Author Archives: Steve Martin

Do Universities Teach Critical Thinking?

 This recent report from the OECD makes some important points especially on learning outcomes. Timely given the headlines in this week’s THES. A few paragraphs from the OECD report -Do Universities Teach Critical Thinking?: https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/cc9fa6aa-en/index.html?itemId=/content/publication/cc9fa6aa-en “Higher education contributes immensely to economic growth, social progress, and overall quality of life through the skills students and graduates acquire.Continue reading “Do Universities Teach Critical Thinking?”

What is ‘transparent solar energy’?

Transparent solar is a cutting-edge technology that gathers and uses light energy through windows or any glass surface, regardless of the angle. It has the potential to be a game-changer in terms of broadening the scope of solar. In terms of engineering, researchers have created several means of transparent solar technology. Most generally though, most of them function more asContinue reading “What is ‘transparent solar energy’?“

HOW TO SOLVE COMPLEX PROBLEMS

Positive Deviance Analysis When solving complex problems, it sometimes pays to start with what is working rather than figure out what is not…By Tom Connor Find the “Bright Spot” that has already solved the problem When solving problems there are four frames from which you can approach the solution. Systems centric, problem centric, solutions centric and solverContinue reading “HOW TO SOLVE COMPLEX PROBLEMS“

Should We Abandon the Concept of Climate Refugee?

Climate change is expected to force millions of people to relocate this century, as rising seas inundate small islands and intolerable heat makes life impossible in tropical regions. But is the world really facing a mounting climate refugee crisis? It is entirely reasonable to assume that as climate change intensifies, it will result in moreContinue reading “Should We Abandon the Concept of Climate Refugee?“

OUR economy is killing us.

 Even before the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, rates of healthy life expectancy were falling in Scotland. People living in the poorest areas in the UK were dying younger because of deliberate cuts to social security and public services. Now, each week sees a new headline about the rising tide of destitution. At the same time,Continue reading “OUR economy is killing us.“

MYTHS AND CLIMATE DENIAL from MPs in NZSC?

 Is this why this and recent governments have failed to address the empirical evidence  of global warming? The constituency of South Thanet according to recent data, had just 4mm of rain in July – making it one of the driest in the UK. It is also the constituency of Craig Mackinlay, MP, a former UkipperContinue reading “MYTHS AND CLIMATE DENIAL from MPs in NZSC?“

HALFWAY TO 2030: HOW is the UK PERFORMING on IMPLEMENTING THE GLOBAL GOALS?

Early findings from the UN Global Compact Network UK’s Measuring Up 2.0 report suggest that the UK is only performing well on 21% of the Targets that are relevant to the domestic delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals in the UK. In the past four years there has been no change in the performance againstContinue reading “HALFWAY TO 2030: HOW is the UK PERFORMING on IMPLEMENTING THE GLOBAL GOALS?”

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS -ALL TALK NO ACTION

In September 2015, leaders from 193 countries gathered in the UN assembly hall in New York to plan nothing less than “transforming our world”. This was the birth of the sustainable development goals, which aimed to “free the human race from the tyranny of poverty and want and to heal and secure our planet”. ThereContinue reading “SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS -ALL TALK NO ACTION”

Amping up Community Energy in the Derbyshire Dales

There is a growing appetite for the development of community energy programmes across the UK- Currently over 400 proactive programmes exist in the UK according to Community Energy England( CEE State of the Sector Report : https://communityenergyengland.org ) which  have generated over £3 Million of community benefits. In Derbyshire there are currently 5 Rural Community Energy Funded(RCEF) programmes.Continue reading “Amping up Community Energy in the Derbyshire Dales”