It was in June 2020, three months into the lockdown in Victoria, and the longest winter I have ever seen. I realised my days consisted of either crying for hours, or just staring vacantly. I am struggling to get anything done and the only thing that I feel like doing is cleaning the entire house. […] … learn more→
Coping with a (COVID-induced) Mental Health Crisis
In a world of digital bystanders the challenge is for all of us to design engaging online education
We are increasingly becoming digital bystanders, continually monitoring our different palm-and-TV-sized screens. From dawn to dusk and even in moments of insomnia we turn to digitally communicated news and social media. In the world of education, from primary school to university and beyond, we have realised digital learning is not only an option for learning, […] … learn more→
5 Best motivational speeches for ambitious students
Even the most ambitious and motivated students sometimes suffer from a lack of energy. When homework assignments, deadlines, and sleepless nights are piling up, it gets harder and harder to stay positive and focused on your goals. If you feel drained and need a dose of inspiration, you are in the right place. You will […] … learn more→
Inclusive writing: a first assessment of the controversy
On September 18, 2020, a column published in Marianne signed by 32 linguists took a clear position against inclusive writing or, more exactly, against the use of abbreviated spellings (for example: students). This forum was presented as an objective clarification denouncing a practice which, according to its signatories, “is free from scientific facts”. The reactions were not long […] … learn more→
How to learn in the new digital Alexandria
What was the last thing you learned online? In recent years, navigators of the digital world come across online courses from the best universities in the world. We discover inspiring talks in which the greatest global leaders share questions, dilemmas and discoveries. We find documentaries in which entertainment and education are combined in an amalgam of edutainment (a combination […] … learn more→
Getting the perfect selfie smile has never been easier
Dental health costs have a way of adding up quickly. Many people unknowingly pay for extra treatments that aren’t necessary or get surprised with a huge bill when their coverage falls short. Fortunately, there are many ways to save. Here are some of the best strategies for saving on dental health costs and getting that […] … learn more→
Style, tone and grammar – native speaker bias in peer reviews
Peer review is a central part of academic publication. The process of back and forth between authors and reviewers is meant, in part, to ensure the quality and novelty of articles. Many journals use what is known as a double-blind process in peer review – neither the authors nor the reviewers know each other’s names. […] … learn more→
ECRs are tired of being endlessly told what they can do better
The UK government’s new Job Support Scheme may save some UK jobs but it will do little for thousands of early career researchers (ECRs) already cast aside in the financial chaos caused by Covid-19. Even before the pandemic, ECRs finishing PhDs were confronted with a highly competitive labour market. It was considered ordinary to spend […] … learn more→
University: digitize or go back
Traditionally regarded as a minor modality, online teaching had already achieved its nature and quality mark before the pandemic. Their figures, however, were (are) still small: of the 251 million university students only 2% receive training exclusively online (just over 5 million). In Spain the data are somewhat better, but equally low compared to face-to-face teaching with […] … learn more→
The pandemic is not an excuse to kill off the arts and humanities
In these unsettling times, the epigram attributed to Winston Churchill that we should “never let a good crisis go to waste” has become a touchstone for many political and business leaders. For the university sector, however, the maxim suggested by Game of Thrones’ arch manipulator Petyr Baelish is arguably more fitting. “Chaos is a ladder,” […] … learn more→