Monthly Archives: December 2023

Additions to the dictionary: Why 'big data' and not big data?

Additions to the dictionary: Why ‘big data’ and not big data?

The Royal Spanish Academy has just added to the Dictionary, among other terms, the English expression big data , despite the fact that it has a simple and obvious translation into Spanish. What reasons are behind this decision and others like it? As has been happening in recent years every December, the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE), in collaboration with the Association […] … learn more→

How long will it take to write an application?

How long will it take to write an application?

Attracting research funding is part of the job at most universities. As such, you need to allocate some of your working time to do that job. But how much time is needed for writing applications? In 2009, Karen Mow estimated that Australian academics spent, on average, 30–40 days per year writing research council grant applications (Mow, […] … learn more→

Why university presidents find it hard to punish advocating genocide − college free speech codes are both more and less protective than the First Amendment

Why university presidents find it hard to punish advocating genocide − college free speech codes are both more and less protective than the First Amendment

If a student were to walk off the Harvard campus and onto a street in the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and argue for the genocide of Jews, the U.S. Constitution would bar prosecuting her for hate speech. If the same student left her perch on the sidewalk and returned to the Harvard campus to continue […] … learn more→

The slow paper

The slow paper

I’m finally writing a paper. It’s one that’s been percolating for about a year. A year, that’s actually not a long time in the making. That’s just the way it is sometimes. As much as you might want it to be otherwise, some ideas just take their own good time to coalesce. I’ve assumed until […] … learn more→

We are hurtling towards a million international students in Australia – migration changes will only slow this growth, not stop it

We are hurtling towards a million international students in Australia – migration changes will only slow this growth, not stop it

The Australian government is aiming to rein in the growth of international students in its new migration policy, released on Monday. This is in response to record levels of international students entering the country once COVID-related border closures were lifted. Current and former international students living in Australia already number 860,000 and are hurtling towards one […] … learn more→

How ChatGPT can help you do archival research — but never replace archivists

How ChatGPT can help you do archival research — but never replace archivists

Archivists assist users like historians, genealogists, students or citizens in locating, accessing and interpreting archives. Archival reference services have long been seen as services that mediate understanding and dialogue between archivists, users and archives to make documentary objects more accessible and usable. Recent years have seen the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) in heritage institutions like libraries, archives, museums and galleries. Researchers […] … learn more→

How to protect yourself from cyber-scammers over the festive period

How to protect yourself from cyber-scammers over the festive period

The festive season is a time for joy, family and festive cheer. However, it’s also a prime target for cybercriminals. As online shopping ramps up, so does the risk of falling prey to cyber-attacks. That’s why it’s crucial to be extra vigilant about your cybersecurity during this time. Here are some essential tips to safeguard yourself and […] … learn more→

AI can teach math teachers how to improve student skills

AI can teach math teachers how to improve student skills

When middle school math teachers completed an online professional development program that uses artificial intelligence to improve their math knowledge and teaching skills, their students’ math performance improved. My colleagues and I developed this online professional development program, which relies on a virtual facilitator that can – among other things – present problems to the […] … learn more→