Higher Education Observer

Well. In recognition of Domestic Violence Month, some of my communication faculty got together and performed readings of The Vagina Monologues. As the chair, I was obligated to go, but it was a profitable, if not enjoyable experience. It caused me to go watch some of them on YouTube actually performed by Eve Ensler. I have since learned performing these pieces is an annual event at many colleges and universities. I found them . . . .let's just say, raw. I cringed a lot, although I also laughed against my will, especially at the angry vagina one.  It was performed in a very dry manner by an older faculty member and the foul language was incongruous to her. But there's a difference between laughing because it's shocking and laughing because it's funny (it was both). The one about rape victims in Bosnia had the most impact. Rape as a weapon of war is so prevalent, and the most recent recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize is a doctor who works with these victims, since t...

One of my early guides in the faculty development realm, Linda Nilson of Clemson, wrote this; https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/teaching-critical-thinking-practical-points/?st=FFdaily;s=FF181004;utm_term=FF181004&utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Teaching+Critical+Thinking&utm_campaign=FF181004 It is short and worth the read. As I have posted before, there is not really agreement on what critical thinking is, but research shows it's best taught in a disciplinary context and through questioning (thank you, ancients, for giving us that idea). It also requires humility, and I would say that starts with the faculty member. Too many faculty think that "critical thinking" means "thinking like me." I saw that last week in a group of women professors where we were discussing our own fiction. One said she was so disgusted about the Brett Kavanaugh issue. I was, and am still, perplexed as to wh...

From the Atlantic , my left-leaning journal of choice: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/10/new-sokal-hoax/572212/ I have long scratched my head at postmodern scholarship, so now it makes sense why.  Insert smiley face.