Category Archives: Academia

Why Referee?

Posted on March 13, 2008 by Timothy Burke

I agree with Henry Farrell’s skepticism about Tyler Cowen’s view of the motivation for doing peer review. Cowen argues that in a truly open-access system, the major motivation for doing peer review would likely fade away, that the reason why … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia | 6 Comments

Uncharacteristically Brief Remarks

Posted on February 20, 2008 by Timothy Burke

I’m very pleased by the vote in favor of open-access at Harvard. Not just because of open-access, but because it shows that it’s possible for faculty to choose dramatic changes or reforms in their way of business. I don’t know … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Books, Politics, Swarthmore | 2 Comments

Lifelong Learning (Blog Style)

Posted on February 7, 2008 by Timothy Burke

I’ve been thinking a bit about the use of blogs in courses. With a few exceptions, I don’t know that I see a lot of mileage in compelling students to keep an individual blog themselves. I really enjoyed some of … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Blogging, Information Technology and Information Literacy | 12 Comments

Process, Evidence, Closure

Posted on January 31, 2008 by Timothy Burke

There’s an interesting, complicated discussion of sexual assaults at Swarthmore in this week’s student paper, stemming partly from the case of a student last semester who was accused of having committed assaults and has not returned to campus this semester. … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Swarthmore | 2 Comments

Liberal Arts Poster Children

Posted on January 23, 2008 by Timothy Burke

I was thinking last week, after another discussion of assessment, about what I would regard as a successful product of a liberal arts education. If I don’t want to have a test of a fixed body of knowledge, but I … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Popular Culture, Swarthmore | 6 Comments

Strategic Admissions Limitations Talks?

Posted on January 22, 2008 by Timothy Burke

I’m seeing and hearing some interesting discussions in a number of places about recent changes to the price structure of tuition at highly selective colleges and universities. In today’s New York Times, Roger Lehecka and Andrew Delbanco criticize the Harvard-led … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Swarthmore | 9 Comments

My Librarians Are Awesome

Posted on January 17, 2008 by Timothy Burke

In the category of “best unexpected surprises ever” and also “why academics should blog”. I posted my syllabi this fall on this blog. In one new course in particular, I’m using a bunch of new texts that I knew were … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Information Technology and Information Literacy | 5 Comments

NITLE Reflections

Posted on January 14, 2008 by Timothy Burke

One thing I did notice at the NITLE meeting is a big variation even within the universe of small liberal arts colleges about the level of interest and investment at an institutional level in collaboration through digital media. I’m willing … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Information Technology and Information Literacy | 8 Comments

Liveblogging NITLE, “Scholarly Collaboration and Small Colleges in the Digital Age”, 6th panel

Posted on January 12, 2008 by Timothy Burke

Andrea Nixon, Joel Cooper, Egohsa Awaah, “Ethnographic Study of Visual Materials Use at Carleton College”. Trying to extend the work of Foster and Gibbons on resource usage in libraries and archives. Student and faculty interviews. Students: they wanted to see … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Information Technology and Information Literacy | Comments Off on Liveblogging NITLE, “Scholarly Collaboration and Small Colleges in the Digital Age”, 6th panel

History 8C From Leopold to Kabilia: The Bad Twentieth Century in Central Africa

Posted on December 21, 2007 by Timothy Burke

Here’s the last of my three syllabi for the spring of 2008. ——– History 8C From Leopold to Kabila: The Bad Twentieth Century in Central Africa Spring 2008 Professor Burke x8115 Trotter 206 This course is a survey focusing centrally … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Africa, Swarthmore | 5 Comments