Category Archives: Me

About myself.

shaving yaks

Posted on June 30, 2010 by Ian

This post has little to do with teaching and learning, specifically, but… If you don’t know the meaning of the term “yak shaving”, you should: Seth Godin’s explanation Wiktionary’s definition (For me, writing this post is not an exercise in … Continue reading →

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bad planning

Posted on June 24, 2010 by Ian

I strongly recommend against contracting mono halfway through a semester in which you’re teaching two new three-credit courses (okay, one new and one thoroughly re-conceived and redesigned). Reflecting upon one’s teaching takes a back seat to “Survive tomorrow morning’s classes!” … Continue reading →

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coming soon: theory meets reality

Posted on November 7, 2009 by Ian

This blog has been dormant for way too long. Last January, I moved from Massachusetts to North Carolina, and started a new job as a Physics professor. Spring was largely transition, teaching one light course here and making several long … Continue reading →

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Moving to North Carolina

Posted on December 2, 2008 by Ian

This is a news item, not a thought piece. My team—the UMass Physics Education Research Group (UMPERG)—is moving! The University of North Carolina at Greensboro wants to build a robust, interdisciplinary, inter-departmental effort in science and math education research, outreach, … Continue reading →

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throwing students into the deep end

Posted on May 28, 2008 by Ian

I’ve never been much for spoon-fed learning: presenting material to students one pre-chewed nibble at a time, carefully paced. I’ve done a lot of self-guided learning over the years, and my modus operandi is pretty much the same regardless of … Continue reading →

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