Kut » Higher Ed

Usually during KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss issues related to learning and education. So how does it turn out when they add another voice to the mix? In this episode, they are joined by second-year Southwestern University student Tristin Evans. She adds a student perspective...

“Job well done.” What does that mean, exactly? That someone got a lot accomplished, or that someone did a few things very well? Multi-tasking is often praised as a valuable skill, but what are we sacrificing for speed? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed...

Note: This “Higher Ed” episode was originally posted on February 28, 2016. In an ideal world, every student comes to class, or to any educational situation, well-prepared and ready to learn. But in reality, all kinds of life circumstances outside the classroom – such as poverty – can influence what happens inside the classroom. In...

A bill has been introduced in the California state legislature in 2017 that would add elements to school curricula to teach students to “judge the credibility and quality of information found on Internet Web sites, including social media.” We think we know fake news when we see it, right? Well, maybe not always. In this...

In a recent episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Dr. Ed Burger used the phrase “hurt yourself intellectually.” Doesn’t sound like a great idea, does it?! In this episode, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss what that phrase means in relation to our learning and education, and why a little...

A popular topic for discussion on the “Higher Ed” podcast is lifelong learning: taking on educational opportunities at any stage of life, especially well after the formal education years are past. In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger talk about what we can all...

It’s a major milestone in our educational development: learning to read. Throughout school, we read books for classes and assignments and also just for fun. But what happens once we’re out of school? Do we still enjoy curling up with a good book? In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and...

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

Every once in awhile it makes sense to take a step or two back and look at the “big picture” of anything. You know: how are things going in general? What are the latest trends? What are the biggest challenges? What about the greatest joys? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer...

What would you say is the quintessential element of effective learning: Intelligence? Persistence? Skills?  In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss what Ed argues is that key element: change. It’s a scary word and concept for many. Our comfort zones are much easier...

Teachers stand at the front of the classroom trying to engage their students, impart information, and make a difference in their students’ lives. Do they really get through? What do students take away from their classroom experiences? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger...

Note: This “Best of Higher Ed” episode was originally released on January 10, 2016. We are just a little ways into the new year and it’s already proving tough to keep some of those well-intentioned resolutions. You know, the usual ones such as exercise more, eat better, or be nicer to people. There is actually...

That sweater that doesn’t fit quite right.  Or a fruitcake with ingredients that are not immediately recognizable. Do your family and friends really need more of these during the holiday season? What about giving the gift of learning instead? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr....

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 episode of KUT’s podcast Higher...

Do you sense that you understand things better when you read them or hear them? Do you learn better via words or images? Are there really even different learning “styles” at all? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger explore a listener’s question about...

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...

Most people who get at least a high school education will experience a pretty standard set of courses no matter where they go to school: Math, English, Social Studies, Biology, and the like. But are there things not being taught in schools that should be? What if the traditional academic slate were wiped clean and...

Social media such as Twitter allow people to draw attention to situations and problems that might not otherwise get much focus. It also lets people share information and connect quickly and easily. But what has happened to the value we place on interacting and connecting in person? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed,...

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 episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss the impact...

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 episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President...