Faculty Focus | Higher Ed Teaching & Learning

One of the readings that my students always pick as their favorite lesson about digital media economics comes from the late 1990s when Google engineers accidentally found gold in their trash. When they launched their search engine, it was working perfectly and millions of users were using it every day. Their algorithm was elegant and the results […] The post Productive Friction: What Universities…

Sometime in late September, nearly every instructor meets the same moment. A submission arrives that is fluent, organized, grammatically clean—and strangely weightless. The question that rises first is the obvious one: did the student write this? It is also, I want to suggest, the wrong first question. After more than forty years of teaching college writing, nineteen of them entirely […] The post…

Sometime in late September, nearly every instructor meets the same moment. A submission arrives that is fluent, organized, grammatically clean—and strangely weightless. The question that rises first is the obvious one: did the student write this? It is also, I want to suggest, the wrong first question. After more than forty years of teaching college writing, nineteen of them entirely […] The post…

Collaborative syllabus design is gaining momentum in higher education, but many instructors still hesitate to move beyond a traditionally designed syllabus (Jafar 2016; Hanna-Benson et al. 2020). Concerns about maintaining academic rigor, instructor responsibility, institutional policies, program requirements, accreditation or licensure expectations, and student readiness often make collaboration…

Collaborative syllabus design is gaining momentum in higher education, but many instructors still hesitate to move beyond a traditionally designed syllabus (Jafar 2016; Hanna-Benson et al. 2020). Concerns about maintaining academic rigor, instructor responsibility, institutional policies, program requirements, accreditation or licensure expectations, and student readiness often make collaboration…

It’s hard to believe summer is over, but here we are: the first day of class. Twenty minutes in, by the time the professor reached the late work policy, the words had already started to blur.  Attendance. Office hours. Academic integrity. Weekly required readings. Discussion posts. Submissions. Final project. Ten percent off. No exceptions. Email within 24 hours. Use the most current […] The post…

It’s hard to believe summer is over, but here we are: the first day of class. Twenty minutes in, by the time the professor reached the late work policy, the words had already started to blur.  Attendance. Office hours. Academic integrity. Weekly required readings. Discussion posts. Submissions. Final project. Ten percent off. No exceptions. Email within 24 hours. Use the most current […] The post…

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education has generated both enthusiasm and apprehension among educators. This article argues that AI can serve as an adaptive pedagogical partner, enhancing formative assessment, reflection, and metacognitive learning. Through illustrative examples, the study demonstrates how AI can provide individualized feedback and foster deeper concep…

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education has generated both enthusiasm and apprehension among educators. This article argues that AI can serve as an adaptive pedagogical partner, enhancing formative assessment, reflection, and metacognitive learning. Through illustrative examples, the study demonstrates how AI can provide individualized feedback and foster deeper concep…

Many nurses enter academia after spending years at the bedside as strong clinicians. Some have served as charge nurses, preceptors, or leaders, and eventually feel called to teaching as a new and meaningful way to make an impact. However, just like any new role, the transition from clinician to educator comes with uncertainty. It can be difficult […] The post What New Faculty Need to Know About T…

Many nurses enter academia after spending years at the bedside as strong clinicians. Some have served as charge nurses, preceptors, or leaders, and eventually feel called to teaching as a new and meaningful way to make an impact. However, just like any new role, the transition from clinician to educator comes with uncertainty. It can be difficult […] The post What New Faculty Need to Know About T…

We have to talk about what it’s going to mean, in an increasingly AI-saturated landscape, to teach without AI. Because one thing it won’t be is what we’re used to.  As we know, many people have serious concerns about the rapid spread of this new technology through our educational spaces. Some cite the wide array of dangers (environmental, economic, cognitive, democratic, etc.) it poses; others ar…

We have to talk about what it’s going to mean, in an increasingly AI-saturated landscape, to teach without AI. Because one thing it won’t be is what we’re used to.  As we know, many people have serious concerns about the rapid spread of this new technology through our educational spaces. Some cite the wide array of dangers (environmental, economic, cognitive, democratic, etc.) it poses; others ar…

One year ago, I was greeting my 30 third graders. Students came into the classroom with crayon colored artwork, miscellaneous items found outside, and were excited to tell me about their stories from yesterday and the fun video games they played last night. Now I stand as a college instructor teaching 19 undergraduate students from college freshman to seniors ready to […] The post From Classroom …

One year ago, I was greeting my 30 third graders. Students came into the classroom with crayon colored artwork, miscellaneous items found outside, and were excited to tell me about their stories from yesterday and the fun video games they played last night. Now I stand as a college instructor teaching 19 undergraduate students from college freshman to seniors ready to […] The post From Classroom …

My family was buying tickets to see one of their favorite bands. They debated whether to get one for me, knowing I’m not much of a live concert person. I surprised all of us and agreed to go. As we walked to the venue, I was fully expecting not to enjoy the night. I was wrong.  I didn’t know most […] The post A Classroom in Concert: How to Design a Truly Rockin’ Learning Experience appeared first…

My family was buying tickets to see one of their favorite bands. They debated whether to get one for me, knowing I’m not much of a live concert person. I surprised all of us and agreed to go. As we walked to the venue, I was fully expecting not to enjoy the night. I was wrong.  I didn’t know most […] The post A Classroom in Concert: How to Design a Truly Rockin’ Learning Experience appeared first…

According to the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (2025), the percent of students enrolled in distance education courses in postsecondary institutions in the fall of 2024 was 53.8%. Importantly and unfortunately, the withdrawal rate for this population far outpaces traditional students attending higher education institutions, requiring a closer examination of…

According to the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (2025), the percent of students enrolled in distance education courses in postsecondary institutions in the fall of 2024 was 53.8%. Importantly and unfortunately, the withdrawal rate for this population far outpaces traditional students attending higher education institutions, requiring a closer examination of…

Whatever your institution’s policy on student AI use, whether strict prohibition, permitted use with disclosure, or something still being worked out, you face the same underlying challenge: when a submission raises questions about whether a student did their own thinking, you need a legitimate way to find out. AI detectors won’t give you one; research has shown […] The post 5 Ways to Verify Stude…