Welcome to 2019! How did your 2018 resolutions go? I find a theme is easier than a resolution, which tends to become a promise to myself that I don’t keep. A theme, summoned up in a keyword, makes decisions easier. One year I had ‘brave’ as my keyword, which worked really well. Every time I […] … learn more→

Scholarly work often involves learning new words. You know this right? Sometimes it even seems that in order to be considered a scholar you have to speak in words no one else can understand. Well that’s the stereotype. But let’s try to unpack this a bit. What words do you need to learn, why and […] … learn more→

In Ontario, Education Minister Lisa Thompson recently announced she will be consulting with education partners on the possibility of removing hard caps on class sizes. Kindergarten classes are capped at 29 and grades 1, 2 and 3 have a cap of 23 students. Regular caps could sometimes be higher due to children moving in and out of a class. […] … learn more→

The Internet has transformed the ways of learning and accustomed individuals to share their knowledge without going through the imposed roles of the “master” and the “pupil”. Now, they expect a system similar to school or work, and need, more than before, to feel involved in their learning. Inspired by “mutual class” , the XVIII th  century, where more advanced students […] … learn more→

The decision to choose a diploma over a degree is an important life choice that needs to be weighed up with all the facts in mind. In an ever-changing and competitive job market, vocational education can make you more able to accomplish your career and life goals than a degree will. You could be finishing […] … learn more→

Australia needs to lift the status of teachers to attract the best and brightest to teaching. The world’s top-performing school systems make it a national priority to attract the strongest candidates. Improving teacher selection improves student results. Australia’s brightest students are increasingly rejecting teaching. The greatest falls were in the 1980s. But entry standards have slipped further […] … learn more→

I’ve had a few jobs in “the real world,” though I admit my experience is very limited, dated, and restricted to entry level positions. That said, the “job interview” process mostly involved showing up, talking to the owner for a few minutes, and then it was usually a “go.” There are no “owners” in higher […] … learn more→

IBM recently unveiled what it claimed was the world’s first commercial quantum computer. While the announcement of the Q System One wasn’t scientifically groundbreaking, the fact that IBM sees this as a commercial product that organisations (if not individuals) will want to use is an important breakthrough. IBM has taken a prototype technology that has existed in […] … learn more→

I am very fortunate. My work involves research on topics of interest and importance (OK maybe I’m biased) related to the climate and oceanography of the North Pacific, and the weather of the Pacific Northwest. My primary office is at the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, in Seattle, Washington, in […] … learn more→

For some time, lowering standards and inadequate English language proficiency have dominated discussions about international students in Australia. Studies show many international students struggle in their relationships, with their finances, feelings of isolation and belonging, all of which affect their educational experience. The suggestion that raising entry standards would ensure success and a higher quality of international graduates is not necessarily true. Achieving […] … learn more→