Monthly Archives: September 2012

Professors can also be snarky

In putting together my dossier, I am forced to revisit my past teaching evaluations, and my student comments. For the most part, I receive a great deal of positive feedback, but of course, every once in a while you have that student who hates you with a ferocity that is only matched by his or […] … learn more→

MOOC’s and the McDonaldization of global higher education

We’ve been treated to a rash of stories about how new technological models for higher education raise questions about the viability of the traditional campus. After all, why invest in an elaborate physical plant when virtual education can effectively expand your reach exponentially? This is of particular interest for global education and multinational universities, as […] … learn more→

We need to talk about Kevin, er, Open Access

The American Historical Association recently came out with a cautious statement about open access to humanities scholarship. I concur with their concerns about the recommendations made in the Finch Report. That report, the fruits of a UK government task force that included government officials, scientists, and publishers, more or less argues two things: publicly-funded research […] … learn more→

Informing students about Islam

Do your students learn everything they know about Islam from their Facebook news feed? There’s no doubt that there’s been resurgence in religious conflict dominating the news cycle. The international violence around the ugly, offensive video of the Prophet Muhammad has perpetuated the cycle of misinformation and prejudiced opinions between the American public and the […] … learn more→

A shameless plug

So… I wrote an ebook. Or, more precisely, I compiled one out of blog posts and put it up on Amazon for $3.99 AUD – a price point carefully calibrated to match the cost of a cup of coffee in my home town, Melbourne. I thought I would write a quick post to give it […] … learn more→

Creative insights in thinking about strategy

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to travel to Lithuania to work with the ISM University of Management and Economics on thinking through strategy and how they compete in the global market for management education. I could do an entire post about the beauty of Vilnius, how gracious everyone there was, or how cool […] … learn more→

Teaching students to show, not tell

In his epic poem A Season in Hell, the surly French poet Arthur Rimbaud proposes that the Devil likes writing that lacks \”descriptive\” qualities. Rimbaud then makes a stand in favor of descriptive writing by offering \”these hideous pages from [his] notes of the damned.\” I wouldn\’t go so far as to say that nondescriptive […] … learn more→

We need a treaty to help people displaced by climate change

Climate change will lead to significant human displacement. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and other groups warn that the effects – including rising sea levels, heavier floods, more frequent and severe storms, drought and desertification – will cause large-scale population movements. How can we help these displaced people? I believe an international treaty […] … learn more→

Five more phone apps for researchers

Recently I retired my old Android phone and bought an iphone. Apparently owning Apple products is a sign you are middle aged, at least according to some of my friends. All the kids on campus seem to be carrying those extra large screen Android things that are half way between a tablet and a phone, […] … learn more→