Contactless technologies have existed for decades. The first NFC-enabled phone debuted in 2007. It was a Nokia, and it had a physical button on the side that flipped the phone open. Some may remember the first time they checked into a hotel and received an RFID key card rather than one with a magnetic strip (also during the 2000s). We have been slowly moving toward more contactless experiences.

Though the history is a bit murky, the word “noddle” was first used in the 1500s. It comes from the Middle English “nodle,” meaning the back of the head or neck. Today, your “noodle” is a slang term for your brain or for the act of thinking things over. The word and its meaning have not changed much; until recently, traditional education did not evolve much faster than “noddle” did.

In a 2018 book entitled The Analytics Revolution in Higher Education, Jonathan S. Gagliardi addresses data integration.

If you have ever had a job or gone to school anywhere, you have likely experienced the downstream effects of a data silo.

The term “war for talent” was coined in 1997. More than two decades later, we still have not figured out how to align our educational institutions’ learning outcomes with employer needs in a digital age. Despite immeasurable advances in technology, we still have not cracked the code.

Our latest guest on the Illuminate Higher Education podcast believes storytelling is the most powerful tool to convey ideas, truth, and information in ways that are remembered and internalized. Stories move our culture forward, establish expected norms and behaviors, and build mutual understanding.

Jordan Shapiro, a globally celebrated thought leader, brings his expertise in education and parenting to this episode of the Illuminate Higher Education podcast. Jordan is the author of The New Childhood: Raising Kids to Thrive in a Connected World and the upcoming book Father Figure: How to be a Feminist Dad.

For some of us, obtaining a college degree is just what you do after high school. Taking this next step shapes the entire high school experience. How many times have we heard students and parents discuss how grades, athletics, and extracurricular activities will improve a college application?

What options do students have if they cannot complete a traditional four-year degree program? Jory Hadsell, Executive Director of the California Virtual Campus, has personal experience with that challenge. If he tried to earn his degree on the typical university schedule, it would have taken seven years to fit the right classes in with work and other obligations. He opted for an online degree, sparking his interest in helping other students achieve that goal.

Georgetown University in Washington, DC is the oldest Catholic Jesuit institution in the United States. As an educator, Kelly Otter, Dean of Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies (SCS), believes in the Jesuit concept of cura personalis, or care for the whole person, as it applies to higher education. She believes that educators have a responsibility to provide accessibility, affordability, and inclusivity in education.

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic revealed a striking facet of social inequity in the United States: access to reliable technology. In 2020, we learned more about existing socioeconomic and racial inequities on a national scale. These problems existed before, but the unique combination of circumstances in 2020 has forced us to reckon with the fact that these issues are no longer sustainable if we hope to move forward as a society.

Racial and social unrest were hallmarks of 2020, but the systemic issues that led to civil rights movements in the 1950s and 1960s and now to Black Lives Matter protests date back much further. The United States was built on a system of white supremacy. For example, Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, asserted in the document that “all men are created equal.” Yet, Jefferson owned more than 600 African-American slaves. Though he later supported ending slavery through political means, his personal beliefs and behaviors remain controversial and are still the subject of debate.

The rapid move toward virtual learning in higher education transformed the way we think about technology in the classroom. Students and faculty have had to adjust to new methods of delivery, socially distanced lifestyles, and the virtual disappearance of the “campus experience.” Optimizing technology for the learning experience has never been a hotter topic.

On this episode of Illuminate Higher Education, Dr. Jim Henderson, President of the University of Louisiana System since 2017, joins podcast host Kiran Kodithala to discuss the evolution of higher education as it relates to Louisianans and today’s rapidly changing socio-economic environment.

Higher education has had a tough time keeping up with the social, economic, and technological changes of recent decades. As a result, there is a disconnect between traditional higher education outcomes, i.e., degrees, and what both individuals and employers need from higher education opportunities.

Throughout recent episodes of Illuminate Higher Education, one theme has remained constant—how do we determine the value of higher education?

In this episode, Ryan Craig, Principal at University Ventures Fund, joins the conversation. In addition to his role at University Ventures, Ryan is Managing Partner for Achieve Partners, LLC, and author of two books on the evolution of higher education: A New U: Faster + Cheaper Alternatives to College and College Disrupted: The Great Unbundling of Higher Education.

We have rarely heard the college dream described as, “ I can’t wait to attend community college.”

The dream is about attending a traditional four-year university and experiencing everything that institution has to offer, from academics to athletics and campus life. Today, this dream is out of reach for many students. The cost of college has skyrocketed, and a college degree is no longer a guarantee of a well-paying job.

Access to education has long been revered as a great social equalizer. Most of us have internalized the idea that since every child can go to school for free, he or she has equal access to support and resources, and therefore, equal opportunity for growth and advancement. Academic success in our younger years is usually considered a driving factor in financial success. In fact, despite their stark political differences, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both supported the idea of public education.

David Blake, founder of Degreed, returns to another episode of Illuminate Higher Education with podcast host Kiran Kodithala (CEO of N2N Services). David and Kiran continue the discussion around lifelong learning and how individuals can create their own learning journeys using countless online resources beyond the traditional school- or college-based degrees and certifications.

Just recently, Elon Musk made headlines for donating $5 million through to Khan Academy, a non-profit institution in the USA which provides access to free resources like practice exercises, instructional videos, and personalized learning dashboards for self-guided learning. As a self-professed lifelong learner, this is exciting news to me!