The power of the admissions interview is, in context and value, unmatched by any other element of the enrollment process, says Jonathan Burdick of the University of Rochester. The meetings "add color to what is otherwise a black-and-white representation of a student, or add a third dimension to what is otherwise flat pieces of paper," […]
Portfolio providers: What are some uses for ePortfolios that you believe aren't as common at colleges as they should be? "We'd like to see more colleges using ePortfolios with guided learning pathways through a program or institution to assess learning at key points. The full potential for ePortfolios to encourage more integrative, deeper learning won't be […]
It has been demonstrated amply that financial aid leveraging can, under the right circumstances, increase enrollment and net tuition revenue. For some, however, that isn't the case. Enrollment leaders must therefore assess other aspects of recruitment to determine how effectively they are working to build larger, more committed applicant and admit pools, especially when increases […]
Just as websites morphed from digital brochures into versatile multimedia portals, electronic portfolios have evolved from information repositories to robust tools for showcasing student learning. Now generally referred to as "ePortfolios," these software systems house completed assignments, reflections on learning, photos, creative work and journal entries—all evidence of a student's education. "It is a personal, […]
The growing availability of custom and commercial software applications allows colleges and universities to transform classroom laboratory experiences into virtual equivalents that offer advantages over their physical precursors. This change is gradually evolving at higher ed institutions across the nation and the globe. For example, New Mexico State University has made virtual science labs available […]
Determining the return on investment for virtual admissions interviews involves understanding the resources and when the technology will be used. At the University of Rochester, the commitment is bigger than most. One full-time employee and eight senior students have been hired and trained just to conduct Skype interviews during this admissions cycle, says Jonathan Burdick, […]
Vocation. This is a word with deep and important significance. Liberal Arts. This is an ideal of education with an equally deep set of meanings. Liberal arts colleges already do a great job developing a diverse group of socially responsible, critical thinkers, but they must start guiding students to their true vocation. For liberal arts […]
This fall, travel funded by the student government at Whitman College in Washington state will be taxed based on emissions generated in getting to and from the destination. Passed in February as a two-year pilot program, the rule is likely the first of its kind imposed by a student government at a U.S. college. Students […]
Watching preschoolers play on touchscreen devices makes it clear that the future college students of America are of the connected generation. Unfortunately, I fear today's teaching methods are ill prepared to embrace this new type of learner. Higher ed must embrace game-like learning just as progressive Silicon Valley companies have, or risk bored, disengaged, unprepared […]
