lobster @Lobster@qoto.org

Do you do group #assessments for your #highered courses? How do you deal with "free-riders" who don't engage with the rest of the group?

At the moment I'm thinking of

- having students include a statement of who has done what in their final product
- having a couple of sessions (beginning of term and mid-term) where each group presents a plan first and a short progress report later, which clearly states student contributions
- stress to the students that part of the idea for a group assessment is for them to organise and work in a group. I'm a bit torn on this one as it seems unfair to put the onus for those who don't engage on those who do... but hey that's what happens in real life...

Any other ideas?

What if food was grown for nutrition, ecology and well-being rather than profit?

"If we don't consciously choose to establish a new society capitalism will continue to dominate and even continue until it destroys the whole planet." -- Kohei Saito

https://youtu.be/jYAN6wliLxw

#degrowth #Marx #Marxism #capitalism #GreenGrowth #EnergyTransition #KoheiSaito

Skull Squat Defense Ongoing: Brooklyn, NY

https://abolitionmedia.noblogs.org/post/2023/12/28/skull-squat-defense-ongoing-brooklyn-ny/

Now that we’ve disrupted the Brosnian Terror Syndicate and destroyed their propaganda machine, there’s a new threat developing in the south. Our troops are sure to have their work cut out for them as they approach the enemy from the sea. Our smart weaponry will most certainly win the day as we continue our march to victory and freedom! Let’s pray that our austerity measures won’t outlive our collective discomfort and that our chocolate ration will soon be restored!

Zosia update: we prepared a cosy cage for that poor little exhausted dog, with blankets, and a bowl of water. Checked on her an hour later: she *lifted* the cage (which had no bottom), crawled out, and started roaming the house. Found the food we prepared for her for tomorrow, ate it all. She's a monster. We're afraid that during the night she'll tear down one of the house walls, escape into the boggy forest and make her kingdom there. I'm sorry for all the wild animals, especially the wolves and the moose. They stand no chance against her.

Today was the closest day I've done next to nothing in a long time. Basically just ate, and read To Kill A Mockingbird. I need to do more of this.

We are drowning in information, while starving for wisdom. The world henceforth will be run by synthesizers, people able to put together the right information at the right time, think critically about it, and make important choices wisely. - E. O. Wilson.

New Christmas Carol sung to the tune of Rudolf: Elon the Thin Skinned Snowflake 🎄 🎅

#startrek

After reading the wonderful “Creatures That Don’t Conform,” by Lucy Jones in @emergencemagazine - I see that those incredible slime mold images by Barry Webb have definitely done the rounds, but they are too #magical not to revisit, again and again.
https://www.barrywebbimages.co.uk/Images/Macro/Slime-Moulds-Myxomycetes/

#slimeMolds #fungi #mushtodon #macro

Don't work harder or smarter.
Work darker.
Use your knowledge of black magic to call upon the old gods.
Turn all CEOs into newts & ferns.
Cover all office buildings in moss & wildflowers and let the raccoons have them.
You deserve a rest.

"Governments around the world are working hard to monitor online conversations, far beyond the bounds of traditional targeted law enforcement. 2023 has been a year of unprecedented threats to encryption and privacy." https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/12/protecting-encryption-and-privacy-us-2023-year-review

Create an alter ego.
Or think about a problem or challenge not as one you're facing, but as one faced by another person. Take a step back, create some space from the emotions that may affect your judgment, and gain greater perspective.
You'll almost always make better decisions -- better long-term decisions.
Which, although it sounds paradoxical, will make it more likely you'll become the person you want to become.