President Donald Trump has signed an executive order preventing nationals of Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Yemen, Libya and Somalia from entering the US. Syrian refugees are indefinitely banned, and other refugees are banned for 120 days. It’s not clear what comes next. During his campaign, Trump also stated his intention to remove all 11 million […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
In the face of Trump’s Muslim ban, all academics have a responsibility to act
Singing “California Girls” = Sexual harassment
Having been part of, and victimized by, the kangaroo campus court system, I nevertheless am perpetually amazed at just how bizarrely it runs, from how piffling the “crimes” are that merit convictions, to how far reaching the penalties can be. Of particular interest to the kangaroo court system are sex related cases. Before moving on, […] … learn more→
U of Penn: Shakespeare OUT, Lesbian author IN
The dementation of higher education is in real time. From one eyeblink to the next, it seems one more thing happens to debase higher education. So we have Shakespeare being taken down, and a new author, Lorde, in his place. Before moving on to the latest slip into the abyss, I reckon I’d best answer […] … learn more→
Growing partisanship fuels fake news – but we can stop its spread
The challenge of fake news is well articulated in this quote from Abraham Lincoln. More and more, individuals get their news on societal issues via social media platforms and without the vetting process that previously characterised leading news outlets. This shift was made clear when a study by Buzzfeed found that fake news was posted […] … learn more→
Less is more?
Welcome to 2017. It’s started in an odd way hasn’t it? When the world seems topsy-turvy, I find it’s even more important to take a moment to pause. To think. To take stock, re-orient, reassess and set new goals. I hope many of you took a break. I’ve had a month off and it’s been […] … learn more→
What does a book proposal reviewer do?
When you send in a book proposal to a publisher, chances are that it will be sent out to reviewers. This is peer review – and a version that actually gets talked about very little. The publisher often asks you to recommend two to three proposal reviewers. When you make these recommendations, it’s important to pick people who […] … learn more→
Should gifted students go to a separate school?
Despite two Senate inquiries in 1988 and 2001, it has taken 15 years and a state parliamentary review for the Victorian government to decide to build a specialist high school for students who are gifted, specifically targeting those from rural and regional Victoria. Research at both the national and international level has long advocated that […] … learn more→
It’s true, internet surfing during class is not so good for grades
Many universities encourage students to purchase laptops that they can bring to class. Charities like One Laptop per Child provide low-cost laptops to disadvantaged students. There is no doubt that having a desktop computer or laptop in school is useful for writing papers, gathering information and learning how to program and use software. But, as […] … learn more→
Private schools: Benefits of enrolling your child
Are you worried for the future of your child? The best that you can do is to give them a good start in life and let them take it from there. One of the best ways of doing so is by enrolling them in a great school at an early age. As a parent, the […] … learn more→
Mobile phones offer a new way for Africa’s students to learn programming
It’s not easy for Computer Science students at most universities in Africa to practice and develop their programming skills. They have the ability to program, but access to desktop or laptop computers might be a problem. I experienced this first-hand while teaching programming at a Kenyan university. Most African universities have public computer laboratories, but […] … learn more→
