What’s in a name?
As in the past, students at London, Ontario’s university will receive a degree that says “University of Western Ontario.” But it you receive a letter from the same institution or visit their website, it’s “Western University” (with the exception of their URL…it’s still UWO.ca).
Why the change? In an article from the Globe & Mail, the school’s president believes it will make the institution more recognizable around the world, more friendly to international students.
But what is really in a name? For as long as I can remember, we’ve always called it “Western.” Very rarely did you hear it called “University of Western Ontario.” So what’s the big deal? It’s the same school, with the same programs, and students, alumni, faculty and staff will still feel the same attachment to it.
How do you feel about the name change? Good? Bad? Could you care less? What if they changed the name of the university you attended?
Playing favourites
I saw this article about iPads in education in Fast Company today. What did I immediately think? Why are we only focusing on one tablet? What if someone doesn’t like Apple products, or has an Android or BlackBerry (when available) tablet?
If we want our universities to be more open, accessible, and inclusive, shouldn’t we provide the ability to use whichever technology a student chooses?
