42. Back to Class Reflection Series: Getting Students Ready for Research

In this follow-up to episode 41, I share the second lesson plan I used (in which I prepare students to find a piece of research to report on). At the same time, having stumbled across Jay Caspian Kang's "The Despair of the Professor in the Age of AI" in the New Yorker (May 26, 2026), I've been reflecting on the "despair" that professors face in higher education these days. After sharing a few details from a reflection by one of the professors Kang highlights in his article, I offer some brief commentary on how learning is still possible (even though it often feels like it's not). My hope is that this series is a demonstration of that.

I came across it a little late, but I highly recommend Kang's article: https://www.newyorker.com/news/fault-lines/the-despair-of-the-professor-in-the-age-of-ai

View Episode 42 on YouTube: https://youtu.be/fgTles9_rEw

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