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April 12, 2015

Higher Ed: Creating New Knowledge

Higher Ed

By: Jennifer Stayton

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.

April 5, 2015

Higher Ed: How Technology Impacts Learning

Higher Ed

By: Jennifer Stayton

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!

March 29, 2015

Higher Ed: The Meaning and Nuance of Numbers

Higher Ed

By: Jennifer Stayton

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.

March 22, 2015

Higher Ed: How to Understand Deeply and Make Meaning

Higher Ed

By: Jennifer Stayton

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.

March 15, 2015

Higher Ed: Learning to “Unlearn”

Higher Ed

By: Jennifer Stayton

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!

March 8, 2015

Higher Ed: Happiness 101?

Higher Ed

By: Jennifer Stayton

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?

February 22, 2015

Higher Ed: Who’s An “Expert” In Education?

Higher Ed

By: Jennifer Stayton

“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?

February 15, 2015

Higher Ed: Technology, Art, Ethics, and More Converge in 3-D Printing

Higher Ed

By: Jennifer Stayton

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?

 

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