Barack Obama believes “fake news” is a threat to democracy. The outgoing US president said he was worried about the way that “so much active misinformation” can be “packaged very well” and presented as fact on people’s social media feeds. He told a recent conference in Germany: If we are not serious about facts and […] … learn more→

Many South Africans were outraged by the recent announcement that for 2016, pupils in Grades 7 to 9 could progress to the next grade with only 20% in Mathematics. The usual minimum has been 40%, provided that all other requirements for promotion are met. Pupils with less than 30% in Mathematics in grade 9 must […] … learn more→

There are many benefits to knowing more than one language. For example, it has been shown that aging adults who speak more than one language have less likelihood of developing dementia. Additionally, the bilingual brain becomes better at filtering out distractions, and learning multiple languages improves creativity. Evidence also shows that learning subsequent languages is […] … learn more→

While the proportions of female, black and ethnic minority, and disabled academics has been rising steadily over the past decade, the numbers from these groups who are reaching senior manager or professorial levels remains stubbornly low. Nearly 70 per cent of professors are white men, while just under 22 per cent are white women. Some […] … learn more→

“The Emperor has no clothes!” –all it took was someone to tell truth to absolute power to end the insanity. Of course, the emperor in the story was unlike college admin—once he had input, he responded to it reasonably, while admin would simply have executed the child. It’s no secret our campuses, many of them, […] … learn more→

Some time back I wrote of an amazing abuse by administration. An Art Professor posted a picture of a child doing a yoga pose while wearing a legally licensed Game of Thrones t-shirt. The kangaroo court system convened and UNANIMOUSLY determined that this constituted a threat of violence against the school. Yes, unanimously: three adults […] … learn more→

Eight years ago, in the middle of the night in a damp forest in Madagascar, I found myself standing alongside a similarly wet but happy Russell Mittermeier, then president of Conservation International. We were very happy because we were both, for the first time in our lives, peering through the darkness at the world’s smallest […] … learn more→

Writing in the New York Times last month, Laura Pappano offered a thoughtful analysis of the efforts by public colleges – principally public flagship universities – to find new sources of revenue, diversify their student bodies, and expand their national reputations. It’s an interesting trend that should be watched closely. America’s colleges and universities have […] … learn more→

As the world embraces digital devices and technology, the field of education must strive to find the best ways to incorporate these tools into instruction. Simply using technology doesn’t necessarily offer a better learning experience; its use must be purposeful and engaging. There are many different advantages to using technology in education, which makes it […] … learn more→

Protecting individual privacy from government intrusion is older than American democracy. In 1604, the attorney general of England, Sir Edward Coke, ruled that a man’s house is his castle. This was the official declaration that a homeowner could protect himself and his privacy from the king’s agents. That lesson carried into today’s America, thanks to […] … learn more→