In a graduate-level educational psychology course at Florida State University, my professor didn’t allow students to take notes. He reasoned that taking notes prevented students from reflecting on the lesson. Yet, the professor also thought students needed a good set of notes to review later for exams. So he provided students with complete notes following […] … learn more→

Engaging with #phdchat on Twitter and other platforms is equal parts terrifying and hilarious for a new PhD candidate (see @legogradstudent and @GameofAcademics as evidence). The internet can quickly become a vortex of stories of bad supervision, huge writing deadlines and long journeys through the Valley of Shit. It seems that stories of happy, early completion […] … learn more→

One of my favourite Kickstarter campaigns is The Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes by Jess Nevins. In 2013, Jess raised $15,671 from 444 backers to publish an encyclopedia. Imagine, for a moment, that this was part of a research program. It wasn’t, but it could very well be. Encyclopedia are collections of knowledge, and provide fundamental information […] … learn more→

As I recover from lung surgery #2 (and a new 9″ scar), a somewhat shorter post than usual. A while back I wrote about Chinese influence on our campuses; I still believe it’s an infinitesimally small problem compared to other issues in higher ed, but a reader took me to task for it, believing I […] … learn more→

“How was your day at school?” “Fine.” Does this sound familiar? This is the dreaded response to a well-intentioned question that parents might ask. The robot-sounding response is what parents hear when their child limits the information they share with parents, or has stopped sharing information, about their school day. When parents hear “fine,” they […] … learn more→

One aspect of fraud in higher education I seldom touch on is the credential fraud of graduate school. To clarify, to advance in a position, often a worker needs to have some sort of a graduate degree. Trouble is, if you have a job, you really don’t have time to go to grad school…but if […] … learn more→

The publication of the updated edition of the U-Ranking Report , carried out by the BBVA Foundation and the Valencian Institute of Economic Research, has once again focused on the university system, apart from the accurate analysis established on the basis of objective indicators , has included in this occasion data on a complex and worrying phenomenon, […] … learn more→

Because I conduct research about reading, parents often ask me the same question: “What can I do to help my child become a better reader?” I always give them the same advice: “Read with your children. Enjoy books together, and whatever you do, don’t worry about teaching them to read. Leave the teaching to the teachers.” […] … learn more→

Sydney Football Club sparked outrage this week when it advertised for someone to work three to four days a week for nine months, as a volunteer. The unpaid job, to work as a strength and conditioning assistant, was specifically looking for someone with a degree in human movement, exercise or sports science. But the job ad was […] … learn more→

Involved in my youth as an animator and trainer in the lay movement of the Girl Scouts and Pathfinders of France (EEDF), based on a non-directive pedagogy, I discovered very early the values ​​of solidarity, openness and democracy. At the age of 21, after three years of training at the Higher Regional Institute of Social […] … learn more→