Nonprofit online course offerer EdX has taken the online ed phenomenon one step further: Automated software that uses artificial intelligence to grade essays and short answer tests instantaneously, freeing up teachers’ time and allowing students to immediately rewrite essays for better grades. The problems are obvious…but so are the benefits. Read more: Essay-Grading Software Gives Professors a Break
And some more food for thought on online education from New York Times op-ed columnist David Brooks. He poses a very simple, but important question: What is a university for? The Practical University
Happy Giants opening day, Bay Area. Check out this funny and helpful piece (with some good photos) from The Bold Italic: A World Series Cheat Sheet. My personal favorite: “When all else fails, just yell, ‘GO GIANTS/BEAT LA!’ (It doesn’t matter that we’re not playing the Dodgers, it’s just fun to remind them that we’re here and they’re not, and people will surely enjoy it when you do this.)”
Plus, another great Bold Italic piece from right before the Giants won the World Series last year on the eclectic diversity of Giants fans: Unconventional Love: Why A Giants Fan is Typically Atypical
More in the sports world: “the broken leg felt round the country,” who is paying for Kevin Ware’s health care expenses (hint: it’s not the University of Louisville) and what it all means for coverage of injuries sustained in college athletics. When Injured Athlete Leaves Campus, College’s Responsibility Ends
Instagram continues to infiltrate the media world. Check out some cool Instagram photos of North Korea taken by the AP chief photographer.
