KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts

KUT and KUTX news and music podcasts for Austin, Texas and beyond

Jennifer Stayton

Best of “Higher Ed:” Instinct vs. Intellect

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 Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger talk about using our instincts and using our intellect. Do you go with your gut when trying to solve the puzzlers, or do you reason them through? Either way, listen on to find out the solution to a puzzler involving money and math.

Note: This “Best of Higher Ed” episode was originally released on November 1, 2015.

Higher Ed: To Infinity and Beyond

Infinity. What does it really mean? Can we count it? If so, how? And can we ever really define or describe it? It seems like there are an infinite number of questions about infinity. In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger help us try to wrap our minds around infinity. Remember – the puzzler in the previous episode was all about infinity. Listen on for the mind-blowing solution to the puzzler, and to hear other fascinating facts about infinity. For instance, can it be doubled? Find out!

This “Best of Higher Ed” episode was originally released on October 18, 2015.

Higher Ed: The “20-Year” Education Question

No one remembers everything they learned in school, right? We cannot possibly retain all of those facts, figures, and formulas. So, 20 years after we’re done with our formal education, what have we taken away from that experience? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger try to answer that 20-year question about education and learning. Hear how a simple snack of milk and cookies can lead to much bigger questions about the duration and substance of education and learning. And get ready for a new mind-boggling math puzzler about the concept of infinity.

This “Best of Higher Ed” episode was originally released on October 11, 2015.

Higher Ed: Summertime and the Learning is Easy

Summer. For students and teachers, that means a break from books, papers, tests, deadlines, and the stress of school. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton talk about the benefits of that break, as well as the advantages of keeping the brain at least a little busy during the summer months. In this episode, Ed and Jennifer balance the benefits of a breather from the classroom with the importance of keeping the brain occupied over the summer. Hear about some ways to do that, including sharing what happens during the school year with family and friends over the summer. You’ll also get the solution to the most recent math puzzler. A hint: think small.

This episode was recorded May 16, 2016.

Higher Ed: Math vs. Arithmetic

Arithmetic is just a fancy word for Math, right? Actually, they mean two different things. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton explain what “arithmetic” means; what “math” means; and why it matters to our learning and lives. You’ve heard us say a lot on “Higher Ed’ that Ed is a math guy. Find out what it means to be a “math” guy (compared to an “arithmetic” guy). Ed and Jennifer also discuss whether you have to be born good at math, or whether math prowess can be taught. Test that prowess with a stab at the new puzzler; you’ll actually need arithmetic and math to think this one through.

This episode was recorded May 16, 2016.

Higher Ed: Synthesized Thought vs. Original Thought

Eureka – I’ve got it! You know that moment when you feel like you’ve come up with something completely original? Well, consider this: is it actually possible to come up with totally new thinking, given all the information that influences our thought? In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton respond to a listener’s request to compare and contrast synthesized thinking and original thought. In a previous “Higher Ed” episode, Ed and Jennifer talked about creating new ideas. In this episode, Ed and Jennifer follow up with a more in-depth discussion, prompted by a listener who was curious about the intersection of education, creativity, original thought, and synthesized thought. Listen to hear Ed and Jennifer navigate that intersection and to get the solution to the puzzler about cigarette butts. It’s a little more complicated than it sounded at first!

This episode was recorded May 16, 2016.

Higher Ed: Anxiety in Learning

Anxiety seems to come with the territory – at least some of the time – in school. Students worry about tests and grades or about trying to learn material that’s unfamiliar or tough. But does anxiety really have to be part of the learning process? In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton chill out and discuss the role of anxiety in learning. Ed says yes –  it’s absolutely possible to keep anxiety out of the learning process. Jennifer is a little doubtful –  and a little nervous. Listen on to hear Ed’s advice for getting past those sweaty palms and nervous stomachs, and to hear the new puzzler. This seemingly simple math riddle may not be as easy at it sounds.

This episode was recorded May 16, 2016.

Higher Ed: Grade Inflation

A…..B……C…. at the end of the school year, many students are eager to see their final grades. But what is the real value of those grades? What happens when higher and higher grades are awarded for work that may not actually be that much better? In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton explore the phenomenon of grade inflation. Ed and Jennifer have talked before about what grades actually mean and measure. In this episode, they explore the implications of grade inflation and some possible alternatives to the current, traditional grading system. You’ll also get the solution to the most recent puzzler involving digits, =, and + . Hint: sometimes a digit is not just a digit.

This episode was recorded May 16, 2016.

Higher Ed: Choosing a “Final Class”

If you only had one class left to take in school, what would it be? Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton explore what that last class could – or should? – be, and making the transition from formal education to lifelong learning. Ed and Jennifer reflect on the last classes they took in their formal educations (Jennifer’s may surprise you; Ed’s probably won’t!) and introduce the latest puzzler. Hint: a little math along the way in school may help with this one.

This episode was recorded May 16, 2016.

Higher Ed: Commencement Reflections

Caps and gowns … diplomas… speeches… parties… and anxieties about what’s next. It’s commencement season, and thousands of higher education graduates across the country are packing up their dorm rooms and embarking on the next stage of life. In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger reflect on what commencement means and discuss what most students actually take away from their college experiences. It may not be exactly what you’d expect. And neither is the solution to the math puzzler about journalists – listen on!

Higher Ed: Graduation Advice to Our Younger Selves

“If I only knew then what I know now….” Sure, hindsight is 20/20. But if you could talk to your younger self, what advice would you give? What decisions would you make differently? During this graduation season,  Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton give their younger selves some words of wisdom about life and learning. Think of it as “Higher Ed’s” 2016 commencement address. They may be talking to “Lower Ed” and “Jennifer, Jr.” but much of that advice still holds true today. No puzzler this week – just puzzle over the advice in this episode.

This episode was recorded on March 28, 2016.

Higher Ed: Making Math Fascinating

A podcast listener and fan recently wrote in with a question: How does one teach (or force) current and future Math teachers to make Mathematics fascinating? (By the way, that podcast listener is studying Mathematics education.) Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger is a mathematician, so who better to tackle that! He and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton explore that question in this episode of Higher Ed.

It can make us squirm, sweat, and stress out. Math is a frightening school subject for some, but does it have to be? Ed and Jennifer talk about ways teachers can lessen the sting of Math and make it something that engages rather than turns off students. You’ll also get the solution to the most recent puzzler. Remember the one that required a little Algebra to get the solution?

This episode was recorded on March 28, 2016.

Higher Ed: Should Math Be a College Requirement?

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 requirement? Does Math add significant value to a college curriculum? Can students become lifelong learners without taking Math? KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger explore those questions in this episode of Higher Ed. Ed’s a mathematician, so you know it’s going to be a lively discussion about the role and utility of Math in college curricula. But you might be surprised to hear whether or not he thinks it ought to be required. Be warned: you may need a little of that algebra you learned in school to solve the newest puzzler; it’s unveiled in this episode.

This episode was recorded on March 28, 2016.

Higher Ed: Roles and Responsibilities of Higher Ed

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 podcast Higher Ed. Ed and Jennifer talk about the role of higher ed in training and preparing students to tackle all manner of tough issues nationally and around the world. Should higher ed teach what to think? Or how to think? On a lighter note, pass the mangoes; listen on to find out the solution to last episode’s puzzler with ten friends, ten mangoes, and a mango to spare.

This episode was recorded on March 28, 2016.

 

Higher Ed: The “Messiness” of Learning

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 and Jennifer discuss the value of getting down and dirty when it comes to learning new ideas. But does the thought of messing things up bring on anxiety? Ed has some thoughts about anxiety, learning, and education. Time for a new puzzler, too; for this one you need ten friends, ten mangoes, and one sturdy box.

This episode was recorded on February 24, 2016.

Higher Ed: A Vision for Education

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 it might take to revolutionize education. You’ll also get the solution to the multi-scenario puzzler about children, birth order, and gender.

This episode was recorded on February 24, 2016.

Higher Ed: Turning Learning Inside Out

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 KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss inquiry-based learning. You might have heard about the “flipped classroom” – where students hear the lecture material outside of class and work on questions during class time. That’s one example of inquiry-based learning, and in this episode Ed and Jennifer dig deeper into that topic. They also share the solution to the fishing-pole-on-the-bus math puzzler!

This episode was recorded on March 25, 2015.

 

Higher Ed: Choosing a College

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 podcast Higher Ed, Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss how students can determine if a college is the right place to study. Before the internet, students would pour through mounds of brochures and course catalogs, and maybe visit some campuses, trying to see which colleges might be a good match. Now, just about everything anyone could ever want to know about a school is available online. But what about the intangibles? In this episode, Ed and Jennifer navigate that tricky matrix of choosing where to attend college. Ed has tips on knowing if an institution can deliver on its educational promises.  Course offerings? Student to faculty ratio? Listen on to find out what to look for when making a college selection.

Higher Ed: The Intersection of Arts and Sciences

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 the origins of what we know as “liberal arts” (hint: it all leads back to math) and why we can benefit from moving outside our comfort zones in what we study and explore. Ed and Jennifer talk about the evolution of the disciplines that make up the liberal arts and look at what those topics have to offer each other and us. For instance, Ed makes the case why pre-med students should study art history. You’ll also hear the new puzzler; it’s all about probability and biology.

This episode was recorded on February 24, 2016.

Higher Ed: How Outside Circumstances Can Impact Learning

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 University President Dr. Ed Burger talk about how those factors impact students’ experiences. Ed and Jennifer respond to a listener’s personal story and inquiry about the effects of poverty on learning. You’ll also get the solution to last episode’s puzzler about waffles and a family tree.

This episode was recorded on January 22, 2016.

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