Blog Posts

Cartoon of two GI Joe's fighting with office supplies

Constructive Conflict

6/4/2015
Differences of opinion and viewpoint are a part of daily life. Examining those differences can lead to a richer understanding of the issues and a more robust set of possible solutions to problems.
difficult behavior and harassment, group work, work environment

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A student stands in between the bookshelves of a library

It Was the Best of Times...

2/10/2015
Graduate school – what could be better? Time to pursue your academic dreams, get loads of attention from respected scholars, and have a supportive group of peers.
graduate school

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"The Power of Habit" book cover

Manners Matter

11/7/2014
Do manners matter? Is there a correlation between kind behavior and successful completion of tasks ? Charles Duhigg explores this concept in his book “The Power of Habit.”
difficult behavior and harassment

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Two people hold on to the ends of tangled strings

End of Genius

8/1/2014
Author Joshua Wolf Shenk points to a growing body of social psychology and social neuroscience research showing that individual agency is less important than interpersonal exchange.
group work

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Large group reaching their hands toward the center

Life is Like Soccer

7/16/2014
In a recent NYTimes Op-Ed, columnist David Brooks says that most of us live our lives thinking that we are playing baseball when we are really playing soccer.
group work, work environment

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A hand holds an empty picture frame

A Positive Frame for Post-Tenure Review

6/2/2014
Post-tenure review can be framed as a process of discussion and reflection among peers. Viewed through this lens, post-tenure review enriches faculty by encouraging ongoing professional development.
education, work environment

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Large group reaching their hands toward the center

Connect with Your Learners

5/9/2014
Mary Poppins was right -- a spoonful of sugar does help the medicine go down. Rebecca Shuman, author of a recent article in 'Slate', suggests that faculty can learn from physicians about the importance of a good 'bedside', or in the classroom, 'deskside' manner.
difficult behavior and harassment, education, work environment

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Large group reaching their hands toward the center

Culture Clash

4/14/2014
As Universities increasingly rely on adjunct and contract faculty to fulfill teaching missions, they confront challenges to their academic cultures.
education, work environment

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Large group reaching their hands toward the center

Try a Little Tenderness

3/13/2014
Want to spend less time 'policing and punishing' your students and more time helping them engage with course material? Prof. Jonathan Sterne of McGill University suggests a different approach in the Chronicle of Higher Educations.
difficult behavior and harassment, education

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Large group reaching their hands toward the center

To Tell or Not to Tell?

3/10/2014
You've made the decision to leave a toxic work environment or perhaps an abusive advising relationship. Should you tell someone why you are leaving?
difficult behavior and harassment, work environment

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