Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed

Learning is at the heart of higher ed’s purpose, but how many institutions have a strong sense of the skills and knowledge students are gaining? On this episode, Michael and Jeff welcome two innovators helping colleges to better validate student learning through competency-based education (CBE): Amber Garrison Duncan of the Competency Based Education Network and Kelle Parsons of the American Institutes of Research. They discuss the benefits that this learning and assessment system accrues to students and institutions, the how and why of syncing skills certification with employer needs, and the institutions leading the way on implementation. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group.Season 8 Planning Surveyhttps://bit.ly/3Xtcfd0Relevant LinksOn Prior Learning Assessment/Credit for Prior Learning: CAEL: The PLA BoostAIR Informing Improved Recognition of Military LearningCBE & Skills Based Practices Brief: AIR Same Idea, Different Evolution: Skills-Based Practices and CBEOther CBE & Skills Based Practices ResearchAIR Measuring Skills at Work: Lessons from the FieldAIR Postsecondary CBE Program Model Mapping ToolAIR 2020 National Survey of Postsecondary CBEKey Moments(00:00) Introduction: The Value and Challenges of Higher Education(06:14) Defining Competency-Based Education and the Role of Assessment(11:17) Recognizing Prior Learning and the Benefits of CBE(27:02) Institutions and Organizations Leading the Way in CBE

Boards of Trustees are the principal governing bodies of higher ed institutions, but they can also be the furthest from their day-to-day operations. So how can colleges best leverage their leadership? To tackle this question, Michael and Jeff welcome Chris Romer and Jane Scaccetti, trustees from the boards of Colorado Mountain College and Temple University, respectively. They discuss the Board’s role in improving the value proposition of higher ed, engaging communities, representing stakeholders, and handling crises. They also discuss what boards need to do all of this most effectively. This episode is made with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.Surveyhttps://bit.ly/3Xtcfd0Chapters0:00 - Intro4:00 - Path to Becoming a Trustee6:25 - Perspective of Trustees on the Value of Higher Ed11:16 - Strategic Planning and Informed Support for Trustees18:00 - The Complexities of Higher Education GovernanceLinks We MentionAssociation of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges

Terrell Dunn, a higher education specialist, discusses the shift towards job-focused college experiences, the importance of job guarantees, integrating work experiences into curriculum, and colleges explaining their value for student support.

Jeff and Michael examine the complex world of community colleges and challenge traditional notions of success. Drawing from recent research by Strada Education Foundation, they explore the multifaceted roles these institutions play in students' lives and the importance of looking beyond degree completion rates to assess their true value. With insights from Strada’s Senior Vice President, Dave Clayton, this episode offers a fresh perspective on the value of community colleges and their vital role in empowering students personally and economically in the 21st century. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.Season 8 Planning Surveyhttps://bit.ly/3Xtcfd0Key Moments00:00 Intro02:44 Motivations for Enrolling in Community Colleges04:42 The Role of Employers in Assessing Community Colleges07:00 Measuring Success Beyond Getting a Better Job10:21 Challenges in Fulfilling Career Motivations19:14 Measuring Value Based on Students' Goals and Outcomes21:08 The Need for a True Unit Record System in Higher Education

Greg Lukianoff, President of FIRE, discusses free speech on campuses and cancel culture. He highlights the rise of safetyism, the importance of viewpoint diversity, and the impact on student mental health. Lukianoff emphasizes open inquiry and challenging orthodoxies for a thriving university education.

In this episode, Jeff and Michael dive into the complex world of dual enrollment, examining its rapid growth, potential benefits, and emerging challenges. They speak with John Fink, a senior research associate at the Community College Research Center, to understand the various dual enrollment arrangements, the students they serve, and the outcomes they achieve. The conversation also explores the financial incentives for districts and colleges, the concerns around course quality and rigor, and the implications for high school and college experiences. This episode is sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Ascendium Education Group.Key Moments(0:00) - Intro(4:02) - Dual enrollment programs and their benefits(12:48) - Dual enrollment sustainability and transferability of credits(16:51) - Dual enrollment programs and their effectiveness in higher education(21:44) - Improving dual enrollment programs for underrepresented students(27:34) - Dual enrollment courses and their impact on college readiness(33:21) - Dual enrollment courses' rigor and value(37:50) - Dual enrollment courses and their impact on higher education

More and more business leaders, policy makers, and educators are looking to apprenticeships to prepare the American workforce for in-demand careers. The US system leans on its community colleges to facilitate these programs, but they have not always been the most effective quarterbacks. On this episode, we hear from two innovators helping community colleges better play their lead role in growing apprenticeship in America. We spoke with Mitchell Harp, Dean of Apprenticeship Programs at Trident Technical College, about the keys to his school’s thriving program. We also sat down with Pierre Dubuc, CEO of OpenClassrooms, about how community colleges are leveraging his company’s expertise and online learning platform to level up their apprenticeship programs. This episode is sponsored by Ascendium Education Group.

Michael and Jeff go deep on the revised FAFSA and the challenges encountered in its rollout. They sat down with Andrew LaCasse, who helped develop the simplified FAFSA in his former role as a senior education policy advisor on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, to learn about the back-story behind the legislation and its underlying policy goals. They also spoke with John Marshall, President of Colorado Mesa University, about how they are supporting students through the delay and confusion caused by the FAFSA’s rocky rollout. The episode is sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.Key Moments(0:00) - Intro(1:29) - Simplifying the FAFSA and its impact on higher education(8:27) - Simplifying the FAFSA form and its impact on college affordability(14:25) - FAFSA changes and their impact on higher education(20:33) - How colleges are responding to the FAFSA delay(26:58) - College affordability and FAFSA changes

Jeff and Michael dive into the higher ed acronyms that have been in the headlines these past few weeks: SAT/ACT, NLRB, and FAFSA. What's next for test-optional after announcements from Dartmouth and Yale; what does it mean that the Dartmouth men's basketball team is trying to unionize; and what will the impact be of the difficult FAFSA rollout. This episode is sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Ascendium Education Group.Key Moments(0:00) - Introduction(3:21) - Test-optional admissions and its impact on students and institutions(8:45) - AI in admissions(13:45) - College athletes as employees and potential changes in college sports(19:29) - Future of the NCAA(22:58) - FAFSA delays and their impact on higher education(28:03) - Higher education challenges 

Hosts Jeff Selingo and Michael Horn are joined by Dr. Len Cassuto, an author and professor at Fordham University, and focus their conversation on the role of PhD students and what the challenges in that part of academia might mean for higher ed. They dive into the subjects that Len explores in his new book, The New PhD: How to Build a Better Graduate Education, such as the changes that should be made to better prepare PhD students for their careers, and how universities might be exploiting free labor from students under the guise of an academic apprenticeship. The episode is sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Ascendium Education Group.Links MentionedThe New PhD: How to Build a Better Graduate EducationKey Moments(0:00) - Intro(3:19) - The state of PhD programs and graduate education.(8:16) - Improving graduate education.(13:25) - Ph.D. education and career diversity.(19:03) - Graduate education and labor costs in higher education.(26:20) - Preparing PhDs for career diversity and addressing challenges in higher education.(38:33) - Redesigning PhD programs for a changing academic landscape.