Kut » Higher Ed

Sometimes school can feel like a really solitary endeavor. Writing papers and reading chapters are usually done solo. But teachers at all levels of formal education also assign group projects or presentations. In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger talk about the pros and...

A listener wrote in to “Higher Ed” about his decision to pursue a Ph.D. in pure mathematics after studying classical piano performance and working as a pianist. In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss becoming a mathematician later in life and the joys...

Sometimes, a relationship just 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 KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and...

Getting back into the swing of school is always an adjustment. Alarm clocks, long days and homework make the school year schedule fuller and more structured than summertime. In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger talk about some ways to get the school year...

This episode was originally published on April 9, 2017. College students who work hard might tend to play hard, too. Caffeine … junk food … late nights … partying. College can be filled with temptations that keep students from leading healthy lives. We know those habits aren’t good for us, but why does school present...

This is might be a familiar scene to you: You’re walking down the street and see someone heading toward you, not looking up, face firmly transfixed on the small screen of a smartphone or tablet. What does all that time spent attending to devices do to our personal interactions, conversations and learning? In this episode...

We all face questions in life that seem just about impossible to answer. Maybe it’s a really tough question on a test. Or maybe it’s a challenging assignment at work. What can we do when the answer just won’t come to us? How about not answering the question? In this “Best of” episode of KUT’s...

Was there a subject in school that seemed so hard and unsatisfying to study that even to this day the thought of it makes you cringe? For many students, that subject was Math. And perhaps more specifically, Calculus. Maybe it was the confusing terminology or seemingly abstract concepts. Can Calculus ever redeem itself? Is it...

It’s good manners to say “thank you” and show gratitude. But there are also ways that slowing down to notice and appreciate what’s happening around us can give our brains some much needed rest. In this “Best of” episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss...

Most dictionary definitions of “learn” make reference to acquiring knowledge or skills, becoming informed, or finding out something. Sure, that makes sense, but what does it really mean to learn something? How do we know if we’ve actually learned it? In this “Best of” episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern...

How can educators, parents, and other adults encourage young people to be curious and get creative? In this “Best of” episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger respond to a listener’s question about promoting intellectual curiosity and confidence in kids. There’s a lot of interest these...

What do you think of when someone is described as “smart?” They know a lot of things. Maybe they got good grades in school. Or maybe they always use correct grammar. But what does it actually mean to be smart? In this “Best of” episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern...

In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger tackle a question posed by a listener about teaching giving and philanthropy in school. Can it be done? Should it be done? And if so, when? A listener wrote in (to jstayton@kut.org) asking about teaching the concepts...

So much of what we encounter in formal education is planned; we attend scheduled classes in designated classrooms and go through specific lessons plans. But there can also be real educational value in chance encounters or unexpected opportunities. In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed...

What factors show that a student is ready for college: good grades? High test scores? A killer application and essay? Or, are more intangible qualities better indicators of college success? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss what makes a high school student...

“Goodbye.” It’s a word that actually gets said a lot in education. Students are constantly changing teachers, classmates, subjects, and locations during their years in school. In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger talk about saying goodbye and moving on in education. The end...

It is college commencement season, and graduating seniors will be hearing all kinds of sage advice from commencement speakers. But what advice would those graduating seniors give? What would they tell their younger selves as students if they could? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr....

Teachers. We’ve all had some great ones, and we’ve all had some teachers who didn’t rank among the best. What makes a good teacher? How has the profession changed over time? How has technology impacted the way teachers do their jobs? In this week’s episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern...

In this episode, a question from a “Higher Ed” listener: her daughter is a sophomore in high school who has started attending college fairs and reading online about schools. The family is interested to know more about the impact of studying abroad on a student’s education. In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s...

College students who work hard might tend to play hard, too. Caffeine… junk food…. late nights… partying. College can be filled with temptations that keep students from leading healthy lives. We know those habits aren’t good for us, but why does school present so many temptations? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s...