MARCH 6, 2013

No value added

Questioning the value of instructor evaluations  At semester’s end, relieved students grab a number-two pencil and fill out instructor review forms. From praise, to valid concerns, to outright complaints, they scribble furiously, hoping their comments will make a difference. Marwan Marwan, a second- year computer systems technology student, says the reviews are misleading. Unfortunately, few students understand…

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Smoking versus Facebook

Is nicotine worse than obsessive-compulsive Facebook disorder?  I can’t tell which addiction is worse: Facebook or cigarettes. To set this controversial debate to rest, I will begin by logging myself into Facebook. Oh wait, I’m already logged in on two devices. So far, this experiment is going smoothly. For cigarettes, I’ll have to rely on…

Cullen, presumably about to take a student’s lunch money. (Courtesy of John Cullen)

Local comic redefines the class clown

English-teacher-turned- comedian discusses his jump from school to stage  It’s rare to find a perfect marriage of passions. Often, we find ourselves scattered across a myriad of interests, rarely finding the time to focus on one. But for local comedian and English teacher John Cullen, it couldn’t have been a more perfect fit. “Every summer,…

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Local Events: March 6 to March 19

Vancouver International Women in Film Festival March 7-10 Vancity Theatre Coinciding with International Women’s Day, this year’s Wom- en in Film is the seventh install- ment of the festival, celebrating women’s involvement in the film industry. Films selected for the festival feature women in at least three key creative roles: writer, pro- ducer, director, cinematogra-…

In her defence, she did get a high score. (Courtesy of Ervin Cho)

Classroom distraction: the device vice

Combatting smartphones and laptops as distractions in the classroom  Resistance is futile. That’s BCIT social media instructor Rebecca Coleman’s advice to teachers. She’s talking about student use of electronic devices in the classroom for Facebooking, texting, or tweeting during class. And according to Coleman, students’ personal use of cellphones and laptops to socialize in the classroom…