By Joshua Kim. What are some of the touchstones of digital culture?By Joshua Kim. The best way to understand learning tech people is to do a little thought experiment. 
By Matt Reed. You know how there’s a special circle of hell reserved for people at conferences who stand up during the q-and-a and start with “this is really more of a comment than a question”? This is really more of a question than a post. I hope that doesn’t consign me to the flames. Read more...
By Michelle Lavery. Once upon a time, I published a paper about rock snot and ended up talking about shag carpeting on the evening news. Shall I explain?My first publication dealt with a species of algae known as Didymosphenia geminata, commonly known as “rock snot.” By Erin Bedford. I have a confession: right now, as I write this blog post, I should be writing a chapter of my thesis. And it’s not the first time that I’ve put off writing this chapter by doing something else. I also wouldn’t be at all surprised if you’re reading this when you should be writing something as well. I’ll tell both of us to get back to work soon, but first, I want to look at why this might be happening and how to keep it from happening again. Read more...
By Marcelo Knobel. A new edition of a rather new Brazilian university ranking was just published. It is the third edition of the RUF (Ranking Universitário Folha), organized by one of the country’s leading newspapers, the “Folha de São Paulo”. Although strongly criticized, the rankings are an unavoidable trend in the higher education sector, and this Brazilan example follows this current fashion of competitive comparisons. On the positive side, one can see that there is a clear intention to improve the quality of the data used and the weight given to each variable, leading to a more refined result. Read more...
By Nyasha Junior. As a seasoned faculty member, my initial class prep has dwindled from months to... well, let’s just say… much less time than I needed as a rookie. I have notes from the previous semester on what worked and didn’t work, and I keep track of ideas for new readings and assignments. Instead of starting from scratch in the fall, I have a good sense of what I want to change, add, or delete. Read more...By Christopher Leise. An informal review of recent commentary in higher-education-focused publications — particularly in recent articles focused on career failure — more or less reflects what I was taught in graduate school: placement advice typically divides positions into those focused on research and those focused on teaching. In point of fact, there are marked degrees between the research-first and teaching-first poles, gradations that many graduate students tend to assess poorly. Read more...By Terry W. Hartle and Jarret S. Cummings. Amid great anticipation, Apple last week rolled out its latest products. All the fanfare and breathless media coverage serves to underscore the excitement innovative technologies generate across our society. This is especially true for higher education. Few other industries integrate technology so thoroughly into their work. Read more...By Scott McLemee. When young sociologists would consult with C. Wright Mills, it’s said, he would end his recommendations with what was clearly a personal motto: “Take it big!” It was the concentrated expression of an ethos: Tackle major issues. Ask wide-ranging questions. Use the tools of your profession, but be careful not to let them dig a mental rut you can’t escape. Read more.../https%3A%2F%2Fprofilepics.canalblog.com%2Fprofilepics%2F1%2F0%2F1076071.jpg)
