afterMAPH » Academics

4 Faulty Assumptions about American Higher Education

jgafney — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:21:47 +0000

Check out this article at the Chronicle of Higher Education:

http://chronicle.com/article/4-Faulty-Assumptions-About/49097

It tackles four assumptions about American higher education that turn out to be false. Most of these assumptions deal with the recent economic recession and the supposed effects that recession has had on colleges and universities in the U.S.

MAPH Alum Anna Piepmeyer: Awesome and Nerdy

Linda — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:21:56 +0000

Anna Piepmeyer (MAPH ‘07) is the Ambassador of Awesomeness for the new peer networking site, Dweeber (think of her as the equivalent to Tom of MySpace; if you join the site, she is automatically your friend). This site, however, distances itself from other peer networking sites, sites that usually serve as distractions to things like school work by actually serving to specifically help students with their homework and school assignments. Catering most predominantly to primary and secondary school age groups (though I can imagine this being helpful even in MAPH situations, especially in trying to figure out Core material!), the site lets its users see what assignments their friends are doing so that they can work on assignments together, ask each other questions, post helpful web links, give directions, etc.

Also unlike other networking sites, Dweeber allows its users to create profiles to help them understand how they learn best and then use this information to work with others in more productive ways. Dweeber not only allows students to help one another with homework assignments, but it also rewards its users for being helpful with a customized point reward system based on “Thank You” notes from other users. With these points, users can get discounts on items from the site’s sponsors or claim other sorts of “swag.” Hooray for rewarding manners!

The site launched a few months ago and is up and running in its Beta version. Anna manages the marketing and the creative direction of the site, working with communities of testers and keeping the site, well, awesome. I’ve played around with the site a I urge you, your children, and/or your students to check it out.

MAPH Alums to present in Midwest Graduate Music Consortium

Linda — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:28:00 +0000

In preparation for the upcoming Midwest Graduate Music Consortium conference, THIS Wednesday, February 13, there will be a workshop on the papers of MAPHers Alex Wilson (’07) and Jim Steichen (’07).
Alex will be presenting his paper, “I Guess that this must be the Place: Culture, Structure, and Naive Melodies in an ‘Indie’ Record Shop,” and Jim will be presenting on “J.S Bach’s St Matthew Passion and the Semiotics of Sacred and Secular Performance Occasion.”

Come support MAPH Alums and attend this workshop at the University of Chicago in Goodspeed Hall, Room 205, at 4:30 pm.
Persons with a disability who believe they may need assistance in attending this event, please contact Michael Figueroa at 904-614-1464.

The AfterMAPH Literati

Linda — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 21:22:47 +0000

Eleven MAPH Alums have contributed to the latest issue of Contrary, an online literary magazine founded and run by MAPH Alums.

In the latest addition there’s fiction by B.E. Hopkins, aka Brandon Hopkins (MAPH ‘03), who’s been living as an expatriate in Paris and writing stories like “The Halcyon Days of War.” Brandon appears alongside some other amazing and accomplished writers, including Laurence Davies, a Welshman who edited the Collected Letters of Joseph Conrad, Mark Spencer, a novelist and the dean of Humanities at the University of Arkansas, and Robert Gibbons, who edits Janus Head and regularly writes for Alexander Cockburn’s Counterpunch. (Some of you read that commie broadside, I know.) Also check out poetry by UofC undergrad Kristiana Colón. Oh, and poetry by Contrary regular Amy Groshek, whose first book is coming out in February.

And there are book reviews by Shaindel Beers (Maph ‘00), Jeff McMahon (’02), Leigh Knittle (’05), Mike Frechette (’05), Thea Brown (’05), Laura M. Browning (’06), David M. Smith (’07), Michael Andrews (’07), Linda Smith (’07), Shevi Berlinger (’07).

Check out this and previous editions at www.contrarymagazine.com

Oh the Humanity (Festival)!

Linda — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 17:00:51 +0000

Running from October 27 through November 11 the Chicago Humanities Festival returns to Chicago for its 18th year. The theme this year is “The Climate of Concern,” working in conjunction with the Chicago Festival of Maps. Every year this festival runs throughout the various cultural institutions in Chicago, bringing lecturers, panel discussions, and music and dance performances, focusing this year on “the clear and urgent challenge we face: how do we, as a community of fellow humans, come to envision – with lucidity, vigor, and hope – our responsibilities toward each other, our progeny, and the planet?” Many events are free or of very little cost and several are even going on in Hyde Park. Make sure to check out events at the Experimental Station, a newly rebuilt and redesigned space on 61st and Blackstone, as well as those events at the Hyde Park Art Center.

For a full schedule of events visit:
http://www.chfestival.org/festival/index.cfm?fa=home.searchResults&sec=adult&type=all

This festival not only brings a slew of entertaining and academic performances, but it also provides job and volunteer opportunities. For more info on the festival in general as well as how to get involved with the festival visit:
http://www.chfestival.org/index.cfm?fest=1