Tag Archives: University

A Garden Gate Summer Note on Teaching and the First Days of School

Posted on September 7, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

Summertime has come and passed–at least here in Prince Edward Island. Island folk wisdom has it that summers break on the weekend of the Gold Cup & Saucer race in mid-August. How global weather patterns know about a two-minute horserace … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged ACLC, Autumn, C.S. Lewis, Digital Literacy, L.M. Montgomery, leadership, liberal arts, Prince Edward Island, Regent College, Signum University, Soulcraft, The King's College, the lion the witch and the wardrobe, University, University of Prince Edward Island, UPEI | 12 Comments

Help Me Find Video Resources for Undergrad Student Research, Writing, and Life

Posted on April 15, 2021 by Brenton Dickieson

Dear teacherly friends and students of all descriptions, I am trying to create a resource bank of video tutorials and talks (and the odd short reading) to supplement the in-class student experience. Part of this is practical: I have a … Continue reading →

Posted in News & Links | Tagged learning, online teaching, Teaching, The Archangel Fragment, University | 5 Comments

Wake Me Up When September Comes: A Note on Teaching this Fall

Posted on August 31, 2020 by Brenton Dickieson

Summer has come and passed, at least here in Prince Edward Island. As the unofficial farmer’s almanac committee that have their meetings at the Tim Horton’s gauge it, our PEI summer typically breaks on the Gold Cup & Saucer weekend. … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged Eugene Peterson, Maritime Christian College, Prince Edward Island, Regent College, Signum University, Soulcraft, The King's College, University, University of Prince Edward Island, UPEI | 15 Comments

Can Cod-liver Oil Cure Us of Poetry? A Thought on the Uselessness of Poets in Today’s Economy from L.M. Montgomery’s Rainbow Valley

Posted on December 17, 2019 by Brenton Dickieson

It was probably unfair that I had this much fun in a government meeting, but it is even more unfair that the fun came at another’s expense. It is no secret that North American state, provincial, and federal governments view … Continue reading →

Posted in L.M. Montgomery, Memorable Quotes, Thoughtful Essays | Tagged academics, economics, fantasy literature, L.M. Montgomery, Milton, Poetry, Prince Edward Island, Rainbow Valley, Rilla of Ingleside, Ronald Reagan, Shakespeare, speculative fiction, University, utilitarianism | 13 Comments

What is Signum Culture? A Signum Symposium hosted by Brenton Dickieson (Thursday, 2pm EST)

Posted on December 10, 2019 by Brenton Dickieson

Signum University is a unique institution of learning. Beginning with the Mythgard Academy and a model of diving deep into some of our most engaging books, Signum University has developed an online, low-cost MA programme with majors in Tolkien Studies, … Continue reading →

Posted in News & Links | Tagged academia, British Literature, Corey Olsen, Inklings, J.R.R. Tolkien, literature, Mythgard Academy, Signum University, speculative fiction, University | 2 Comments

Doctor Doctor

Posted on September 25, 2019 by Brenton Dickieson

So, one of the fun things about successfully defending my PhD was landing back at my local university. While students were congratulatory, it is my colleagues who know the tremendous work (and often deep pain) that goes into a PhD. … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged academia, PhD, Teaching, University, UPEI | 5 Comments

What Counts as an Old Book? A Response by Dale Nelson

Posted on January 29, 2019 by Brenton Dickieson

This is a response to “What Counts as a Classic? A Conversation with C. S. Lewis and Goodreads,” a blog post I wrote on 18 Dec. 2018 centred on images like the one above. There was quite a conversation that … Continue reading →

Posted in Guest Blogs | Tagged Arthuriana, Bible, C.S. Lewis, canon, Cultural Capital, Dale Nelson, Harold Bloom, John Guillory, literature, The Western Canon, University | 34 Comments

This Time of Year, This Time of Life

Posted on September 5, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

As a house full of educators and students, normally this week our family is having first first days, second first days, and third first days. My son’s first day of high school was yesterday. He was off to school, nervous … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged academic, archival research, Bodleian, Bodleian Library, C.S. Lewis, Oxford, Oxford C.S. Lewis Society, PhD Research, Planet Narnia, research, spiritual theology, Teaching, University, UPEI | 11 Comments

C.S. Lewis’ Normal and Not-So-Normal Life as a Student

Posted on September 27, 2017 by Brenton Dickieson

As the cobblestone streets and hallowed halls of Oxford are beginning to fill for Michaelmas term, University students and faculty have been back to work here in North America. As I have a busy semester of teaching, I had a … Continue reading →

Posted in Letters, Lewis Biography | Tagged Anna Karenina, C.S. Lewis, Canterbury Tales, Cecil Harwood, diaries, Erewhon, History, owen barfield, Oxford, Poetry, Rudolph Steiner, University, writing | 13 Comments

A Lament for the Loss of Young Teachers (A Feature Friday Post from the Vault)

Posted on September 8, 2017 by Brenton Dickieson

I am doing work in the statistical analysis division of our labour market research unit in government. Of course, I am. After all, I’m doing a PhD in fantasy literature. I wrote this piece a couple of years ago, where … Continue reading →