
Teaching in Higher Ed
Thank you for checking out the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast. This is the space where we explore the art and science of being more effective at facilitating learning. We also share ways to increase our personal productivity, so we can have more peace in our lives and be even more present for our students.
Latest episodes

Nov 5, 2020 • 38min
Learn, Teach… and Satirize with Video
Andrew Ishak talks about Learn, Teach… and Satirize with Video on episode 334 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast.
Quotes from the episode
You’re aware of the audience; you’re aware of the students.
-Andrew Ishak
Know what key points you need to hit. Be aware of the time and be aware of your audience.
-Andrew Ishak
I have 3 or 4 main points I want to hit with some notes underneath each. If I don’t get to some of the notes on some of them, that’s fine. It’s all about hitting the key points.
-Andrew Ishak
Have a backup plan.
-Andrew Ishak
Resources
Using Video to Learn New Skills, Engage Students … and Satirize (ACUE Community)
Making Your Zoom Look More Professorial (Vimeo)
Andrew Ishak Video Channel (Vimeo)
Video clips from ACUE Q&A
Talking about the 52-video resolution in 2018 (YouTube)
Talking about Zoom backgrounds and looking professional (YouTube)
Talking about ACUE experience (YouTube)
Making Your Zoom Look More Professional
2028: In Which a Time Traveller Answers 2020’s Big Questions

Oct 27, 2020 • 38min
Fostering Curiosity in STEM and Beyond
Heloise Stevance shares how to foster curiosity in STEM and (other disciplines) on episode 333 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast.
Quotes from the episode
Some of the most fundamental questions you can ask are the hardest to answer and explain in a concise way.
-Héloïse Stevance
You captivate them with the things that are fun… because learning is fun.
-Héloïse Stevance
Good outreach doesn’t make you sound clever. It makes the audience feel smart.
-Héloïse Stevance
Failure is just part of the process. It is an ongoing part and never really goes away.
-Héloïse Stevance
Resources
Héloïse’s response to a young woman’s question about maths
5 Crazy Facts About Failed Stars (brown dwarfs)
Dr. Héloïse’s YouTube channel
Dr. Nova on TikTok
Kirsten Banks on TikTok
Science communication (#scicomm) on Wikipedia
Episode 215 with Bryan Dewsbury: Teaching as an Act of Social Justice and Equity
This I Believe from NPR
This I Believe Educator’s Guide

Oct 22, 2020 • 34min
Distracted
James Lang shares about his new book, Distracted, on episode 331 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast.
Quotes from the episode
One of the main ideas of the book is to try to convince people that attention is something that we should value in education and not take for granted.
-James Lang
We are all experiencing lots of challenging issues right now in our lives.
-James Lang
One of the major things I argue in the book is thinking about the structure of the class.
-James Lang
Learning does not happen without attention.
-James Lang
Resources Mentioned
Distracted: Why Students Can’t Focus and What You Can Do About It, by James Lang
Instructions for living a life:
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it.
Mary Oliver, Sometimes
Cheating Lessons
Ungrading: Why Rating Students Undermines Learning (and What to Do Instead), edited by Susan D. Blum

Oct 15, 2020 • 45min
Relationship-Rich Education
Peter Felten and Leo Lambert talk about their new book Relationship-Rich Education on episode 331 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast.
Quotes from the episode
We don’t use relational language to talk about how to go to college. And we need to do that.
-Leo Lambert
Relationships are high stakes for students both in college and after college.
-Leo Lambert
Of all the places on college campuses where relationships take hold, the classroom is still the most important place.
-Leo Lambert
They’re not asking us to solve all their problems, they just want to be seen as humans.
-Peter Felten
Resources Mentioned
Relationship-Rich Education: How Human Connections Drive Success in College, by Peter Felten and Leo M. Lambert
The Undergraduate Experience: Focusing Institutions on What Matters Most, by Peter Felten and Leo M. Lambert
Elon 101: The First-Year Advising Seminar
What’s in a Name? The Importance of Students Perceiving That an Instructor Knows Their Names in a High-Enrollment Biology Classroom, by Katelyn M. Cooper, Brian Haney, Anna Krieg, and Sara E. Brownell
Caution, Student Experience May Vary: Social Identities Impact a Student’s Experience in Peer Discussions, by Sarah L. Eddy, Sara E. Brownell, Phonraphee Thummaphan, Ming-Chih Lan, and Mary Pat Wenderoth
Faculty Leadership and Student Persistence–A Story From Oakton Community College, by Elisabeth Barnett
Whose culture has capital? A critical race theory discussion of community cultural wealth, by Tara Yosso doi:10.1080/1361332052000341006

Oct 8, 2020 • 0sec
Transformative Inclusion
Paul Eaton shares about transformative inclusion on episode 330 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast.
Quotes from the episode
There are times where you can be more real with students.
-Paul Eaton
It is hard to get people to think outside of just individual behaviors.
-Paul Eaton
We spend way too much time focusing on the individual acts and not enough time focusing on the system. We have got to fix the system and that is much harder work.
-Paul Eaton
Resources Mentioned
Known and Strange Things, by Teju Cole
Academic Ableism: Disability and Higher Education, by Jay Timothy Dolmage
Episode 228: How to Create Engaging Online Classes with Laura Gibbs
How to Be an Antiracist, by Ibram X. Kendi

Oct 1, 2020 • 39min
Time, Space, and Place
Sheila MacNeill shares about time, space, and place on episode 329 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast.
Quotes from the episode
We need to rethink our notion of time..
-Sheila MacNeill
We need to rethink and consider when and how and why we are in different places at different times.
-Sheila MacNeill
Resources Mentioned
Adventures With The Painted People
Beetle (game)

Sep 24, 2020 • 42min
Teaching as Listening
Chris Friend discusses teaching as listening on episode 328 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast
Quotes from the episode
We don’t teach content, we teach the students who are in the room.
-Chris Friend
Planning less has always paid off for me.
-Chris Friend
This semester’s classes amaze me with how flexible and sympathetic students are.
-
Chris Friend
Resources Mentioned
Research report: How does hyflex work in a large course? By Robert Talbert
7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen Covey
Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankel*
Teaching as Listening: Chris Friend’s blog post

Sep 17, 2020 • 44min
Misconceptions About Hyflex
David Rhoads discusses common misconceptions about Hyflex on episode 327 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast.
Quotes from the episode
Every person that does Hyflex has a unique way of doing it.
-David Rhoads
Resources Mentioned
Hybrid-Flexible (Hyflex) Course Design: Implementing student-directed hybrid classes, Edited by Brian J. Beatty
The HyFlex Option for Instruction if Campuses Open This Fall, by Doug Lederman via Inside Higher Ed
The Princess Bride
Michael Sandel’s Justice Videos on YouTube
Justice Website
Episode 308: Hyflex Learning with David Rhoads
How to Teach a Good First Day of Class, by James Lang
Episode 228: How to Create Engaging Online Classes with Laura Gibbs
Episode 26: Minds Online with Michelle M. Miller
Episode 317: Mental Health with Laura Horne

Sep 10, 2020 • 42min
Creatively Teaching Biology
Lisa Burgess, Idelisa Ayala, & Vanessa Hormann discuss creatively teaching biology on episode 326 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast.
Quotes from the episode
What do we want our students to walk away with?
-Lisa Burgess
We tend to do a lot of social media interaction. At the end of each lab we have hashtags.
-Vanessa Hormann
You really have to think about the student’s point of view.
-Vanessa Hormann
Resources Mentioned
Video: Everyday Biology at Broward College
Article: Getting Creative with Biology
Research Brief #13: Course Completion Gap Closed for Black Students and Gap in Passing Courses Closed for Pell-Eligible Students Taught by ACUE-Credentialed Faculty at Broward College
Everyday Biology #WHATSTHEPOINT
Link: Everyday Biology book

Sep 3, 2020 • 19min
Digital Pedagogy Lab Reprised
Bonni Stachowiak shares about Digital Pedagogy Lab Reprised on episode 325 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast.
Quotes from the episode
Connect with others and ask questions. Be open.
-Dustin
Through constraint comes creativity.
-Christina
Provide as much consistency and as much grounding that you can for your students because there is so much unknown outside of your classroom.
-Sylvia
Resources Mentioned
Digital Pedagogy Lab
Episode 320 with Jesse Stommel: How to be together in learning online