Technology allows us to access so much information so easily. There are not many subjects we cannot learn at least a little something about. But does that knowledge make us all experts? What does it even mean to be an expert anymore? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss expertise in this age of adaptability. They also try to figure out if they’re experts in anything, including math puzzlers. Remember last episode’s puzzler about GPA’s? Think you figured it out? Join them to hear the solution.
Higher Ed: “Formal” Education
Have you ever heard anyone talk about “getting through” a class or “knocking out” course requirements? What exactly is the point of a “formal” education – just to get a degree, or set a course for life long learning? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger sift through different definitions of a formal education and talk about process vs. outcome. They also introduce a new math puzzler about GPA’s. No calculators needed – just a little brain power.
Higher Ed: Liberal Arts, Democracy, and the Media
What happens when you mix together liberal arts and democracy and then throw in a little media coverage? You get a fascinating discussion about the intersection of those three storied institutions. In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss how liberal arts learning habits can help us navigate our democracy – especially when political discussions in the media sometimes seem more contentious than civil. In this episode, Ed and Jennifer talk politics – or more specifically, they talk about talking about politics. They also hash out the solution to the latest math puzzler about truth-tellers and liars. How can you tell them apart? Listen on for the creative solution.
Higher Ed: Broad Strokes of Learning
Have you ever heard of a “value study” in art? It’s a way to make a quick sketch of whatever you see and then fill it in with shades of gray. It leaves out detail in favor of broader strokes that capture the essence of the subject. Could this also be a way to tackle a new intellectual endeavor? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger translate this art technique to learning. Ed and Jennifer talk about Ed’s summer break (it was only three days long!) and how his art lessons impacted his thinking about education.
This edition of the math puzzler asks you to sort out liars from truth-tellers. It’s trickier than it sounds!
Higher Ed: Conquering Math “Phobia”
“I was told there would be no math!” It’s a line people sometimes say in mock frustration when faced with a situation involving arithmetic. For some people, the thought of doing addition or subtraction causes their hearts to race and their palms to sweat. Why is that? Why do so many of us fear numbers? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger confront the concept of math phobia and explore ways to conquer it. Ed and Jennifer delve into the reasons why some people are math averse and discuss if it’s really math, or arithmetic, that people don’t like. Whether you love it or can leave it, listen on to hear a celebration of the “nerdiness” of math and to hear Ed issue a heartfelt apology. What for? You’ll only know by checking out this episode.
Higher Ed: Summer Break for the Brain
Once school is over for the summer, many students are tempted to put it as far out of their minds as possible and take a break from the rigors of the academic year. And they certainly aren’t thinking about the school year ahead. In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger talk about striking a healthy balance between letting your brain take a summer vacation and keeping it busy enough to be fresh for the fall. Ed and Jennifer discuss ways students can prepare themselves over the summer for the school year ahead, especially if they are heading to college for the first time. Listen to hear Ed’s one word key to a successful summer. And find out if you came up with the right solution to the refreshing summer math puzzler involving mango juice.
Higher Ed: Extreme Learning Makeover
A new haircut. Maybe some new clothes. What about gutting a house and rebuilding the whole thing? Those sound like pretty extreme makeovers. What about an extreme learning makeover? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss ways to transform how we teach and learn. Listen on as Ed and Jennifer talk about the ways that education can change lives for the better and help people become their best selves. And be ready for the next math puzzler – and you might want to grab a measuring cup and ladle for this one.
Higher Ed: Deep Rest = Better Learning
Caffeine-fueled all-nighters to finish up that paper or cram for a final exam. For some students, that’s a regular part of their studying routine in higher education. They come to equate intense periods of hard work with more successful achievement and learning. But some research indicates slowing down that work flow might actually be the best recipe for deeper learning. In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger have a lively discussion about the benefits of a slower pace. Notice something a little difference about this episode? Ed and Jennifer switch roles, as Ed interviews Jennifer about her insights following a lengthy break from the usually hectic pace of work. Did that break help Jennifer think up the solution to the most recent math puzzler? Listen on to find out.
Higher Ed: Aging and Learning
Remember that early 1990’s television show Doogie Howser, M.D. about a brilliant teenage doctor? Doogie had graduated from college by the age of ten and had become a doctor at 14. Ok, that may be a little extreme, but is it possible that young people could learn that much that early in life? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss some of the commonly held assumptions about age and learning. Most of us associate learning with school. And most of us associate attending school with certain ages and stages of life. Ed and Jennifer discuss the proposition that chronological age is not necessarily related to the ability to learn. What is? Listen on to find out, and to hear this week’s new math puzzler; it’s an especially good one if you happen to be headed to the beach.
Higher Ed: Where Do Ideas Come From?
No doubt you’ve seen that iconic representation of the moment when a new idea is born. You know – the whole “lightbulb pops up over somebody’s head” graphic. It’s eye-catching for sure, but it turns out that’s not actually how ideas come to us. In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss how ideas are formed and how they flow. It’s much more river than lightbulb.
Higher Ed: Creating New Knowledge
What does it take to do heavy duty research and generate new ideas in an academic field? A pile of degrees and years and years spent closed off in a room with noses to the grindstone? Not necessarily! In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger explore what it takes to create new knowledge and who is actually qualified to do that. They hear from some undergraduate students doing their own original research. Who says research is only for grad students and professors! Ed and Jennifer also discuss what it takes for students and faculty to facilitate original and creative work. Hope you’re feeling creative; the answer to the math puzzler about the deck of cards is revealed.
Higher Ed: How Technology Impacts Learning
With smartphones in the hands of so many people these days, we should be a lot smarter, right? How does technology impact the way we learn? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger explore the relationship between technology and learning. We’ve come a long way from chalk and erasers. It seems like technology has made it easier to access more information more quickly – think computers. That’s good, right? But can all that hardware, software, and information be more distraction than enrichment? You’ll need to focus to follow the latest math puzzler; and grabbing a deck of cards wouldn’t hurt, either!
Higher Ed: The Meaning and Nuance of Numbers
From pre-K and all the way through graduate studies in math, we learn about numbers. But think about it – what is a number, really? What does the concept of “four” or a “million” of something actually mean? In this week’s episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger try to define what numbers really are. Hear some stories about first graders’ take on the meaning of numbers. And it turns out humans aren’t the only species that uses the concept of numbers. Ever heard of the “limit of four?” Listen on to find out what it means, and what is tells us about how humans and other species make meaning and learn.
Higher Ed: How to Understand Deeply and Make Meaning
Remember “Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey,” that spoof of affirmations and pithy sayings? They’re funny for sure, but the idea of understanding something deeply is a serious part of education during school and beyond. In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss how to understand something deeply and how that impacts learning. It turns out that deep understanding doesn’t require delving intensely into the topic; consistent baby steps will actually do the trick. So will stepping back and admitting what you don’t know about a subject; that change of perspective can help you explore new territory.
Higher Ed: Learning to “Unlearn”
Learning…. it’s what we all go to school for, right? Well, have you ever thought about what we’re actually doing when we learn? Sometimes, it’s just memorizing names, dates, or facts that we can reproduce on a test. We might ace the test, but have we really learned anything? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss the important role “unlearning” plays in learning. What exactly is “unlearning?” It may seem counter-intuitive to those in higher ed and all lifelong learners: the idea of “unlearning” old habits that don’t really bring meaning and substance to what we learn. Is it ok to toss out some of those old ideas about what it means to learn, and take a new approach? Absolutely!
Higher Ed: Happiness 101?
History, Biology, English, Calculus. Those are some of the more traditional subjects taught in classrooms. But what if happiness were taught in school? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss teaching happiness in school. What would that look like in a classroom? And if it could be taught, should it be taught? Not as a separate subject, but as part of just about all subjects students already study. What does happiness even mean?
Higher Ed: Who’s An “Expert” In Education?
“Takes one to know one.” Remember that phrase? It’s usually tossed around as an insult during an argument. But, could there be a grain of truth in that? What does it mean to be an expert in something? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss what qualifies (and what doesn’t) when it comes to being an expert in education. Just about all of us have been to school of some kind at some point along the way. Does that mean we know what’s best when it comes to education policy and curriculum? Who does know best: trained educators and administrators steeped in the knowledge? Or more detached observers with expertise in other areas?
Higher Ed: Technology, Art, Ethics, and More Converge in 3-D Printing
3-D printing seems like a great deal. Need something? Print it up. Anything from food to clothing to houses can be printed and used. But just because we can print it, should we? And what about people who don’t have access to the technology? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss the convergence of technology, economics, art, ethics, and morality in grappling with the issues raised by what 3-D printing can do. And what about the impact of 3-D printing on education and learning?
Higher Ed: Love of Learning
Think back to your early days of school – nursery school and kindergarten, even into first grade. Learning was full of fun and creative discovery. But as time goes by, that fun disappears from the scene, and so can our love of learning. In this Valentine’s episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss how we’ve lost that lovin’ feeling in learning, and how we can get it back. They’ll also inventory what’s in Ed’s refrigerator. What does this have to do with a love of learning? Listen to find out!
Higher Ed: 175 Years of History in Less Than 10 Minutes
Southwestern University in Georgetown is celebrating its 175th anniversary in 2015. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern’s President Dr. Ed Burger explore the history of Southwestern University on its demisemiseptcentennial. Or as some call it, the quartoseptcentennial. It’s also known as the septaquintaquinquecentennial. As it turns out, Southwestern’s history is very much intertwined with the history of higher ed in Texas.