Zooze the Horse roams around the pasture near Lamar State College. Zooze thinks about problems in academia. Zhe wants proffies to submit posts (blog posts, not fence posts).
Monday, August 20, 2018
Monday Magic in August
Why are you not happy the school year is beginning?
Something I am absolutely chortling in my joy with is that my campus is switching from Blackboard to Canvas. Amid the wailing and the weeping and gnashing of teeth you can hear my solitary giggle, since I don't use Blackboard, and I never have. Yes, I am such an evil mad scientist, but you knew that.
I do not use BlackBoard, Canvas, Moodle, or any of the others. I have, but I abandoned them years ago. If I went back to a LMS, it would probably be Google Classroom. But I much prefer using my own website (southernbubbaphdlab.com via a local ISP). Something about academic freedom and just plain old freedom.
I am unhappy because Batshit U. seems hellbent on becoming the Enron on Higher Education.
All that I can do about it is work on my own physical and mental health. In those areas, this summer has been great. The challenge is to maintain it during the upcoming semester.
The primary way I try to make this problem better is by modeling honesty for my students and colleagues. Yes, there's something imperfect--and sometimes painful--about this, but I prefer it to the alternative. And this is a college, after all.
Something I am absolutely chortling in my joy with is that my campus is switching from Blackboard to Canvas. Amid the wailing and the weeping and gnashing of teeth you can hear my solitary giggle, since I don't use Blackboard, and I never have. Yes, I am such an evil mad scientist, but you knew that.
ReplyDeleteI do not use BlackBoard, Canvas, Moodle, or any of the others. I have, but I abandoned them years ago. If I went back to a LMS, it would probably be Google Classroom. But I much prefer using my own website (southernbubbaphdlab.com via a local ISP). Something about academic freedom and just plain old freedom.
DeleteI am unhappy because Batshit U. seems hellbent on becoming the Enron on Higher Education.
ReplyDeleteAll that I can do about it is work on my own physical and mental health. In those areas, this summer has been great. The challenge is to maintain it during the upcoming semester.
I am not happy with all the dishonesty.
ReplyDeleteThe primary way I try to make this problem better is by modeling honesty for my students and colleagues. Yes, there's something imperfect--and sometimes painful--about this, but I prefer it to the alternative. And this is a college, after all.