As a professor devoted to his college’s “pre-disciplinary” core curriculum, I was hooked by David Epstein’s title, Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World. The book is chock-full of … Continue reading “The Limits of Expertise”
Collectivists of many stripes—but one aim—have been eating away at our free society for over one hundred years. If we want to reverse America’s current slide into authoritarianism and actively … Continue reading “To Restore American Liberty, We Need Colleges that Actually Teach the Liberal Arts”
What will they learn? That is the question that the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) has been asking America’s colleges for thirteen years in a report by the … Continue reading “Many NC Students Are Missing out on Core Knowledge”
How do we teach students how to think rather than what to think? If the latest election cycle showed us anything, it’s that parents care deeply about what their children … Continue reading “Three Ways to Teach Students How—Not What—to Think”
Given the enormity of the public and private investment in US higher education, of course we should evaluate its effectiveness. But, how? It is claimed that over 200 higher education … Continue reading “Are College Exit Exams a Valid Measure of Learning? It’s Complicated”
Although there is no shortage of college graduates, a degree alone, unfortunately, does not guarantee students learned anything of substance while in college. The grade point averages listed at the … Continue reading “Could College Exit Exams Restore Confidence in Higher Ed?”
We have reached a critical juncture in our nation’s history. As once hallowed institutions decay before our eyes, parallel structures struggle to arise. Cryptocurrencies, Fintechs, and private equity funds hedge … Continue reading “Getting Serious About a Parallel University System”
To the editor: The ‘Scuba Model’ of learning is not the model used in College education….or HSchool….or GSchool….because Scuba Certification is all about skill development critical to the survival of … Continue reading “Letter to the Editor: Scuba certification vs. college education”
Radicals on campus do more than just “cancel” speakers. Failure by administrators to stand firm alters the atmosphere at colleges as well as, eventually, our system of government. The most … Continue reading “The Ways in Which Colleges Legally Silence Troublesome Scholars”
The year 2020 brought changes that colleges would have never made by choice. Enrollment declines, remote classes, and dramatic employee cuts (for faculty and some staff alike) were unthinkable a … Continue reading “Reforming Higher Ed in 2021”