TA Services at the University of Pittsburgh

Many journalists are not equipped to distinguish good science from shoddy science. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/01/business/beyond-publish-or-perish-scientific-papers-look-to-make-splash.html?_r=0

Academics Seek a Big Splash The benefits of generating media attention may be skewing research studies and broadening their findings.

There is no substitute for time spent with your students. http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/2015/jun/04/dissatisfied-students-want-more-contact-time-with-teaching-staff

Dissatisfied students want more contact time with teaching staff Students would prefer lecturers to have teaching qualifications and industry experience

Students care more about your teaching than your research: https://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/content/student-survey-rates-teaching-qualifications-above-research-activity

Student survey rates teaching qualifications above research activity Hepi/HEA Student Academic Experience Survey results may intensify pressure on staff to gain formal accreditation

How big can the mega-journals get? https://peerj.com/articles/981/

Have the “mega-journals” reached the limits to growth? A “mega-journal” is a new type of scientific journal that publishes freely accessible articles, which have been peer reviewed for scientific...

Community-oriented research perspectives can bring a fresh approach: http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2015/6/native-phds-bring-fresh-approach-to-academic-study.html

OPINION: Native PhDs bring fresh approach to academic study | Al Jazeera... More schools should support community-oriented indigenous research perspectives

Is forever too long for tenure? http://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/colleges-re-evaluate-the-concept-of-tenure/

Colleges re-evaluate the concept of tenure In an era of rapid change, long life spans, economic strains and a dwindling college-age population, there is a high cost to awarding professors...

It's important to coauthor some of your papers. But how to find those coauthors? https://chroniclevitae.com/news/1025-dear-forums-how-do-i-find-good-co-authors

'Dear Forums ...': How Do I Find Good Co-Authors? Also in our weekly roundup of the best Chronicle conversations: Not-so-blind reviewers and backing out of a book contract.

As far as parents are concerned, the days of college being a place to focus on learning are over. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/06/09/national-poll-finds-overall-dissatisfaction-college-selection-process-while-parents

National poll finds overall dissatisfaction with college selection... A national poll released by the Robert Morris University Polling Institute Monday found that only a little more than half of respondents viewed the...

When do we stop treating students as customers? http://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/06/09/college-is-not-a-commodity-stop-treating-it-like-one/

College is not a commodity. Stop treating it like one. What truly makes an education valuable: the effort the student puts into it.

Is education really the answer? http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/education-economic-growth-by-ricardo-hausmann-2015-05

The Education Myth In an era characterized by political polarization and policy paralysis, one area of agreement is the idea that the key to inclusive economic growth...

Fredrick Douglass: Defender of the Liberal Arts http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/04/frederick-douglass-defender-of-the-liberal-arts/389904/

Why Frederick Douglass Should Have a Say in Current Debates Over the... Vocational education is key to empowerment, the former slave argued—but that doesn't mean it should replace subjects like literature and philosophy.

Who cares if your students are texting in class? (Hint: you should) https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2015/03/17/essay-about-one-professors-crusade-against-class-texting

Essay about one professor's crusade against in-class texting |... You’ve probably heard about the distracted seaman in California who was secretly caught on camera. Sitting on a boat floating near Redondo Beach,...

Four new tools for dissertation research and writing: http://opensource.com/education/15/4/open-source-digital-humanities

Scholarly research with open source tools | Opensource.com Review of four new tools and tutorials for scholarly research and the digital humanities.

Some strategies for the large lecture classroom: http://crlt.umich.edu/tstrategies/tsllc

Teaching Strategies: Large Classes and Lectures | CRLT Eliciting participation, questions, and even attention from a sea of faces in a large lecture hall can be a difficult task. Instructors often seek...

Some ideas for "active learning" activities in your classroom:http://www.crlt.umich.edu/sites/default/files/resource_files/Active%20Learning%20Continuum.pdf

How can you incorporate active learning into the classroom? There are many ways to use active learning in the classroom. The following brief list summarizes some simple approaches described by others (Active...