R is for … Reviewing

February 18, 2014

For a long time I have tried to refrain from writing negative reviews. My thinking has been that it’s nicer to be nice than to be nasty. I don’t like to hurt anyone’s feelings, and rather than send some poor author or software developer into a tailspin of depression, I’ve often decided to simply not give the product any publicity.

Criticism and self-criticism: some thoughts for ICT teachers and leaders

July 4, 2013

Feedback Festival, S.Casciano, June 2009

I was looking in the archives this morning, to see what I wrote about on this date in the past. By some strange twist, my articles on 4th July in both 2010 and 2011 were about criticism. Not criticism aimed at anyone or anything in particular, but in terms of general principles.

25 ways to make yourself unpopular: #22 Don’t tell it how it is

July 4, 2011

I’ve always thought that it’s the expert’s duty to inform the non-expert when they have not got it right. If you’re not prepared to do that, what good are you actually doing?