We have been carrying artificial intelligence in our pocket for a few years and we interact with it many times without being aware of it. In education it has also been used for a long time through tutoring and evaluation systems . With the arrival and popularization of ChatGPT in its version 3.5, we have been more aware than ever […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
How to evaluate students in times of ChatGPT
University is expensive – how a mid-course work placement can help with costs and careers
Students are struggling financially. A 2022 survey from the Office for National Statistics found that half of students in England felt they were facing financial difficulties, and that one-quarter of students had borrowed more to cope with the cost of living crisis. In England, tuition fees for bachelor’s programmes are the highest among OECD countries. In addition to […] … learn more→
On neurodiversity in the PhD – the silence is deafening?
I didn’t expect to find myself crying. I don’t tend to study emotional topics. I’ve studied ‘troubles talk’, administrative systems and post PhD employability, but this research on neurodiversity and the PhD experience is different. This is definitely the first time I’ve been moved to tears by a piece of academic writing. I guess it’s because this research feels, […] … learn more→
Positive discrimination at Harvard: the end of a contested conception of justice?
In 2014, an NGO attacked the universities of North Carolina and Harvard , accusing them of discriminating against Asian students in favor of white students through “affirmative action” practices supposed to promote ethno-racial diversity. After several years of proceedings, the Supreme Court of the United States must finally render its decision in June 2023. This decision will be […] … learn more→
Vocational education: between schools and companies, a complex story
What part should the company take in the vocational training of young people? The question is not new, nor are the demands for a match between the courses offered and the needs of companies. There are many relationships between schools and companies. Putting it into perspective makes it possible to identify the great diversity of experiences over […] … learn more→
Taking students to the range to learn about gun culture firsthand
Title of course: “Sociology of Guns” What prompted the idea for the course? I grew up in the liberal culture of the San Francisco Bay Area and never touched a firearm until I was 42 years old, living in North Carolina and teaching sociology at Wake Forest University. For the past 10-plus years I have been […] … learn more→
‘Battered and broken. I must get out’: what staff told us about teaching and working in universities today
The current funding crisis in New Zealand universities has not happened in a vacuum. It is a byproduct of the neoliberal “reforms” introduced here in the 1980s and which have affected every aspect of university work. Nor is this confined to New Zealand. The stress on corporate capitalism, adoption of business practices, and prioritisation of economic goals […] … learn more→
Mission trips are an evangelical rite of passage for US teens – but why?
As tourists head to airports this summer, American travelers are likely to see groups of young people in matching T-shirts awaiting flights to Latin America or further afield. Their T-shirts sport biblical verses or phrases like “Here I am, send me” or “Called to serve,” and the teens may gather for prayer before boarding. These […] … learn more→
Thinking about a microcredential course? 4 things to consider first
There is increasing talk about microcredentials in higher education. Earlier this week, the federal government announced the first group of courses it is supporting in a microcredential pilot program. Microcredentials have been around in vocational circles for several years but are starting to be offered more widely by universities. The Universities Accord review panel has noted “microcredentials are […] … learn more→
Our research shows how students can miss out on their preferred uni degree – but there’s a simple fix
Every year thousands of students around Australia sit their final high school exams. The performance in these exams will help determine their Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR). For many, it will also determine whether they can attend university, which university, and which undergraduate degree they can enrol in. The Universities Accord review team has called for […] … learn more→