In my opinion

If the fate of university scholars is based on the old adage of “publish or perish,” then it’s a wonder that so many who haven’t published haven’t perished. Perhaps that exhortation applies mostly to assistant professors who run the risk of losing their full-time status if they don’t perform adequately in that arena (thank goodness […]

Professor uses plagiarism detection software to find troubles at the draft stage

Students expect more Internet access than ever, and universities need to involve everyone in deciding how to provide it

As a first-generation immigrant living in Toronto from the mid-1970s to 2002, I had never heard of Lakehead University. In fact, I first heard of Lakehead University when I applied for the position of director of communications in November 2002. Once hired, I was excited when my proposal to launch an institutional visual identity program […]

A writing studies professor offers a spirited reply to a rhetorical question from an associate dean of graduate studies

We all do, of course. But when it comes to teaching effective writing, we talk a better game than we play

We should provide whatever assistance we can to empower students, including recorded lectures

It’s that time of year again when students prepare to fill out their course evaluations. No matter how confident I’ve become with my teaching, the drill remains a source of consternation. Like death and taxes, the evaluation exercise is something instructors cannot avoid, certainly not at any university whose administrators believe in accountability. We’ve all […]

Science’s demand to scientists to cut the jargon was a shot heard around the world, and long overdue. Now let’s talk about story telling

Elementary and high schools spend so much time on the content-laden curriculum that students are unprepared for the analytic and conceptual thinking they’ll need at university

We have all heard calls from many quarters for meaningful and innovative reform of our postsecondary education system. Surviving in a global marketplace means ensuring young people have the education they need to compete. But have we forgotten the student loan system that is supposed to support our learning infrastructure in Canada? The Canada Student […]

Despite our best efforts to help struggling students, there are some who really shouldn’t be there in the first place

A look at the sexual harassment policies at Canadian universities.