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Diverse Conversations: The Difference Between Diversity and Equity

The nature of higher education is changing and the student population is changing at colleges and universities across the country. With luck, the promotion of equality in higher education will continue to engender equality in education – not only in terms of student access, actually, but in terms of employment. But how does diversity and equity work out in education – in the practice of teaching in higher education? Given the issues of equality and diversity within education, how, in today’s changing context, can we move on and teach these principles effectively? To grapple with this issue, I spoke to …

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Kindergartners get little time to play. Why does it matter?

Christopher Brown, University of Texas at Austin Being a kindergartner today is very different from being a kindergartner 20 years ago. In fact it is more like first grade. Researchers have demonstrated that five-year-olds are spending more time engaged in teacher-led academic learning activities than play-based learning opportunities that facilitate child-initiated investigations and foster social development among peers. As a former kindergarten teacher, a father of three girls who’ve recently gone through kindergarten, and as researcher and teacher-educator in early childhood education, I have had kindergarten as a part of my adult life for almost 20 years. As a parent, …

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Diverse Conversations: The Globalization of Higher Education

Visit the website of your favorite college or university, find the search box and type in the words “international programs,” “study abroad,” or something to this effect. What you will find out is that odds are, your favorite institution has a department that serves as the international arm of the university, developing partnerships with countries and organizations around the world. They are part of one of the biggest trends to hit today’s modern university. The trend that I speak of is commonly referred to as the “globalization of higher education.” For this week’s installment of “Diverse Conversations,” I interviewed Dr. …

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Diverse Conversations: An Online Course to Recruit Online Learners

Massive Open Online Courses are often associated with topics that are normally taught within college classrooms and by college faculty. The untapped potential of MOOCs extends well beyond the basic academic reach though, and is showing promise to advance the success of university systems as a whole. Austin-based digital marketing agency Tocquigny recently hosted a four-week MOOC that focused on recruiting students for online learning programs. Instead of targeting the students themselves, the MOOC guides administration and admission personnel through smart marketing tactics to attract their audiences to their online course offerings. I talked with the company’s CEO, Yvonne Tocquigny, …

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Diverse Conversations: Building the largest diverse campus in the nation

The University of Central Florida may not immediately be associated with being the premier institution of higher education in its state, but that’s all part of its underdog appeal. In the past two decades, the University of Central Florida has tripled its enrollment numbers to 63,000 students this fall, quietly becoming the largest undergraduate institution in the country.  UCF has one of the most diverse college campuses, too. With community college partnerships, UCF boasts a thriving first-generation college alumni and is also expected to reach Hispanic Serving Institution status (at least 25 percent of the student population of Hispanic heritage) …

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Diverse Conversations: Issues and Trends in International Higher Education Financing

Have you ever wondered how higher education is financed in other parts of the world? No matter what country you choose, you will find that the topic of financing higher education is a contentious one. Over the last decade, there has been a worldwide shift of the burden of higher education costs from governments and taxpayers to parents and students. This is much to the chagrin of parents of course. To find out more about current trends in international higher education financing, I sat down with Dr. John C. Weidman, Professor of Higher and International Development Education at the University …

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Diverse Conversations: The Benefits of an Online Education

Over the past decade, the number of online colleges and universities has grown exponentially. This has led to many debates over the efficacy and overall benefits of an online education. I recently sat down with Dr. John Ebersole, president of Excelsior College, to discuss “The Benefits of an Online Education.” In his 25-year career in higher education, Dr. Ebersole’s personal experience as a post-traditional student has informed his approach to adult education. Without further ado, let’s begin the interview. Q: What are some of the benefits of an online education? A: For Excelsior’s older, post-traditional students, there are many benefits …

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Diverse Conversations: What it is Like Being the First Female College President

For most of American history, the college/university presidency could be described as an “all boys club,” however, over the last 3 decades this has changed. Over this time period, the number of female college/university presidents has steadily increased, and this trend shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Recently, I sat down with Dr. Angela Franklin, the first female and African American president of Des Moines University, to talk about here experiences. Without further ado, let’s begin the interview. Q: What are some of the challenges that you have had to face as the first female and African American …

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Diverse Conversations: Supporting Underserved Populations in Higher Education

The field of higher education has changed completely in the past couple of decades. Unlike before, when only a few talented and intelligent students went on to get a college education, now it has become a necessity as the jobs available in the new economy require more than just a high school diploma. Because of this, American institutions of higher learning are experiencing an influx of students that may not have been part of the college scene as early as a decade ago. Recently, I sat down with Dr. Stella M. Flores, Assistant Professor of Higher Education at Vanderbilt University, …

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Diverse Conversations: Let’s Talk About Financial Aid

The Washington Post reports that the average college student will graduate with $25,000 in debt. With over $1 trillion in outstanding loans, student debt outweighs credit card debt and is exempt from bankruptcy protection. Even with these startling statistics, students will continue to borrow money in order to pay for college. College and university financial aid departments must operate at an optimal level in order to ensure that students have access to viable financial aid options and that federal regulations are followed. In order to find out more about the financial aid side of higher education, I decided to interview …

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