Professor Spooner's Blog

Imagine if I not only knew whether you did the assigned reading for class, but which passages in the book you paid attention to, and which you skimmed. I would have complete knowledge of who is prepared, every day.

The horror!

Interestingly, many professors are starting to use an e-book coupled with software that compiles this information for the professor. As described in this New York Times article, CourseSmart, a Silicon Valley start-up, is the first company to not only track use of the e-book, but to compile this information about individual students and send it to the professor.  I know what my reaction is to this idea, but I was really curious as to what students thought about it.

On one hand, anything I can do to assess what is being understood by students, and focus our class time to explain the things that aren't being understood, is helpful. It seems to me that this software is something different altogether. It truly is, "Big brother" but I doubt the good intentions part. I really want my students to be prepared. You learn more in class if you have read before hand, and class discussion is more interesting, fun, and enriching if students have prepared. Yet, my general philosophy on my students' education is that it is just that: your education. By the time you get to college, you are on your way to being a grown up. If you don't want to learn much in my class, that is your choice. Your grade will reflect your lack of effort, but I do not take it personally. It is your education, your opportunity. Don't misunderstand my philosophy for indifference or apathy. I may be laid back in some ways, but I try really hard to help students. But ultimately students' time in college is what they choose to make it, no matter how motivating, accessible, or inspiring I try to be.

So, I am not sure what I would gain from this software. If I knew how much you actually read, or didn't read, I might be disheartened and frustrated. But I am not sure I would "punish" anyone for not reading enough. It seems to be treating you like 3rd graders that lose recess for not doing homework. And in my mind, if you aren't reading on a regular basis, you are already being punished by wasting a heck of a lot of money.

What do you think about professors monitoring your homework?

All my students know that I hold cell phone and cable companies in a special place of dishonor because of the apparent unfairness of the contracts that we all sign with these companies. It seems half my paycheck goes to pay for my cell phone and TV, but like the rest of you, I could no sooner give up my iPhone than stop going to Starbucks.

One of your classmates sent me this great article about a bold and risky move by T-Mobile to disrupt the cell phone industry. T-Mobile is doing away with the oppressive two-year contract. Typically, you repay the cost of your phone in addition to paying for the service, but then keep paying the same high monthly fee for the rest of eternity (or two years). T-Mobile will now offer the option to pay more for your cell phone, but then pay a lower monthly rate, with no long term obligation. The company is also doing kind things like letting you go down to a slower internet speed once you use up your monthly data, rather than paying so much extra, and eliminating voice prompts that take up air time.

Of course the reason T-Mobile can or has to take all these radical steps is because it is in last place in the industry. I could care less why they do it (take that, Kant!); I just want the company's disruptive choices to put pressure on the big carriers to make the same changes. Today, I love T-Mobile. My favorite line from the article: "Someone should organize a parade."

It appears I could write an entire blog this semester on beer and dogs. Not sure what this says about the state of our world, but nonetheless, here is another fascinating article about beer. This time, the Wall Street Journal reports how big beer companies are racing to get market share in developing nations, specifically in poor areas in Africa. Although people in these nations may make as little as $2-3 per day, their incomes are increasing. To increase market share, beer companies are selling inexpensive, high alcohol content beer (sounds like a college student's dream, really). This allows beer drinkers to buy and drink more.

The governments are actually encouraging all this beer drinking, believe it or not. Many are offering significant tax breaks to these companies, by lowering the taxes on the beers sold. The companies were able to convince the governments that selling their beer in those countries increased farming jobs locally because of locally sourced ingredients, and beer is a healthier alternative to the bootleg liquor otherwise consumed.

This is an interesting example of large multinational corporations that have tapped out the Western markets (get it, "tapped out") and need to expand their customer base globally to continue growth. I am all for corporate growth, but a similar business strategy (pressure to make numbers forced Wal-Mart to look to developing markets for growth) is what got Wal-Mart into so much trouble in Mexico for bribery. Of course companies can expand globally without breaking the law or violating their ethical standards, but certainly the idea of pushing lots of cheap beer into developing nations has to raise questions about ethics, particularly because of health concerns. If you were the CEO of a beer company (imagine the perks!), would you be comfortable implementing this strategy?

I don't know why I live in New England, because I hate winter. I hate the cold. I hate the snow. I hate sleet. I don't ski. I hate ice. I hate winter coats, hats and gloves.

And so, on February 2 of this year, when the World's most famous Groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, came out of his little house, and failed to see his shadow, I was ecstatic. Early spring! No long winter!

And we all know what happened next. Storm after storm, inch after inch, the snow piled up throughout February. And then throughout March. We are supposed to get more snow tomorrow night.

Enough is enough, said the people of the great state of Ohio. They have indicted Punxsutawney Phil for misrepresentation of spring. Apparently this is a crime in Ohio. If it isn't a crime in your home state, it should be. To intentionally mislead people, give them false hope of warmth and sunshine, is among the most cruel crimes one can commit. I am not sure if Ohio's prosecutors intend to hold a trial. It is unclear whether groundhogs have constitutional rights, so all of the procedures we discussed in class may be out the window.

All that remains is to determine the appropriate sentence for Phil. What shall we do to the little vermin?

Recently my class spent a lot of time discussing the meaning of marriage, which is at the core of two Supreme Court cases regarding same sex marriage. Here in the United States, marriage is a legal, cultural, and religious term. Say "marriage" to ten different Americans, and ten different meanings will pop into their heads. You may all be too young to be on the wedding circuit yet, but sometime in the next ten years you will spend pretty much every weekend from May through September in a dress or suit, watching your friends take an oath of devotion and love. And every single wedding will be completely different; you will go to churches, temples, beaches, restaurants, and city hall. But all of the weddings will share a civil law component: before every party the couple goes to the local government to get a license. This license may be more magical than the wedding cake or first dance: it provides thousands of legal rights.

In contrast, in the Middle East, marriage is entirely a religious institution. This article is an interesting look at the efforts of a couple in Lebanon to be married without religion. As we in the United States grapple with the cultural and social change that comes with making same sex marriage legal, it is interesting to look at what marriage means in other parts of the world.