Mash up the University Experience with TEDx

If you are a TED fan then you have to also be fanatical about TEDx events. I find it amazing how many events there are globally and wonder if I can plan a vacation or year sabbatical attending TEDx events, writing, filming, blogging and creating the ultimate learning resource? Think of it as the resources [...]

10 seconds — Tell me the Story!

I give a lot of experimental assignments in my communication classes at Zayed University. To be honest sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. One of the greatest challenges with many of the assignments is to convince the students that the project is a viable way of presenting ideas and thus messages to a wider, [...]

Back to the Factory?

Today I had the opportunity to sit in on a meeting with the people from du here in Dubai. The meeting itself was about Zayed University and du working toward some common goals. The conversation was fascinating and could lead to a very innovative teaching environment. But as the conversation progressed I became aware of [...]

The New Face of Assignments?

One of the issues i am confronting students with today is to make their reports, assignments, work product useful to the larger community. I am not just talking in terms of content but also in terms of delivery. This is a huge challenge that I think we as academics get a well deserved F! The [...]

Business vs Education

I have to be honest there are days I look at the person beside me in the flash car with the seemingly unlimited spending power and wonder why I stick around as a university professor. Sure there are the vacations and the very nice working hours, but is that enough? Then about this time of [...]

Making it Happen!

I love a good show, I have been influenced by TED, take content and add some show to make it stick. Yesterday at Zayed University the new webpage was launched. I know you are saying, “so what?” Well, the launch wasn’t just a click of a switch it was a full multi-sensory experience. This is [...]

Getting to TED!

Well 2 TEDx events are behind me and I have finally had a chance to breath! And now my mind is turning to TED2011 in California. I am going and the opportunity to go to TED is nothing short of an honour. But there are huge costs to get to California, not to mention paying [...]

Content Curator New Job Title

I don’t know how often you read Robin Good but there is no question if you are into tech applications and dare I say New Media, even convergence/divergence, this is a must read blog. Yes we need more local coverage of ideas and issues, maybe that means we need more journalists. But I dare say [...]

Sweet Experience

Being an educator has its ups and downs. Recently in a class I have to admit things could not have been at a lower level. What to do? Some might just take it. Others might say you cannot change students. Others might take up chocolate. I decided to take the issue directly to the students [...]

Anatomy of My Best Class Ever!

Today I had my best teaching experience ever! The class in question is COM311 a Zayed Media Lab practicum at Zayed University. The class is worth 1 credit and asks students to bring together their cumulative experience to produce a project that is well outside their comfort zone. This time around my students are engaging in [...]

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