Asst. Professor, Johns Hopkins University Author, Capitalizing on College (Oxford Press) I study marginalized organizations who educate marginalized people
Virginia
Joined August 2014
- Tweets9K
- Following3K
- Followers3.5K
- Likes9.4K
Pinned Tweet
By all means, please judge this book by its cover!
Available April 9, Preorder here tinyurl.com/439hrczf
Joshua Brown retweeted
For example, I used Claude, ElevenLabs, and D-ID to make this budget simulation for my Politics of Public Policy course.
In it, the students make a federal budget that aligns with Trump's budget priorities (which they had researched before class).
All of the numbers in the simulation are real and are pulled from CBO estimates. Deficit projections update in real time based on students' choices.
Once they feel good about their budget, the draft budget leaks to the public. An AI generated attack ad from the opposition plays. The attack ad is tailored to their group's budget decisions.
They then have to make a choice of what to do next. Part of that is whipping on the fence members. AI made videos of conflicted members explaining their positions. Students then could try to persuade the on the fence members.
I could have done this without AI. But it would have taken weeks (if not more) focusing on this and only this.
I was able to put it together with AI's help in a few days. I had to do lots of prompt engineering. But Claude, ElevenLabs, and D-ID made it pretty seamless.
Link to the budget simulation: johnholbein.org/teaching-act…
Accompanying slides (human generated with AI feedback): github.com/johnholbein/presi…
Replication materials: github.com/johnholbein/presi…
There’s a lot of doom and gloom around how AI is affecting teaching and learning in higher education.
But I’ve found that AI has greatly enhanced my teaching and student learning.
It’s made activities possible that weren’t possible before.
It’s made my slide design better.
It’s allowed me to collect data for really cool visualizations.
It’s sparked discussion questions I never thought of before.
Just submitted the proposal for book two! Please send positive energy, prayers, crossed fingers, or anything along hopeful lines. The proposed title is circled. All the baristas who traveled with me on the 1st journey will appreciate the nod. Books come about through community.
A unique turn in college student housing...
wsj.com/real-estate/luxury-h…
Joshua Brown retweeted
I almost literally stumbled over this fine thing: poetry carved into sidewalks in Northfield, Minnesota.
Joshua Brown retweeted
Higher ed is "middle aged people teaching younger people about older people"
-Stephen Katz, professor emeritus of sociology and Distinguished Research Award recipient at Trent University, on the Forum just now
The American economy isn't the only K-shaped sector of our society. Our system of higher education is also K-shaped with two divergent tracks - one for the wealthy and everyone else. In this second essay, I offer three approaches to engineer the gap we created.
Carney explained Canada turned to the market for solutions (free trade) and late additions in the negotiations process by the U.S. wanted to restrict those free market solutions.
It’s incredible watching the number of economists, conservatives, and religious/spiritual minded citizens in my feed REPEATEDLY calling out the president (and his administration) in recent weeks. There is a clear turning of the tide at the grassroots level.
Joshua Brown retweeted
My face hurts from smiling. 😊
Such a special morning with @Vol_Hoops and @LadyVol_Hoops at Hoops for Hope - a basketball camp for invidivuals with Down Syndrome.
Safe to say everyone had a blast! #LadyVols #Vols
Spotted at move-in day at Virginia Tech. Sending positive energy to all the students (including my own) for an incredible academic year filled with hard work, lasting friendships, and incredible memories. Keep inching…. It’s how degrees get done💪♥️💪 #Believe
Joshua Brown retweeted
The President has decided that in order to make ground beef cheaper, he will cut tariffs on ground beef. And I'm wondering if he could generalize from this one product to other products, and perhaps concede that tariffs raise prices on American consumers.
The Facebook
Mark Zuckerberg and his Wife Priscilla Chan have Purchased Strancally Castle Ireland.
The Meta CEO and Facebook founder reportedly acquired the roughly 440-acre property, located north of Youghal along the River Blackwater, in a multi-million-euro transaction estimated at €20–30 million. The sale from previous owners Michael and Giancarla Alen-Buckley was completed several weeks ago for an undisclosed amount.
The Alen-Buckley family, who lived there for 25 years and restored the castle, said they were leaving fondly and were pleased that Zuckerberg and his family plan to continue investing in the property and grounds sustainably as their home. They wished the new owners happiness there.
A spokesman for Zuckerberg confirmed the purchase, stating that he and his family are excited to care for the historic home and look forward to spending time in Ireland, where Meta has its international headquarters.
The main residence is a three-bay, three-storey-over-basement Gothic-style house dating from the 1800s. The estate sits on the site of the former Desmond castle remains and was previously owned by the Billensteiner family. Meta has maintained its European headquarters in Dublin since 2009.
Joshua Brown retweeted
I love the cyberpunk future.
Joshua Brown retweeted
Elizabeth Stice reviews “The University: A History in Stone, Silk, and Blood” by William Whyte (Harvard University Press, 2026) @Harvard_Press
orangeblossomordinary.com/re…
