBG)
2014 / 07 Paper Prize der International Standing Conference for the History
of Education (ISCHE)
Research focus:
Educational science, vocational education and training, history of knowledge and statistics, history of education systems, economic knowledge & financial literacy education, digital humanities
less
InterestsView All (10)
Uploads
Papers
L'histoire de l'éducation dans le monde germanophone se caractérise par une culture interdisciplinaire très vivante et un goût marqué pour les débats théoriques. Cependant, jusqu’à présent, les élèves n'y ont pas été définis comme un champ de recherche spécifique, même s’ils ont été abordés de multiples manières. Ils ont d’abord été considérés comme des objets à éduquer. Ils ont aussi pu servir d’indicateur pour décrire les progrès de la scolarisation (publique), ainsi que comme détenteurs de savoirs. Pour l’heure, la recherche historique s’est surtout penchée sur la manière dont les élèves s’appropriaient et transformaient la scolarisation ou, inversement, sur la manière dont la scolarisation affectait la vie quotidienne des élèves. D’autre part, on constate que les élèves apparaissent comme objets secondaires de diverses études d’histoire sociale. On l’observe, par exemple, dans les travaux consacrés à la violence institutionnelle ou dans les monographies d’établissements, où les élèves ne sont pas au centre des questionnements mais apparaissent bien. En définitive, les recherches actuelles considèrent de plus en plus les élèves comme des acteurs ayant leur propre agency, leurs propres revendications, leurs propres pratiques et leur propre histoire. Ce développement très récent offre de nouvelles perspectives de recherche, surtout si l’on sort des établissements relevant du cadre général de l’enseignement obligatoire commun, pour intégrer la formation professionnelle, l’enseignement supérieur, la formation continue ou l’enseignement spécialisé.
How can we explain the hardly declining attractiveness of statistical data production since the 19th century? This question is investigated by the example of the history of school statistics in the Swiss multi-level system. Using the comparison of school-based practices in Berne and Zurich, it is shown that the rise of statistics in the school administration is characterized not only by continuities, but also by fractions. Especially local cultures of political control and trust must be taken into consideration. Accordingly, we argue for a relativized historiography: Statistical knowledge as technology of trust is not only a unidirectional instrument of top- down power but interacts with changes of political contexts on different levels. The fuction and power of statistics is dependent on the political levels involved and on local culture of administrative practises.
Our paper, which focuses on Switzerland, provides an analysis based on descriptive characteristics of the actors that have actively promoted economic education since the financial crisis of 2008/2009. For the last ten years, it has become apparent that private sector players in particular are increasingly involved in the field of economic education, and that their activities focus in particular on the school context and on a younger target audience. The arguments of these actors relate to requirement situations in different areas of life, but mainly to consumption, saving and budgeting. The actors' actions legitimize a dominant notion of economic education that emphasizes individual responsibility in financial matters. The article thus points to the hitherto neglected potential of qualitative and historical research approaches for understanding the present social role of economic education
L'histoire de l'éducation dans le monde germanophone se caractérise par une culture interdisciplinaire très vivante et un goût marqué pour les débats théoriques. Cependant, jusqu’à présent, les élèves n'y ont pas été définis comme un champ de recherche spécifique, même s’ils ont été abordés de multiples manières. Ils ont d’abord été considérés comme des objets à éduquer. Ils ont aussi pu servir d’indicateur pour décrire les progrès de la scolarisation (publique), ainsi que comme détenteurs de savoirs. Pour l’heure, la recherche historique s’est surtout penchée sur la manière dont les élèves s’appropriaient et transformaient la scolarisation ou, inversement, sur la manière dont la scolarisation affectait la vie quotidienne des élèves. D’autre part, on constate que les élèves apparaissent comme objets secondaires de diverses études d’histoire sociale. On l’observe, par exemple, dans les travaux consacrés à la violence institutionnelle ou dans les monographies d’établissements, où les élèves ne sont pas au centre des questionnements mais apparaissent bien. En définitive, les recherches actuelles considèrent de plus en plus les élèves comme des acteurs ayant leur propre agency, leurs propres revendications, leurs propres pratiques et leur propre histoire. Ce développement très récent offre de nouvelles perspectives de recherche, surtout si l’on sort des établissements relevant du cadre général de l’enseignement obligatoire commun, pour intégrer la formation professionnelle, l’enseignement supérieur, la formation continue ou l’enseignement spécialisé.
How can we explain the hardly declining attractiveness of statistical data production since the 19th century? This question is investigated by the example of the history of school statistics in the Swiss multi-level system. Using the comparison of school-based practices in Berne and Zurich, it is shown that the rise of statistics in the school administration is characterized not only by continuities, but also by fractions. Especially local cultures of political control and trust must be taken into consideration. Accordingly, we argue for a relativized historiography: Statistical knowledge as technology of trust is not only a unidirectional instrument of top- down power but interacts with changes of political contexts on different levels. The fuction and power of statistics is dependent on the political levels involved and on local culture of administrative practises.
Our paper, which focuses on Switzerland, provides an analysis based on descriptive characteristics of the actors that have actively promoted economic education since the financial crisis of 2008/2009. For the last ten years, it has become apparent that private sector players in particular are increasingly involved in the field of economic education, and that their activities focus in particular on the school context and on a younger target audience. The arguments of these actors relate to requirement situations in different areas of life, but mainly to consumption, saving and budgeting. The actors' actions legitimize a dominant notion of economic education that emphasizes individual responsibility in financial matters. The article thus points to the hitherto neglected potential of qualitative and historical research approaches for understanding the present social role of economic education