In our theoretical and conceptual article, we propose that the application of Niklas Luhmann's sociological systems theory as a difference-theoretical approach to the opening of science unveils an openness paradox. We describe and discuss the general concept of open science as currently proposed by UNESCO and posit that only by accepting the…

Why do we need to pour less water in an egg steamer to prepare more eggs to the same degree of 'doneness'? We discuss the physical processes at work in the electric egg steamer and resolve this seeming paradox. We demonstrate that the main heat transfer mechanism from steam to egg is due to latent heat through condensation. This not only explains…

This article is written by a dyslexic scholar in opposition to the psychological discourse on dyslexia. The methodological approach adopted is ordinary language philosophy; I argue that dyslexia is a paradoxical concept. As such, dyslexia as a concept lacks clarity and cohesion. The alternative concept of Lexism (the Othering of and discrimination…

Purpose: This paper proposes a new conception of school systems arising out of the collision of three forces--(1) a longstanding press to rationalize the technical work of schools in the service of educational excellence; (2) a growing democratic press to equitably engage community members in the process of defining educational excellence; which…

Paradoxes of inclusivity occur when attempts at inclusivity clash with the exclusive claims of some of the positions they seek to accommodate. In this article I identify and consider how such a paradox manifests in multi-faith religious education pedagogies--what I call the 'paradox of interreligious inclusivity' or 'PIRI', for short. After…

Those asked to make valid decisions with data don't have the technical knowledge to understand nuance around data quality, assessment aims, and statistical limitations that influence how they should interpret the data. This reality is what Greg Thompson, Leslie Rutkowski, and David Rutkowski call the validity paradox. Educators can surmount this…

The relativist position on knowledge is summarized by Protagoras' phrase "Man is the measure of all things". Protagoras' detractors countered that there was no reason for his pupils to employ him since, by his own admission, his lessons lacked privilege. This the educationist's relativist paradox. The Enlightenment tradition of…

Participatory performance, as defined by Thomas Turino, holds the potential to contribute to enhanced social bonding, cooperation, and the realisation of community among participants -- despite the conflict or 'paradox' between self-expression and collective affiliation which it often provokes. This study considers how managing this underlying…

The federal government's ongoing adoption of cloud technology has been costly, time-consuming, fragmented, and challenging, due to mitigating issues and barriers across legal, technological, procurement, and organizational boundaries. Government-led research has examined such challenges and specifically identifies cultural change, or lack thereof,…

Teachers often struggle with determining how vulnerable to make themselves in the classroom. Many teachers intuitively desire to exude strength and confidence in their teaching and view vulnerability as a hindrance to that aim. However, there exists a vulnerability paradox: the more vulnerable teachers make themselves, the stronger students' trust…

Explaining the productivity paradox--the phenomenon where an introduction of information and communication technology (ICT) does not lead to improvements in labor productivity--is difficult, as changes in technology often coincide with adjustments to working hours and substitution of labor. I conduct a cluster-randomized trial in India to…

Aristotle's wheel paradox is a fascinating example of a classical puzzle that can pique a student's interest. The existing explanations in the literature are limited to discussions of the wheel trajectory; in this paper, we study the paradox from the viewpoint of motion decomposition, an approach we consider more intuitive. The motion of the point…

A good paradox has the viewer confused, but the best paradoxes lead the viewer to try to understand what is happening. One of the author's favorites is the hydrostatic paradox, in which a short and slender column of water supports a relatively enormous weight. He describes the paradox using an illustration of a student who weighs 60 points stands…

Is it ethical to want students to become non-queerphobic as an outcome of our teaching? This question is situated within thinking about teaching for social justice. It takes an event where a student challenges a course's queer pedagogy and thinks with it to expose 'the inherent paradox of education'. This is the notion that in its desires for…

School autonomy policies have circulated through various modes of educational governance internationally, endorsing the view that more autonomy will improve schools and their systems. When subject to the discourses and practices of marketization, however, school 'autonomy' has been mobilized in ways that generate injustice. These injustices are…