Category Archives: Education

Lecturer Spotting

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Athene Donald

The Easter break, relatively short though it may be, offers me an opportunity to introduce another raft of characters from the Athenian University to join my previous lists of Dramatis Personae/ character assassinations. Here I describe variations on the theme of … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Science Culture | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Building the Evidence

Posted on March 3, 2013 by Athene Donald

Evidence-based policy has become something of a catch phrase recently. My own MP, the scientist and my former departmental colleague Julian Huppert, used the phrase in his maiden speech, pledging  to support it, albeit other MPs may be less persuaded … Continue reading →

Posted in Education | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

Let’s Get Stereotypes out of Science Education

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Athene Donald

Women are from Venus, like making cupcakes, like bright colours – particularly pink – and need to be told at frequent intervals that ‘math is meant to be hard’. That seems to be the verdict you could cull from many … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Equality, Uncategorized, Women in Science | Tagged , , | 21 Comments

Undue Influence?

Posted on January 16, 2013 by Athene Donald

If the newspapers are to be believed – and that’s a big if – then television has an awful lot to answer for when it comes to which university courses are over-subscribed. In quick succession last week, stories were run … Continue reading →

Posted in Careers, Education | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Culture, Class and Quakers

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Athene Donald

Last week Melvyn Bragg ran a special series of In Our Time discussing the meaning of culture in both the past and present.  Because of the timing of the programme I rarely listen to it, although it’s great for listening … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Science Culture, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment