Drawing on ancient myths and concepts, the Philia project helps high school students think from a different perspective about the links between human societies and their environment, in order to better tackle the ecological crisis. “In the beginning was Chaos, then the Earth with its broad sides, a secure foundation forever offered to all living […] … learn more→
Monthly Archives: May 2025

In high school, mobilizing ancient thought to understand the environmental crisis

Flow and linking, it’s a set up
Two comments that supervisors often write on doctoral texts are (1) “add link” and (2) lacks flow”. But what do these comments actually mean? In this post I’m going to provide a couple of very basic pointers to flow and linking for any reader who isn’t sure what these terms are about. I’m not going […] … learn more→

Philosopher Hannah Arendt provokes us to rethink what education is for in the era of AI
In the 1954 essay The Crisis in Education, German-American philosopher Hannah Arendt argued that crisis can act as an opportunity to revisit questions that have produced presumed and outdated answers. Arendt was concerned with how the loss of tradition and authority in larger social and political spheres was reflected in the adoption of child-centred learning in […] … learn more→

I’m a business professor who asked dozens of former students how they define success. Here are their lessons for today’s grads
As the Class of 2025 graduates into an uncertain and fast-changing working world, they face a crucial question: What does it mean to be successful? Is it better to take a job that pays more, or one that’s more prestigious? Should you prioritize advancement, relationship building, community impact or even the opportunity to live somewhere new? […] … learn more→

Google is rolling out its Gemini AI chatbot to kids under 13. It’s a risky move
Google has announced it will roll out its Gemini artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot to children under the age of 13. While the launch starts within the next week in the United States and Canada, it will launch in Australia later this year. The chatbot will only be available to people via Google’s Family Link accounts. But this development comes with […] … learn more→

How parents can help their kids avoid the negative effects of Standardized Testing
Every adult remembers what their SATs and ACTs were like. For many, the days leading up to the tests felt like something straight out of a nightmare. Even now, not much has changed. So many students struggle with the heavy side serving of stress, anxiety, and pressure that these tests usually come with. So, how […] … learn more→

Why we need social sciences in an increasingly complex world
In a world facing complex and interrelated challenges—such as climate change, poverty, accelerated disruption from new technologies, migration, and international conflict—the social sciences play a fundamental, though often undervalued, role in the search for sustainable solutions. Faced with this challenge, ten leading European universities in the social sciences are joining forces in CIVICA to discuss the need […] … learn more→

Zodiac, MBTI, and tarot: Why some young people believe in pseudoscience
● Many young people believe in zodiac signs and other forms of pseudoscience. ● Although not scientific, pseudoscience offers a comfortable and easy-to-understand personal narrative. ● If not balanced with critical thinking, belief in pseudoscience can have serious consequences. Olivia (27 years old) has long been familiar with the world of zodiac. She even uses […] … learn more→

Basic research advances science, and can also have broader impacts on modern society
It might seem surprising, but federal research funding isn’t just for scientists. A component of many federal grants that support basic research requires that discoveries be shared with nonscientists. This component, referred to as “broader impacts” by the National Science Foundation, can make a big difference for K-12 students and teachers, museumgoers, citizen scientists and other people […] … learn more→

Get a grip on big and little research problems
We very often start out on a research project with a BIG question. Or a big problem or puzzle. Why do people think that there is no climate crisis? Why are universities not funded properly? How can we cope with increasingly turbulent weather? How can we ethically use AI in teaching? You get the idea. Add […] … learn more→