As after the Charlie Hebdo attacks , the assassination of Samuel Paty gave rise to its share of proposals to strengthen the teaching of secularism at school: the president of the “Republicans” group in the National Assembly, Damien Abad, in particular demanded the establishment of “courses on the values ​​of the Republic and secularism” , sanctioned by a compulsory test for the […] … learn more→

The pandemic has raised many questions about the future direction that higher education should take. But while much of the discussion has centred on the mode of instruction – to stay online or return to bricks and mortar – there has been less discussion around what education is for and therefore what should be valued […] … learn more→

When abstract metrics are used to measure teaching excellence and graduate outcomes, often with very little granularity, it is worth dwelling on moments that remind you of the real purpose and impact of a university education. My own recent reminder to look beyond the bureaucratic statistics on student satisfaction and graduate employment came while supervising […] … learn more→

Jokes, pleasant surprises and the laughter they can provoke give relief to everyday life. When we giggle or laugh, we can have the impression of making noises that are a bit ridiculous or stupid. But laughing actually takes a lot of work, because it activates many areas of the brain  : areas that control motor, emotional, cognitive and […] … learn more→

There’s no doubt that 2020 was difficult for everyone and tragic for many. But now vaccines against COVID-19 are finally being administered – giving a much needed hope of a return to normality and a happy 2021. However, months of anxiety, grief and loneliness can easily create a spiral of negativity that is hard to […] … learn more→

A love for reading can be hugely valuable for children. The benefits of leisure reading include increased general knowledge, a positive impact on academic achievement, enhanced reading ability and vocabulary growth. Indeed, research suggests that time spent reading for pleasure could be a key indicator for the future success of a child – even more important than their family’s socio-economic status. It […] … learn more→

If childhood is frequently associated with learning social rules or experiencing otherness, it is also seen as a time of recklessness and imagination. Without denying the variety of situations experienced, some of which largely hinder this recklessness, the fact remains that social representations make childhood a period of promise and possibility, especially through play. Therefore, we […] … learn more→

Education has suffered throughout 2020 perhaps the greatest stress test in its history. But until the pandemic was unleashed in all its virulence and educational centers around the world closed, there was time, however, to devote to some issues that were gaining prominence. At the beginning of the year, the so-called “parental pin” stirred the educational […] … learn more→

When this year’s lockdowns forced a sudden pivot to online teaching, academics had to scramble to adapt their teaching materials and curricula. You might have thought that they would have grabbed all the advice they could get. But while a few attended the online webinars on “emergency remote training” provided by agencies such as Advance […] … learn more→

How do you know what to do when you are revising your writing? Revision always involves making a judgment about your own work. You become a self-evaluator. But what criteria do you use? Art educator and philosopher Elliott Eisner (1976, pp. 140-141) suggested that any evaluation of your own and/or others’ artistic or creative work […] … learn more→