The idea of the academic dojo
Last year (in May 2017) we gave a presentation with aikido master Szabolcs Gollob (5. dan AIKIKAI, EBR Advanced Instructor) about the similarities between recent learning theories of the West and ancient principles of learning in the East. This presentation was the outcome of long conversations about the nature of learning and the differences between the classroom and the dojo. Let’s start with the most obvious differences in the naming of the two locations. The name of the classroom simply means that it is a…
Changes in teaching and learning
As our research on student cheating demonstrated there is a lot of frustration in relation to higher education. Many students are frustrated because they see little point in learning apart from getting credits by sitting exams. Many lecturers are frustrated because students do not seem to appreciate their efforts because they are uninterested in what lecturers try to teach. Instead of trying to find someone to blame, we can say that the very context of teaching and learning has changed in the last decade(s). Knowledge…