Teachers focus on developing students’ conscious learning and understanding of concepts, but there is a whole other dimension of mental life that teachers also influence: implicit thought and memory. Psychologists distinguish between explicit and implicit mental processes.[1] We are consciously aware of explicit processes, as
Geniuses are inherently fascinating. The notion that a lucky few have innate abilities to push the boundaries of what’s possible and rise far above us mere mortals gives hope that humankind can progress to unimaginable levels, even as it reminds most of us that we’re
While much of online learning occurs through discussion board conversations, it can be challenging for students to offer different perspectives or new responses to classmates’ posts when they are all answering the same question. Similarly, instructors may struggle to develop engaging questions.
“Why does my edition of Hamlet read ‘O, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt,’” my student Jake asked me, “but yours has ‘O, that this too, too solid flesh would melt’?”
After all, nearly every large language model (LLM) is good at summarizing readings, synthesizing large amounts of data and information across sources and culling it down to key points, and “remembering” foundational knowledge. So why memorize facts? Why practice applying concepts? Why learn to write?
In 1906, Francis Galton was visiting a livestock fair when he stumbled upon an interesting contest. Local villagers were asked to guess the weight of an ox, with the closest guess winning a prize. Of the over 800 guesses, nobody got the exact weight of
I often wear sunglasses on my walk from my parking spot on campus to my office. I recently realized that when I have them on, I am seeing but not really seeing. The shaded lenses provide a buffer from the world. I stroll by a
Students taking online classes represent a key part of the college-attending population. Demand for online classes and online degrees has surged in recent years, particularly since the Covid-19 pandemic (Knox 2025). But fully online students are less likely to successfully complete classes and to graduate
As AI use continues to grow in the field of education, we are only beginning to discover potential uses to support faculty work. Most of the focus has been on tools for creating learning materials, such as lessons and assessments. But AI tools can assist
Recently, a student sent me a political news article with the comment “Things are falling apart.” I didn’t reply right away, because I sensed they were looking for reassurance—and deep down, I felt that no matter what I said, they wouldn’t believe me. It’s hard
