To keep Stanford front and center in the minds and hearts of its graduates, the university’s alumni association—like other institutions—is investing time on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. The big attraction: instant, interactive, daily engagement—especially with young alumni. “Social media is the digital water cooler,” says Adam Miller, Stanford University Alumni Association’s director of digital and […]
Online faculty at Castleton University don’t just dole out tests—they take them, too. Full- and part-time instructors who have no experience teaching online with Moodle’s learning management system work through a self-paced, six-module course created by associate academic dean Cathy Kozlik. The course resides on a Vermont State Colleges System Moodle Sandbox website, where professors […]
Many alumni face the same dilemma when they take out their checkbook to give their annual donation to their alma matter: Where do they allocate their donation? Most large universities include multiple colleges not to mention the various scholarships, programs and projects alumni must choose from. An article that highlights the Directed Giving strategy argues […]
How is the way in which institutions address student success expected to evolve in 2017 and beyond? Previously, students were looked at in a very fragmented way: They were either a recruit, an applicant, a student, a potential graduate, a lifelong learner or potential dropout. New tools have caused a shift in how higher ed […]
Open educational resources have grown over the last few years from one-off oddities in single courses to the basis of entire degree programs. Cutting out textbook costs for students tops the list of reasons administrators encourage faculty to develop and adopt these free—or very inexpensive—resources, also known as OER. Other enticements include immediate access for […]
Gone is the single cafeteria line in the Maryville University dining hall, with the Missouri institution’s students making their way down a familiar row of plates, picking up food not much different from the day before. Enter Fresh Ideas, featuring a vibrant food hall that offers innovative meals prepared in front of students by culinarians […]
All eyes turn to the front of the lecture hall as John August, dean of faculties and associate provost at Texas A&M University, directs his class of 100 veterinary medical students to answer a question on the screen. Pulling smartphones from their pockets, students quickly type their responses into a polling application—a newer version of […]
Students enrolled in media ethics at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill this fall walked into a lecture hall that looked radically different than two years ago. Gone is the stadium-style seating. Now the room, used for a wide range of courses, has 100 rolling swivel chairs with adjustable tables and nine mounted […]
Active learning should allow students in traditional lecture halls to work in small groups solving problem sets or developing presentations. That can be accomplished without renovating the space, but the layout does present challenges. Lecture courses can be made more interactive by breaking up class time with small-group activities. “You can do it low-tech —‘Here’s […]
What would you say to someone who needs convincing that lecture halls and other large spaces can also be active learning environments? “Large, active learning classrooms support the largest number of students efficiently. The classroom can also be used outside classroom hours for collaborative activities. You’re really increasing the use and efficiency of the real […]
