Writing Good English

I’m getting ready to teach a one-credit journalism course on editorial writing, which will also be a test case for a potential “topics in advanced composition” course. This essay looks like a good way to start the class. The good nouns are the thousands of short, simple, infinitely old Anglo-Saxon nouns that express the fundamentals…

'Rude' texting students say they're only multitasking

Two Seton Hill sources are mentioned in this local story. Millennials appreciate professors who bring technology into the classroom, whether it’s YouTube, PowerPoint or posting grades online after assignments, said Theresa Conley, 27, a junior at Seton Hill University in Greensburg. “That way, you can see where you’re at and what you’re getting, so you’re…

Learn from this typesetter’s mistake

Wisdom to keep in mind as I plan for this semester’s “History and Future of the Book.”   FAIL Blog. Similar:Academic Writing BluesTwo days ago my problem was that I had n…AcademiaRussia is relying on unwitting Americans to spread election disinformation, US officials s…If I ever share something that turns out…CultureHow "Hail Mary" Became Inextricably…

Constitutional Kombat: Psychological Evidence Used to Restrict Video-game Violence

Violent video games have triggered substantial controversy due to highly publicized incidents of youth violence that have been allegedly inspired by the content of such games. Several jurisdictions have passed legislation penalizing the distribution of violent video games to minors and used psychological research to support the justification for such laws. However, courts have consistently…

on lesson plans and pedagogic tactics

I am far less interested in turning my students into good bloggers, or good podcasters, or good YouTubers, and far more interested in helping them develop the big-picture synthesizing and evaluative skills that will enable them to learn whatever comes along next, and to keep learning whatever comes next.  Of course, I also ask students…

Raising a stink over printer ink

The price of printer cartridges has long irritated consumers and their advocates, and they say the lack of information from manufacturers only aggravates the situation. One recent study even estimated that consumers could save billions of dollars a year if they were armed with full information about how much it would cost to operate various…

First-Person Tetris

An interesting spin on Tetris. Similar:On teaching coding to English studies studentsBecause this is a practical, hands-on, i…AcademiaHow professors use their time: faculty time allocationInteresting social science approach to h…AcademiaZagg.com Just Provided Me with Great Customer Servicetl;dr: Zagg.com just offered to replace …BusinessJournalism Isn't Dying. It's Returning to Its Roots.An important reminder that “objective” j…CultureInequity…

What Type are You?

Why did Brian Wilson use Cooper Black on the cover of Pet Sounds? Why did Obama use Gotham for his election propaganda? It has long been apparent that typefaces reflect the character of the person using them, and that type choice, as well as the words that are typed, is a powerful conveyor of meaning. At…

Nil by mouth

Afer extensive treatments for cancer, including the removal of part of his jaw, film critic Roger Ebert is still critiquing movies and writing, but he is unable to speak; he also can’t eat or drink. His recent column reflects on life without a mouth. One day in the hospital my brother-in-law Johnny Hammel and his…

The Turtlenecked Hairshirt

Ian Bogost has stirred up some discussion with his post on how digital humanities has challenged the humanities at large.  I’ve been very happy with the level of support I’ve received from my English colleagues, my humanities colleagues, and the dean, but all interdisciplinary, hybrid, and emerging fields rub against the sharp edges of the…

Colossal Cave Adventure Playthrough (with my 11-year-old son)

  Similar:Digital Storytelling: an Efficient and Engaging Learning ActivityA digital story is essentially any combi…CybercultureBirthright, Part 2 (#StarTrek #TNG Rewatch, Season 6, Episode 17) Worf sows disorder in a …Rewatching ST:TNG L’Kor tells Worf th…EthicsLearn to code? No: Learn a real languageI don’t see learning to code as a substi…CultureMicrosoft “lobotomized” AI-powered Bing Chat, and…

My 11yo Son and I Play Adam Cadre's 9:05 (Interactive Fiction Playthrough)

Similar:Elmo? Yes, I do mind. I learned far more from Bert.Like plenty of people my age, I grew up …AestheticsChoice of the Journo: A Branching-path Phone-friendly Role-playing Simulation for Journali…How can a nostalgic, branching-path stor…AcademiaScrape, Scrape, Spam Blog, Have You Scraped My Site?http://youtu.be/GFk8hEQ-jNI Below is …BooksCrime coverage on Fox News halved once US midterms were…

A playable game of Tabletop Pong

If that’s not good enough for you, try Similar:Happy St. Crispin's DayHere’s my rendition of the famous “band …CultureGo not to the elves for counsel, for they will say both no and yes.First runner-up for the girl’s Halloween…AestheticsRubric for the Rubric Concerning Students’ Core Educational Competency In Reading Things I…Sadly, this only barely counts as…