Tolerance for Ambiguity
“That’s stupid.”As a professor, I gritted my teeth every time I heard a student say that. It was an attempt to shut down discussion of something that didn’t lend itself to an easy answer. Since then,...
View ArticleFifth Grade Math Homework
(Congratulations to anyone who actually read this post after seeing the title!) Many years ago, MAD magazine had a piece about joke courses for college football players. The one I remember was called...
View ArticleYou! Out of the Pool!
This kind of situation gives administrators fits, since there’s no easy answer.Let’s say a student is so disruptive in class that he’s making it impossible to teach. The professor exercises the...
View ArticleOccupation
The word “occupation” has been getting a workout lately.The Occupy Wall Street movement, which seems to have gone viral around the country, is emerging as a welcome and badly-needed counterweight to...
View ArticleWhat We Talk About When We Talk About Markets
The recent silliness in Florida, in which the governor is questioning the need for more anthropologists, got me to thinking about the whole idea of market demand for degrees. When we speak of market...
View ArticleThe Girl, Political Philosopher
Earlier this week, The Girl and I did a grocery run. The following exchange occurred in the ice cream aisle.TG (sighing): It must be nice to be in charge.DD: What?TG: It must be nice to be in charge!...
View ArticleAsk My Readers: Working With an Instructional Designer
Sometimes I take questions from readers, but today I have a question for you.My college will bring its first full-time Instructional Designer on board soon.For those of who have worked with...
View ArticleConsultation and Conflicts
This piece in the Washington Post -- sent along by a few alert readers -- inadvertently draws attention to one of the consistent dilemmas of established colleges trying to make change.The article is...
View ArticleAsk the Administrator: Improved Open Admissions
A regular reader writes:I teach at an open admission, 4 year college. Unlike community colleges, we actually pull our students from [several states].I was having a conversation with another faculty...
View ArticleAsk the Administrator: Helping, Cheating, or Marketing?
A returning correspondent writes: I teach history in the major university in my area. Every year I get 3-4 emails from high school students who want help with their papers. They often describe their...
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