Tag Archives: for educators

‘Rubio Uses Terrorism Law To Ban Secure Email Service’

Posted on August 28, 2026 by Robert Basil

This doesn’t sound so great: “The State Department doesn’t accuse Autistici/Inventati of doing anything more than providing ‘untraceable’ email accounts. But that’s enough to outlaw it as a terrorist organization.” Instead, the State Department announcement states that the group “builds and operates … Continue reading →

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We don’t have the luxury to ignore it

Posted on July 25, 2026 by Robert Basil

Not long ago we removed our AI newsfeed. That topic’s ubiquity made it not just unnecessary but de trop, as the French like to say. Nonetheless, our colonization by artificial-intelligence platforms won’t stop any time soon if ever. Starting three … Continue reading →

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“The end started slowly then happened all at once.”

Posted on May 2, 2026 by Robert Basil

‘Sad day’ as Langara pauses journalism program indefinitely. It really is. Langara has always had very fine, experienced instructors teaching in its Journalism Credential and Diploma programs. From the Vancouver Sun: “Journalism schools across the country have seen dropping enrolment … Continue reading →

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Apropos

Posted on April 24, 2026 by Robert Basil

Clarissa is not alone. On X writer Tyler A. Harper darkly assesses university administrators’ embrace of AI. “A lot of the push for AI (therapists! health care professionals! tutors!) is predicated on a tacit acceptance that the broken institutions cannot … Continue reading →

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New leadership styles in academia

Posted on April 24, 2026 by Robert Basil

My friendly colleague Clarissa has vividly expressed an opinion on these: College administrators go to all sorts of business seminars and workshops on ridiculous things like leadership and all that kind of garbage. Then they come back and put everything … Continue reading →

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“Whatever you think you can write.”

Posted on April 15, 2026 by Robert Basil

So says the wonderful Bryan Garner in today’s LawProse Lesson. Anything that can be thought can be written. That dictum is both challenge and liberation for the legal writer. If a concept can take shape in your mind—even faintly, even clumsily—it can be … Continue reading →

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Communications Strategy

Posted on April 11, 2026 by Robert Basil

I’ve been given a communications strategy “capstone” class for the upcoming term. My students and I will be scanning for examples from around the world starting day one. Expect more frequent posting from me going ahead!

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Our friendly tour guide

Posted on October 23, 2025 by Robert Basil

From my point of view as a prof and as a writer/editor, Ethan Mollick has been the best and most sensible guide through the world of AI since the dawn of ChatGPT. His article “An Opinionated Guide to Using AI: … Continue reading →

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Welcome them in.

Posted on May 14, 2025 by Robert Basil

In a piece for The Conversation Canada, my Kwantlen Polytechnic University colleague Jeffrey Meyers writes about Jason Stanley and Timothy Snyder, two eminent American scholars who fled Yale University and the United States, taking positions at the University of Toronto, … Continue reading →

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Fake friends

Posted on February 9, 2025 by Robert Basil

In his article “Enshittification, artificial intelligence, and the privatization of public education,” Dr. Chris Samuel warns that artificial intelligent’s infiltration into education (AIED) will likely mimic the same depressing “enshittification” users saw in platforms like Facebook, Google, and X/Twitter. First, … Continue reading →

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