Change-Makers in Higher Ed

Make Education More Meaningful with Experiential Learning

In this episode, I’m chatting with two experts, two change-makers, Connie Yowell, Vice President of Educational Outreach and Impact at Northeastern University, and Ken O'Donnell Director of the Office of Internships and Service Learning at California State University-Dominguez Hills about how higher ed can Make Education More Meaningful with Experiential Learning.  Both Connie and Ken lead several initiatives embracing Experiential Learning at their institutions. One of the wins of Experiential Learning is that it is differentiated from the standard college plot line, where the degree is the end goal. It’s about more than graduating. It’s about having real-world and real-work experiences, before finishing your degree.  This episode concludes our incredible inaugural season of Change-Makers in Higher Ed! Please tune in and let us know your thoughts and takeaways at podcast@nectar.inc [comments@odlearn.com]. We’re ever so grateful to you, our listeners, for your support. See you next school year!

Scaling Affordable Learning with OER

In this episode, we're learning about Open Educational Resources from three pioneers in the field of OER. Gerry Hanley, Executive Director of MERLOT & SkillsCommons, Director of the CSULB Center for Usability in Design and Accessibility and Professor Emeritus of Psychology at CSULB. MJ Bishop, Vice President of Integrative Learning Design at University of Maryland Global Campus and Richard Sebastian, Director of Open and Digital Learning at Achieving the Dream, Inc. OER are learning, teaching and research materials that exist in the public domain and are released under an open license. They are reusable, re-purposeful, and redistributable. They're empowering educators to make courses and research accessible. They are also utilizing the power of learning in the cloud. OER are change-making higher ed in every way. Curious about how OER are and will revolutionize how we teach and learn in higher ed? Tune in to hear!

Why is Higher Ed So Molasses Slow?

Why is higher education molasses slow? We're asking two change-makers: Shawn Benner, Associate Dean of the College of Innovation and Design and the Director of the Human-Environment Systems Program at Boise State University and John "Ski" Sygielski. President of HACC Central Pennsylvania's Community College.  They highlight the wall of student debt higher ed is up against. Debts that will take generations to pay off, if they ever are. We'll discuss the barriers to speeding up higher ed. Did you know only 14% of adults in this country have a college degree? And yet, a degree remains essential for many career paths. Shawn and Ski are driving change at their institutions. They're creating systems that help higher ed move at the pace of other industries. They're encouraging higher ed to speed up. This episode is as inspiring as it is educational. Please listen to learn more!

The Shift From Quad to Cloud

Covid 19 sped up the shift from learning in the quad to learning in the cloud almost overnight. By 2025, the estimation is that over 90% of undergraduates will enroll in hybrid programs. Still, our lives are a hybrid of digital and physical, so shouldn’t learning mirror that experience? We think so and in this episode we aimed to explore what higher ed in the cloud has to offer. We'll hear from our in-house change-makers, Matt Gurney, Chief Product and Strategy Officer at Nectar Inc., our parent company and Brett Christie, Vice President, Educational Innovation & Inclusivity at Alchemy. They'll highlight the flexibility, access and interconnection cloud learning provides. Technology will not replace the interconnectivity of face to face, but using it as a tool for teaching is an opportunity for faculty, colleges and universities to enhance the humanized learning experience. Tune in to hear more!

How Do We Speed Up Micro-Credentialing?

How Can We Accelerate Micro-Credentialing? Is one of the most important questions educators, and those working in higher education, can ask if they are interested in innovating teaching and learning. Campuses across the country are adding micro-credentials to their course lists, setting students up for career success once they graduate. The workforce has been quick to implement microcredentials too, as corporations partner with institutions to create alternative credentials. Also, corporations themselves are offering MCs to help students matriculate directly into their companies. Are you curious about Microcredentials?  Tune into this episode to hear from two change-makers, Jessica Dupont, Executive Director of Market Development and the Student Experience at Oregon State University and Sean Gallagher, Founder and Executive Director of Northeastern University’s Center for the Future of Higher Education and Talent Strategy and Executive Professor of Educational Policy at Northeastern University to learn how microCredentials have impacted their campuses and others nationwide.