Kut » Higher Ed

Math: we love it; we hate it; we cannot live without it. A Higher Ed podcast listener had read a National Public Radio piece on a book that argues against requiring advanced Math in school. That listener – who’s studying Mathematics education – was inspired to write in and ask: Should Math be a college...

What are the roles and responsibilities of higher education – if any – in resolving growing inequality in the US and globally? That provocative question from a listener prompted KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger to explore the roles and responsibilities of higher ed in general for this episode of KUT’s...

Most people like what is familiar, comfortable, and tidy. But should learning be that way, too? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger talk about the ways in which learning is actually quite messy. And how we shouldn’t want it any other way. Ed...

Think. Create. Connect. To make meaning and make a difference. In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton talks with Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger about a new vision for education and what that can look like in practice.  They dive in to the pieces of that vision to see what...

We all know the traditional classroom drill: go to class; listen to a lecture; take notes; go home; do the homework; come back to class; repeat. What if that model were reversed, and students heard the lecture information outside the classroom and spent class time wrestling with questions and ideas? In this week’s episode of...

What does Spring bring with it? The weather turns warmer. Flowers bloom. Taxes are due. And for students pursuing an education beyond high school, it’s time to make a big decision: where to go to college. It can be a stressful but also exciting time in a student’s academic career. In this episode of KUT’s […]

Some students and life-long learners think they’re only good at one kind of subject. Maybe they consider themselves “science” people, or perhaps they keep their distance from labs but cannot get enough of history books. In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger talk about […]

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 this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern […]

What happens outside of the classroom – should it stay outside the classroom? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger talk about the value of co-curriculars to learning. Sports. Theatre. Comedy. Wait, comedy? That’s one of Ed’s hobbies, and he and Jennifer discuss how […]

Persistence. Mindfulness. Caring. Passion. Should these be taught in school? Can they even be taught? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger talk about teaching intangibles. A listener’s email prompted this discussion about the value of teaching these topics in school. And listen on […]

Who doesn’t feel pressed for time? And who isn’t challenged by managing time during school? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger talk about time management – what works, what doesn’t, and why sometimes doing nothing at all is the best thing to do. […]

Best undergraduate school. Best graduate school. Best public school. Best regional school. Top “party school.” These are just some of the ways institutions of higher learning are ranked in various surveys. In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger talk about what those rankings really […]

PSAT. STAAR. ACT. SAT. Does the thought of taking standardized tests make your palms sweat and heart race? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger talk about what standardized tests can and cannot measure, and the role they play in education and learning. Spoiler […]

Think back to someone who has really influenced you in your life. Maybe it has been a teacher, a coach, a boss, or someone from less obvious quarters. In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger talk about the crucial way role models and mentors […]

We are already well into 2016. How are those New Year’s resolutions holding up? Don’t feel bad; it can be hard to keep some of the lofty goals we set for ourselves at the beginning of the year.  In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed […]

Doubt. It can make us question some of our deeply-held beliefs. But is that necessarily a bad thing? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger talk about the value that doubt can have for our learning and education. Doubt can be a catalyst for […]

A Higher Ed listener emailed in asking about letter grades: are they good? Bad? Do they hinder students’ desire to take classes that might be interesting but challenging, too? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger talk about the impact letter grades can have […]

“Regrets, I’ve had a few. But then again, too few to mention. I did what I had to do and saw it through without exemption.” Frank Sinatra sings about regret in “My Way.”  In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger talk about the decisions […]

When does it make sense for an undergraduate student to continue formal education and attend graduate school? Sometimes, it’s an easy call; if someone wants to be a doctor or a lawyer, it’s a necessity. But how does a student know if that’s really what they want to pursue? In this episode of KUT’s podcast […]

There are times when we feel like we just “know” something. We can’t necessarily explain why, but we just have a “gut” feeling about it. When is it useful to go with that gut feeling, and when should we slow down and think things through? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer […]