Three big mental health questions that academia must talk about A reckoning with how we handle mental health in higher education is long overdue, says June GruberJune GruberThe University of Colorado Boulder
How I stopped worrying and learned to embrace pre-prepared coursesI was shocked when first told I had to teach a ‘shell’ prepared by a colleague a few years ago, but I’m actually growing from the experience, says George JusticeGeorge JusticeArizona State University
Re-engaging adult learners is key to a sustainable HE recoveryWinning back those who left college without a degree will be key in reversing the declines of the past year, say Kai Drekmeier and Amanda WintersKai Drekmeier, Amanda WintersInsideTrack, National Governors Association
Co-creating with students: practical considerations and approachesStacy Katz explains how to develop meaningful learning experiences by collaborating with students, rather than determining for themStacy KatzLehman College CUNY
Using films to encourage reflection and critical thinking in your teaching Noam Schimmel shares advice on how to leverage the pedagogical and emotive power of films to support your teachingNoam SchimmelUniversity of California, Berkeley
Community colleges are the front line for workforce innovation As bachelor’s-granting institutions grow ever more focused on employability, there’s much they can learn from community colleges, say Vicki Karolewics and Bharani RajakumarVicki Karolewics , Bharani Rajakumar Wallace State Community College, TRANSFR
Now is the time to design a system in which all learning countsOur conventional, top-down approach fails to recognise that working adults often already possess many critical work skills, say Lisa McIntyre-Hite and Mackenzie Jackson Lisa McIntyre-Hite, Mackenzie JacksonGuild Education
If peer feedback was good enough for the Brontë sisters, it’s good enough for usThe shift online provides new ways to harness the power of peer feedback to improve writing skills, say Sherry Wynn Perdue, Pam Bromley, Mark Limbach and Jonathan OlshockSherry Wynn Perdue, Pam Bromley, Mark Limbach, Jonathan OlshockOakland University, Scripps College, Peerceptiv
Coming to terms with terminology: the basics of university teaching and research in the USLooking to teach or do research in America? Angela Douglas explains the basic terms, acronyms and structures of US academia to ensure everyone is speaking the same language Angela DouglasCornell University
A framework for building capacity in digital teaching and learning Dale Johnson presents a framework to help institutions decide where to focus their efforts in the use of digital systems and resources to enable student success Dale JohnsonArizona State University
Obliterating the academic calendar is the easy partMore money for US community colleges and new thinking on semester lengths must be accompanied by cohesive pathways to degrees, say Karen A. Stout and Tom ShaverKaren A. Stout, Tom ShaverAchieving the Dream, Ad Astra Information Systems
Campus talks: the big ideas behind microcredentialsTwo experts in flexible learning programmes discuss the evolution and adoption of alternative teaching models and credentials in higher education Tim Blackman, Kemi JonaThe Open University, Northeastern University
Capturing students’ attention in the classroom: does listening equal learning? Four teaching academics discuss effective approaches to keeping students focused and engaged inside and outside the classroomFlower Darby, Steven Mintz, Kara Monroe, Constanza PacherNorthern Arizona University, University of Texas at Austin, Ivy Tech Community College, MacEwan University
It’s our duty to teach more inclusively − online, in person or hybridStudents want to be seen, heard and valued, and there are many ways to include them while fostering equitable learning outcomes, says Flower DarbyFlower DarbyNorthern Arizona University
The shift online could set digital learning back by yearsThe digital tools used during the pandemic may help address access and scale, but they do little to help students actually learn, says Tom AdamsTom AdamsQuantic School of Business and Technology
HE needs to follow tech companies’ lead and go ‘agile’Universities need shorter cycles of learning and credentialing, such as eight-week academic terms and quick, stackable certificates, says Tom MonahanTom MonahanDeVry University
Displaced workers deserve more than short-termism from universitiesInstitutions must stop and think before helping reshape the career trajectories of millions of workers, says Gangaram SinghGangaram SinghNational University
Leaks and holes: beyond the pipeline versus process debate on diversityA pipeline does exist in higher ed, but process and structural violence in education writ large keep puncturing the pipe, says Pardis MahdaviPardis MahdaviArizona State University
If we want non-traditional results, we need non-traditional approachesWe must listen to − and respect − the needs and aspirations of learners as they are, not as we wish them to be, say Gregory Fowler and Kate SmithGregory Fowler, Kate SmithUniversity of Maryland Global Campus, Rio Salado College
Building a community of support for remote students through academic advising Janet Morrison details academic advising strategies that keep students feeling connected and supported throughout their educational journeys when learning online Janet MorrisonChamplain College Online
Do we need equity or equality to make things ‘fair’? Actually, we need bothFair, to some people, means everyone getting the same thing. But that’s only fair if everyone begins at the same place and needs the same things to succeed, says Todd ZakrajsekTodd ZakrajsekUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
THE podcast: bridging higher education’s new digital divide Lauren Herckis from Carnegie Mellon University discusses her research into the new digital divide in ed-tech knowledge and pedagogical training among faculty and how universities can work to fill itLauren HerckisCarnegie Mellon University
A pedagogy of kindness: the cornerstone for student learning and wellness Fiona Rawle outlines a pedagogy founded on human connection, care and compassion that improves student learning outcomesFiona RawleUniversity of Toronto Mississauga
Taking challenging courses requiring step-by-step instruction online Pam Benz offers tips for translating challenging courses, which necessitate students seeing problems worked out step by step, to online instruction modes Pam BenzUniversity of West Florida
Tips for spurring critical thinking among students onlineMichelle Horton shares three online course design strategies that will help students develop their critical thinking skillsMichelle Horton University of West Florida
Don’t lose the lesson: planning design to future-proof higher education Patrick Sanaghan explains how universities can distil the lessons of the past 18 months of crisis to inform strategic future plans Patrick Sanaghan The Sanaghan Group
Connecting research and humanities through creative collaborationsCreative collaborations between students in different disciplines can offer opportunities to gain “real world” experience and apply their knowledge in new contexts. Allison Schwartz explains howAllison SchwartzUniversity of West Florida
How to engage students when some are in the room and some are on Zoom Flower Darby offers practical tips for keeping all students engaged when teaching a class in which some students are with you in person and others are learning remotely via a teleconferencing platform Flower DarbyNorthern Arizona University
Pandemic teaching: storm clouds and silver linings Glenn Geher talks through the highs and lows of teaching during a pandemic and the lessons we can learn from them Glenn GeherState University of New York at New Paltz
Funny memes and other ways to encourage students to keep their cameras onFrank R. Castelli offers advice from his evidenced-based strategy to get students to use their cameras without requiring itFrank R. CastelliCornell University
How universities can support students’ return to campus post-pandemicDanielle McDonald and colleagues share advice on how universities can approach welcoming two student cohorts to campus for the first time, staying mindful of the vastly different attitudes among students relating to the post-pandemic transition Danielle McDonald, Anita Sahgal, Jennifer DiPrete, Allison CrumeUniversity of South Florida
My first post-Covid conference showed me we need to prep for the campus returnAt this conference, faculty were like the walking wounded, but we can and should learn from it because our students deserve our best selves, says Flower DarbyFlower DarbyNorthern Arizona University
Never waste a good crisis: what to keep from pandemic teaching strategiesFlower Darby talks through the digital teaching skills and tools that instructors should hold on to, even after returning to campus, to enhance student learning and successFlower DarbyNorthern Arizona University
Why miss out on revenue when universities can take more blended learning in-house?Institutions are embracing the opportunity to create and deliver their own online programmes, but they’re realising that means more to think about, says Elliot FelixElliot FelixBrightspot
How universities can build meaningful collaborations to solve societal challenges For universities to extend their impact and community engagement, they need to form strong partnerships with external organisations and individuals. Alicia Wilson shares seven guiding principles that support successful collaborationAlicia WilsonJohns Hopkins University
This is our chance to create the classroom of the futureWe know what works best for learning, and most of it is easier to implement in the online world, says Daphne KollerDaphne KollerStanford University
Equitable teaching that creates pathways to success for all students Andrew Estrada Phuong and co-authors present a framework for an adaptive equity-oriented pedagogy that helps diverse students achieve better resultsAndrew Estrada Phuong, Judy Nguyen, Fabrizio Mejia, Christopher Hunn, Dena MarieUniversity of California, Berkeley, Stanford University, Orinda Academy
Distance learners deserve better than HE’s latest bait and switch Remote learning is the latest scapegoat being used to justify returning to the ‘normal’ of rising tuition costs and sky-high student debt, says Zachary Michael JackZachary Michael JackNorth Central College
Campus webinar: Innovative teachingAs we emerge from the pandemic, what innovations in online teaching have come about in the last year? Four experts in digital and teaching innovation from the UK and US discuss effective ways of teaching that harness new technological toolsSarah Dyer, Dale Johnson, Agnes Kukulska-Hulme, Ian TurnerThe University of Exeter, Arizona State University, The Open University, University of Derby
Don’t downplay the role of community colleges in healing a nationAt a time of rampant disinformation, these two-year institutions can be the engines of enquiry and purpose that enable the next generation to rebuild our democracy, says Eduardo PadronEduardo PadronMiami Dade College
A student mental health crisis awaits. Here’s how we avoid a bad fallExtra funding should be requested now to staff up wellness centres, counselling centres and campus ministries, says Todd ZakrajsekTodd ZakrajsekUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Returning to ‘normal’ is really a return to ignoranceCovid revealed that students need flexible and inclusive learning opportunities − something that should have been obvious well before the pandemic, says Torrey TrustTorrey TrustUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst
The digital shift will have many (positive) side-effectsIn the not-so-distant future, we’ll realise the digital transformation has changed higher education for the better, in ways we never expected, say Rick Shangraw and Wayne BovierRick Shangraw, Wayne BovierCintana Education, Higher Digital
How leaders can seize higher ed’s ‘catalytic moment for change’Those that lead by example, reward innovative faculty and increase campus-wide buy-in will determine the future of higher education, says Jon McNaughtanJon McNaughtanTexas Tech University
Socialising is hugely important, but virtual campuses help learning, tooThe social elements of university help students succeed academically, so we must start transplanting them online, says Elizabeth Lehfeldt Elizabeth A. LehfeldtCleveland State University
Let’s stop confusing what just happened with true online learningDuring the pandemic, decades of research and practice were tossed aside in a matter of days, says Ali Carr-ChellmanAli Carr-ChellmanUniversity of Dayton
Never forget: your course is not only yoursToo much of our instructional design undershoots the potential of higher education to improve not only individual lives but also the public good, says Robin DeRosaRobin DeRosaPlymouth State University
More screen time: using instructor-featured video to create connection onlineAaron Smith explains why instructor-featured videos are such a powerful tool for keeping remote-learning students grounded and for providing a sense of human connection, based on his research Aaron SmithUniversity of Waterloo
Flexibility is key if we want students to connect with their studiesUniversal design for learning not only embraces diversity, it also uses it as the basis for providing choice in how students learn – and succeed, says Lillian NaveLillian NaveAppalachian State University
Should lecturers be trained to deal with shortening attention spans?Would my life be easier if I had received explicit guidance in how to deliver content in TikTok-length pieces? asks Katie DavisKatie DavisUniversity of Washington
