When the California State University system decided to conduct all of its classes online this coming fall, administrators said it was to avoid the health risks associated with COVID-19. Many other colleges are making similar decisions as they move online. Wayne State University and Michigan State University are likely to go online – but may offer a hybrid of […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
Going online due to COVID-19 this fall could hurt colleges’ future
‘I love Australia’: 3 things international students want Australians to know
A recent statement from China’s education bureau warned Chinese students about studying in Australia due to “racist incidents” during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such statements, and further moves from China’s education agents threatening to redirect students towards international competitors such as the United Kingdom, can negatively affect Australia as a study destination. Australia’s universities are already reeling from the loss […] … learn more→
University students aren’t cogs in a market. They need more than a narrow focus on ‘skills’
Prime Minister Scott Morrison recently announced a revamp of the vocational education and training (VET) sector to focus more on skills needed for work. Providing training for people “who need to upskill or reskill” was also a recommendation of an interim Productivity Commission report released last week. The same emphasis on skills is evident when it comes to […] … learn more→
Why academic writing sucks (and how we can fix it)
My last post, where I called bullshit on the way we do the PhD seemed to hit a nerve. In fact, it got more hits in 24 hour period than I’ve ever seen before. Many people wrote in asking: how should I spend the remaining time in my PhD? Good question! I have a lot of thoughts. […] … learn more→
Some ECR responses to the COVID-19 pandemic
Since February 2020 I have conducted Zoom conversations with eight early career researchers about their experiences. They all completed Humanities and Social Sciences PhDs from Australian universities in the last five years, and are citizens and/or residents of four different countries (Australia, Canada, Indonesia and the USA). Some are working as academics in universities, but […] … learn more→
Online classrooms will expose inequalities, but this is an opportunity for change
The idea of the university classroom as a private setting sounds incredible and yet, strangely, systemic racism and inequalities mean that a student can – sometimes out of desire, sometimes not – remain hidden, passing through the higher education system virtually unnoticed. So while some students aim to attract attention with the confidence that often […] … learn more→
Our forced migration to online classes is a time to rethink how we teach
During the Covid-19 pandemic, schools and universities around the world have been forced to convert in-person classes into online and digital courses. There is much to celebrate about how we, as educators, have pivoted quickly and effectively in this situation. Still, we need to consider how we can make educational experiences more resilient to future […] … learn more→
The only way to save Higher Education is to make it free
College was already a financial house of cards. Then coronavirus hit. In January 2020, while I was in New Hampshire canvassing for Elizabeth Warren, a campaign organizer urged me to tell voters why I supported her. For me, that was easy. “As a college teacher,” I said when someone answered the door, “I believe that […] … learn more→
Science curricula must be decolonised too
The murder of George Floyd has caused outrage across the US and the world, forcing everyone to confront the fact that the goal of racial equity remains a distant one. This is as true in the academy as it is in Minneapolis’ police service. In the past few years, we have seen a huge movement […] … learn more→
Here’s a new way to do study abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond
With the U.S. and much of the world engulfed in the COVID-19 pandemic, travel restrictions and health risks have threatened to make study abroad difficult, if not impossible. But that doesn’t mean students won’t still want to learn about other cultures and see how people in other parts of the world approach different issues, such as climate […] … learn more→
