Ken Bain’s 2004 book, What the Best College Teachers Do, is something of a contemporary classic on the practice of higher education. One of the main themes of the book is the idea that the highest goal for college teachers is to inspire an intrinsic love of learning among college students. What is missing from this […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
Educators have a responsibility to help students plan for life after graduation
5 promising models for College affordability
As reported last week by Ashley A. Smith in Inside Higher Education, one of the most interesting developments in higher education is how the growing concern over high tuition sticker prices is playing out in state and national politics. Much of the discussion is a good-hearted effort to make college more affordable, especially for middle class students […] … learn more→
How fake subjects invaded Academia
Youtube is such an awesome resource for knowledge, it’s a shame they’re consigning videos with “alternative” points of view to concentration camps, no longer easily accessible to the public. It really is amazing what those alternative videos have accomplished, literally dissecting false media narratives in real time, completely shutting down the worst of the lies our […] … learn more→
Why engineering schools globally need more creative women
Engineers are good at solving problems. We make bridges safer, computers faster and engines more efficient. Today, the profession is working on an especially thorny problem: gender equity in higher education. While other fields of study continue to make significant advances towards gender equity, engineering schools are still struggling to pull their numbers of women students […] … learn more→
How to stop cheating in universities
A recent investigation into plagiarism in higher education by the Quality Assurance Agency found hundreds of companies are regularly producing papers for students to pass off as their own. And only last year, an advertising campaign saw posters for an essay mill prominently placed around the London Underground – particularly at tube stops near university […] … learn more→
Khanya College: a South African story of decolonisation
Decolonisation and Africanisation may appear to be new ideas on South Africa’s higher education landscape. But a tertiary college established nearly 30 years ago shows that this is not the case. The story of Khanya College proves that decolonised learning – rooted in Africa but infused with global influences – is entirely possible. Khanya College […] … learn more→
Publishers vs ResearchGate: an academic’s view
Cast your mind back 20 years, to 1997. Tony Blair had just entered Downing Street and in the music industry CDs dominated and the A&R guy was king. Within a few short years, the internet had changed the music industry forever, through the music sharing site Napster. Today, Napster is dead and gone (although the brand name […] … learn more→
I call bullshit on pointless ‘hope labour’
About 30% of my work week is classified as ‘service’: work that supports others in the community, such as sitting on committees, writing reviews and references, consulting on problems and so on. As a result of this higher than usual level of service work, the sheer number and range of things I do in a […] … learn more→
PhDs UP, jobs down
Hairdresser: “Didn’t you used to teach at that community college, about 10 years ago?” Me: “Yep.” Hairdresser: “I had a class with you there, even graduated. I hear it’s a scam now.” Me: “Yep. I’d like it short in the back, please.” –I had this conversation about a month ago. I hope she enjoyed her […] … learn more→
Should conscientious academics ignore their email?
You have just sat down to mark that pile of student essays that have been glaring at you for the past two days, when – ping! – in comes an email message with a suitably distracting request. Of course you can resubmit your expenses claim from last month on a different form – those essays are just going to […] … learn more→
