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Long Distance Mom: Agitate! Agitate! Agitate!
I attended the Ann Arbor Film Festival (AAFF) this past weekend. Ken Burns, who was raised in Ann Arbor by a college professor dad, and claims to have seen his “first breasts” on the screen of the Michigan Theatre was also present. The festival is internationally known for showcasing experimental filmmakers such as Andy Warhol, Barbara Hammer and Pat O’Neill, whose work was featured this year. Historical documentaries by Burns, which cover a good swath of American history and are used in educational settings around the globe, are not typically included in the experimental or underground film categories.
ABC’s and PhD’s: Teaching again
As of January it had been 15 years since I last taught a class. That was back when I was a student. This winter quarter (which just ended - a fast and furious ten weeks!), I jumped at an opportunity to teach an introductory biology lab.
Liberal Arts Deans
In Straight Man, Richard Russo has a wonderful line to the effect that there’s nothing scarier than a happy liberal arts dean, since the possibility of happiness in that role suggests a world other than the world that exists. It’s true. I had to smile when I saw IHE tackle the same theme.
Wither Education?
Some not-so-random thoughts and observations about the current state of education.
Negotiating the Job Offer
The academic job offer is the moment you've been waiting for; after working for who-knows-how-many-years, you've finally been invited to take a real, grown-up place at the academic table. Once you get an offer, you may be tempted to say "yes" right away--after all, negotiating the academic job market is a harrowing, stressful process which can have the unfortunate side effect of crushing your self-esteem. You may be tempted to grab that offer and hold on for dear life with no thought as to what might or might not be included in it.
How Important Is Cellular for E-Learning on Tablets?
I've become enamored with the iPad mini as an e-learning device. The iPad mini, which is 7.9 inches tall and 5.3 inches wide, fits nicely in one hand. It is also a quarter lighter and half the weight of a standard size iPad, making reading or watching course videos a pleasure.
Free Thinking?
Recently, Blade Nzimande, South Africa’s Minister for Higher Education and Training, announced that the country’s first universities to be founded since the ending of apartheid will open in 2014. Work on a university in Kimberley in the Northern Cape is set to begin in September, so that it can open in time for the beginning of the academic year in January. The second university will be based in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, a significant agricultural district about 340km northeast of Johannesburg.