Author Archive

Vawn Himmelsbach

Vawn Himmelsbach is a journalist and tech blogger based in Toronto. Published in The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, National Post, CBC, Moneywise, Zoomer, Wheels, CAA Magazine, Explore Magazine, Canadian Traveller, Travelweek, WestJet Magazine, Ottawa Life, Flare and Consumer Reports, among others.

  1. Self-Regulated Learning: 5 Ways to Add it to Your Class

    With so much uncertainty in the job market, self-regulated learning has become an essential skillset for lifelong learning and the ability to adapt to changing job requirements

  2. 9 Teaching Podcasts to Boost Your Edtech Knowledge

    There are tons of resources for educators on everything from new technology to digital pedagogy, teaching strategies and thought leadership — and they’re often run by educators, too. If you need to keep up-to-date with the latest news, or if you’re seeking a source of inspiration, teaching podcasts are an easy way to keep learning. […]

  3. Should Cellphones Be Allowed in School? Only With a Plan

    Should cellphones be allowed in school? College students are going to bring their cellphones to class no matter what you do. As a teacher, you might think you have to try to ban them. Or, perhaps you could ignore the problem and hope it goes away. But cellphones are part of every modern student’s life. […]

  4. Keylogging is the Latest Way of Cheating in College

    Professors have always had to contend with cheating in college, but thanks to the growing use of technology in the classroom, students are finding new, inventive methods—they’re recording and playing back what faculty members type. The practice, known as keylogging, made headlines last month when a student at the University of Iowa was arrested for […]

  5. Tips for Finding Good OER Content for Your Course

    Instructors are increasingly using Open Educational Resources (OER). But given the wide variety of materials available, how do you judge their provenance? What defines good OER? OER includes educational materials in the public domain or with an open license that anyone can freely use, copy and adapt. They range from textbooks to lecture notes, examinations and […]

  6. How Instructors Can Prevent Cheating in College

    Long before the existence of the Internet, students have found ways to cheat. They wrote mathematical formulas on their hands or tried to sneak a peek at their neighbor’s exam paper. But in the digital age, to prevent cheating in college, instructors have to give up more of their time. Now, students can copy and […]

  7. Hurricane Preparedness and Recovery: What Faculty Should Do

    In late August and early September, Hurricanes Harvey and Irma wreaked havoc not only on homes and businesses, but on post-secondary institutions that were gearing up for the new school year. In the aftermath of these devastating storms, students, faculty and staff are still trying to recover — and make up for lost time. There […]

  8. Behind the Buzzwords: A Guide to Modern Education Jargon

    We’ve started a glossary to explain some of the more confusing education jargon used to describe modern teaching techniques and lesson planning

  9. College Cost of Living: Not an Exact Science

    Postsecondary institutions have wildly different ideas of how much it costs to live in school—and it varies even for institutions in the same city.

  10. How Pioneer Grace Hopper Changed Computer Science

    After a residential college was named for her at Yale, computer scientist Grace Hopper now has some of the recognition she deserves.