Beyond the Told

by Dr. David M Robertson

Category: Education & Money

Money and education ideas to consider

Do Learning Management Systems Limit Creativity?

Do Learning Management Systems (LMS) limit creativity? That’s a tough and opinion-based question to answer. However, to fully answer this question and understand what is at stake, we must first understand creativity itself. Creativity is the ability to solve problems, envision, create ideas or alternatives, or create something original or unusual (Morr, 2019). Often associated […]

Leadership, Learning, and Critical Reflection

Learning is essential to leadership (Brown & Posner, 2001). Catch-phrases such as “Leadership is Learning,” “The Best Leaders Are Constant Learners,” and “A Sign of Great Leadership is Continuous Learning” are just a few of the many examples of what one might hear or read about during their leadership journey. While true, learning alone is […]

Do Instructional Design Methods Result in Rigidity?

Do instructional design methods make teaching and learning too rigid? That is a challenging question to answer simply. Let me say that it depends on both the application and perspective. Allow me to start with a quote. David Greene, a former field supervisor for Fordham University’s Graduate School of Education, said, “Imagine your brain surgeon […]

DeVos and the Charter School Initiative

Charter School or Public School? It may not be that easy of a decision. As someone who is not an “educator” in the traditional sense, I admit that my opinions of Education Secretary DeVos and her policies likely differ from some and probably for different reasons. I am also acutely aware that any leader will […]

The Pursuit of Profit – Evil Or Not?

It was recently mentioned to me that “In today’s world, there is a growing segment of our society who view profits as wrong, as evil. Corporations, companies, and others who pursue the profit motive are often considered mean, selfish, and unethical because it takes advantage of workers and the less fortunate.” This statement was then […]

A Leadership Lesson About Change in Higher Education

In her paper titled Change in Higher Education: Not Enough, or Too Much? Adrianna Kezar explores the many elements that both encourage and impede change regarding higher education as a whole. Her analysis demonstrates the obstacles colleges of all sizes will continually have to hurdle while providing suggestions on how to overcome these obstacles moving […]

The Common Core Question – Things to Consider

Across educational settings, there has been a significant push to standardize. Local interests complain that such efforts rob decision-makers and educational institutions of making relevant and appropriate decisions for their constituency. Arguably, the most significant undertaking of this type has been the advent of the Common Core Standards. Forty-one U.S. states have approved these standards […]

Student Loans: What Did We Think Would Happen?

You Took Out the Loan – Repay It! Is that really the best way to look at student loans? Let’s break down how this happened. After all, we cannot fix a problem unless we identify the problem first.   Let’s start with the fact that we sent our kids to government institutions of learning. We ensured that they spent most […]