It is rare to see a newly published book that doesn’t come with a ringing endorsement from at least one or two familiar names. Well known authors will laud a new title as “brilliant”, “moving” or “thought-provoking” and testify that they were “unable to put it down” – or something to that effect. These “blurbs” […] … learn more→

Lately I’ve been hearing from pissed off PhD students – both people enrolled at my university and others. The cost of living is high, higher education in Australia is in crisis and people, understandably, want Out. Heaps of later stage students are landing nearly finished manuscripts on their supervisors’ desks. Sadly, their supervisors don’t seem […] … learn more→

CES 2025 highlighted AI-powered virtual companions, marking a major shift in human-machine interactions. These digital entities, capable of fluid conversations and simulating emotional relationships, are redefining the boundaries between the real and the virtual. These innovations offer promising prospects, particularly in the fight against loneliness and social isolation. However, the rise of these technologies raises […] … learn more→

Since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots has become rampant among students in higher education. While some might be ambivalent about the impact of generative AI on higher education, many instructors in the humanities scramble to adapt their classes to the new reality and have declared a crisis of their teaching model. Professors and students alike […] … learn more→

Large social media companies should have to proactively remove harmful content from their platforms, undergo regular “risk assessments” and face hefty fines if they don’t comply, according to an independent review of online safety laws in Australia. The federal government has today released the final report of the review conducted by experienced public servant Delia Rickard, more than […] … learn more→

Teachers at a school in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland, are planning industrial action – not over pay but the behaviour of their pupils. It’s not the first time school staff in Scotland have taken this step. Teachers at a school in Glasgow took strike action in 2022 over “violent and abusive” pupil behaviour. A 2024 survey of staff in Aberdeen found that […] … learn more→

We live in a golden age for space exploration. Scientists are gathering massive amounts of new information and scientific evidence at a record pace. Yet the age-old question remains unanswered: are we alone? New telescope technologies, including space-based tools such as the James Webb Telescope, have enabled us to discover thousands of potentially habitable exoplanets that […] … learn more→

The Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether Oklahoma can open St. Isidore: an online Roman Catholic charter school named after the patron saint of the internet. If affirmed, the school would be the nation’s first faith-based charter – a sea change in education law, expanding the boundaries of government aid to faith-based schools. On Jan. 24, 2025, the justices […] … learn more→

Although geography is often seen by middle and high school students as an ancillary subject to history, it is just as much a part of their civic education and is also marked by ideological discourses. The “national novel” constructed by school history is the subject of lively debates that contrast with the deafening silence surrounding geography programs. […] … learn more→

The higher education sector continues to grapple with the advent of generative artificial intelligence (genAI), with much of the concern focused on ethical issues around student misconduct. GenAI models such as ChatGPT offer students untraceable and economic means of churning out answers and term papers on any given subject. For many instructors, this means traditional forms of […] … learn more→