Open Access and ASPP draft policy consultations
It is not too late to submit your feedback on the Federation’s draft policy regarding Open Access in our Awards for Scholarly Publications Program (ASPP). More information on the policy and how you can submit your feedback can be found on the ASPP consultation page.
Why Stephen Harper hates sociology: an opinion
In an interesting opinion piece published by the Toronto Star, Jakeet Singh, assistant professor at Illinois State University, discusses the ideological roots of Stephen Harper’s “vendetta against sociology.” Singh contrasts two schools of thought: the sociological tradition, which examines injustices systemically, and the neo-liberal tradition, which sees injustices as matters of individual motivation and responsibility. Singh argues that the consequences of the latter approach are detrimental to Canada’s awareness of its own structural inequalities.
Jobs of the future and Generation Z
Questions are being raised about the future of employment and education for the up-and-coming Generation Z. If we are to go by the advice of this article in The Globe and Mail, many of the jobs of the future have not been invented yet. What more, they will require more collaboration between disciplines than ever before. This new reality, as well as different learning habits among Generation Z, makes this a time of profound innovation for education.
University is a good investment, and it is affordable
If you were ever in doubt, here is an encouraging reminder of why a university education is still very important. This echoes a powerful piece also published this week in the Montreal Gazette explaining the value of universities creating broad thinkers, not just experts. On a related topic, an article in The Globe and Mail presents different numbers that suggest that higher education in Canada is quite affordable, after all.
Talking about Ferguson
It is always encouraging to see academia engaging with real issues. As the events in Ferguson make news across the US and the world, attention is turning to the important question of how to teach this important social issue. Different professors are weighing in on what this looks like for postsecondary education specifically.