Blogs

Serving on a school board has increased my exposure to acronyms. I started my board service already understanding STEM, and have now gained a familiarity with (but not a respect for) the APPR evaluation system. I am also familiar with ELA, especially when it involves an added emphasis on testing, and have now added LOTE to my acronym assortment.

Last weekend, I traveled to Virginia to visit my first college roommate. As described here, I took an instant dislike to Peg based on such substantial attributes as her slender good looks and nice wardrobe, and the fact that my mother approved of her. Thanks to her decency and good sense, I was eventually able to see past my ridiculous prejudices, and we became good and lasting friends.

In which I find "MOOC" doesn't adequately describe massive online open stuff any longer. Even the acronym -- massive open online course -- doesn't seem quite right.

In academia, the summer break inevitably leads every professor to confront the very tasks he/she has put aside during the busy semesters of teaching: finish that research project; complete that journal article or book; catch up on more readings of favorite authors; brush up that syllabus; weed/add class materials, etc. To many, summer is really not a breather of one’s academic self, but merely a dedicated time to concentrate on things other than teaching. Except for the shorter library and office hours, and the minuscule number of students roaming about campus, summer is business as usual to many of us whose work follows wherever one goes.

A few months ago, I wrote a GradHacker post on studying for comprehensive exams. This post is a follow-up, with suggestions on how to successfully write the exams themselves.

The other day I sat in on an online synchronous session in a graduate blended degree program. As I watched the session I kept thinking to myself "YES!" Yes - this is the sort of learning that technology can catalyze. Yes - this is the educational experience we would would construct if getting learners and faculty together at one place around an oval table is not feasible. And yes - we need to find a way to share the potential of education at a distance to match the quality of a face-to-face seminar.

Money magazine did an uncharacteristically good piece on how to choose a community college. It assumes a little more geographic mobility than is typically the case -- most people pick one within commuting distance of home -- but for people who have multiple practical options within driving distance, it may be useful.

When Summify came on the content curation scene last year, I was instantly enamored with the service. Keeping up with vast amounts of tweets and Facebook updates can easily become a full-time occupation for folks like myself who are regularly "plugged in." Summify provided a daily email of the best bits of the social media day. Sadly, Summify was acquired by Twitter. Most likely, Twitter wants to use Summify's service as a way to boost readership and potential ad revenue. (Although, the whole thing reeks of the Facebook Camera / Instagram situation…) What the acquisition means for users is that what was once a great product is now no longer available.