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Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education

Are Universities Actually Equipping Students with the Tools for Future Success?

Higher education has been charged with a two-pronged approach to equipping students with the tools for future success. Universities must get students ready for employment today and prepare them for a future we can’t see.

How successful are they?

Getting ready for employment today

Real world success depends on whether or not you are prepared for employment after you complete your education. You expect to have obtained a specific set of skills that make you marketable as well as integral in today’s business world.

Businesses expect graduates who not only have developed excellent problem-solving skills and developed an area of expertise but can also work as a collaborative team member who demonstrates competent communication skills.

Universities have it within their power to equip students with the skills they need to compete in the workplace, and they can do it with three things: technology, professors who are competent in their field of study, and a relevant curriculum.

Preparing for a future we can’t see

In addition to teaching university students higher-order thinking skills, most colleges are trying to be relevant not only in today’s world but also in the future. Higher education institutions have been charged with preparing students for a future that has not arrived.

This future will likely include automation and artificial intelligence, but it’s difficult to gauge what that means for all industries and businesses.

Game on 

The University of Sydney is already reaching for the future by requiring hands-on projects, studies in cultural awareness and learning language for improved communication. The additional requirements are lengthening the time it takes to complete an undergraduate degree, but the school is hoping that any drawbacks will be outnumbered by potential benefits.

The University of Maryland-Baltimore County has implemented many innovative strategies designed to be responsive to student need. It focuses on producing T-shaped employees, which it calls “those with deep technical knowledge and broad business and people skills.” To meet this challenge, the school has redesigned courses and increase Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) requirements.

Harvey Mudd University, the private liberal arts college with a STEM focus, considers itself a visionary when it comes to preparing students for their careers, and so do the businesses that hire them. Students sharpen their critical thinking skills and undertake programs requiring deep study. Harvey Mudd may be one of the best schools for preparing students for an unseen future.

These aren’t the only colleges and universities that are preparing students for not only today’s jobs but also a workforce of the future. Many more schools are making significant changes to their programs.

Are universities actually equipping students with the tools for future success?

Yes!

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Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education

16 Reasons Why Students Should Study Abroad

In recent years, institutions of higher learning all over the globe have been ramping up their study abroad programs, as the number of students who are interested in this experience has skyrocketed over the years. Nowadays, studying abroad may seem like a rite of passage, but many are still hesitant to try. If you are still debating the benefits or viability of studying abroad, check out our list of the 16 reasons why you should.

  1. The vast majority of those who study abroad describe it as one of the best periods of their lives.
  2. It gives you the opportunity to study subjects or hear perspectives that you do not experience in the United States.
  3. It gives you the chance to hone your foreign language skills, while also being immersed in the local culture. It makes it easier to learn a language.
  4. It gives you the opportunity to be exposed to new cultures, which will serve you well in your future endeavors.
  5. It forces you to become self-sufficient and independent.
  6. Allows you to mature at a faster rate.
  7. Allows you to build an international network, which you can lean on for the rest of your life.
  8. Employers will be impressed by your study abroad experience, as many students don’t have this experience.
  9. May help you decide your future career path.
  10. It will look fantastic on your resume.
  11. You can earn extra money while studying abroad, by teaching English in your free time.
  12. Earn extra cash as translator or interpreter once you come back to the states.
  13. It gives you an opportunity to see the world and experience things that you never dreamed.
  14. Traveling will build your confidence and self-esteem, by showing you that you can tackle any challenge that comes your way. Why, because being away from the comfort of your support system is scary. Overcoming that is powerful.
  15. It can be very cost-effective and may end up being cheaper than living in the U.S. Universities often have an entire department that is dedicated to helping students plan and execute their study abroad plans. Many also provide financial support.
  16. It can help you acquire new skills. For instance, if you are a sports fan, while studying abroad in the UK, you may become a skilled cricket player.

Can you think of any additional reasons why students should travel abroad?

 

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Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education, K-12

The A-Z of Education Blogs: Letters S-TC

In this multi-part series, we are profiling the best of the best blogs in education, in alphabetical order. In the previous article, I introduced letters M-Q and in this one, I will discuss letters S-TC.

Click here to access all of the articles in this series.

Science Cheerleader

This blog scores top points for originality – it’s a blog by cheerleaders who work in science. The blog features interviews with different cheerleaders, which serves to inspire more girls to join the field of science. It’s not exactly the kind of blog you’d use to implement new classroom strategies, but you might want to share it with students to show that women who work in science have diverse interests. Most people don’t think Harvard grads and women working on the forefront of science do cheerleading.

Score: Activity 16, Originality 17, Helpfulness 18, Authority 18.6

Total Score: 69.6

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @TheSciCheers

Shake Up Learning

This blog is a lot about creating a Google classroom, which the author, Kasey Bell, has written an entire book about. This isn’t so surprising given she’s a certified Google educator, innovator and trainer. The posts are regular and contain useful information for anyone who wants to run a digital classroom.

Score: Activity 22.5, Originality 20, Helpfulness 20, Authority 24

Total Score: 86.5

Twitter: @ShakeUpLearning

SmartBrief Education

They claim to connect education professionals with industry news, insights, resources and trends, which they do. It’s all curated.

Score: Activity 22, Originality 20, Helpfulness 23.5, Authority 21

Total Score: 86.5

Twitter: @smartbrief

Smart Classroom Management

Smart Classroom Management is Michael Linsin’s take on classroom management and offers weekly blogs on the topic. The blog has over 100,000 subscribers which says something about the usefulness of the topics covered and Michael has taught every grade level from K-12. It’s, of course, his biased take on classroom management, but it’s a take well worth considering.

Score: Activity 16, Originality 17, Helpfulness 18, Authority 18.3

Total Score: 69.3

Email: [email protected]

Speed of Creativity

Wesley Fryer documents his work with students and educators around the globe in the creative use of multimedia. Recently he offered a digital literacy challenge to create an information filter bot.

Score: Activity 24, Originality 20.5, Helpfulness 20.5, Authority 22

Total Score: 87

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @wfryer

Start With a Question

Digital learning specialist Kerry Gallagher shares tips for safe and ethical use of technology in the classroom. Recent provocative topics include the spread of fake news and the prevalence of “sexting” among teens.

Score: Activity 16, Originality 20, Helpfulness 21, Authority 21

Total Score: 78

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @kerryhawk02

Steve Hargadon

A pioneer in the field of educational technology, Steve Hargadon offers timely suggestions for things like turning PCs into Chromebooks and even has the occasional fun giveaway. Articles focus on edtech as a vehicle to drive meaningful learning.

Score: Activity 25, Originality 17.5, Helpfulness 21, Authority 20.5

Total Score: 84

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @stevehargadon

Student Affairs & Technology Leadership

Take a look at higher education through the eyes of Joe Sabado. His blogs cover many of the challenges he has faced and experiences that have enriched him on his road to becoming the CIO of Student Affairs in Santa Barbara, CA. It is well worth the read if you aspire to become a higher education administrator, or simply want to improve in areas like public speaking and communicating across different departments.

Score:  Active 15, Original 21, Help 19, Authority 17

Total: 72

Twitter: @JoeSabado

Tammy’s Technology Tips for Teachers

Tammy Worcester works independently as an instructional technology specialist and curates hundreds of tools, tips, and ideas on her website. She is especially savvy at tricks for using Google apps in unique ways in the classroom.

Score: Activity 25, Originality 18, Helpfulness 18, Authority 17.9

Total Score: 78.9

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @tammyworcester

TCEA

Officially the blog for the Texas Computer Education Association, this website is crammed with great ideas and resources for educators everywhere. Most recently, it offers tips on photo editing and a roundup of leadership courses.

Score: Activity 24, Originality 17, Helpfulness 21.9, Authority 21

Total Score: 83.9

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @TCEA

Tchers’ Voice

The slogan for this blog, posted on the Teaching Channel, reads: “Our blog is filled with great ideas from passionate educators just like you. Let’s get better together!” and that pretty much sums it up. Here a squad of teachers share techniques to implement in the classroom as well as thoughts worth pondering around education.

Score: Activity 25, Originality 24, Helpfulness 23, Authority 23

Total Score: 95

Twitter: @TeachingChannel

Well, that’s it for letters S-TC. Did we miss any?

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Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education, K-12

The A-Z of Education Blogs: Letters M-Q

In this multi-part series, we are profiling the best of the best blogs in education, in alphabetical order. In the previous article, I introduced letters I-L and in this one, I will discuss letters M-Q.

Click here to access all of the articles in this series.

Magical Maths

What started out as a blog about maths has become a blog for teachers to post various opinion pieces, as well as practical ideas and exercises to implement in the classroom.

Score: Activity 18, Originality 18, Helpfulness 20, Authority 25

Total Score: 81

Twitter: @magicalmaths

MiddleWeb

MiddleWeb provides resources for the middle grades. They focus on five streams of content: Resource Roundups, Themed Blogs, Articles, Interviews and Book Reviews. Co-teaching, how to help students crush math anxiety, and opening your classroom doors to family audiences are all recent topics that have been covered on their very active blog.

Score: Activity 19, Originality 19, Helpfulness 20, Authority 20

Total Score: 78

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @middleweb

MindShift

This is an extremely exciting blog as it explores anything and everything that is proven to help learning, be it technology, games, or new teaching methods. For teachers looking to incorporate helpful tools and techniques in the classroom, this is blog is a must read.

Score: Activity 25, Originality 25, Helpfulness 25, Authority 24

Total Score: 99

Twitter: @MindShiftKQED

Email: [email protected]

Moving at the Speed of Creativity

If you’re very into edtech, then this is a blog by Wesley Fryer is for you. Engaging posts about advancement in edtech and how to use various tools, as well as book reviews.

Score: Activity 20, Originality 24, Helpfulness 20, Authority 25

Total Score: 89

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @wfryer

Ms. Cassidy’s Classroom Blog

Ms. Cassidy has a love of teaching that comes across in her blog posts, which describe activities she’s done with her class. It will provide you with doses of inspiration and ideas for activities you can use in the classroom.

Score: Activity 20, Originality 18, Helpfulness 18, Authority 20

Total Score: 76

Twitter: @mscassidysclass

My Paperless Classroom

A tech integration specialist presents his real-life trials and triumphs. He also shares ideas for unique Makerspace projects.

Score: Activity 17, Originality 18.5, Helpfulness 18.7, Authority 20

Total Score: 81.2%

Twitter: @SamPatue

NACAC Admitted

The NACAC (or National Association for College Admission Counseling) is the place to go if you work in admission, or if you (or your kids) are getting ready to take the plunge into the admissions process.

Score:  Active 25, Original 22, Helpfulness 24, Authority 23

Total: 94

Twitter: @NACAC

NAFSA: Association of International Educators

NAFSA focuses on the latest in news, from politics to holidays, around the world. They also offer advice on a number of different topics through guest bloggers.

Score:  Active 22, Original 24, Helpfulness 22.5, Authority 25

Total: 93.5

Twitter: @NAFSA

NEA Today

NEA Today provides News and features from the National Education Association. If you like to keep up to date on what’s going on in the field of education, including research and some theories and ideas to implement in the classroom, then this is an excellent blog.

Score: Activity 24, Originality 25, Helpfulness 23.5, Authority 25

Total Score: 97.5

Twitter: @NEAToday

On an e-Journey With Generation Y

An Australian Information Technology teacher shares her ideas and experiences around fostering global connections in the classroom. She is especially masterful in her use of Skype as a tool to teach about culture.

Score: Activity 18, Originality 20, Helpfulness 19, Authority 19

Total Score: 76

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @murcha

On Campus

Covering the latest information on campus, this blog is a treasure trove of the latest news, trends, and statistics. It is a great resource for students, professors, and staff, and gives you a way to connect with others to get more information.

Score:  Active 22, Original 16, Help 22, Authority 17

Total: 77

Twitter: @OnCampusWGBH

Prof Hacker

This blog focuses on teaching, technology, and productivity within academia, but it does occasionally stray into politics when the latest news affects higher education.

Score:  Active 25, Original 24, Helpfulness 22, Authority 25

Total: 96

Twitter: @ProfHacker

Pearson Teaching & Learning Blog

Pearson provides products and services in the educational field and their Teaching & Learning PreK-12 Education blog is very informative, with useful tips and thoughts to ponder.

Score: Activity 23, Originality 20, Helpfulness 20, Authority 22.5

Total Score: 85.5

Twitter: @PearsonNorthAm

Q&A with Larry Ferlazzo

Larry Ferlazzo is an award-winning English and Social Studies teacher at Luther Burbank High School in Sacramento, Calif. He’s also an author of several books related to teaching and is big on using goal setting to motivate students. His blog often offers Q&As with other writers on topics surrounding education. It’s a blog that definitively provides a fresh look at teaching and education as a whole. As Larry also answers readers questions regarding teaching, you’re welcome to contact him.

Score: Activity 24, Originality 23, Helpfulness 21, Authority 25

Total Score: 93

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @Larryferlazzo

Well, that’s it for letters M-Q. Did we miss any?

 

 

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Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education, K-12

The A-Z of Education Blogs: Letters I-L

In this multi-part series, we are profiling the best of the best education blogs, in alphabetical order. In the previous article, I introduced letters F-H and in this one, I will discuss letters I-L.

Click here to access all of the articles in this series.

IIE Opening Minds

The focus of this particular blog is on the various international learning experiences, such as studying abroad and latest learning theories around the globe. It takes a unique look at how to open minds through higher education on the international stage.

Score:  Active 16.9, Original 23, Helpfulness 22, Authority 24

Total: 85.9

Twitter: @IIEglobal

Email: [email protected]

iLearn Technology

Kelly Tenkely started out as a teacher and turned into a technology integration specialist who started her own school, implementing all the inspirational new educational techniques available. The blog focuses mainly on implementing technology in the classroom using various tools, but also ideas around education. As with any blog you will use whatever material and ideas you see fit to implement in your classroom.

Score: Activity 21, Originality 21, Helpfulness 21.5, Authority 21

Total Score: 83.5

Twitter: @ktenkeley

I’m a Girl Who Codes

The site is full of inspiring stories about young women who have found success in the world of coding. You will find stories of young women who used coding to start businesses or to find hope in homelessness.

Score: Activity 25, Originality 24, Helpfulness 24, Authority 25

Total Score: 98

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @GirlsWhoCode

Instructional Tech Talk

Jeff Herb presents a potpourri of videos, podcasts, and articles about the effective use of technology tools. Recently he has shared strategies for using Ozobot, as well as tips for the use of online videos in the classroom.

Score: Activity 17, Originality 21.5, Helpfulness 21.5, Authority 20.5

Total Score: 80.5

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @jeffherb

Inside Higher Ed

This is a site that everyone in higher education should bookmark because it has posts about virtually everything in the field. With an area that goes to other blogs and articles, it is like a search engine just for those in the industry.

Score:  Active 25, Original 20., Helpfulness 21, Authority 22

Total: 88.5

Twitter: @InsideHigherEd

Inspired Instruction: Videos from the Teaching Channel  

This excellent blog shares useful videos from the teaching channel, offering ideas for what to incorporate into your classroom. One of the best blogs for easy implementation of tools shared thanks to the videos that make it easy to see exactly how to implement it.

Score: Activity 18, Originality 18, Helpfulness 18, Authority 18

Total Score: 72

International Student Blog

Designed to help international students, this blog focuses on the issues, concerns, and news specific to the niche. Whether you need advice on socializing in a new country, tips on traveling, or what to expect over the various holidays around the world, it is a great place for those who are learning outside of their home country.

Score:  Active 22, Original 23, Helpfulness 21, Authority 19.7

Total: 85.7

Twitter: @IntStudent

ISTE EdTekHub

A recognized leader in educational technology, ISTE analyzes current trends in areas such as coding and Virtual Reality. Updated daily, the blog will keep you up-to-date on the changing world of edtech.

Score: Activity 25, Originality 23, Helpfulness 23, Authority 24.5

Total Score: 95.5

Twitter: @isteconnects

Kathy Schrock’s Kaffeeklatsch

Educational technologist Kathy Schrock shares her discoveries and insights about educational technology and its impact in the classroom. Recent blog posts offer ideas for using Pokemon Go in the classroom and for creating 360° images with a cell phone.

Score: Activity 25, Originality 21, Helpfulness 21.5, Authority 23

Total Score: 90.5

Twitter: @kathyschrock

Email: [email protected]

Kleinspiration

Author and award-winning educator Erin Klein provides practical strategies to increase student achievement and engagement with technology. She earns top marks for her engaging and relevant website.

Score: Activity 22, Originality 23, Helpfulness 22.9, Authority 24

Total Score: 92%

Twitter: @KleinErin

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day

Larry Ferlazzo has another blog and this one, too, is helpful for teachers. Especially if you want to stay up to date with the latest news regarding teaching practices and studies on what’s effective in the classroom as Ferlazzo scours the net on an almost daily basis for news to share and also expresses his own opinions. The focus is ESL, ELL and EFL.

Score: Activity 25, Originality 21, Helpfulness 21, Authority 25

Total Score: 92

Twitter: @larryferlazzo

Learning in Hand

Tony Vincent’s technology blog has been around since the 1990s, and it’s still a treasure trove of advice and resources today. Recently he provides tips for teacher iPad use and formative assessment tools.

Score: Activity 24, Originality 20.5, Helpfulness 21, Authority 22

Total Score: 87.5

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @tonyvincent

Learning with ‘e’s

Steve Wheeler, a professor of educational technology, explores our changing culture and the ways teachers must adapt to it. His blog features periodic interviews with education influencers.

Score: Activity 20, Originality 20, Helpfulness 22.5, Authority 23

Total Score: 85.5

Twitter: @timbuckteeth

Logorrhea

As the name suggests, this is a blog that tends to go all over the place, hitting both high profile and more obscure topics in higher education. There is a lot of advice in that can help you keep things in perspective through some of the most difficult situations.

Score:  Active 17, Original 23, Help 18, Authority 17.5

Total: 75.5

Twitter: @DavidJHinson

Well, that’s it for letters I-L. Did we miss any?

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Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education, K-12

The A-Z of Education Blogs: The Letter C

In this multi-part series, we are profiling the best of the best education blogs, in alphabetical order. In the previous article, I introduced letters A-B and in this one, I will discuss the letter C.

Click here to access all of the articles in this series.

Catlin Tucker

This blog offers a candid exploration of different solutions for blended learning. Recent offerings explore the pros and cons of co-teaching.

Score: Activity 19, Originality 22, Helpfulness 20.5, Authority 22

Total Score: 83.5

Twitter: @Catlin_Tucker

Campus Grotto

A great blog for students and educators, this site provides a lot of information on pretty much anything related to higher education. It is geared more towards those who are new to the arena, but it can give you some great insight no matter how long you have been in academia.

Score:  Active 19, Original 20, Help 20, Authority 15
Total: 70

Twitter: @CampusGrotto

Email form:  http://campusgrotto.com/contact-us

Campus Overload

This is the site to bookmark if you want to stay current on any news that is either related to higher education or that can have a serious effect on the field. Many of the issues posted are related to activism and concerns on campuses across the country.

Score:  Active 24, Original 15, Help 22, Authority 15
Total: 76

Email:  [email protected]

Campus Technology

For the latest in news about available and upcoming technology on campus, you should have this blog bookmarked. Multiple posts are added daily, making it something you can make part of your regular routine.

Score:  Active 21, Original 24, Helpfulness 23, Authority 25
Total: 93

Twitter: @Campus_Tech

Center for Digital Education

This blog offers regular updates to news about efforts to implement technology in public and private schools. Warnings about email scams and posts about mobile devices in schools will keep you up-to-date on issues affecting edtech.

Score: Activity 23, Originality18, Helpfulness 18, Authority 17.5

Total Score: 76.5

Twitter: @centerdigitaled

Christensen Institute

The Christensen Institute is a think tank on the topics of education, healthcare and economy. They post several interesting blogs about development in education and how it applies to teachers.

Score: Activity 21, Originality 21, Helpfulness 16, Authority 25

Total Score: 83

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @ChristensenInst

Class Tech Tips

Edtech consultant Dr. Monica Burns provides a rundown of all the latest technology tips and tricks. Recently she demonstrated an app called Kinvolved for taking attendance, as well as the annotation of images using an iPad.

Score: Activity 22, Originality 20, Helpfulness 21.5, Authority 22.5

Total Score: 86

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @ClassTechTips

Competency Works

This blog, as the name suggests, is about competency education and how to transform your teaching to take this into account. They post almost daily and the blogs, if nothing else, will make you contemplate how education is constantly being transformed and how you can participate in the transformation.

Score: Activity 17, Originality 18, Helpfulness 18, Authority 18

Total Score: 71

Twitter: @CompetencyWorks

Confessions of a Community College Dean

Followers of this blog get a look into the life and experiences of a dean. With facts, answers, tips, tricks, and the occasional touching tribute, this blog is great for anyone in academia. There are also details about how he balances work with family life so you will get a look into his wit and witticisms on a wide range of subjects. It is done somewhat anonymously, so if you want to contact the blogger, you will have to go through the comments section of the blog.

Score:  Active 25, Original 25, Helpfulness 15, Authority 23
Total: 88

Cool Cat Teacher

Vicki Davis interweaves her practical suggestions for student engagement with profound reflections on what it means to be a teacher. For a shot of affirmation, this is the blog to visit.

Score: Activity 25, Originality 23, Helpfulness 23.9, Authority 25

Total Score: 96.9

Twitter: @coolcatteacher

CoSN Blog

The official blog of the Consortium for School Networking presents occasional “Trusted Learning Environment” articles, in which they focus on the technology implementation efforts of member school districts. This will inspire you to think of ways you can make your own school a “Trusted Learning Environment.”

Score: Activity 18, Originality 21.5, Helpfulness 20.5, Authority 21.5

Total Score: 81.5

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @CoSN

Coursera Blog

Though not specific to higher education, this site covers a lot of related areas (as well as a lot that specifically address higher education issues and ideas).

Score:  Active 23, Original 20, Helpfulness 23, Authority 20.8

Total: 86.8

Twitter: @Coursera

Curriculum Matters  

As the blog suggests the focus is on how curriculum changes are affecting classrooms. Two classroom teachers turn educational journalists, Liana Heitin and Jaclyn Zubrzycki, run this blog on Education Week and also include topics coving social media and STEM. It will certainly provide you with food for thought about what should and shouldn’t be included in your curriculum.

Score: Activity 19, Originality 17.5, Helpfulness 18, Authority 19

Total Score: 73.5

Email: [email protected] and [email protected]

Twitter: @LianaHeitin

Cult of Pedagogy

An excellent blog with up to date information about teaching and easy to implement tips for the classroom. The topics covered are very varied – from dealing with youth running away from home from a teacher’s perspective to edtech tools you need to try. The blog was developed due to the author, Jennifer Gonzales, thinking it takes too much time for the average teacher to stay up to date with everything happening in the educational field, so she wanted to pull together the information on one site.

Score: Activity 20, Originality 21, Helpfulness 23, Authority 21

Total Score: 85

Twitter: @cultofpedagogy

Cycles of Learning

Ramsay Musallam relates how he uses unique approaches to technology to make instruction more meaningful to students. Definitely a blog worth checking out.

Score: Activity 18, Originality 20, Helpfulness 20, Authority 20.5

Total Score: 78.5%

Twitter: @mneedleman

Well that does it for the letter C. Did we miss any?

 

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Matthew Lynch published in Diversity, Higher Education

Diversity In Higher Education Should be More than a Buzzword

Diversity is often spoken of as a goal of leadership in some of the country’s most prominent higher education institutions. But paying lip service to the concept doesn’t always translate into action. The problem is that, by failing to take action, a lack of diversity means college students are missing out on unique opportunities that may only present in environments that promote racial, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation, and even socio-economic diversity within their constructs.

However, as a term, “diversity” often brings anxiety. There is little agreement about which methods actually promote diversity in higher education, as well as for measuring the outcomes associated with a more diverse educational environment.

In some research, diversity within social groups can lead to decreased communication, discomfort, greater perceived interpersonal conflict, and other issues that lead to more challenging interactions. But, diversity is also recognized to bring something very important to the table: creativity.

More Experience, More Innovation

A diverse group, such as a student body, class, or work group, has a larger range of personal experience. This widens the cumulative perspective of the participants, giving them a larger frame of reference when solving problems. Additionally, there is an increased likelihood that the strengths of one member will balance the weaknesses of another.

As a whole, a diverse population often has access to more information than a similarly sized, but homogenous group. That allows a more diverse group to reach greater levels of innovation and problem-solving.

For example, if the goal was to design a new skyscraper, choosing a team of students who all major in architecture could lead to shortcomings. Even though knowledge of architecture will play a key role, involvement from other majors, like engineering, would lead to a better end result.

Often, it can be challenging for individuals to account properly for the needs or preferences of those not like them. It isn’t intentional so much as a lack of differing perspective. When asked to solve a problem, an individual only has their own experience and knowledge with which to work. Since that leaves them operating in an inherently limited fashion, their response will reflect only their personal narrative.

Diversity Implies Differences

In some cases, the simple implication of diversity being a factor can produce more favorable results. It isn’t uncommon for individuals to assume that an apparently more diverse group will have key differences in experience and perspective.

Often, these unconscious assumptions (or biases) are automatically considered negative as they are the results of judgments made on limited information. However, when a group that perceives itself as diverse works together, the assumption of differences can actually lead to great innovation when the group is motivated to work together. Since the participants assume it will be more challenging to reach a consensus, most unconsciously prepare to work harder than if they were faced with the same task with a more homogenous team. And, ultimately, increased effort often yields better results.

Diversity Supports Diversity

People automatically feel more comfortable when there is someone like them already in an organization, including educational institutions like colleges and universities. In fact, minority populations often cite diversity as an important factor when evaluating employers, and likely have a similar sentiment when selecting colleges or universities.

When schools are working to attract the most talented students from across the country, having a more diverse student body and faculty can be a benefit that attracts the best and brightest regardless of their background. And once diversity is established as part of the paradigm, it is often self-perpetuating.

 

 

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Matthew Lynch published in Diversity, Higher Education

What Should We be Teaching Minority High School Students about College?

It’s a well-known fact that a college education is becoming necessary for many jobs. Companies are listing bachelor’s degrees as requirements on vacancy announcements, automatically screening out anyone who doesn’t have the needed education. And as technology replaces the work of employees in certain traditionally unskilled labor positions, the number of opportunities for those with just a high school diploma only seems to shrink.

But going to college isn’t an automatic choice for many. In fact, what they are taught in high school about the college experience has a major impact on a student’s decision. So, what should we be teaching minority high school students about college? Here are some places to start.

How to Pay for It

One of the most intimidating things about going to college is the cost. Stories about graduates drowning in student loan debt are plentiful, making many hesitant to take loans even if they are offered. And, for students from particularly low-income families, just seeing the number associated with a school’s annual tuition may be more than they can manage mentally.

It is critical that minority students have a thorough understanding of all of the options for paying tuition. This includes everything from need-based government grants, such as the Federal Pell Grant, to merit-based institutional scholarships to private scholarship opportunities offered by industry organizations and charities.

Taking the time to teach minority students about what is available, as well as how to apply for these funds, can make the financial burden more manageable, or even non-existent. As financial barriers are removed, more high school students may be able to take advantage of the opportunities provided by a college education.

The Range of Options

Going to college doesn’t mean you have to pursue a traditional four-year degree. Currently, there is a looming shortage of skilled tradespeople like welders, electricians, machinists, plumbers, and carpenters. And that shortage means there are significant opportunities for those interested in exploring these careers.

Often, obtaining education focused on a skilled trade is less expensive than a traditional university education, and many programs can be completed in just a couple of years. In some cases, those attending classes can gain experience through apprenticeships, allowing them to work on their education while earning wages.

Additionally, many programs focused on skilled trades don’t require the same general education requirements as a four-year degree. That means that, if a student struggled in classes like history or literature, it is a non-issue for completing many trade-oriented programs.

Helping high school students understand that these options are available can encourage those who may think that a college education isn’t for them to reconsider.

There is Help for Struggling Students

Colleges and universities often have departments and services created to help students succeed. This includes access to tutors and study groups. Additionally, some college instructors are available outside of their classroom hours to assist students who want to learn but are having trouble grasping a particular topic.

Institutions of higher learning want their students to succeed, so there are mechanisms in place to help make the dream of obtaining a degree a reality. But students need to know that they are there when assistance is needed.

With the right information, more minority students may feel comfortable pursuing more education once they graduate from high school. By managing concerns about tuition costs, educational requirements, available programs, and the availability of assistance, the college experience may feel more accessible to everyone.

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Matthew Lynch published in Diversity, Higher Education

The Key to Providing More Access in Higher Education

Talk about the need to make a college-level education more accessible is common. Everyone understands that a college education is valuable and that many jobs list a degree as a requirement for applying, so those without a college degree are missing out on opportunities. So, what does it take to make higher education accessible to a larger portion of the population? Affordability.

Understanding Affordability

There are numerous programs designed to help students pay for college. Some options, like grants and scholarships, allow students to access funds that do not need to be repaid under most circumstances. But these funds don’t make the college experience more affordable, just cheaper.

If something is affordable, it is considered within one’s financial means. And for many, the cost of tuition today just isn’t affordable.

The Affordability of Applying

A surprising barrier for many low-income students applying to college are the fees associated with the application process. For example, SAT, ACT, and AP exam fees can be substantial. Then, once suitable scores are earned, an additional fee is required for every educational institution to which they apply.

While many of these fees are waived for those meeting certain income-based criteria, the income requirements are often quite strict. Students whose families are slightly above the cutoff will find these costs challenging. That can mean that low-income households may only be able to afford for the student to take one exam, a single time. Additionally, they will be limited to the number of colleges to which they can apply.

By lowering, or eliminating, some of these costs, higher education can be more accessible to lower income households. They will have more opportunities to to college entrance exams, giving them chances to improve their scores over time, as well as the option of applying to more schools.

Improving Tuition Affordability

The costs of higher education have risen dramatically; at one point tripling over the course of three decades. However, the average rise in household income is comparably negligible. And that means that a college education has become less affordable over time, even though it is now considered to be a necessity.

Lower-income students who don’t find sufficient grants or scholarships to manage the majority of the cost will likely determine a degree to be outside of their reach. Even if loans are available, the amounts required may be too intimidating to students who are part of a household whose annual income falls well below the amount charged as tuition.

Even if tuition amounts can’t be lowered, the affordability for low-income students can be improved by providing resources to help them obtain as much financial assistance. Providing education about available opportunities and assistance in meeting application requirements will help student access more funding sources, and possibly eliminate out-of-pocket expenses.

Cost is the Barrier

Often, the primary barrier to any student and a college education is the cost. While tuition and fees can’t be eliminated from the paradigm, resources are available to help those most in need navigate these expenses more efficiently. Additionally, widen the requirements for free or low-cost testing and application fees to improve the chances that low-income students will receive suitable scores and be accepted into high-quality schools.

Affordability is the key.

 

 

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Matthew Lynch published in Diversity, Higher Education

We Need More Diversity in Information Technology in Higher Education

The demand for information technology workers is growing, and the available supply isn’t keeping pace. With the retirement of the baby boomer generation in full swing, worker shortages are only going to be more apparent in the year to come. And, if the information technology field can’t attract a more diverse population, the field is going to suffer.

Tech companies are generally not known for diversity. The IT workforce is predominantly white or Asian males. Even though many companies announce diversity initiatives on a regular basis, they can only hire from the worker pool that is available. And that pool is created based on their choices in higher education.

Minorities in Computer Science

In 2013, a study showed that out of all of the bachelor’s degrees awarded through 179 prestigious universities, 4.5 percent were awarded to black students and 6.5 percent went to Hispanic students. However, the US Census Bureau showed that the population was 12.6 percent black and 16.3 percent Hispanic as of 2010.

This suggests that minority students aren’t being attracted into the computer science field. Couple this with the low number of black and Hispanic students participating in the AP Computer Science exam in high school, and that fact becomes more apparent.

Since black and Hispanic students are underrepresented in technology-oriented education, they will be underrepresented in the information technology workforce as well. And this issue is compounded by negative impressions many minorities have regarding the culture at many tech companies.

Minority Hiring at Tech Companies

The hiring numbers from tech giants like Google, Apple, and Facebook do not paint a welcoming picture to minority students interested in technical fields. Often, this negative impression leads minorities to seek work in lower-paying positions outside of traditional tech companies. In fact, many default to office or administrative positions even though their degrees indicate greater potential.

So how can additional diversity in information technology higher education help overcome low levels of hiring? By creating a larger qualified candidate pool of minority students. If there are more available, then companies may be moved to hire more minority applicants.

Improving Diversity

Part of what encourages students to pursue specific degrees is a sense of belonging. Often, this involves finding a role model with traits similar to their own as a source of inspiration to move forward. In technology, the population working in the field lacks diversity, making it more challenging for students to find suitable role models from which to choose.

In some cases, the lack of diversity is apparent even sooner. For example, university, college, and high school teachers are seen as representatives of the field for many students. If there is no diversity in hiring for these teaching positions, minority students may be less inclined to picture themselves pursuing these fields even if they otherwise have an interest in the work.

If educational institutions hire with an unconscious bias, similar to what may exist in the technology community as a whole, then they are likely to choose instructors based on preconceived notions instead of purely on capability. By breaking the cycle, and introducing computer science and technology students to a diverse group of educators throughout their schooling, the amount of diversity in the field as a whole can increase. And, once diversity is seen as the norm, that will support a cycle of diversity and inclusion instead of what we see today.

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