Nothing particularly interesting

Thiong’o, N. wa. (1992). Decolonising the mind: the politics of language in African literature . London: James Currey.

I was recently asked to give recommendations to someone who wanted some grounding in educational theory.  I gave the fairly standard response – all the big names.  After which I was mortified to realise just how stupendously white and male my recommendations were.

I’m a better person than you. Harsh, I know, but true. Just look at my suit, my cufflinks, hair, my Bertie Wooster aristocratic air, my Oxford polo blue. I don’t know much about the World (at least, the one you live in). But I’m an economic genius (ignore all those fraud hearings). I understand you’re struggling with health and wealth and work. But that’s all someone else’s fault, and I’m the only one can halt the irresponsible assault of some Labour berk. I’ll tell you what you want to hear: You really should be proud. We’re better than those other chaps: All that foreign crowd. and while you are not, obviously, as good a chap as me, We share in the same noble blood: We’re just the same! You see? So vote for me. Although I’m posh, I’ll represent your interests, and give you everything you need: panem et circenses .

Educational technology is brilliant at many things - but one thing it is absolutely brilliant at is sharing and connecting.  You can share content across different platforms, you can share resources to students wherever they are, and you can connect to people in an almost infinite number of ways. This all sounds great!  But one of the things that has surprised me since starting work as a Learning Technology Adviser, is a brand of protectionism demonstrated by some academics.  Their driving concern when it comes to any educational technology is that no ‘outsiders’ should ever have access to their academic resources . The argument used to justify this concern is that they have spent a lifetime developing these resources, and they’ll be damned if they’re going to let any Professor Tea-Leaf nick them all just because they happen to be an External Examiner for the course, or another lecturer on the programme, or the Programme Manager or a student. After all, these du...

Over the years I have had many different managers.  Some I have thought to be good, some bad - and some downright awful.  At UEL we have just appointed a new VC - and it will be interesting to see what happens - but one of the debates that always seems to emerge when new managers are appointed, is whether an educational manager need to be an experienced educator? Of course they should, one argument goes.  Anyone put in the position of deciding policies and practices within an educational institution needs to understand the roles, demands and challenges of those doing the actual job.  How can an educational manager have any clear understanding of the stakeholders in their business, if they have never been exposed directly to those stakeholders? Don't be ridiculous , says the other side, surely a good manager is one who knows how to find the right information to make the most effective decisions relating to those stakeholders?  A manager with no teaching...

Picture by Michael Coghlan: https://flic.kr/p/dtgg4h There's a wrapper in my pocket. It's from a chocolate bar I got a long, long time ago, From a local Spar. I ate it in a country park, Sitting by a tree, Soaking in the morning Sun: The sounds of birds and bees. It's Winter now. I'm back at work. And many months have gone Since that blissful country park, And that warm Summer Sun. I really should throw away This wrapper in my pocket. Although it brings fond memories, My pocket's gone all mockett.

Satire on corporate monopolies in 19th-century America, targeting a railway owner who once famously said "I can hire one half of the working class to kill the other half." At my University we are currently discussing how to provide support for software that can help students and staff manage their references and sources.  There are of course many different options available on the market - some free, and some not.  During discussions I have made no secret of my preference for Zotero - which I believe offers the most intuitive and comprehensive functionality.  To this end, I have done some showcases of Zotero for various academics - which appear to illicit one of three responses from them: Oh, brave new world that has such software in it!  I had no idea - and I want it now! We already use it.  Have been for years.  So why are you telling us about it now? But don't we already have Mendeley in our official software catalogue? I fully expected ...