EduLinks – Deep thoughts and discussions

Here be the linkageness. Ready for the weekend. Yarrrr.

ResourceShelf – Google Scholar introduces search within cited articles

A great new development for Google Scholar. You can now search for where a paper has been cited and then search within those papers.

Lifehack – 20 Quick Tips For Better Time Management

Got time to read this article? No? Then read this article.

BBC Today – That thinking feeling

Education Secretary, Michael Gove, wants A-level students to return to more ‘deep thought’ so they are better prepared for university. But what is deep thought? To find out, we’ll have to think deep.

From New Scientist – Why Facebook friends are worth keeping:

Today, our number of weak-tie acquaintances has exploded via online social networking. “You couldn’t maintain all of those weak ties on your own,” says Jennifer Golbeck at the University of Maryland in College Park, who studies our use of social media. “Facebook gives you a way of cataloguing.” The result? It’s now significantly easier for the school friend you haven’t seen in years to feed you a bit of information that changes your behaviour, from a recommendation of a low-cholesterol breakfast cereal to a party invite where you meet the love of your life.

The explosion of weak ties could have profound consequences for our social structures too, says Judith Donath of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University, who studies the various ways we communicate using social media. One thing that limited the size of traditional social groups was the time it took to form reliable and trustworthy ties, she says. Online tools have changed that, helping each of us to build a social “supernet”: a network of easily accessible contacts that is bigger than any we have ever been able to manage. “It would be impossible to maintain 500 or 5000 ties without it,” she says. “We’re already seeing changes.” For example, many people now turn to their social networks ahead of sources such as newspapers or television, because their acquaintances provide them with more trusted and relevant news, information or recommendations. However, Donath believes more should be done to maintain privacy and trust in the networking tools.

Mario Creatura – VCs on Twitter

There are hardly any Vice-Chancellors on Twitter. Mario, understandably, wonders why.

The benefits of a VC joining Twitter far outweigh the drawbacks. An account lets them be personal, engaging, accessible, and helpful. All for a few tweets a day and having to respond to a few quick queries in 140 characters.

VCs could be missing a trick.

IntoUniversity – What will the Pupil Premium mean?

I recently wrote about the graduate earning premium and how I’m sceptical of the concept, especially in the long term. IntoUniversity highlights further evidence in support.

University of Venus – From Great Idea to Winning Idea

Because great ideas are not enough.

Lifehacker – What Have You Suddenly Discovered You Were Doing Wrong?

We do a lot of stuff that could be done better, or shouldn’t be done at all. Who’d have thought you just need to tie those shoelaces in the other direction…

17 Refreshing Ways to Stay Awake

Your eyelids are growing heavy.  You can’t keep your eyes open.  Sleep will be upon you soon.

Must…Stay…Awake…

Can’t…

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

We’ve all been there.  But what can you do to help stay awake and (in most cases) stay alert?  Here are 17 top tips for you:

original photo by Cassidy Curtis

original photo by Cassidy Curtis

  1. Move – Staying in the same place for ages doesn’t help.  Get up and dance around, jump up and down, shake your arms and legs all over the place. If you’re in public then, of course, do it twice as enthusiastically. 😉
  2. Powernap – There are usually two choices: fight the sleep or go to sleep. Taking a quick powernap is the third, most beneficial, answer.
  3. Change what you’re doing frequently – The longer you spend on a task, the more danger you’re in of drifting off.  Any jobs that aren’t totally exciting or engaging are going to send your thoughts elsewhere from time to time.  Don’t get to the point where your head crashes to your desk and you knock yourself out. Find a different task to refresh you for a moment. Return to the less exciting task when you’ve recovered.
  4. Remember to eat – You will feel lethargic if you don’t eat enough. Feed as you work. Have something nearby so you remember. Or set an alarm when it’s time to think about food.
  5. Get talking or singing (exercise the vocal chords) – Who doesn’t love the sound of their own voice? Okay, that’s not what’s going to keep you awake…however, a break from silence can be enough to rouse you back into a more awakened state.  Belt out a song and see the world with sparkle once more!
  6. Change the lighting – Open the curtains, turn up the light, switch on a lamp, move to a brighter area.  Or reduce the glare, if necessary (can’t have you squinting either).
  7. Go outside – Have a walk, sit on the grass, look to the sky, breathe in the (possibly) clean air.  If possible, find a place that’s full of trees and fields and lots of green.  What’s stopping you from working outside?
  8. Have a drink – Fatigue comes about when you’re low on fluids and dehydrating. Grab a refreshing drink. Especially a cold one.  And preferably water.
  9. Do some free association writing – Go crazy and churn out a whole load of rubbish from your head.  Let it all out.  Just write or type or speak whatever comes into your head. When you’ve been sat there, waiting for inspiration, the flow can stop and you get tired with it. Churning out anything, no matter how weird, will soon wake you up again.
  10. Self-harm – Not as brutal as it sounds…a quick pinch to the back of your hand can help you refocus.
  11. Do something new or risky – The basic idea here is to reignite your senses.  By risky, I mean something that you feel slightly uncomfortable doing…I don’t mean you should act dangerously!
  12. Do sudoku – Give yourself a mental boost by working on a puzzle.  Crosswords, logic problems, sudoku, anything to get your mind racing. Make sure it’s not too difficult or too easy, otherwise you may start wandering again.
  13. Splash your face with cold water
  14. Wash your hands with cold water – Can’t deal with splashing your face?  Cold water on your hands is the next best thing.
  15. Move away from what’s affecting you – Sometimes you’ve just had enough and need a quick break.  You know the times when you know you’re not tired, but you’re still fighting sleep?  You must finish something but your body won’t let you.  Taking just a 5-10 minute break may be enough to let you get back to what you’re meant to be doing.
  16. Find company – If you’re on your own and finding it difficult to concentrate, seek out other people.  They may distract you from the work too, but since you were already being distracted…
  17. Make time to sleep properly – When faced with a need to stay up longer than usual, or when you’re neglected sleep for a few days, promise yourself that well-earned recovery sleep as soon as possible.  If you go a few days on little sleep, spend the next few days trying to regulate things again.

Let us know what tips you have in the comments. I’m sure you’ve got snore more!

10 Great Ways to Push Past Uncertainty

Each and every day, at some point, I ask myself this:

“Am I sure?”

Am I sure I want to do that?  Am I sure this is the right approach?  Am I sure there’s not a better way?

It’s sensible to question your behaviour. Questioning is healthy. Too much questioning, however, is not.

photo by helgasms!

photo by helgasms!

Many of your actions involve pushing past uncertainty.  Unless it’s a routine or something you’ve already overcome, you cannot be sure.  The push past uncertainty doesn’t bring you to certain, let’s be clear.  The push brings you to a place where you can make your choices without excess fear and a clouded mind.

Here are 10 methods of reaching a clear focus:

  1. Accept that uncertainty isn’t negative. Certainty isn’t always positive. I’m sure you wouldn’t relish an event involving certain death, for instance. Uncertainty is natural, not negative.  It’s better to be uncertain than overconfident because, unlike overconfidence, you can overcome uncertainty.
  2. Stop fearing the worst. By expecting nothing, you kid yourself that even a small gain will be a good result. But reality doesn’t work out this way. Automatic fear of the worst only sets you up toward failure and reduces enthusiasm. Be prepared for all eventualities, but don’t actively expect the worst outcome.
  3. The unexpected will open the mind. Not everything should be planned. So long as it’s not dangerous, it’s good to do something on a whim once in a while.
  4. Go one step further than you usually would. When you reach uncertain territory, a small step outside your comfort zone could be enough to change your attitude. You can step even further next time!
  5. Say yes to what you like the sound of. Sounds obvious, doesn’t it? But uncertainty can make you turn down stuff you actually want to do. When you’re scared of what might happen, you shield yourself from the fun stuff too. If you wish you had the courage to do something, allow yourself the courage to say yes and do it. Dare yourself to explore the things you want.
  6. Treat the opinions of others as exactly that. People don’t care as much about your actions as you’d think. But still you panic. You are your own worst enemy. It’s easy to obsess over the way a person views what you do and it stops you in your tracks. Truth is, people usually obsess over their own actions, just like you! Ditch the concern and do what feels right for you.
  7. Research more. Literature exists on almost every conceivable topic. When the risk feels too great, read a book on the topic or watch a video about it. Find out more until you have greater conviction and understanding.
  8. Treat your situation as a set of events, not a ‘success’ or a ‘fail’. You’re not in a movie. Fear of failure is enough to get you thinking like a film. The ending will either be happy or sad and you don’t want to risk the latter becoming a reality. Of course, we’re not treated to a beginning, a middle, and an end. If you keep thinking that, you’ll keep fearing failure. There are plenty events and no script. Enjoy improvising!
  9. Visualise yourself taking action. Relax a while and paint a mental picture of a scene in which you step into uncertainty and make your move. Imagine what you would do and how you might feel. Break down those barriers. Much concern may only be due to a block on seeing a future beyond the uncertainty. Your visual image of working beyond that won’t automatically turn into reality, but it will help you to think about the situation and overcome initial blocks.
  10. Keep the rest of your life in check. With too many issues already on your plate, you’re unlikely to see the point in chasing further unpredictable outcomes. The more organised and up to date you are with day-to-day life, the less burdened you will be when coming up against uncertain times.

What uncertainties have you managed to overcome in the past?  How did you make that breakthrough?

EduLinks – Inside, outside, inside-out

EduLink madness.  Time for another dose of goodies.

NUS – Students told to protect themselves from unscrupulous landlords

Advice for students on moving into rental property.  Includes a list of top tips.

Radio 4 Today – Students chose subjects ‘far too early’

A Cambridge principal has suggested that degrees should last 4 years.  A first year of broader study would help students make better decisions for the future.  At present, they believe students are not able to make a proper choice at an early age and without proper understanding of what they are choosing.

Would you have liked a first year with more range of study subjects to help you make a clearer choice?

Mind Hacks – Against Narrativity

Do we understand ourselves through stories, or are there other ways?

From Futurity – Mind-body connection is a touchy subject

Physical concepts such as roughness, hardness, and warmth are among the first that infants develop. They are critical to how young children and adults eventually develop abstract concepts about people and relationships, such as discerning the meaning of a warm smile or a hard heart.

Touch is an important sense for exploration of the world, and so these sensations help create the mental scaffold upon which we build our understandings of the world as we grow older.

e! Science – Memory links to 40 winks

Sleep is so awesome. Nice work, sleep!

Huffington Post – 11 of the craziest things about the universe

The sun could be made out of bananas and it wouldn’t drop in temperature. Every breath you take contains an atom breathed out by Marilyn Monroe. And so on.

Every time I type the word ‘universe’, I always instinctively type ‘university’.  Can’t imagine why…

Critical Thinking lecture series

What is critical thinking, where does it come from, and how do we think critically? Don Ward takes us on a journey.

Northwest History – How to Read a Book in One Hour

Reading from cover to cover is something you’re likely to do with a novel, but it doesn’t work so well with a dense academic text.  Especially if you’re looking for core messages and key quotations.  Among the advice given in this piece is one suggestion I often follow myself:

“Read two academic reviews of the book you photocopied beforehand. Don’t skip this step, these will tell you the book’s perceived strengths and weakness. Allow five minutes for this.”

I sometimes go overboard and read as many as 10 reviews if there are that many available.  I prefer to browse as many reviews as I can because they touch upon different aspects and from different points of view.  You may not be able to get the quotations that way, but it should help your search after, since it gives you a grounding for what is in the book.

Times Higher Education – The Great Unknown

How does a university become ‘outstanding’?  Can you accurately rate a university in terms of success?  The author states, “The great university exists, or potentially exists, in all universities.”

I enjoyed HallyMk1’s description of the piece:

“What makes a great university? Man burns lots of carbon to claim that it’s league tables.”

As for the author’s conclusion, I’ll leave you with that:

“In a world of often opposing forces – financial, political, institutional – one thing is certain: the force of higher education, what it is and what it can be, is most certainly human ambition. As this is of our own making, it seems clear that we are much more than tourists in higher education; instead, as its inhabitants we must take ultimate responsibility for it.”