IMPACT LEARNING

Making an Impact through Accessible Online Education with Kristin Palmer

Today, Maria talks with Kristin Palmer, Director of Online Learning Programs at the University of Virginia, where she manages their online site, which showcases diverse courses, certificates, and degrees across the University of Virginia (UVA). Kristin oversees 52 courses and 7 specializations on Coursera, serving over 4 million students with net revenues of more than 12 million USD. She is also the administrator of LinkedIn Learning and Coursera courses for the professional development of UVA students, faculty and staff at UVA. Kristin has a bachelors in photography from Rochester University, a masters in Learning, Design and Technology from Stanford University and a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Change from Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara. She regularly publishes best practices for teaching online and hybrid courses and provides faculty training through various services, from self-serve how-to guides and videos to one-to-one consultations and workshops. She is an International speaker on educational technologies, innovation, massive open online courses, workforce development and open educational resources. Maria and Kristin unpack the design of online learning and distance education programs offered across UVA. They also discuss the community of inquiry framework and share best practices for cognitive, teaching and social presence. They conclude their conversation with a deep dive into the African Scholarship Cohort, the flagship program of the nonprofit organization Distance Education for Africa. Kristin shares her experience running the African Scholarship cohort program that offers monthly entrepreneurship courses available for free through a collaboration between UVA and Coursera. To provide a localized resource for business students and leaders who want to create robust businesses in Africa, Kristin co-published the book “African Business Case Studies Vol 1”, a collection of business case studies written by the participants of the African Scholarship Cohort. Tune in to learn from an inspirational leader in higher education who is making an impact on the world, helping to alleviate poverty, and promoting gender equity through accessible and affordable online education. Listen to this episode and explore: Introducing Kristin Palmer and sharing highlights from today's episode (1:08) Growing up poor and watching her mother claw her family out of poverty (4:40) How a professor at Stanford University created new learning experiences for Kristin (5:38) Reflecting on her teaching experience as an undergrad student (6:42) Exploring graduate school options and finding the love of her life (8:17) Sharing her experience working at Hewlett-Packard (10:06) Completing her Master’s in Learning, Design and Technology at Stanford University (12:52) Getting into K12 education (technology & curriculum) at Children’s Health Council (13:40) How Kristin developed learning programs for special-needs students (15:28) Using the Community of Inquiry framework to build a community of lifelong learners (17:26) Unpacking the cognitive, social and teaching presence of the Community of Inquiry framework (18:46) How Kristin found her way to the University of Virginia (UVA) after consulting for The Disney Company (22:21) How Kristin got involved in co-creating the first online learning programs at UVA (24:56) The evolution of online learning programs at UVA over the years (26:30) Discussing on-campus and online degrees and certificates at UVA (29:48) A deeper look at Coursera and LinkedIn Learning for continuous professional development at UVA (32:16) How students' learning preferences have evolved amid the pandemic (35:57) Envisioning the future of teaching and learning at UVA post-pandemic (39:19) Sharing best practices for the design of online learning programs (42:32) Why flexibility and multiple modalities are essential in higher education (45:34) How Kristin’s partnership with the Distance Education for Africa started (47:00) The collaboration of UVA with Coursera to support the African Scholarship Cohort (ASC) program (48:54) Offering free educational resources and customized support to the ASC program students (53:00) Publishing a collection of business case studies written by the participants of the ASC program (54:08) The importance of African youth and the role of education in our society (55:56) What Kristin wants to leave her mark on within her lifetime (01:00:12) Maria’s request to listeners to recommend future guests and support the podcast (01:02:07) Where to find more about Kristin Palmer: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kpatwork/] Online Learning at University of Virginia [https://online.virginia.edu/about] Mentioned in this episode: Online Learning Programs at University of Virginia [https://online.virginia.edu/] Coursera for University of Virginia [https://online.virginia.edu/coursera-for-uva] Community of Inquiry (CoI) [https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Community_of_inquiry] Kristin on SlideShare [https://www.slideshare.net/kristinopalmer] Distance Education for Africa [https://www.deafrica.org/] African Business Case Studies Vol.1 [https://www.amazon.com/African-Business-Case-Study-1/dp/B093B8H8QF/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3CEU9RZP40X3P&dchild=1&keywords=kristin+palmer&qid=1621023942&sprefix=kristin+palmer%2Cdigital-text%2C166&sr=8-2] Decker Walker at Stanford University [https://profiles.stanford.edu/decker-walker] James Hilton (former VP and CIO at University of Virginia) [https://www.lib.umich.edu/users/hilton] Jeanne M. Liedtka at Darden School of Business at University of Virginia [https://www.darden.virginia.edu/faculty-research/directory/jeanne-m-liedtka] Prof. Edward Hess at Darden School of Business at University of Virginia [https://www.darden.virginia.edu/faculty-research/directory/edward-d-hess] Small Changes, Big Impact at UVA Center for Teaching Excellence [https://cte.virginia.edu/small-changes-big-impact] Class Central [https://www.classcentral.com/] Leading with Lollipops [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVCBrkrFrBE] Episode 94 on Flipped Learning with Robert Talbert [https://impactlearning.simplecast.com/episodes/robert-talbert] Production team: Host & Producer: Maria Xenidou [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariaxenidou/] Introduction Voice: David Bourne [http://newwildmedia.com] Contact us: impactlearningpodcast(at)gmail.com [impactlearningpodcast@gmail.com] Music credits: Like Lee performed by The Mini Vandals Transition Sounds: Swamp Walks performed by Jingle Punks

Exploring Multiple Career Paths through Micro-Internships with Jeffrey Moss (Encore Episode)

How can students explore multiple career paths before they decide on their first job out of college? How can hiring managers work with several interns before they decide who to hire? Today, Maria talks with Jeffrey Moss, Founder and CEO of Parker Dewey, a mission-oriented organization that helps connect great talent with great companies. Parker Dewey has the largest network of highly motivated college students and recent graduates excited to complete short-term, professional assignments, known as micro-internships. During these micro-internships, they can demonstrate their grit and exceed expectations as they seek the right full-time role or internship. Micro-Internships also help companies identify and evaluate prospective job candidates for when hiring needs arise. As a result, organizations improve hiring effectiveness, enhance diversity, and drive retention. This episode provides students and recent graduates with guidance to help them get their foot in the door of potential employers while they get paid for completing professional assignments. It also offers them actionable insights on working on a range of projects for companies of different sizes to help them decide what work they want to do and who they want to work for through real-life professional experiences. Tune in to learn from an inspiring leader who is creating equitable access to professional experiences as a pathway to a successful career for everyone. Listen to this episode and explore: Introducing Jeffrey Moss and sharing highlights from today's episode (1:22) Jeffrey’s early-childhood learning memory (3:44) Reflecting on his internships experience (4:56) The origin story of Parker Dewey (8:10) How they design effective micro-internships (11:58) Their business model: frictionless, simple and efficient (14:50) The unique value proposition for recruiters and hiring managers (17:54) Experiential Recruiting: a two-way assessment for companies and students (19:28) How students select micro-internships to build core skills and explore various career paths (23:10) How Parker Dewey has been supporting students and recent grads during the pandemic (24:40) How they provide feedback and guidance to the students (27:48) Why Parker Dewey relies on word of mouth to attract interested and motivated students (30:22) The eligibility criteria for international students interested in micro-internships (31:26) How senior college students can create their own opportunities amid uncertainty (32:10) How to get started quickly and complete multiple micro-internships this summer (36:28) How hiring managers can become more productive by assigning students the right project tasks (37:35) How recruiters can use experiential recruiting to increase brand awareness and recruit the best talent (38:48) What Jeffrey wants to leave his mark on during his lifetime (40:36) Where to find more about Jeffrey Moss: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreybmoss/] Parker Dewey [https://www.parkerdewey.com/] Mentioned in this episode: Michelle Aymold [https://www.linkedin.com/in/micheleaymold/] Articles for further reading: Colleges Move to Help Students Find Remote Internships. None Include Fetching Coffee. [https://www.edsurge.com/news/2020-05-07-colleges-move-to-help-students-find-remote-internships-none-include-fetching-coffee?utm_source=EdSurgeNext&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=05-08-2020&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiWkdaa1pEVTBabU5oWlRrdyIsInQiOiJJZ1BJTnpMcmhOQVJkcHE0VUg4a0llNzdWc1VSRWtSVGczVDhXMHZNZ3BzZUxTTlhwZ0FKc0U3YStBdjF6SktRNUc3RFI5eG0reDNxREMwZEsxT2tUTXVic1FLR2VOUzc3dkNpVGtNZ0JpRzRQOGg0Q2dFWlNcL053b0MyNVg0SmsifQ%3D%3D] It's Time to Officially End Unpaid Internships [https://hbr.org/2021/05/its-time-to-officially-end-unpaid-internships] Production team: Host & Producer: Maria Xenidou [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariaxenidou/] Introduction Voice: David Bourne [http://newwildmedia.com] Contact us: impactlearningpodcast(at)gmail.com [impactlearningpodcast@gmail.com] Music credits: Like Lee performed by The Mini Vandals Transition sounds: Swamp Walks performed by Jingle Punks

Guiding Parents and Teachers to Create a Better New Normal with Robert Zeitlin

How can parents and teachers use their experience with distance learning and working from home to create a better new normal? Maria invited back her friend and positive psychologist, Robert Zeitlin, to share his experience guiding and supporting parents, teachers and families to get back on track amidst the pandemic. Robert is the author of the books “Laugh More, Yell Less: A Guide to Raising Kick-Ass Kids” and “But I’m Not a Teacher! A Parent’s Guide to Learning Under Lockdown”.  He has been helping parents to turn the challenges created during distance learning and working from home into learning opportunities for the whole family. In this episode, Robert and Maria dive into the learning superpowers from positive psychology that can help parents identify their children’s character’s strengths to prepare them for better livelihoods. They also discuss the tension between parents and teachers during distance learning and provide guidance and insights to help them rebuild trust and create a better new norm at home and in the classroom. Using their shared experience in the mastermind group they co-created, they explore learning in relationships and unpack the role of time and space, infinite and finite games, and so much more in learning. This is a special episode between two friends and lifelong learners. Enjoy! Listen to this episode and explore: Introducing Robert Zeitlin and sharing highlights from today's episode (1:22) The first time Maria interviewed Robert while learning to podcast (3:25) Inviting Robert back to share his experience supporting parents during the pandemic (4:02) Publishing two books in 2020 to help parents navigate distance learning and working from home (5:52) Discussing the Learning Superpowers from Positive Psychology (8:10) Unpacking the Love of Learning (11:00) The challenges parents have been experiencing while navigating the pandemic uncertainty (12:20) How parents can act as role models for their children amidst ambiguity (13:55) Learning is Relational: the role of people, emotions, time and space (17:28) Unpacking their shared learning journey since Robert and Maria co-created a mastermind group  (20:54) Discussing the tension created between parents and teachers in March of 2020 (23:50) The development of the parent-teacher relationship amid the pandemic (26:48) How parents can rebuild trust with teachers (28:42) The dilemma of teachers during the pandemic (30:42) Best practices to learn how to slow down (33:43) How Maria created a consistent slow-down practice (35:54) Reflecting on mastering skills vs being productive all the time (37:37) Robert’s insights on how parents responded to the pandemic (39:23) What parents learned about themselves, each other and their children (40:54) How parents can identify their children’s potential using the character strengths from positive psychology (42:56) Why parents need to identify their support needs before they focus on their children (44:38) A simple approach for parents to decide if they need coaching or therapy (46:26) The commitment parents need to make to get back on track (48:24) How we can all use relational learning to create our post-pandemic new norm (51:03) The opportunity parents and teachers have to build a stronger relationship (52:58) Maria’s childhood story: how her mother and teachers had each other’s back (54:08) The power of trusting that parents and teachers are doing the best they can (56:02) Maria’s request to listeners to make recommendations for future guests and support the podcast (56:58) Where to find more about Robert Zeitlin: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobertzeitlin/] Twitter [https://twitter.com/DrRobertZeitlin] His personal website [https://robertzeitlin.com/] Mentioned in this episode: Book: Laugh More, Yell Less: Stuck-at-Home Edition [https://robertzeitlin.com/laugh-more-yell-less/] Book: But I'm Not a Teacher!: A Parent's Guide to Learning Under Lockdown [https://robertzeitlin.com/not-a-teacher/] Positive Psychology & Character Strengths [https://www.viacharacter.org/www/Character-Strengths] Episode 11 with Robert (their first episode!) [https://impactlearning.simplecast.com/episodes/zeitlin-psychology] Episode 9 with their friend David from Hire Cause [https://impactlearning.simplecast.com/episodes/hire-cause] The episode when Maria shares her mother's learning journey [https://impactlearning.simplecast.com/episodes/learning-from-life-stories-sonia-tiwari-interviews-maria-xenidou] The Episode with Seth Godin: What's School For? [https://impactlearning.simplecast.com/episodes/what-is-school-for-seth-godin] Production team: Host & Producer: Maria Xenidou [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariaxenidou/] Introduction Voice: David Bourne [http://newwildmedia.com] Contact us: impactlearningpodcast(at)gmail.com [impactlearningpodcast@gmail.com] Music credits: Like Lee performed by The Mini Vandals Transition sounds: Swamp Walks performed by Jingle Punks

Choosing Flipped Learning for the Future of Teaching and Learning with Robert Talbert

After reading the EdSurge article “Flipped Learning Can Be a Key to Transforming Teaching and Learning Post-Pandemic”, Maria was curious to learn more about flipped learning. So she invited the author, Robert Talbert, to join her on the podcast. Robert has published the book Flipped Learning: A Guide for Higher EducationFaculty, to support other educators on their flipped learning journey and help them avoid the mistakes he made teaching with flipped learning since 2009. He also wanted to collect everything he knew about flipped learning - along with some research, theoretical foundations, history, and practical examples - and put it in one volume. Together, they discuss why Robert decided to try flipped learning for the first time, who uses flipped learning and why, and how to design a flipped learning environment online or as a hybrid course. They also unpack the support faculty need to adopt flipped learning and guide their students to develop self-teaching skills. Robert is a professor of Mathematics at Grand Valley State University, where he teaches a wide range of mathematics courses and conducts research in undergraduate mathematics education, with a focus on flipped learning and technology-enabled active learning. He served as Assistant Chair and Chair of the Mathematics Department between 2018 and 2020. Robert holds MS and PhD degrees in Mathematics from Vanderbilt University and taught in small liberal arts colleges for 14 years before arriving at Grand Valley State University in 2011. He is a frequent workshop facilitator and keynote speaker on teaching and learning in the US and abroad. He writes about flipped learning, math, technology, education, and academic productivity on his personal blog. Tune in to learn from an inspirational leader in higher education who wants to give faculty a handbook for how to get started and keep going. Listen to this episode and explore: Introducing Robert Talbert and sharing highlights from today's episode (1:18) Learning the alphabet watching Sesame Street and spelling words at his grandmother's house (4:22) How Robert’s interest in Mathematics developed during school and college (5:07) The moment Robert discovered his passion for Mathematics (7:52) How a conversation with his oldest sister ignited his interest in becoming a professor (9:28) Robert’s teaching philosophy that led him to teach at small liberal arts colleges (10:38) The origin story of his book Flipped Learning: A Guide for Higher Education Faculty (15:30) What is Flipped Learning? (18:02) How to design flipped learning for any modality (20:24) Unpacking the basic and advanced objectives of flipped learning (24:17) Why we cannot waste in-class time anymore to teach students things they can learn on their own (25:35) How teachers facilitate active learning in-class through curated activities (26:22) Reflecting on the active learning that happens through a connection of people and ideas (29:32) Why Robert decided to flip his first online course, how he did it and what he learned from it (31:20) The evolution of flipped learning over the years: it's so much easier today (35:10) Why flipped learning is becoming a trusted pedagogy framework during and post-pandemic (37:12) A student-centered higher education journey (40:30) How to guide and support students during their first experience with flipped learning (43:32) The essential skills students develop during flipped learning (46:05) Reflections on his most recent online classes and students' preferences (47:44) The critical support faculty need to adopt flipped learning in their courses (51:36) The role of communities of practice in teachers' journey (54:02) What educators can learn outside of academia to make their teaching better (56:12) Why and how higher education institutions can build trust with students (58:36) What Robert wants to leave his mark on within his lifetime (1:00:14) Maria’s request to listeners to make recommendations for future guests and support the podcast (1:00:44) Where to find more about Robert Talbert: On LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/roberttalbert/] On Twitter [https://twitter.com/RobertTalbert] Robert's website [https://rtalbert.org/#gsc.tab=0] Mentioned in this episode: The Book: Flipped Learning: A Guide for Higher Education Faculty [https://rtalbert.org/#gsc.tab=0] The EdSurge Article: Flipped Learning Can Be a Key to Transforming Teaching and Learning Post-Pandemic [https://www.edsurge.com/news/2021-04-02-flipped-learning-can-be-a-key-to-transforming-teaching-and-learning-post-pandemic] How to join the Mastery Grading Slack Space that Robert administers: https://join.slack.com/t/masterygrading/shared_invite/zt-662paj3a-uhbTix_fFZhzo7xI3S2jYA [https://join.slack.com/t/masterygrading/shared_invite/zt-662paj3a-uhbTix_fFZhzo7xI3S2jYA] Production team: Host & Producer: Maria Xenidou [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariaxenidou/] Introduction Voice: David Bourne [http://newwildmedia.com] Contact us: impactlearningpodcast(at)gmail.com [impactlearningpodcast@gmail.com] Music credits: Like Lee performed by The Mini Vandals Transition sounds: Swamp Walks performed by Jingle Punks

Giving Students Access to Opportunity and Better Choices with Yoon Choi

This episode is for teachers, administrators, and parents who want to learn about a free and holistic approach that helps underrepresented students prepare for the SAT and ACT tests used for admission to US colleges. It discusses how to build confidence in underserved youth, especially those about to become first-generation college students. And, it offers three simple questions to help those exploring their career direction make better choices for their life and work. Today, Maria talks with Yoon Choi, the CEO of CollegeSpring, a national nonprofit that helps schools provide free SAT and ACT preparation to students from low-income backgrounds by equipping teachers with the resources and specialized training needed to close the testing and college opportunity gaps. Under her leadership, CollegeSpring has supported hundreds of educators and provided test prep to tens of thousands of students. Yoon was born to Korean parents who fostered a sense of independence and creativity and gave their daughter the opportunity, when she was only 13, to either go back to Korea with them or stay in the US and pursue a better education. Her decision led her down a lifelong learning path guided by her passion for pursuing what she loved & her commitment to making an impact. She has over a decade of leadership, management, and fundraising experience, primarily with organizations serving underrepresented youth. In 2020, she was named a Presidential Leadership Scholar by the program led by the presidential centers of George W. Bush, William J. Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Lyndon B. Johnson. Prior to joining CollegeSpring, Yoon served as the co-president at Spark, a national nonprofit career exploration and self-discovery program for middle school students. During her time at Spark, she transformed the organization by building strong corporate partnerships, increasing revenue, and strengthening its overall program model. Yoon earned her doctorate in anthropology from the University of California at Irvine, a master’s degree from New York University, and a bachelor’s degree from Scripps College. Her published articles about testing and college access can be found in leading publications such as Inside Higher Ed, The Hechinger Report, and EdSource. Tune in to learn from an inspirational leader in the nonprofit education sector who believes deeply in the power of education to transform lives and communities. Every day, she works to expand educational opportunities so that all young people - no matter their background - are equipped to learn, explore, and achieve their full potential. Listen to this episode and explore: Introducing Yoon Choi and sharing highlights from today's episode (1:32) Reflecting on Yoon's love for learning early on in her childhood (5:00) How Yoon decided to stay in the US when her parents moved back to Korea (6:00) Exploring her passion for learning without having a specific career path in mind (8:48) How her father ignited her interest in English Literature and her undergrad journey (11:12) Pursuing her Master’s and PhD in Anthropology on her way to an academic career (14:10) Getting her first experience in education nonprofits as a grant writer (16:46) Joining a local nonprofit and learning about fundraising and partnerships (18:16) Becoming Executive Director at Spark: how she developed her leadership and discovered her strengths (19:00) Building character and skills during her overall career in education nonprofits (21:36) Why Yoon decided to join CollegeSpring as their CEO (23:50) CollegeSpring: what problem they solve, who they serve and how they help students prepare for college admission (25:16) How they support underrepresented students by offering a free and holistic SAT/ACT test preparation in school (27:26) How they develop their proprietary curriculum and teacher’s training (30:09) Unpacking their Test Confidence: Knowledge, Skills and Motivation (31:15) How underrepresented students become confident when others believe in them (33:29) What is College for? (36:35) The role of higher education in increasing equity and inclusion in society (40:44) How CollegeSpring responded to the pandemic and developed a virtual program quickly (43:22) How they supported students, and teachers overcome their challenges amid the pandemic (45:24) Yoon's plans to continue to increase access to education and offer more options to underserved students (47:34) How schools can explore partnering with CollegeSpring and receive support for their teachers and students (52:12) What Yoon wants to leave her mark on within her lifetime (54:01) Maria’s request to listeners to make recommendations for future guests and support the podcast (54:52) Where to find more about Yoon Choi: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoonschoi/] CollegeSpring Leadership Team [https://collegespring.org/our-people/] Mentioned in this episode: EdSource: We must ensure online testing is equitable to all students [https://edsource.org/2020/we-must-ensure-online-testing-is-equitable-to-all-students/630896] EdSource: Test-optional admissions won’t level the college admissions playing field [https://edsource.org/2019/test-optional-admissions-wont-level-the-college-admissions-playing-field/620545] CollegeSpring: Test Prep for All, Not the Select Few [https://collegespring.org/] CollegeSpring: Supporting Our Students During COVID-19 [https://collegespring.org/supporting-our-students-during-covid-19/] CollegeSpring: How Can We Make College Admissions More Fair? [https://collegespring.org/how-can-we-make-college-admissions-more-fair/] Production team: Host & Producer: Maria Xenidou [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariaxenidou/] Introduction Voice: David Bourne [http://newwildmedia.com] Contact us: impactlearningpodcast(at)gmail.com [impactlearningpodcast@gmail.com] Music credits: Like Lee performed by The Mini Vandals Transition sounds: Swamp Walks performed by Jingle Punks