education

Best of “Higher Ed:” The Biases We Bring To Information And Learning (They’re Complicated)

This episode was originally posted on Jan. 13, 2019.

Many external factors can impact the quality and effectiveness of a learning experience: the teacher; the other students in a class; the school’s resources; even the student’s surroundings and home. But what about the internal factors? In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton discuss the biases learners themselves bring to the information and process.

This episode was inspired by an experience Ed had in the classroom not too long ago. He had given the students a quote with some pretty declarative and forceful language and asked the students to discuss it and try to figure out who said it. As the students puzzled through who the speaker might be, Ed noticed something interesting.

He had given them a quote from Helen Keller, and Ed describes it as a “very strong quote, it was a very forceful quote; it was a quote that was about positivity, but it was strong…..While the conversation was going on, they [the students] themselves gave a gender to the individual,” says Ed. “My students kept saying ‘well, he meant this and he meant that.'”

Ed says gender was not the only metric students used to process and evaluate the quote.

“People thought this must be coming from an individual who is not a force of good in their mind’s eye,” says Ed, referring to the strong language of the quote, “and so therefore said ‘I don’t like the quote that much.’ The moment that some of them discovered that Helen Keller said this, then all of a sudden they looked at it again and said ‘ Oh, well, now I actually get it and I like it.'”

Bias based on perceptions of gender or authorship are just some of what learners bring to the table in and outside of the classroom. Listen to the full episode to hear more about bias and context and Ed’s provocative question “Is it possible that we can find interesting or good elements in people that maybe we don’t completely agree with, and how does that complicate the discussion or the conversation?”

It is also time for the solution to a puzzler about slicing and dicing. Don’t worry – it’s a piece of cake!

This episode was recorded on Dec. 4, 2018.

Texas Standard: August 22, 2019

Students just now returning to school, and report cards already? A-F grades go out statewide rating public schools, but are they fair? We’ll explore. As schools reopen, so do sign ups for sports, and something new in Texas: an effort to track related concussions across the Lone Star State. Also, is Texas an ATM for Democratic politicians? An AP reporter following the money spots another sign of a profound shift in Texas politics in the run up to 2020. Those stories and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: August 21, 2019

A major rule change for migrant families in detention just announced which some say could mean families held in detention indefinitely. We’ll have details. Other stories were tracking, a new spring in the step of Texas Democrats. A closer look at a possible shift in the political psychology of the Lone Star State. Also, water borne toxins blamed for the deaths of 4 dogs in the Austin area, but the same algae blooms linked to those deaths can be found across Texas. Practical tips on keeping pets safe and cool around the water. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Back To School Supplies

It’s that time of the year — students are heading back to class and so is their stuff. That’s the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Best of “Higher Ed:” The Well-Read Grown-Up

This episode was originally posted on Nov. 18, 2018.

In school, our reading choices are mostly dictated by what is assigned for classes or from reading lists. But once we are out of school, the decisions are up to us. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton discuss the joys and impacts of lifelong reading.

Ed believes that there are a couple of keys to staying well read beyond our school years.

One: expand the canon of what is considered “must reads” in school and beyond.

“Those canons traditionally are Western, usually written by white dead men,” says Ed. “What about the voices of individuals who are out there, in history and beyond, who were creative beings, or even not, but just having their story told….And so now, the question is, how do we find a balance where we can get a diversity of voices and perspectives?”

Two: read books that will push us in reading and in other arenas.

“Reading can transport you to a world where you might not be comfortable but you can actually find your way,” Ed believes. “That’s really the exciting world of ideas which can be reflected through reading.” Ed says exploring new ideas in our reading can lead us to exploring new ideas in other aspects of our lives.

What are on Ed’s and Jennifer’s bookshelves? Ed says he prefers non-fiction and likes reading about the art of comedy. But he also was completely mesmerized by the “Harry Potter”series. Jennifer also favors non-fiction but cites “The Thorn Birds” and “The World According to Garp” as favorite reads from the past.

What is the one classic series that Jennifer has never touched? And what is the one book that Ed suggests everyone read?

Listen to the full episode to find out, and to get the answers to the riddles about veggies and witches!

This episode was recorded on Oct. 30, 2018.

Best of “Higher Ed:” Why The College Major May Matter Less Than We’ve Always Thought

This episode was originally published on Oct. 12, 2018.

Choosing a major is a rite of passage for higher education students, and it can feel like a – dare we say it –major decision with lifelong implications. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton discuss what could – and sometimes should –go into choosing a major plan of study.

Sometime in a student’s higher education career, a decision has to be made about a major, that set of courses a student chooses to study a subject more deeply. The decision can feel like a significant, irrevocable one that can impact the rest of their lives. But Ed suggests dialing back the stress to make that one, perfect decision.

“The major itself is not as important as the experience and the growth opportunities that come from that major,” he says. “That’s why you hear so many people, especially in the liberal arts and science, talk about how it doesn’t even matter what your major is. As long as you’re involved and interested and engaged, you will have that growth experience that will allow you to become better and to figure out the next thing you do, and that leads you to the next thing … because you’re constantly going toward your passion.”

Ed also believes timelines that require students to declare a major at a specific point in time during their college career can discourage academic exploration and excitement about discovering new fields of interest.

“I’d like to see people declaring majors when they really are intellectually fired up about the thing, rather than it’s time to do it.”

Listen to the full episode for more about the process of academic discovery that can lead to declaring a major. It is also time for the solution to the puzzler about escaping a room while avoiding scorching heat and a fire-breathing dragon. Think it can’t be done? Wait til you hear the oh so simple solution!

This episode was recorded on Sept. 28, 2018.

Best of “Higher Ed:” Effective Correction

This episode was originally posted on Sept. 30, 2018.

Most people do not necessarily enjoy being told when they are wrong. The formal education experience can at times seem like it is full of those moments – between corrections, grades, comments and evaluations. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton discuss ways to correct without rejecting.

Those big, red X’s splashed all over a Math test or those comments scribbled in the margins of papers can lead students to focus on the fact that they got an answer wrong, instead of the fact that they have a learning opportunity to master some material. And nasty comments from a student on a teacher or course evaluation may not motivate teachers to do better.

“If someone just says too much work, or, you know, Burger was so mean I can’t stand him, that’s not particularly helpful” says Ed referring to student evaluations of teachers. ” And even if that’s followed by an actual interesting idea, I might dismiss it a little bit because I see the context.”

So how can students and teachers – and anybody, really – effectively convey ideas for improvements?

Ed has some ideas:

Keep it about the question, paper, assignment, or class at hand. Don’t elevate the criticism into something of broader scope.
Keep the situation focused on thoughtful – rather than purely emotion – inputs and responses.
Focus on what can be learned from the situation.

Listen to the full episode for more thoughts about both giving and receiving constructive corrections and to hear the solution to the puzzler about the digits of our left hand. Still trying to multiply the number of left hand digits of everyone on the planet? Turns out there is a quick and easy way to figure it out.

This episode was recorded on Aug. 9, 2018.

Best of “Higher Ed:” How Much Is Too Much On A College Application?

This episode was originally published on Sept. 23, 2018.

High school seniors have something extra added to their workload in the fall semester. Those who are going on to college have to navigate the college application process. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton dissect that annual dash to compile transcripts, test scores, essays and teacher recommendations.

In an effort to set themselves apart from other applicants, students may be tempted to show breadth and depth in everything they have tackled in high school.

“I think if you’re just vomiting out a long list of activities and successes and awards and things, I think that then gets blurred over,” says Ed. ” I think the thing that an individual should be doing here is telling a story. They should be telling a story about their recent history – the highs and the lows and how they see themselves as having changed through their education up to that point.”

Ed says he believes that story should also include students’ assertions about why they think they are a good fit for the schools where they apply. He encourages specificity about what has attracted a student to a particular institution ( think “the soft serve ice cream in the dining hall”!) rather than generic platitudes about a school.

Listen to the full episode for more suggestions about navigating the college application process (are interviews still recommended or not?) as well as the new puzzler. Lefties unite! This puzzler is all about the digits on our left hand.

This episode was recorded on Aug. 9, 2018.

Texas Standard: July 16, 2019

Not another presidential tweet or campaign jab, but a change in the federal register that could lead to a profound change at the southern border. The new rules could effectively stop asylum claims at the border with Mexico, and it is certain to get a challenge in court. We’ll take a closer look. Also, teachers were promised pay raises. But who gets what, and why? Some disappointed by the calculus are promising political payback. And a slowdown in oil country, layoffs coming? Quite the opposite. Those stories and then some today on the Texas Standard:

Higher Ed: Yes, Extra Credit Can Enhance Learning – But Don’t Overestimate Its Value

Academia is divided over the wisdom of offering students extra credit on tests or projects. In this episode of the KUT podcast “Higher Ed,” KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss the utility and merit of offering extra points for extra effort.

Ed says for the most part he supports extra credit and has used it in his own teaching as long as it provides a meaningful learning experience.

“I have been guilty of offering extra credit for all sorts of things, ” admits Ed, “including bribing students to go to lectures or to events that I think would enhance their own education or would amplify the work they are doing in the class, all the way down to just giving questions.”

Ed believes extra credit allows for the exploration and assessment of deeper levels of learning.

“There’s always more. You never understand everything. You never understand it at 100 percent,” says Ed. “So the truth is, there is always a deeper level. So why not offer a window into that deeper level?”

Some critics say offering extra credit places more emphasis on the grade rather than on that learning experience. Ed believes that emphasis already exists with or without extra credit.

“We do that as a culture and a nation and a society and this is just a reality,” says Ed. “Extra credit is not doing that.”

Listen to the full episode (sorry, no extra credit for making it to the end) to hear how extra credit in school relates to extra credit in life outside the classroom. But you will be rewarded with the solution to last episode’s puzzler about the man who switched off a light and caused a catastrophe.

This episode was recorded on April 23, 2019.

Texas Standard: July 10, 2019

The Trump Administration’s so-called Remain in Mexico program expands to include Laredo. We’ll take a closer look at the impact. Also at the border, Texas National Guard troops are being deployed to help. But what are they doing exactly? We’ll explore. And remembering Ross Perot: the legacy of the self-made Texas billionaire. Plus, a Hemp rush. Texas farmers are scrambling to plant the crop, but there are hurdles to clear first. And helping students with dyslexia. The new path forward for kids in Texas schools. All of that and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: July 9, 2019

A new court ruling on the so-called “broken” Texas foster care system and efforts to fix it. We’ll take a look at where things stand now. Plus, the U.S. withdrew from the Iran Nuclear Deal, and Iran is now violating it. Where that leaves allies and what’s next. And poking holes in the “Texas Miracle”: a new picture of how the state’s recession resistance didn’t benefit the whole state. Plus, drag racing returns to a Texas border town reviving a cultural past time and just something fun to do. We’ll take you to the track. And we’ll check in on the latest drama over the citizenship question on the U.S. census. All of that and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: July 8, 2019

Texas continues to lead a fight against the Affordable Care Act. We’ll take a look at where things stand now and where a win could leave the state. Plus, battleground 2020… or maybe not. Is Texas really up for grabs as Democrats try to make their mark in Austin and Washington? We’ll explore. And going to the moon: A Texas researcher’s invention tapped to make a trip. Why he says the experience is bringing him full circle. Plus a book about the me too movement that will make you laugh, and reviewers say that’s a good thing. That and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Higher Ed: Resiliency Of The System Tested in 2018-2019 School Year

The 2018-2019 school year saw allegations of cheating in college admissions in the “Operation Varsity Blues” case. Rising tuition costs and student debt levels have the attention of several 2020 presidential hopefuls. In this episode of the KUT podcast “Higher Ed,” KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss the state of higher education in 2019.

Ed acknowledges in many ways 2018-2019 was a difficult school year. He says cost is always a concern and has more recently called into question the viability of the higher education business model.

“Is this industry as it is currently crafted a sustainable and viable thing?” Ed asks. “We know through the news over the past year the answer is no because we have seen many schools, some of them with high profile names, that have announced that they’re not going to be taking any more students and they’re going to close up.”

Ed says that business model has always seemed like a scary investment for many families because the costs are high and the results are not immediate.

“We’re talking about future value. We’re talking about future opportunities which I can’t tell you right now,” says Ed. “If you say ‘Oh, Ed I’m going to enroll in Southwestern University. Tell me exactly what’s going to happen to me.’ I can’t.”

But Ed says despite ups and downs over time, liberal arts has just about always delivered on its promise to help students become their best selves if they make that investment.

“Most importantly, you have to trust yourself,” Ed suggests. “You have to say ‘I have the confidence to realize that I am going to evolve over time’ and to be open to that growth and to be open to that change and to be open for that evolution.”

Ed says, though, despite the scandals and concerns of the past year, he has seen some bright spots. He points to inreasing support on campuses around the country for students after the admission process once they have arrived. Ed also sees more efforts to bring equity to campus programs such as internships.

Listen to the episode for Ed’s take on the health of higher education in 2019. It is also time for a new puzzler. No math is needed for this one; it is pure story and some sleuthing.

This episode was recorded on April 23, 2019.

Texas Standard: June 21, 2019

A mass migration from California to Texas. Is it all about the Benjamins? Or could it say something about the future of the U.S.? Two visions for the future of America, and according to the Economist Magazine, one is better suited for the future, we’ll hear why. Also, is Texas big enough for a second vet school? The Governor says yes, approving 17 million to green light a challenger to Texas A&M. We’ll hear from the new dean. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: June 7, 2019

Politically radioactive: a popular plan to protect domestic violence survivors gets the governor’s veto. The reason? Nuclear waste. We’ll have the backstory. Also summer’s here, does that mean your kids will lose a lot of what they’ve learned? Probably not, says a Texas researcher who’s bucking the conventional wisdom… we’ll hear why. And from San Benito all the way to the Big Apple and the Billboard top 10: our conversation with Charlie Crockett. Plus the week in Texas politics with the Texas Tribune and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: June 4, 2019

Policing the police? A Texas Democrat running for president wants to make police accountability a theme in 2020, we’ll have details. Also, they went abroad to spread the gospel. Now an investigation finds a legacy of abuse by Southern Baptist missionaries, we’ll take a look. And new rankings for public schools across the Lone Star State, one part of Texas continues to shine. But a surprising downturn for some larger districts…we’ll have a closer look. Also, what didn’t happen in the just concluded 86th legislature? All of those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:

Higher Ed: How Practices For A Healthy Mind Could Promote A Healthy Body Too

There is more talk in education these days about wellness and more attention to stress, anxiety and other factors that can impede learning. But there is less talk about the ways that good learning practices might improve health. In this episode of the KUT podcast “Higher Ed,” KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss the role of learning and education in wellness.

There are plenty of other subjects we learn to master, so why not health and wellness?

Ed believes that health and wellness information could – and should – be offered at a micro level outside of school. A lot of that kind of information is certainly available already. The challenge is to make it accessible and impactful.

“It’s gotta be bite-sized. You can’t have a full lecture or something,” says Ed. “And it’s got to be meaningful and thought-provoking…. it has to get you.”

For instance, Ed suggests reinforcing a message delivered by a doctor or health care provider with a short video or other educational element; that model is not unlike lessons from a teacher reinforced by text or other materials.

“One two-minute video is not going to do anything,” Ed admits. “But if it kind of is a continuation that keeps moving maybe it stays in your head a little bit, and we become more mindful and maybe we can change.”

Listen to the full episode to hear more about how Ed believes learning and mindfulness can be brought to bear on health issues. It is also time for the solution to last episode’s sneaky arithmetic puzzler.

This episode was recorded on April 23, 2019.

Texas Standard: May 29, 2019

If another Harvey sized storm hit the Texas coast, could the state’s economy weather the hit ? A warning to Texas officials about the need to do something to protect the Galveston bay before the next so called 500 year storm event, we’ll take a look. Also a plan to get teachers to transfer to low performing schools, how’s it going? Plus how is it that a small texas town of 400 people is bankrolling projects statewide? We’ll explore. And has Texas government debt really risen 40 percent in 5 years? Politifact checks the numbers and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: May 24, 2019

Chers at the capitol as lawmakers pass changes to school finance and property taxes. Will Texans more broadly be cheering as well? We’ll explore. Also, both Money for schools and property tax cuts passed by the Texas legislature. How’s that gonna work, exactly? We’ll take a closer look. And 50 years after Apollo 11, another trip to the moon in the works: this time it could be permanent. Plus the week in politics and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard: