Twas the night before Christmas, and all through Higher EdThe halls were all quiet, people Tweeting instead The students weren’t nestled in dorms nor bedsThey were dancing, bar-hopping, or hanging out with friends When a story in the Chronicle created such a clatterPhones started buzzing, Facebook started to chatter A new research experiment, implanting learning with a chipWould make college unnecessary, students wouldn’t make the trip No Harvard, no Stanford, Not Amherst or Reed, No Baylor or Xavier, Not even MIT When what to my wondering eyes did appear?But a miniature sleigh, starting to veer It was coming towards me, this man dressed as Saint NickAnd he winked and he smiled, then my nose did he flick! Don’t be crazy professor! No chip equals learningThat story is from the Onion, despite neuroscience yearning Learning is hard, needing purpose and thoughtLearning needs outcomes to say its been taught But learning is far more than an academic pursuitIt also needs mindset and affection to boot Students are people, not widgets or banksJust waiting to be filled and then giving thanks Students need context, Students need whyActive learning, support, and encouragement to try Educators must put down their PowerPoint decksWhile leveraging research from Lieberman, and Dweck Connecting students to everything from people to toolsMakes the experience “sticky”, successful, even cool And then just as fast, Santa turned aroundHeaded toward the chimney and upward he bound To his team gave a whistle, to me gave a winkHad I really seen this, or was this just from drink? But I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sightWake up man, you’re dreaming! Stop eating sushi right before bed. You’re almost 50 years old. Act like an adult for once in your life…