State terrorism comes in many forms, but one of its most cruel and revolting expressions is when it is aimed at children. Separating children from their parents is indeed a form of terrorism and it points not only to a society that has lost its moral compass, but has also descended into such darkness that […] … learn more→
Monthly Archives: June 2018
Trump’s war on children is an act of state terrorism
Why open access publishing is growing in Latin America
The move towards open access publishing in scientific research is certainly a global one. However, Latin America or Iberoamérica, a larger community that includes Spanish- and Portuguese-language countries in both Europe and the Americas, is using the OA publishing model to a far greater extent than any other region in the world. Iberoamérican scientists especially […] … learn more→
Beautiful fusion deliciousness… or a hot mess?
Interdisciplinary research. So hot right now… or is it? To be clear – I’m a super fan of interdisciplinary work. I’m happily ‘post-disciplinary’ myself. My PhD was interdisciplinary, and my current job is transdisciplinary. I work with all kinds of research students, from physics to fine art; education to chemistry, I embrace you all! While […] … learn more→
Universities in France and their disciplinary sections: freedom or scientific constraint?
Since the Renaissance, the invention of the printing press, the Reformation, scientific progress, the industrial revolution and the division of labor have led to constant specialization and the emergence of a growing number of university disciplines over the centuries, in particular the twentieth. The French University, which encompassed four disciplines (namely theology, law, medicine and […] … learn more→
Combat student stress with exercise and balance
The stress situation isn’t getting any better for Americans. Between work and family obligations, school, politics, and too many activities, we’re more stressed than ever. In January 2017, 80% of Americans reported at least one symptom of stress in the past month. We’ve all heard about how bad stress is for our health and well-being—it […] … learn more→
“4 Year” Community Colleges highlight administrative incompetence
Soaring tuition costs are forcing people to reconsider going to university, but we still have this ingrained belief that you need a “4 year degree” to get a good job. Community colleges, the “cheapo” option of higher education, are starting to satisfy this need. Hey, I’m all for lower tuition, so I should be for […] … learn more→
A Father’s Day reminder from science: Your kids aren’t really growing up quickly
I am one of those men for whom it is impossible to find Father’s Day gifts. I don’t wear ties. My socks are all the same, in the interest of efficiency. I enjoy cooking, which would seem to open up some possibilities. But I have an annoying habit of buying useful gadgets as I need […] … learn more→
Can vocational education make a comeback?
When Theresa May launched the review of English post-18 education in February, her choice of venue – a further education college in the Midlands – was no accident. The prime minister railed against an “outdated attitude” in the UK, whereby university was the “default” and “only desirable route” in tertiary education. For the first time, […] … learn more→
Managing the highs and lows of data overload
We live in a world with a lot of data. In fact, we’re bombarded by it. Estimates suggest that today we take in about five times as much information as we did 25 years ago, and that we process as much data in a day — approximately 34 gigabytes — as our 15th-century ancestors would have in […] … learn more→
Learn differently: the experience of the “mutual class”
“The” classroom “is a place where students are” necessarily forced to silence, to immobility “. Difficult not to be challenged to read this definition, proposed by Ferdinand Buisson in his Dictionary of Pedagogy. It dates from the late nineteenth century, a time that may seem miles away from our world at the forefront of technology. […] … learn more→