The incredible exponential growth in the volume of research data shows no signs of slowing down. Take the databases used by the European Bioinformatics Institute, headquartered in Cambridge, which continue to double in size every one to two years. And, thanks to powerful digital processors, advances in materials science and innovations around data transfer, the […] … learn more→
Author Archives: Kevin
Do androids dream of big data domination?
Humanities PhD grads working in non-academic jobs could shake up university culture
PhD graduates in the humanities need to cultivate more varied career paths. Canadian universities need to reform the culture of the humanities so that careers outside the university are seen to be just as valuable as permanent, tenure-track professorships. Changes like these will be good for the graduates, the universities and for Canadian society itself. […] … learn more→
Why media education in schools needs to be about much more than ‘fake news’
The 2019 general election is already being remembered as the one where misinformation went mainstream. It was, of course, already on the political agenda after the 2016 referendum and US election, with growing numbers of academics and parliament sounding the alarm over foreign actors using so-called “fake news” to disrupt the democratic processes. But what was seen over the election […] … learn more→
Teaching retreats: an older system than we think
Teachers are among the professions peak in the current protest against pension reform. Will the movement gain momentum ? The demonstrations of the coming days will tell. The fact remains that teacher mobilization falls within a specific historical framework. Their pension scheme does not date from the Liberation, like the general scheme, but from the two Empires. Can such an old system […] … learn more→
Communities can combat racism, hate and extremism with education
Late one afternoon this past summer, after leaving my Winnipeg office, I came across a poster that read: “When the house of cards comes crashing down, we’ll be ready. Will you join us?” In the background of this poster, the bridge that connects St. Boniface at the Forks was visible, while in the foreground, a masked soldier […] … learn more→
The mental health crisis on campus and how colleges can fix it
When college students seek help for a mental health issue on campus – something they are doing more often – the place they usually go is the college counseling center. But while the stigma of seeking mental health support has gone down, it has created a new problem: College counseling centers are now struggling to meet the increased demand. As […] … learn more→
A look at a corrupted State University
Last time around, I wrote of a scholarly report on how Social Justice Warriors take over schools, convert them from centers of education into indoctrination camps. While the report says little I didn’t see with my own eyes years ago, it does a wonderful examination of one particular school, San Diego State University, which has […] … learn more→
Universities need to learn the early lessons of lifelong learning
For years, future of work reports have warned of major disruption. Artificial intelligence is spreading automation from the factory floor to the offices of university-educated professionals. Workers in jobs that don’t disappear will need different skills and regular retraining. This scenario sounds promising for universities and other education providers, who can prosper from lifelong learners. But recent […] … learn more→
Qassem Suleimani air strike: why this is a dangerous escalation of US assassination policy
The US government has killed Iranian general Qassem Suleimani, commander of the Quds Force, the elite wing of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards, in an air strike that took place in the early hours of January 3. This is the latest and most dramatic development in the ongoing proxy conflict between the US and Iran. Much of […] … learn more→
Surprising facts about Bitcoins
Bitcoin is one of the most famous digital currencies of the current time. It has the highest market value and it has made a lot of people millionaire overnight. Trader’s first choice is Bitcoin these days and they are investing more and more in this cryptocurrency. Despite the popularity of Bitcoin, many of the people […] … learn more→
