Tadween Roundup: News and Analysis from the Publishing/Academic World
Tadween Publishing brings you the latest news and analysis from the publishing and academic worlds that relate to pedagogy and knowledge production.
Unintentional Knowledge: What we find when we’re not looking
By Julio Alves (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
Adapting to the age of information and the accessibility of the Internet has affected the quality and originality of student research papers, says Julio Alves. Google searches and article databases are taking away from the use of books and catalogues for research. Alves laments the changing use of libraries—now more frequently used as social spaces—and the loss of the “pedagogical value in getting lost in the stacks.”
Justices Step Up Scrutiny of Race in College Entry
By Adam Liptak (New York Times)
Remaining slightly ambiguous about their decision, the US Supreme Court ruled that an appeals court must reevaluate the Fisher v. University of Texas case in which affirmative action and the race-based admissions process has been put under the microscope.
Are HBCUs in Trouble? An Evergreen Question
By Gene Demby (National Public Radio)
Economic woes are taking their toll on HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities) in the United States, with even the most prominent, such as Howard University, threatening closure in the near future. If unable to find financial stability or draw in more students, what will the future hold for HBCUs?
Affirmative Action: Indian Reservations
(The Economist)
Following the US Supreme Court’s decision on Fisher v. University of Texas, the Economist takes a look at the use of affirmative action on the other side of the globe: in India’s caste system.
Apple E-Books Trial May Affect Content Pricing Agreements
By Joshua Sisco and Cecile Kohrs (Forbes)
The US Department of Justice alleges that Apple made agreements with book publishers in 2009 to raise the price of e-books in order to challenge its main market competitor, Amazon. According to Forbes, the outcome of the DOJ’s civil trial will create a dramatic change in how agreements are made for digital content distribution.
No Deal on Loans: Student loan interest rates will double July 1
By Libby A. Nelson (Inside Higher Ed)
US Senators enter recess without coming to a conclusion on student loan interest rates. As of Monday, 1 July, interest rates for new, federally subsidized loans will rise to 6.8 percent.
Radical Reform: iPad Schools Seek to Transform Education
By Marco Evans (Spiegel Online)
Imagine a school with no textbooks, notebooks, or pencils, but reduce all of those tools for learning into a small computer tablet. That is what eleven schools in the Netherlands will be doing in August. One thousand children, ages four to twelve, will walk into classrooms with nothing more than an iPad in their hand, as the Netherlands attempts to make “Steve Jobs schools” work.
Education technology: Catching on at last
(The Economist)
The 20th century produced an educated global populace like never before, thanks to the proliferation of schools and improvements in educational standards. Education, however, was standardized for most, and usually not tailored to individual needs. The Economist examines how technology in the classroom is attempting to fill the gaps by engaging students and meeting their specific educational needs.
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