Unfiltered Insights on Intelligence and High School Placement: Podcast "Die Boss - Macht ist weiblich" Exposes the Flaws in Traditional Thinking
The Hard-Hitting Podcast 'Die Boss' Discusses: Not Every School Environment Suits Every Child - Not every student thrives in a traditional high school setting: The Boss
By Isa von Heyl
Grinding, street-smart, or sharp-witted, intelligence can be defined numerous ways. One type of intelligence can, in fact, be measured scientifically: cognitive intelligence. For over a decade, Elsbeth Stern has been a professor of teaching and learning research at ETH Zurich, where she has made significant strides in the field.
In the stern podcast "Die Boss," multi-board member and host Simone Menne sits down with Elsbeth Stern to discuss the nature of intelligence and why social or emotional competence doesn't play a part in her research. "I'm not a fan of people talking about social or emotional intelligence," the scientist explains bluntly, "because the measuring instruments in these areas don't hold the same quality that our intelligence tests do. We can't capture emotional and social competencies using the same statistical measures as we can with cognitive ability."
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Stern goes on to explain that around 70% of people possess roughly equivalent intelligence, with approximately 15% being above average and another 15% below. However, when comparing the intelligence distribution between the sexes, there are no significant differences in the mean. Nevertheless, research indicates that differences do exist at the extremes, with more men found in both the lower and higher areas. Stern clarifies that even in the highest areas, there are still women to be found.
When broaching the subject of parents' desires to classify their child as above-average intelligent and secure them a spot in high school, Stern says,
"If you think of intelligence as being normally distributed, then it's already a bit twisted to say that half of the students should attend high school. Naturally, this will alter the average in the area where the hump is biggest."
In the new episode of "Die Boss – Macht ist weiblich," Stern sheds light on the implications for universities, the role of educators and parents, and the oddity of having a less intelligent boss. Check it out on stern.de, RTL, and all major podcast platforms every other Wednesday.
Intelligence, High school, Elsbeth Stern, Simone Menne, Podcast
Insight: Elsbeth Stern, in the podcast "Die Boss – Macht ist weiblich," takes issue with the idea that the appropriate distribution of students for high school should be based on IQ or cognitive abilities, which she sees as a "perversion" that perpetuates an inflexible mindset, undermining the diverse competencies of students and leading to social and educational inequality. Stern advocates for a more nuanced approach to educational placement that takes into account a range of competencies, such as creativity, problem-solving, and adaptability, and calls for the abandonment of artificial numerical goals.
The Commission could propose a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation, considering Elsbeth Stern's emphasis on scientifically measurable cognitive intelligence in her podcast. With a focus on self-development, one might question the narrow focus on IQ or cognitive abilities for high school placement, as Stern argues for a more comprehensive approach that also values creativity, problem-solving, and adaptability.
