Undertaking a PhD can be very stressful, due to a range of challenges. These include having to develop discipline expertise as well as generic skills (such as academic writing and maintaining motivation) during a largely solo pursuit. Concern has been growing about the prevalence of mental health issues (such as depression and anxiety) among PhD candidates. […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
Mindfulness can help PhD students shift from surviving to thriving
The Supreme Court and the student loan scam
I often request an end to the student loan scam, but I seldom discuss why we have so many of our kids ready and willing to destroy themselves with student loans. Even if we destroyed the supply (student loans), we’d still have immense demand for accredited college degrees. So as I sit here being pumped […] … learn more→
How today’s MBA graduates can help save the world
Recent news reports have suggested that the MBA (masters in business administration) may be “losing its lustre” at American business schools, including some of the most elite on the planet. The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) has reported declining U.S. applications, while in Canada the opposite is true, with applications increasing almost eight per cent last year. The […] … learn more→
MOOCs, good promotion tools for universities
When MOOCs ( massive open online courses ) first appeared in the early 2010s, some thought they were the death knell for some of the institutions of higher education. Clayton Christensen has, among other things, predicted the impending bankruptcy of many universities. This professor at Harvard Business School is primarily known for developing the theory of breakthrough innovation, often better known […] … learn more→
Virtual reality tours give rural students a glimpse of college life
The first time that Nyah visited the University of North Carolina at Greensboro for a campus tour, there wasn’t much of a chance to see what takes place inside the classrooms. “We just walked by buildings and the guide talked about what goes on inside,” Nyah recalls of the campus tour this past spring. But […] … learn more→
Deeper listening will change your classroom
I said, you said. Is conflict resolution about one side winning? It’s not. Usually, a good resolution involves identifying how parties have a concern for both self and others. Social psychologists Dean Pruitt and Jeffrey Z. Rubin discussed this as the “dual concern” concept of conflict management. The best resolutions involve this balancing of needs. I had […] … learn more→
Reflections on doing an invited keynote
“We would like to wholeheartedly invite you to give the introductory keynote speech at our conference,” said the message on Research Gate. “Oh yeah,” I thought, “Another scam conference invitation!” But one that was not scheduled for Las Vegas or Bangkok. Working from the cautious maxim that I should not be so cynical, I decided […] … learn more→
New podcast: Passionate PhDs
Congratulations on PhD graduation! But what’s next? To be frank, I do not know. Don’t take me wrong, I’m not saying I do not have life goals. In fact, I am very clear about the kind of person I want to be. I’m driven by curiosity, I like listening to people’s thoughts and ideas, and […] … learn more→
The gender qualification gap: women ‘over-invest’ in workplace capabilities
It took a Nobel Prize before Canadian physicist Donna Strickland got promoted to a full professorship. As anecdotal evidence that women have to prove themselves even more than men to earn a job promotion, her story is hard to beat. Looking deeper, it’s more complex than outright sexism. Strickland herself dismissed suggestions her career had ever been stymied […] … learn more→
Theory fright – part two
Theory is explanation. Last post I suggested that this understanding might help to reduce fear of theory. This week, another piece in the fright reduction puzzle. Something else that might help reduce fear of theory is the understanding that not every piece of research uses theory. But all research, regardless of its aims and objectives and […] … learn more→
