by Lisa Cook, Academic Impressions Tracking post-college outcomes continues to be an urgent issue as students, parents, and lawmakers press colleges to quantify the value of a college degree. Tracking results, however, is only half the battle, says Branden Grimmett, associate provost for the Office of Career and Professional Development at Loyola Marymount University in […]
Articles
3 Ways to Rethink Career Services and Post-College Outcomes
Faculty Checklist: Steps to Respond to Classroom Incivility
by Lisa Cook and Daniel Fusch, Academic Impressions Finding a balance between protecting free speech and keeping classroom discussions professional is often easier said than done in an election season when anything from climate change to history lessons might quickly become a hot topic. For practical, useful advice on classroom civility, we talked with Barbara […]
How RIT is Building An Adjunct Community
MORE FROM RIT RIT’s strategic plan calls for the institution to become a “model of inclusive excellence for all faculty and staff in the areas of professional development.” Here are further examples of what RIT has been trying recently: Beyond Workshops: How RIT Incentivizes Faculty Development “George”: How RIT is Encouraging Interdisciplinary Collaboration by Lisa […]
A Tool for Increasing Application and Retention Rates for At-Risk Students
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 18 colleges, universities, and organizations that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student success. At AI, we have interviewed each of the recipients to learn more about the projects these institutions are […]
One Easy Way Faculty Can Improve
Student Success
More Resources for Faculty:How to Encourage Academic Grit and a Growth Mindset in Your StudentsCivility in the Classroom: A Better Approach by Lisa Cook and Daniel Fusch, Academic Impressions There has been a lot of talk recently about how faculty serve on the “front lines” of student success, and how changes to syllabus design or […]
Improving Transfer with Interstate Passport: A Project Every Institution Should Know About
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 18 colleges, universities, and organizations that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student success. At AI, we have interviewed each of the recipients to learn more about the projects these institutions are […]
AMP UP: A Study of New Approaches to Math Remediation at Bergen Community College
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 18 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student success. At AI, we have interviewed each of the recipients to learn more about the projects these institutions are pursuing, […]
From STEM Pathways to STEM Highways
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 18 colleges, universities, and organizations that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student success. At AI, we have interviewed each of the recipients to learn more about the projects these institutions are […]
A Close Look at Rio Salado College’s Approach to Boosting Success for At-Risk Online Students
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 18 colleges, universities, and organizations that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student success. At AI, we have interviewed each of the recipients to learn more about the projects these institutions are […]
Gateway Math: A Close Look at Miami Dade College’s Approach
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 18 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student success. At AI, we have interviewed each of the recipients to learn more about the projects these institutions are pursuing, […]
How Jackson State University is Improving STEM for All Students
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 18 colleges, universities, and organizations that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student success. At AI, we have interviewed each of the recipients to learn more about the projects these institutions are […]
How Georgia State University Plans to Use Predictive Analytics to Address the National Achievement Gap
Here’s how Georgia State University is using predictive analytics to identify at-risk students and intervene quickly – and how they’re now testing the approach across other institutions. SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 18 colleges and universities that are innovating to […]
Can Flipped Classrooms Transform STEM Courses?
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 18 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student success. At AI, we have interviewed each of the recipients to learn more about the projects these institutions are pursuing, […]
Prepare Your Faculty, Staff, and Students for an Active Shooter Situation
by Lisa Cook, Academic Impressions Efforts to prepare higher education faculty, staff, and students for an active shooter situation have lagged behind those in K-12. Often, institutions think they can’t train thousands of faculty and students because the logistics are too difficult or drills are time-consuming and unnecessary. But in a school shooting everything changes. […]
How MIT Plans to Develop Scalable,
Differentiated Instruction
Here’s how MIT and several partners are developing a Fly-by-Wire system to provide high-quality, differentiated instruction at scale and to better equip graduates to enter the workforce. SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 18 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve […]
How Spelman College Will Use Metacognitive Awareness to Improve Academic Performance
Metacognitive awareness (“thinking about thinking”) is a crucial skill to help students persist and succeed, and here’s how Spelman College hopes to help them master that skill. SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 18 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve […]
Managing an Aging Higher-Ed Workforce
by Lisa Cook, Academic Impressions As more faculty, administration, and staff approach retirement age, institutions must be ready to address the challenges that accompany an aging workforce. Most have already addressed financial planning, but many still struggle with other aging workforce concerns such as mental health issues, budgeting for an increase in disability accommodation requests, […]
A Plan to Build an Open Source Tool to Assess Student Skills and Predict Success
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 18 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student success. At AI, we have interviewed each of the recipients to learn more about the projects these institutions are pursuing, […]
Bossier Parish Community College: Improving Developmental Education with MOOCs, Mobile Apps, and Asynchronous Learning
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 18 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student success. At AI, we have interviewed each of the recipients to learn more about the projects these institutions are pursuing, […]
How Farmingdale State College is Engaging At-Risk Students in Undergraduate Research
A pilot project at Farmingdale State College is engaging both freshmen and transfer students in undergraduate research. Here are the details. SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 18 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, […]
High-Impact Faculty Development: How El Camino College Helps Faculty Implement Learning-Centered Techniques in the Classroom
by Lisa Cook, Academic Impressions Have you experienced this scenario? Your faculty members attend a professional development training and return to campus excited to try new ideas. Fast-forward a few months…and little has changed because pedagogical transformation was shunted aside in favor of day-to-day teaching and research obligations. When this scenario happened at El Camino […]
How Do You Really Know if a Student is At Risk? How John Carroll University is Looking into This
What is an at-risk student? And is just measuring persistence enough? What are the most critical indicators to track? SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 18 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student […]
Powered by Predictive Data: How Central Carolina Community College Will Identify and Support At-Risk Students through Proactive Coaching
For boosting completion rates for at-risk students, how much of a difference can structured student coaching make? Here’s what Central Carolina Community College is trying. SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 18 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges […]
“George”: How RIT is Encouraging Interdisciplinary Collaboration
by Lisa Cook and Daniel Fusch, Academic Impressions Institutions seeking to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration in research and teaching are pursuing an array of approaches: hiring faculty into multiple departments based on shared interdisciplinary interests, launching research initiatives that provide additional funding to get interdisciplinary projects off the ground, and providing shared research spaces. One of the […]
Spotlight on Innovation: Colleges and Universities that are Making a Difference
Emerging Trends: How Colleges Can Operate as Learning Organizations In late 2014, the US Department of Education awarded $75 million in “First in the World” grants to twenty-four colleges and universities, to fund initiatives to improve college access and completion, particularly for lower-income or first-generation students. Since then, we’ve interviewed those leading the First in the World […]
Beyond Workshops: How RIT Incentivizes Faculty Development
by Lisa Cook, Academic Impressions Competing demands on faculty time is frequently an obstacle to designing successful faculty development programs. “Events are not always successful because of people’s schedules,” explains Lynn Wild, Associate Provost for Faculty Development and The Wallace Center at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY. That’s why it is critical that […]
How One Institution Makes Faculty Development Exciting While Keeping Costs Down
by Lisa Cook, Academic Impressions A FACULTY DEVELOPMENT CASE STUDY With minimal budget for faculty development, McKendree University has taken a unique approach to: Making faculty development more engaging and fun for faculty Taking a just-in-time approach to faculty development More effective timing for delivering faculty development Here is the story of what McKendree University […]
Spotlight on Innovation: How Hampton University Plans to Increase STEM Retention and Completion through Course Redesign and Engagement
How do you increase the number of underrepresented minority students attaining STEM degrees? Hampton University has a holistic approach. SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 24 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student […]
Spotlight on Innovation: How Central Georgia Technical College Success Coaches Will Provide Collaborative Support to At-Risk Students
Here’s how Central Georgia Technical College is expanding a student success coach program, focusing especially on GED students and students placed in developmental education. SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 24 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges with […]
How One Institution is Using Competency Based Examination to Accelerate Degree Completion
by Lisa Cook, Academic Impressions Seeking to provide students with multiple paths to earn credit toward a college degree, Colorado State University-Global Campus already offers a wide range of alternative credit options, including Prior Learning Assessments (PLAs) and credit for CLEP and DSST exams. But recently — in June 2014 — CSU-Global added a new […]
Spotlight on Innovation: Purdue To Study Why Active Learning Works
Active learning models are becoming more common – but do we know why they’re effective? Researchers at Purdue are investigating. SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 24 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student […]
Spotlight on Innovation: Game-Based Strategies for Improving Access for First-Generation Students at USC
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 24 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student success. At AI, we have interviewed each of the recipients to learn more about the projects these institutions are […]
Improving Student Success by Providing Adjuncts a One-Stop Shop for Professional Development
by Lisa Cook, Academic Impressions Adjunct faculty are teaching ever-increasing numbers of first-year and community college classes, yet receive little faculty development. Studies have shown that rising reliance on adjuncts is having a negative effect on student success, particularly for first-generation and at-risk students. With increased demands to improve graduation rates and other student […]
Spotlight on Innovation: How Southern New Hampshire is Replacing Remedial Education with Just-in-Time Academic Assistance
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 24 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student success. At AI, we have interviewed each of the recipients to learn more about the projects these institutions are […]
How One Institution’s “Breakthrough Strategies” Videos are Helping First-Gen Students
by Lisa Cook, Academic Impressions The success of first-generation and at-risk students is the responsibility of an institution’s entire community, but faculty members are especially on the “front lines” when it comes to making a real impact. And Heritage University in Toppenish, WA has identified a low-cost, time-efficient way to deliver faculty development focused on how […]
Metrics for Corporate Engagement: Evaluate Impact, Not Quantity
by Lisa Cook, Academic Impressions Multiple offices on a campus may establish corporate partnerships, which can make the issue of metrics for corporate engagement a complicated one. For example, the engineering school might track metrics of a company that partners with them to offer student internships and recruiting opportunities. But if that same company also […]
FT/PT Faculty Ratio: How Maricopa Plans to Improve Student Success by Increasing Full-Time Faculty
by Lisa Cook, Academic Impressions RELATED ARTICLE: How Maricopa is Improving Student Success through Comprehensive Support for Adjunct Faculty During the recent recession, the Maricopa Community College District shifted more classes to part-time adjunct faculty as a cost-cutting measure -– a trend that was mirrored nationwide. Unfortunately, that move typically has a negative effect on […]
Spotlight on Innovation: A New Take on Developmental Education at Gateway Community and Technical College
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 24 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student success. At AI, we have interviewed each of the recipients to learn more about the projects these institutions are […]
Preparing Faculty For Effective Corporate Partnerships
by Lisa Cook, Academic Impressions In January, we shared three effective models for more holistic corporate engagement. This is the second article in our series on corporate engagement in higher education. While partnering faculty members with companies seeking research partnerships is increasingly attractive to colleges and universities, faculty may approach the new partnerships cautiously. Building […]
Spotlight on Innovation: How Delta State’s Okra Scholars Program Hopes to Provide Systematic Intervention for the Most At-Risk Students
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 24 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student success. At AI, we have interviewed each of the recipients to learn more about the projects these institutions are […]
Spotlight on Innovation: LaGuardia Community College Pilots Project COMPLETA to Support First-Gen, Low-Income Students
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 24 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student success. At AI, we have interviewed each of the recipients to learn more about the projects these institutions are […]
Spotlight on Innovation: Arizona State University Rolls Out Project-Based Modular Learning to Improve First-Gen Student Retention and Completion
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 24 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student success. At AI, we have interviewed each of the recipients to learn more about the projects these institutions are […]
Parking Garage Advising: How Florida Atlantic is Test Driving a New Approach to Advising Commuter Students
by Lisa Cook, Academic Impressions Why We’re Taking a Close Look at FAU Florida Atlantic University has piloted several innovative strategies for providing students more timely advising and support. In fall 2014, FAU’s University Advising Services office started a resident hall outreach but struggled to come up with a plan to reach out to commuter […]
Spotlight on Innovation: How Lee College is Responding to Industry and Student Needs with Weekend College
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 24 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student success. At AI, we have interviewed each of the recipients to learn more about the projects these institutions are […]
Spotlight on Innovation: How Texas A&M – Corpus Christi is Using Online Supplemental Instruction to Boost STEM Student Success
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded the multi-million dollar First in the World grant to 24 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student success. At AI, we have interviewed each of the recipients to learn more about the projects these institutions […]
Spotlight on Innovation: How Georgia Tech and AMAC Are Working to Make Course Materials More Accessible
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 24 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student success. At AI, we have interviewed each of the recipients to learn more about the projects these institutions are […]
Spotlight on Innovation: How the South Dakota Higher Ed System is Transforming Support for American Indian and Low-Income Students
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 24 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student success. At AI, we have interviewed each of the recipients to learn more about the projects these institutions are […]
How Maricopa is Improving Student Success through Comprehensive Support for Adjunct Faculty
by Lisa Cook and Daniel Fusch, Academic Impressions A push to improve student outcomes at Maricopa Community College District in Phoenix, AZ, has included a close look at how Maricopa can support the adjunct faculty who teach those students. Maricopa is one of the nation’s largest community college systems, serving more than 260,000 students at […]
How 3 Institutions Have Taken More Effective Approaches to Corporate Engagement
by Lisa Cook, Academic Impressions As federal funding dollars for research dry up and proposal acceptance rates drop, colleges and universities are increasingly looking to partner with private companies for research funding and other financial support. Private companies, in turn, are looking to develop more mutually beneficial partnerships with institutions, tapping institutional resources and expertise […]
Spotlight on Innovation: How Bryn Mawr is Closing Math Skill Gaps with Targeted Online Modules
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 24 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student success. At AI, we have interviewed each of the recipients to learn more about the projects these institutions are […]
Spotlight on Innovation: Making the Library Central to Adult Learner Support at The College of New Rochelle
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 24 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student success. At AI, we have interviewed each of the recipients to learn more about the projects these institutions are […]
Spotlight on Innovation: Increasing Transfer and Completion Rates through Regional Partnerships in the SUNY Oswego Area
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 24 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student success. At AI, we have interviewed each of the recipients to learn more about the projects these institutions are […]
Spotlight on Innovation: Retaining First-Gen Students at UNC-Chapel Hill
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 24 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student success. At AI, we have interviewed each of the recipients to learn more about the projects these institutions are […]
Spotlight on Innovation: Northeastern Adds Learning Laboratory to Increase STEM Retention
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar “First in the World” grants to 24 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student success. At AI, we have interviewed each of the recipients to learn more about the projects these institutions are […]