In an opening lecture for my journalism class, I listed the five freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment to the US Constitution. I’ve referred to the importance of the First Amendment several times, but I haven’t listed the freedoms in class. One week after the opening lecture, I asked students to list those freedoms on…
Wish I’d known this technique when I spilled tea all over my JC Superstar script. (I did the paper towel and fan thing, but didn’t try leaving the book under weights overnight — probably because I needed to use the script at rehearsal.) Similar:Opinion | Fake News Comes to AcademiaThe three academics call themselves “lef…AcademiaGoogle…
His despair is only part of his artistic journey. When researching Poe last year, I was surprised to come across an anecdote about him playing leap-frog with his wife and splitting his pants, causing both of them to collapse in fits of laughter. I’m sure it was the memory of joyful moments like this that haunted him as she lay dying and long after she was dead.
Similar:In December 2000, I was blogging about typeface snobbery, freedom in video game spaces, th…In December 2000, I was blogging about …AestheticsWho choked up while reading aloud Sagan’s “Pale Blue Dot” during a lesson on creative nonf…Who choked up while reading aloud Sagan’…PersonalCheerful scene from @pictclassictheatre Jane Eyre (getting great reviews; 11 more performa…PersonalPresenting at…
Like vegan pizzas and secular Christmas celebrations, I can hear and understand the reasoning behind why people like football, but their explanation does nothing to make me want to participate on any level. So it’s very interesting to me to read this report of an apparent cultural shift, sparked by concerns about brain injury. You…
I’ve recently processed and absorbed my recognition of the “left brain vs right brain myth.” (One side of the brain may work harder on some tasks, but there’s no evidence to suggest that whether a person is logical or creative has anything to do with how that person’s brain hemispheres relate to each other.) The…
Your mileage may vary, but I immediately thought of Galadriel in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, who states this problem in negative terms. Yes, she’s a made-up character delivering a line in a movie about an imaginary ring from a fantasy book, but anyone who really understands Tolkien’s story will have reflected on the…
Kim Ash teaches the Newseum’s “Fighting Fake News” class. Whereas teachers once feared that teenagers would fall for everything they read online, now they’re concerned young people won’t believe anything they read. —Washington Post Similar:Despite its impressive output, generative AI doesn’t have a coherent understanding of the …[A] popular type of generative AI model&…CybercultureWhat about…
Is your academic essay a bit short? First, make sure that you have formatted your draft as required (usually professors ask you to double-space). Faking a longer paper won’t make your writing any more persuasive or intelligent or analytical or factual. It won’t help you to learn what your instructor wants you to learn. My…
Similar:Still in her make-up from her scene as Marley's ghost, with script in hand standing i…PersonalLooking forward to Part 2 of #PPTPlaytime’s production “The Rivals” (live… now!)CultureOut for a walk during some downtime. Paused to appreciate this beautiful city of #Pittsbur…Out for a walk during some downtime. Pau…PersonalWhy do academics dress so badly? (Answer: they…
When you’re a homeschool parent, you go with what works. Yes, Carolyn, you may have my plaid bed sheet. Finish reading this book on Scottish history and I’ll take more pictures. No, you may not wear your kilt to church. Similar:Teaching the First Amendment FreedomsIn an opening lecture, I briefly listed …CultureSold out show today.…
Carolyn: “Does no one have a kind word for my Scotland?” Similar:Not doing well. As usual.PersonalSunny but cool. Great day for a long walk with my son.PersonalI just realized I've been misspelling and mispronouncing "detritus" all my life. I’ve been a college English faculty …Academia"Godspell" is sure to entertain audiences of all ages and faithsThat’s…
Each element of the periodic table gets its own haiku. What a clever project — traditional haiku frequently celebrate nature. An interactive review of the periodic table — composed of 119 haiku The elements, in haiku Similar:Take a look at the moon tonight!I wish I had the time or energy to get o…AestheticsIn April, 2002,…
Wife: “What did you do with your bedsheet?” Me: “Is that my missing belt?” Girl: “Kilt-y as charged.” Similar:After Hours – Why The Star Trek Universe is Secretly HorrifyingAfter Hours – Why The Star Trek Universe…AmusingThe Myth of ‘Learning Styles’The discourse around “learning styles” (…AcademiaRehearsing 'Fiddler on the Roof' is like trying to herd cats…
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Fascinating academic effort to find a pattern in apparently random conspiracy theories that regularly pop up in our infostreams during social crises. Experts usually dismiss them because they are so wild and unlikely, and have thus failed to notice their impact. Starbird’s insight was to map the digital connections between all this buzzing on Twitter…
I did in fact search YouTube for videos featuring corridors on the starship Enterprise. And I found this bizarrely satisfying video, featuring not just corridors, but also doors. (Whoosh! Whoosh!) I remember this — our first look at Captain Kirk in the 1979 “Star Trek the Motion Picture.” Similar:Parents Dedicate New College Safe Space In…
Similar:As yearbooks die, colleges lose a link to the pastThis year, for the first time in decades…AcademiaI've completed my second set of 25 #neovictorian control panels, which I'll eventually use… AestheticsA brief respite from grading. A brief respite from grading. PersonalPut up the Hoop Sooner: 10 lessons of parenting from one wise guy who's done…
Student (shouldering backpack and heading for door): Why does MLA Style have to keep changing? Me (checks clock): Well… Similar:How We ReadI feel a little nerdier than usual when …AestheticsMy English major skills crushed the girl in Bananagrams.Wildcard? You mean quitter tile! GamesAfter a productive run-through of West Side Story, the girl decided to slide…
I posted a new handout with tips on surviving group projects in college. Employers value applicants who can work in groups. Most college students say they hate group work, but in the real world, few people work alone. Your assigned partner for a class project may be slow to respond because he or she is dealing…