Higher Education - Blog Posts

I just got my diploma. I officially have a Bachelor's degree and can become an English teacher. I also received a diploma which says I'm a German teacher as well. University is done, and now off to the world of employment. 😁

Только что получила диплом. Теперь у меня официально степень бакалавра, и я могу стать учителем английского языка. Я также получила, согласно которому я ещё и являюсь учителем немецкого. С универом покончено и теперь пора в мир трудоустройства. 😁

As marketing overwhelms university life, it generates documents about fostering imagination and creativity that might just as well have been designed to strangle imagination and creativity in the cradle. No major new works of social theory have emerged in the United States in the last thirty years. We have been reduced to the equivalent of medieval scholastics, writing endless annotations of French theory from the seventies, despite the guilty awareness that if new incarnations of Gilles Deleuze, Michel Foucault, or Pierre Bourdieu were to appear in the academy today, we would deny them tenure. There was a time when academia was society’s refuge for the eccentric, brilliant, and impractical. No longer. It is now the domain of professional self-marketers. As a result, in one of the most bizarre fits of social self-destructiveness in history, we seem to have decided we have no place for our eccentric, brilliant, and impractical citizens. Most languish in their mothers’ basements, at best making the occasional, acute intervention on the Internet. It is proverbial that original ideas are the kiss of death for a proposal, because they have not yet been proved to work.

David Graeber

Deciding not to go forward with any higher education after high school was honestly one of the best decisions of my life.

I've always done quite well in school when it comes to grades etc, but for the past 5 years of it I'd spent every day exhausted and depressed, and I can't honestly say I retained ANY of the information I learned the last 3 years.

Most of my friends are currently studying, and every time I see one of them work with school stuff I just feel so relieved that I'm never going to have to do any of that shit again.

The only reason this was a hard decision for me, is because my entire life it was so ingrained in me that further studies was just what you did (especially here in norway where education is free). In the 10th grade, we applied for schools in class. It wasn't an option to just not apply, even though school after the 10th grade is optional in Norway. And then towards the end of 13th grade we had classes focusing on seeing different universities and different courses we could take, which for people who, like myself, were properly struggeling to get through each day at that school, was very demotivating. Just the knowledge of never being done with classes, studying, and tests.

My parents had a very hard time accepting this choice, being completely convinced that I'd change my mind some day, but what they somehow don't realize is that my biggest dream is working in a book store. I don't want an office job where I sit in meetings or at a computer all day, and I have no interest in taking on any more responsibility than that. I enjoy helping costumers in the store, and for a lot of people, that is the job they have for their whole life, and that's totally fine!

I am very lucky to be living in norway, where the minimum wage is an actual liveable wage (at least if you don't have kids, which I have never wanted), so I understand not everyone, especially a lot of disabled people who can't work a "normal" work-week, are able to just opt out of higher education if they are given the opportunity, simply because they wouldn't be able to survive on the money they'd get from such a job.

But for people who live in countries where it is possible to live a good life without higher education, I truly feel like it should be more normalized to just work at a place for joy, and not just as a stepping stone to a "better" position with more responsibility and a higher salary.

(Not to mention the fact that there are way too many jobs now that you seriously don't need higher education to do, but that for some reason requires it anyway)

I am once again so disappointed with the leftist demonazis constantly spewing nonsensical drivel every time they don't like someone elses opinion. Demonazis are so far to the left that they agree with and use the propaganda tools of the two worst extreme right ass holes that ever walked the earth. Hitler and Stalin both treated their own people with such disrespect and callousness that they created concentration camps and gulags to silence any opposition to their rule.

The following information comes from the holocaust encyclopedia. I wrote comments that are not after bullet points.

• The Nazis were skilled propagandists who used sophisticated advertising techniques and the most current technology of the time to spread their messages.

Think of CNN, MSNBC, NPR, ABC, CBS, NBC, all other "news outlets" for example the New York times, Boston globe, and Washington post are but a few. They don't report the news but continuously give us their opinions on everything. The 5ws are desperately needed to stop their propaganda. We can include the woke organizations like Disney and Hollywood movie makers for spreading propaganda for the demonazis.

• Once in power, Adolf Hitler created a Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda to shape German public opinion behavior.

▪︎Nazi propaganda played an integral role in advancing the persecution and ultimately the destruction of Europe’s Jews and all political Dissidents. It incited hatred and fostered a climate of indifference to their fate.

Think of how the demonazis allowed the likes of BLM and ANTIFA to destroy many cities. No action was taken by those in power to stop the destruction or prosecute the perpetrators. Then remember the hissy fit they had when they allowed, yes demonazis allowed, Republican protester into the capital. The demonazis prosecuted 100s of peaceful republican protesters. If the republican protesters were acting like BLM and ANTIFA the Capitol would be a smoking ruin.

• The Nazis wanted Germans to support the Nazi dictatorship and believe in Nazi ideas. To accomplish this goal, they tried to control forms of communication through censorship and propaganda. This included control of newspapers, magazines, books, art, theater, music, movies, and radio.

• When the Nazis came to power in 1933, the German constitution guaranteed freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Through decrees and laws, the Nazis abolished these civil rights and destroyed German democracy. Starting in 1934, it was illegal to criticize the Nazi government. Even telling a joke about Hitler was considered treachery. People in Nazi Germany could not say or write whatever they wanted. 

Examples of censorship under the Nazis included:

• Closing down or taking over anti-Nazi newspapers; 

• Controlling what news appeared in newspapers, on the radio, and in newsreels;

• Banning and burning books that the Nazis categorized as un-German.

• Textbooks are a good example of how propaganda and censorship worked together in the Nazi regime. The Nazis used both propaganda and censorship to control what students read in school. Nazi censors removed some textbooks from classrooms. New textbooks taught students to obey the Nazi Party, love Hitler, and hate Jews.

The demonazis took over education with the creation of the Department of education in 1979.

The Higher Education Act of 1965 introduced federal student aid and loan programs. These give away programs allowed higher education to run amuk with ever increasing cost of degrees. This needs to stop now.

Demonazis try to stop the political middle and right from voicing their opinions by controlling who can and can't post on many social media sight. Censorship at it worst. Thank God Elon Musk bought out Twitter and turned it into X. No more censorship there. Of course the demonazis scream foul.

We The People who love the United States of America must stand by her in her hour of desperate need. If we don't our great country is doomed. I know this is a long winded post but I felt it was necessary to explain how dangerous the deep state and New World Order are. This is why I call the democrats demonazis as the word fits perfectly.

Thank you for reading this post. If you like my post please repost it and start calling the democrats exactly what they are, demonazis.

Five Timeless Techniques for Mastering Knowledge

1. Spaced Repetition

Steps:

Identify Key Information: Select the material you need to learn.

Create a Study Schedule: Space your study sessions over increasing intervals (e.g., 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks).

Review Regularly: Revisit the material at each scheduled session.

Scientific Basis: Spaced repetition leverages the spacing effect, a phenomenon where information is more easily recalled when study sessions are spaced out over time. Research shows this technique enhances long-term retention compared to cramming.

2. Cornell Method

Steps:

Prepare Your Paper: Divide your paper into three sections: a narrow left column for cues, a larger right column for notes, and a summary section at the bottom.

Take Notes: During lectures or readings, jot down key points in the right column.

Cue Column: After the session, fill in the left column with questions or keywords related to your notes.

Summarize: At the end of your notes, write a brief summary of the main points in the bottom section.

Review: Use the cues to test your recall and understanding.

Scientific Basis: The Cornell Method promotes active engagement with the material and encourages self-testing, which are both linked to improved memory and understanding through the retrieval practice effect.

3. SQ3R Method

Steps:

Survey: Quickly scan the material to get an overview.

Question: Formulate questions based on headings and subheadings.

Read: Read the material carefully to find answers to your questions.

Recite: Summarize the information in your own words.

Review: Go over the material again to reinforce learning.

Scientific Basis: SQ3R is based on principles of active reading and metacognition. By engaging with the material in multiple ways, learners can deepen their understanding and retention.

4. Priming

Steps:

Preview Material: Briefly look over the material before diving into a detailed study session.

Set Goals: Define what you want to achieve with your study session.

Contextual Exposure: Expose yourself to related concepts and ideas in everyday life.

Scientific Basis: Priming relies on the brain's ability to make connections between related pieces of information. It can enhance learning and recall by creating a mental framework that makes new information easier to integrate.

5. Metacognition

Steps:

Plan: Before starting, plan your approach to the study session.

Monitor: Keep track of your understanding and progress during study.

Evaluate: After the session, assess what you've learned and how well you understood it.

Scientific Basis: Metacognition involves thinking about one's own thinking processes. It encourages self-regulation and reflective practices, which research shows can significantly enhance learning outcomes by promoting deeper understanding and strategic use of cognitive resources.

What and how we research

I know it's constantly stated that science is objective. I constantly emphasise that researchers are human beings and that their backgrounds, experiences and lives influence not only what they research, but also how they do it. That's why diversity in science is important. Yes, science is based on good scientific practice, transparency and reproducibility, but the what and how have degrees of freedom and are shaped by those who do the research.

’[...] But most of the research I do is more focused on sapphics, which would make sense, considering I am one.’ Wow. I don’t think I’ve ever had an openly queer teacher before. ‘That’s so cool,’ I say [...]. ‘Do a lot of professors end up researching things that, uh, also apply to them?’ ‘It depends,’ Fineman says. ‘In some fields, yes; a lot of my colleagues have a personal connection to their work. But not always. In any case, we’re very passionate about what we do.’

Zhao, A. (2024). Dear Wendy. Macmillan USA.

I don't know if I would do research on queer perspectives in library and information science if I wasn't queer myself. I don't know if I would choose a transformative research design if I didn't see inequalities and a need for change. Who we are shapes what we do and how we do it, whether it's in research or anywhere else.

The slow professor

Academic work is by its nature never done; while flexibility of hours is one of the privileges of our work, it can easily translate into working all the time or feeling that one should.

This is just too true.

We need to take the time to read things that we don’t "have to" read. Just because reading cannot be easily quantified does not undermine its worth. In response to "what did you work on today?" many of us adopt an apologetic tone when we reply, "just some reading."

That pretty much sums up why I've started reading again, what I find personally interesting, and not just what is related to a paper I need to write or a lecture I need to prepare. That's why I'm sharing such a wide range of quotes and literature here.

We do need time to think. We do need time to digest.

Some of the things you read take time to sink in, to become relevant at some point in the future. Or not.

Connected to the imposition of neoliberal ideology on research culture is a dramatic decrease in collegial culture [...]. As academics become more isolated from each other, we are also becoming more compliant as resistance to the corporatization of the academy seems futile.

Both loneliness and belonging are contagious.

Resistance is not futile.

Berg, M., & Seeber, B. K. (2016). The slow professor: Challenging the culture of speed in the academy. University of Toronto Press.

does anybody have any tips for looking at places to do higher education abroad? as in do you have any website recommendations or just in general a way to narrow down universities, apprenticeships, etc?

i currently live in the uk but i really want to go study art elsewhere, particularly in japan, but i am finding researching courses (apprentaships, etc) very difficult. any tips on how and where to research would be very very appreciated <3333