In a recent post, I argued that universities do not owe every doctoral graduate an academic job. Completing a PhD gives you the opportunity to compete for academic employment; it does not create an entitlement. Universities should be honest about the prospects, particularly when they train many more doctoral graduates than they will ever employ themselves.Continue reading “The Trouble with ‘Useful’ Degrees”
Category Archives: Academic Life
Academia: Hard to Enter, Harder to Defend, Still Worth It!
There has been no shortage of articles lately warning people to think twice before pursuing an academic career. Most make entirely reasonable points. Academic jobs are difficult to secure, casual employment has become entrenched, permanent positions attract enormous fields of applicants, research funding is scarce, and Australian universities have developed the sort of reputation that now makes “governanceContinue reading “Academia: Hard to Enter, Harder to Defend, Still Worth It!”
AI Is Not the Problem. Avoiding Effort Just Got Easier
One look at the headlines and you would think civilisation is either ending, ascending, or about to be permanently automated. Apparently, AI will destroy work, create infinite prosperity, democratise knowledge, eliminate expertise, replace teachers, save education, and possibly run the world sometime between Year 10 exams and the next university curriculum review. Not bad forContinue reading “AI Is Not the Problem. Avoiding Effort Just Got Easier”
The Arrogance of Certainty: Why Epistemological Modesty is Education’s Lost Virtue
In the current educational discourse, modesty is a forgotten virtue. We are inundated with calls for innovation, rigour, and evidence-based practice, yet we rarely hear a plea for the one thing that should underpin them all: a healthy sense of our own limitations. By epistemological modesty, I mean the unfashionable idea that we should notContinue reading “The Arrogance of Certainty: Why Epistemological Modesty is Education’s Lost Virtue”
Stop Acting Surprised: Teachers Don’t Have Time for Your Research
Last month, AARE released a blog post with a shocking revelation: teachers aren’t reading academic research. Groundbreaking stuff. I haven’t seen such a pointless discovery since someone realised toddlers aren’t into Nietzsche or that cats don’t follow instructions. Apparently, classroom teachers, you know the ones that are overworked, underpaid, and one broken photocopier away from a nervousContinue reading “Stop Acting Surprised: Teachers Don’t Have Time for Your Research”
On grades, hypocrisy, and the delusion that students love learning for its own sake
A new study tells us that over 65% of students either ignore feedback completely or do not improve as a result of feedback – is anyone surprised? Ask any high school teacher how effective feedback is and you’ll get the same answer… somewhere between a tired chuckle and a soul-crushing sigh. Sure, we provide feedback. We mayContinue reading “On grades, hypocrisy, and the delusion that students love learning for its own sake”
Why Every Fix for Education Makes Something Else Worse
There’s a certain look you develop after a few decades in education. A kind of squint. Part suspicion, part fatigue, part “Please don’t say ‘21st century learning’ again.” It’s the look of someone who has taught with passion, researched with hope, and been burnt by the same five ideas recycled every ten years with newContinue reading “Why Every Fix for Education Makes Something Else Worse”
Teaching Strategies Part 5: The Challenge of Translating Educational Research into Effective Teaching Practice
The endeavour to bridge the gap between educational research and teaching practice represents a significant challenge within the academic and pedagogical communities. While there is much discourse about the necessity of research into practice, the truth is that teachers barely have enough time to do their job, never mind reading reams of indecipherable journal articlesContinue reading “Teaching Strategies Part 5: The Challenge of Translating Educational Research into Effective Teaching Practice”
Publish or Perish 3: Beyond Rejection: Resilience in the Academic Odyssey
There lies a hidden narrative in the solemn yet occasionally absurd world of academia, where the pursuit of knowledge is supposed to be our noble quest. It’s the narrative of countless scholars navigating the tumultuous waters of academic publishing, a journey marked not by triumphant arrivals but by detours, setbacks, and outright rejections. The artContinue reading “Publish or Perish 3: Beyond Rejection: Resilience in the Academic Odyssey”
Publish or Perish The Sequel: A Call for Meaningful Academic Contribution
In academia, the pressure to publish reigns supreme, shaping priorities and self-worth. This relentless pursuit has led to an inflation of research papers, diluting genuine innovation. The solution lies in prioritizing impact over quantity and democratizing access to knowledge. It’s time to redefine academic success and make meaningful contributions.
