Kut » Higher Ed

Remember the character on the 1970’s tv sitcom “Welcome Back, Kotter” – Arnold Horshack – who enthusiastically waved his hand in the air and bounced up and down in his seat because he always wanted to answer questions in class? For many students, speaking up in school is actually something they try to avoid. In...

Choosing a major. It is a rite of passage for higher education students, and it can feel like a … dare we say it … major decision with lifelong implications. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton discuss what could – and sometimes should...

A provocative column this year in The Chronicle of Higher Education laments the rise of what the author calls the “promotional intellectual.” Dr. Jeffrey J. Williams of Carnegie Mellon University believes the old adage in academia of “publish or perish” has evolved into “promote or perish.” In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern...

Most people do not necessarily enjoy being told when they are wrong. The formal education experience can at times seem like it is full of those moments – between corrections, grades, comments and evaluations.  In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton discuss ways to...

High school seniors have something extra added to their workload in the fall semester. Those who are going on to college have to navigate the college application process. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton dissect that annual dash to compile transcripts, test scores,...

The author of a summer op-ed in the New York Times (no, not that op-ed!)  believes girls would benefit from more drilling on math to “break the cycle of dislike-avoidance-further dislike” and help them build confidence in their math skills (which research has shown are pretty similar to boys’ math skills).  In this episode of...

Remember those old film strips in school that would advance frame by frame, fueled by an annoying beep? Instructional media has certainly improved quite a bit since those days. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton discuss if better videos make for better learning....

The episode was originally posted on May 20, 2018. Business and industry sometimes say they find students are not prepared for work – or the working world in general – when they graduate from college. Liberal arts institutions, meanwhile, say they are preparing flexible and well-rounded students who are ready to tackle anything. How can...

This episode was originally posted on Feb 4, 2018. A lot of people have input when it comes to formal education: teachers, students, administrators, staff and parents for starters. In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss who out of all those groups, though,...

This episode was originally posted on Jan. 28, 2018 Those in higher education have a lot on their minds these days: the new tax law, immigration, affordability, the cost of education and how these things impact teaching and learning. Educators are also thinking about how people discuss those topics. In this episode of KUT’s podcast...

This episode was originally posted on Dec. 17, 2017. There has been an ongoing debate in education about a staple of the school landscape: homework. Do students get too much? Too little? What role does – and should – homework play in education? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and...

This episode was originally posted on Dec. 10, 2017. “Whaddya get?” That’s the question students often ask each other after graded exams or papers are handed back. Competition among students persists in education. In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss if that kind...

This episode was originally posted on Dec. 3, 2017. Puzzlers can be fun and challenging and can also help us think about some of life’s bigger questions. In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger puzzle through solutions to some especially tough riddles. Ed and...

This episode was originally posted on Nov. 12, 2017. Our path through formal education is pretty prescribed through the early years.  But in middle school, high school, college and beyond, students have more latitude in choosing their own classes and course of study. In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and...

This episode was originally published on Oct. 22, 2017. In a previous episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger answered a listener’s question about how to know when it’s the right decision to transfer schools. In this episode, they take that discussion a step further to...

This episode was originally published on Sept. 17, 2017. Sometimes, a relationship doesn’t feel like a good match. You can’t put your finger on it, but it just feels like it’s time to move on. That feeling can crop up in personal relationships, as well as in our relationships with schools. In this episode of...

Business and industry sometimes say they find students are not prepared for work – or the working world in general – when they graduate from college. Liberal arts institutions say they are preparing flexible and well-rounded students who are ready to tackle anything. How can this disconnect be bridged? Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger...

Remember that old adage about what happens when we assume something? (Hint: break the word down into smaller parts and you’ll get it!). Seriously, making assumptions can impact how we approach and learn information. Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and I spend this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed” exploring why we make assumptions;...

Some are boring and not very memorable. Some are inspiring and stay with the graduates for years to comes. I am referring to commencement addresses. And during this 2018 commencement season, Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and I spend this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed” discussing the good, the bad and the memorable...

The end of the school year is a busy time for students, faculty, staff, and families. Finals exams are looming; seniors may be on the hunt for a job; and many students have to say goodbye to friends and teachers. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and...