If you step on to a university campus in any town or city across the UK, chances are that most of the students you will see will all be of a similar age. Yes, there may be the odd “mature student”, but for the most part, a lot of the students look to be in […] … learn more→
Author Archives: Kevin
There has been a massive drop in the number of mature students studying at UK universities
Haiku your way to a PhD?
Let me begin by saying I’m not a poet. And when I commenced my PhD a year ago I certainly didn’t set out to document my PhD journey using an ancient Japanese form of poetry known as haiku. And yet, here I am, 15 months in, confirmed and about to analyse the data from my […] … learn more→
The only safe email is text-only email
It’s troubling to think that at any moment you might open an email that looks like it comes from your employer, a relative or your bank, only to fall for a phishing scam. Any one of the endless stream of innocent-looking emails you receive throughout the day could be trying to con you into handing […] … learn more→
Avoiding the PSLFiasco: Part Three
In our last posts, we gave recommendations for the Department of Education as it heads into the first year of granting forgiveness to public service employees who fulfill the requirements of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, and recommendations to improve outreach, including tips for borrowers. But those questions are only a part of the […] … learn more→
It is time to scrap traditional academic departments
Perhaps our academic departments aren’t as useful or even practical as they seem. We’re used to them, they’re certainly convenient, and we sometimes cling to them to offer protection, identity and a physical location – but they can be more of a barrier than a benefit. One of our challenges as academics is that we’re […] … learn more→
The evil teacher whisperers
The “Horse Whisperer” and “Dog Whisperer” are amazing people, and I encourage the gentle reader to watch at least a few of their shows, as they demonstrate both the individual capability of those people, and the ability of humanity to handle and control animals in ways that you simply do not see in the other […] … learn more→
Home away from home – how to add furniture to your own college apartment
If you are a student and live off-campus in your own studio or apartment, you can consider yourself lucky. According to a 2013 study, only a small percentage of students choose this housing option, despite the higher costs. However, with the independence and peace of mind that you enjoy being on your own, without the […] … learn more→
Handwriting versus typing – An apocalyptic age for the pen?
You’ve heard it all – the end is near, the age of handwriting, of calligraphy and of penmanship is over. It’s true that there’s been a significant fall in writing, and many stats to prove this point, such as the fact that one in three of us hasn’t written anything in the past 6 months.; […] … learn more→
Zero-hour contracts are turning university lecturers off the job
There have been changes within higher education over the last few decades. Ongoing fee rises and an increasing focus on finances most recently. These changes have inevitably had an effect on working conditions and there is now a tendency towards casual and temporary employment across much of the higher education sector in the UK. According […] … learn more→
Research does solve real-world problems: experts must work together to make it happen
Generating knowledge is one of the most exciting aspects of being human. The inventiveness required to apply this knowledge to solve practical problems is perhaps our most distinctive attribute. But right now we have before us some hairy challenges – whether that be figuring our how to save our coral reefs from warmer water, landing […] … learn more→
