
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

May 31, 2018 • 36min
Rethinking Higher Education
Wendy Purcell shares about rethinking higher education on episode 207 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast.
Quotes from the episode
I think you’re seeing that universities now are needing to be much more connected to the society we serve.
—Wendy Purcell
You really will be learning throughout your life.
—Wendy Purcell
The very best education should transform you.
—Wendy Purcell
You are supporting transformation of people, and through people, transformation of society at large.
—Wendy Purcell
Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.
—Socrates
To an unprecedented extent, universities must partner with government, business, and civil society to take on the grand challenges of sustainable development that lie ahead.
—Jeff Sachs
If you want to build a ship, don’t herd people together to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.
—Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Resources Mentioned
Envisioning pathways to 2030: Megatrends shaping the future of global higher education and international student mobility. January, 2018
Global universities unprepared for sea change ahead. 26th January, 2018
Future of skills and lifelong learning. 22nd November, 2017
Differentiation of English universities: the impact of policy reforms in driving a more diverse higher education landscape. Purcell, W.M. et al (2016).
Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education 20(1): 24-33.
Education is the kindling of a flame: How to reinvent the 21st-century university. 5th Jan, 2018; update 8th Jan
The 2018 Trends Report (Chronicle of Higher Education)
Episode 141: The Danger of Silence with Clint Smith

11 snips
May 24, 2018 • 39min
Inquiry-based Learning
Jeffery Galle shares insights on inquiry-based learning, challenging students with complex problems to boost engagement. Collaborative teaching, creativity, and impactful memoir recommendations like 'Educated' are discussed, highlighting the shift towards relevant and engaging learning experiences.

9 snips
May 17, 2018 • 37min
The College Classroom Assessment Compendium
Authors Jay Parkes and Dawn Zimmaro discuss assessment strategies in higher ed, emphasizing the need for thoughtful reflection on teaching practices and student-centered approaches. They delve into reimagining assessment for student ownership and stress management, promoting meaningful learning experiences beyond grades.

May 10, 2018 • 37min
The Spark of Learning Reprise
Sarah Rose Cavanagh shares about her book, The Spark of Learning, and more on episode 204 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast.
Quotes from the episode
Students are not going to learn if they’re not engaged, if they’re not curious.
—Sarah Rose Cavanagh
Students will remain engaged … if we initially generate excitement.
—Sarah Rose Cavanagh
We need to be authentically ourselves.
—Sarah Rose Cavanagh
We need to be attentive to the fact that there lots of different ways to portray that passion to be the spark.
—Sarah Rose Cavanagh
Resources Mentioned
Sarah also shared about the Spark of Learning on episode 135
The Spark of Learning: Energizing the College Classroom with the Science of Emotion by Sarah Rose Cavanagh*
Kentina Smith’s Blog Post on Emotional Hooks
Christopher Emdin
5 min TED talk: Teach Teachers How to Create Magic
Tweet about Dave Stachowiak’s chemistry teacher
HBR Women at Work Podcast
Lead with Authenticity episode
Derek Bruff Shares about Times for Telling on episode 71
For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood… and the Rest of Y’all Too by Christopher Emdin *
Poster at Association for Psychological Science Conference in May
Sarah’s New Book – HIVEMIND: The Perils and Promise of Our Collective Social Selves is coming in March of 2019 via Grand Central Publishing

9 snips
May 3, 2018 • 43min
My Flipped Classroom
Jan H. Jensen, a Professor of biocomputational chemistry at the University of Copenhagen, shares his journey into the flipped classroom model. He highlights how creating engaging videos can rejuvenate course content and foster active learning. Jan discusses the importance of challenging questions to stimulate critical thinking and the role of peer interaction in enhancing comprehension. He advocates for re-evaluating 'boring' curriculum elements and suggests that teaching should connect concepts to real-world applications, making learning more relevant.

Apr 26, 2018 • 37min
Supporting Students Who are Veterans
Kevin Jones describes ways we can support our students who are veterans on episode 202 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast.
Quotes from the episode
They feel like it’s very difficult for them to relate to the other students on campus.
—Kevin Jones
Your education doesn’t end when you finish your degree.
—Kevin Jones
Work with the community you’re in.
—Kevin Jones
I think everybody in higher ed needs to be a bit of an entrepreneur right now.
—Kevin Jones
Resources Mentioned
Screencast-O-Matic*
Team Red White and Blue
Team Rubicon
Office of Veteran Success at the University of South Florida
Veteran Student Life at the University of Maryland
Utah State University Veterans Resource Office
The Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University
Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University
Student Veterans of America

Apr 19, 2018 • 35min
Frictionless Systems
Dave Stachowiak and I talk about frictionless systems on episode 201 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast.
Quotes from the episode
I’ve realized the importance of ending the day well and that having a sense of accomplishment is really important.
—Dave Stachowiak
Let’s automate all the things we can automate so we can spend more time doing the things we should never automate.
—Dave Stachowiak
Once the weekly review is done … I’m just following the plan for the week.
—Dave Stachowiak
Resources Mentioned
The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months by Brian P. Moran*
Agile Faculty: Practical Strategies for Managing Research, Service, and Teaching by Rebecca Pope-Ruark *
Trimesterly Planning – Robert Talbert
The weekly review
TextExpander*
Recommended TextExpander back on episode #114
TextExpander.com/podcast* for 20% off your first year
Current List of Projects
Ulysses
Academic Writing in Markdown from Nicholas Cifuentes-Goodbody
The MacSparky Markdown Field Guide
SaneBox*
Airmail
Fantastical
Paprika (Windows, Android, Kindle Fire Tablet, iOS, Mac)
InstaPot*
Pinterest Board: Meal Prep
Pinterest Board: Instapot
Fujitsu ScanSnap iX500 Color Duplex Desk Scanner for Mac and PC*
The MacSparky Paperless Field Guide by David Sparks

Apr 12, 2018 • 39min
Changing Our Minds About Teaching
Maha Bali, Robin DeRosa, and Mike Truong discuss changing our minds about teaching on episode 200 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast.
Quotes from the episode
I have learned that I don’t need to defend technology.
—Mike Truong
What happens if you structurally start to build [courses] around the real-world issues that students are bringing in?
—Robin DeRosa
In certain times of my life I think better in a synchronous way, talking to someone immediately. And other times I just need to step back and write.
—Maha Bali
Resources Mentioned
AMICAL
Tiffany’s blog post
The Case for Inclusive Teaching by Kevin Gannon* (mentioned in our chat room, not on the episode)
An Affinity for Asynchronous Learning
Virtually Connecting
Kate Bowles
Soliya – Intercultural dialog
Chickering & Gamson’s Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education
Just in time. Just enough. Just for me. Just do it. (APU’s/Mike’s approach to faculty development)
MAGNA Pubs 20 Minute Mentor Commons
The Misguided Drive to Measure ‘Learning Outcomes’ by Molly Worthen in The New York Times
Virtually Connecting

Apr 5, 2018 • 38min
A Student’s Perspective
Sierra Smith shares a student’s perspective on episode 199 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast.
Quotes from the episode
College is a lot more traditional than I expected.
—Sierra Smith
I love a class that allows for natural interactions with other students.
—Sierra Smith
What you put into an experience is what you get out of it.
—Sierra Smith
I feel like it’s very non-productive when a professor comes in and they lecture for 50 minutes from paragraphs off a powerpoint.
—Sierra Smith
Resources Mentioned
Quizlet
Choose Your Own Adventure Learning, Part 1
Choose Your Own Adventure Learning, Part 2
Episode 91: Choose Your Own Adventure Assessment
Teaching and Learning in Higher Education book series from West Virginia University Press: Edited by James M. Lang
Cochlear implant
Trint: Transcription Reinvented
Episode 110: Self-Regulated Learning and the Flipped Classroom with Robert Talbert
Episode 106: Undercover Professor with Mike Ross

Mar 29, 2018 • 39min
The intersections between play, games, and learning
Nic Holt shares about the intersections between play, games, and learning on episode 198 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast.
Quotes from the episode
Always try to create those cross-silo engagements.
—Nic Holt
Before we can all learn together, we have to be nice and good to one another.
—Nic Holt
If you have a new piece of technology in your class … let everybody play with it.
—Nic Holt
To learn to take another person’s perspective is something that will transcend whatever content you’re trying to teach.
—Nic Holt
Resources Mentioned
R.E.M
Club Penguin
Dungeons and Dragons
World of Warcraft
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Autotelic – to do something for the love of it
Tiki-Toki
Bonnie Cramond
Leisure and Human Development by Douglas A. Kleiber and Francis A. McGuire
Wikipedia
Packback
Bonni’s never-used 7 Habits badges
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen R. Covey*
Man, Play and Games by Roger Caillois*
Bonni’s keynote at UGA 2017 Innovation in Teaching Conference
2018 Innovation in Teaching Conference at University of Georgia’s College of Education on October 19