Entries by Jeffrey Ian Ross

Arming oneself with critical thinking skills

This week one of the deadliest school shootings in American history occurred at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas. In addition to the 19 school children and 2 teachers killed, 17 injured, and the trauma that it has permanently inflicted on the families, loved ones, and community, the response by the public, law enforcement, activists, and […]

Most American universities are no longer sustainable in their current form

The COVID-19 pandemic placed into bold relief how inadequate most of our country’s universities have become for students and faculty alike. Why? Although the coronavirus prompted most postsecondary institutions of higher education, and instructors who work there to pivot to on-line teaching, the experience was mostly suboptimal and in many cases dismal for both instructors […]

I don’t like Spring Semesters

Unless your university operates on a quarter system, most North American post-secondary educational institutions have three semesters: Fall, Spring, and Summer. Depending on one’s objectives and life circumstances, some of these semesters are better than others for administration, faculty, staff, and students. As a faculty member, if I had to choose which semester that I […]

On the possibilities of interactive graffiti and street art

From culinary practices to painting, over time the work that creative people and organizations produce, not to mention the context in which it is made, changes. How does this happen? Actors, artists, chefs, musicians, etc. integrate new ideas and perspectives in to their practice, experiment with different techniques, and practitioners enter and exit the creative […]

Do the signs of our time work?

If you live in an urban, suburban or even exurban environment you will encounter a number of signs. Signs may be so pervasive like the ones that are placed in subway cars or they may be intermittent, such as those placed beside interstate highways. Although signs are part of the visual landscape, most people ignore […]