Links for 2012-05-02

McCrickerd points out it is only through dissatisfaction that we change our behavior. An instructor with an overly-enhanced self sees no reason to change when something bad happens in class. "Not my fault they didn't learn..." And who else does a lot of teaching? Teaching assistants, that's who. Graduate students with a raging case of imposter syndrome. When something goes wrong in their classes, "It's my fault. I shouldn't even be here in the first place..." Yeah, that's a real motivator.

But when the colleges are running on empty at the outset, the prospect of any meaningful loss is simply intolerable. Instead of spurring innovation, this will heighten the already-strong culture of loss aversion. Taking a flyer on a strategy that would take years to pay off isn't an option when the years in between could require layoffs. Worse, any kind of statewide collaboration -- exactly the sort of thing that would "move the needle" on educational attainment, workforce development, or any social good you care to name -- would be entirely out of the question. Why would I share my breakthrough innovation with Nearby State, when it would erode my competitive advantage? And just how long, exactly, do you think it would take before the quick fix of grade inflation starts to look attractive? This is nuts. It's self-defeating, internally contradictory, and doomed to fail. And it has political momentum.

The Maumee High School Physics Club is planning a journey to the edge of space! We intend to send a capsule attached to a weather balloon to around 90,000 feet (17 miles!) above the earth to inspire children with life-threatening illnesses to dream big. A digital camera attached to the capsule will record the journey in high definition! Click here to see how another group did this. By doing this, we hope to raise money and awareness for Camp Sunshine, a camp for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. Children with cancer, kidney disease, lupus, brain tumors, and other serious illnesses attend the camp with their families for a week. Camp activities help families rebuild relationships and bond with other families in similar situations. Our goal is to raise $2000, which is enough money to send a family to camp for a week.