Children typically begin lying in the preschool years, between two and four years of age. These intentional attempts at deception may worry parents, who fear their child will become a pint-sized social deviant. But from a developmental perspective, lying in young children is rarely cause for concern. In fact, lying is often one of the first signs […] … learn more→
Author Archives: Kevin
Why do kids lie, and is it normal?
Genocide hoax tests ethics of academic publishing
Hate speech is on the rise. In Canada alone, it increased by a staggering 600 per cent between 2015 and 2016 as part of what some have called “the Trump effect.” Academia is not immune to this trend. According to a recent study, some scholars have sought to promote “colonial nostalgia and white supremacy” by using […] … learn more→
Looking backwards
More and more research material is either being produced as digital objects or are being digitised. I can see the first copy of Philosophical Transactions from my desk. Open licensing means that more and more of this material can be shared. However, when it comes to the administration of this research, it is a different matter. I tried […] … learn more→
The academic FitBit
If academic overwork had a Facebook status it would be ‘it’s complicated’. Academics work hard, in part, because we have to, in part because we love it, and partly because of dedication to our students. But the endemic overwork problem must be addressed. The pressure to work long hours translates through the academic eco-system to […] … learn more→
Things you were taught at school that are wrong
Do you remember being taught you should never start your sentences with “And” or “But”? What if I told you that your teachers were wrong and there are lots of other so-called grammar rules that we’ve probably been getting wrong in our English classrooms for years? How did grammar rules come about? To understand why […] … learn more→
Yet another massive Uni sex scandal
Your typical state university campus is, to the eye, a beautiful place. From initial construction, each building is generally designed with eye appeal in mind, usually augmented by landscaping, particularly lovingly tended old trees. The student loan scam has enhanced this feature, and the gorgeous stone buildings on our stately campuses are now augmented with […] … learn more→
Using more rigorous external examiners would help rein in grade inflation
In 1995, 8 per cent of students left university with a first-class honours degree. By 2013, the figure had risen to 18 per cent, and last year the figure rose again: an astonishing 26 per cent of students now leave with firsts, more than end up with lower-seconds. Some universities seem to have abandoned all sense of proportion: last year […] … learn more→
The ethics of Apple’s closed ecosystem app store
This July marks the tenth birthday of the iOS App Store. The App Store originally launched alongside the release of the 3G model– 12 months after the original iPhone. The store gave developers the opportunity to write third party native apps for the iPhone, as long as they paid the 30% commission to Apple. Unlike competing android devices, however, you […] … learn more→
Green is the new black: why retailers want you to know about their green credentials
Australian supermarkets phasing out single-use plastic bags is just one example of how retailers are fiercely engaged in a race to be “green”. Other examples are dumping plastic straws, buying back used products and reducing unnecessary packaging. Rather than competing on price or time, green credentials offer a way for retailers to differentiate themselves. Encouraging […] … learn more→
“Russian bots” spreading fear at University? (No)
Me: “I’m sure the Russians did that.” –I grade many hundreds of tests at a time now, and make mistakes simply because of the volume. When a student complains, the above is my “go to” excuse for the alleged error. I correct my error, of course, because I wouldn’t want the Russians to meddle in […] … learn more→
