Author Archives: admin

I just finished Douglas Rushkoff’s Program or be Programmed. I have come to similar conclusions but I think a more realistic solution. I am more concerned we are losing the “learning potential” by being consumers rather than producers. Like Rushkoff … Continue reading →

The North Dakota legislature now has a resolution urging college profs to make use of open textbooks. The concern seems to be that students pay an average of $1000 a year in textbook costs (see beer money ploy – trust … Continue reading →

There is a statistical concept that might be described as partitioning variance. Outcomes are seldom the result of single factors and the goal of accurate description is thus to accurately explain how much of the variability in the outcome can … Continue reading →

Punishment (by formal definition) occurs when a behavior decreases in frequency as the result of consequences that are aversive to the learner. During election season we made contributions to several Democratic campaigns and to support an issue of personal interest … Continue reading →

It is snowing here today. As I was walking out of the door to walk back across campus to my office, I met a coed at the door and she said  “watch the ice”. My first reaction, possibly because I … Continue reading →

A CAPTCHA is defined as a test a human can pass but a computer cannot. Hmm. Is this supposed to be one of those logic problems? Mark cannot pass this test, therefore Mark must not be human. I give up. … Continue reading →

I have to admit the phrase “digital native” annoys me. It conveys on individuals with far less technology experience or understanding than I expect of my colleagues and myself a special status. It is not the fault of these young … Continue reading →

What have I become is one of those big questions of life. Often, there is a realization that you have become your parents. This is supposed to be sobering and indicate your assumption that you were going in a different … Continue reading →