Global Game Jam is this weekend

Approximate Reading Time: < 1 minute http://www.globalgamejam.org/ Live video can be found at http://www.globalgamejam.be/livewall/ The local Calgary site begins at about 4 PM today; others have started, of course, as the various time zones join up. Be the first to like. Like Unlike … Continue reading

My old alma mater confirms its rightful membership among the ranks of the despicable.

Approximate Reading Time: < 1 minute It’s thoroughly disgusting when a University fires someone who has worked for them for more than 35 years. Their ‘crime’? Getting sick as a result of being abused at work. Despicable! (note: I am NOT talking about Mount Royal). What … Continue reading

University of Calgary takes another lap around the metaphorical toilet bowl on its way down.

Approximate Reading Time: 2 minutes I put this together some months ago, but in light of recent events, I felt like posting this now. The U of C is going through another round of DEEP cuts. The primary reason for the cuts, says Weingarten, is … Continue reading

How important is it for teaching faculty to actually know how to teach (and to actually care about the success of their students)?

Approximate Reading Time: 2 minutes Thanks Mark for once again posting something that makes me think (and that gives me an opportunity to tough on a favorite topic: the importance of teaching quality in higher ed). Boredom vs. Failure Part 2: The New Demographic From Mark’s … Continue reading

Is it wrong to buy publications from grad students and pass them off as your own?

Approximate Reading Time: < 1 minute Apparently it is in China – if you get caught. Chinese academia ghost-writing ‘widespread’ This BBC article claims that “More than $100m (£63m) changes hands in China every year for ghost-written academic papers, according to research by a Chinese university.” … Continue reading

“Venality, Pretension, Irresponsibility and Risible Claims”: That sounds just like the UofC

Approximate Reading Time: 2 minutes Stanley Fish is really hit and miss for me: sometimes I agree with him, and other times really, really not. This is one of those times I agree: Stanley Fish: Academics Under Siege By By Stanley Fish Published: October 19, … Continue reading

Teaching Introductory Programming: We’re Doing It Wrong (still)

Approximate Reading Time: 3 minutes I just read Mark Guzdial’s excellent post on some of what’s wrong with how we teach introductory programming courses. Question Everything: How We Teach Intro CS is Wrong The notion that we should be modeling expert behaviour when teaching programming is … Continue reading

On Dissertations and Theses

Approximate Reading Time: 3 minutes When I was writing my thesis I looked for examples of dissertations to get some ideas about how to formulate my own – you know general style, chapter organization, etc. It was suggested that I go to my school’s library … Continue reading