Megan in (UW)-Madison

10 Thoughts on Education and Learning from Legendary Architect Frank Lloyd Wright

Alumni as Volunteer Course Facilitators: 7 Reasons it Makes Sense

One of my favorite higher ed blogs - Alumni Futures - weighs in on a recent story about Harvard University recruiting alumni to volunteer as mentors and discussion leaders for an upcoming MOOC.

The Chronicle ran a story and a few disillusioned readers weighed in. Nothing about anything surprises me.

That’s where Alumni Futures weighs in — trying to answer the question, “Why ask alumni to volunteer?” 

I’ll assume for the moment that Harvard isn’t proposing the alumni component as a way to further demean adjuncts, nor to trick alumni into doing something they ought not to. So then a question worth asking is why would Harvard ask alumni to serve in this capacity? Who benefits, and how?

[Why ask alumni to serve in this capacity? Who benefits, and how?]

Anyone who works in advancement knows the answer to that question and would quickly, I’d wager, agree with the 7 reasons why it can and does make sense.

Is it an alternative to adjuncts? No way. Does it strengthen someone’s connection to their university? Definitely. Does it engage them? But of course.

Is it worth a shot as the traditional model for higher education is under intense pressure to “innovate” by alumni, students, business, government, etc? I’d have to say yes.

So, it’s worth a read for folks in higher ed.

In Defense Of The Liberal Arts

I hope you learned to love something and are doing that very thing right now.

Transparency in higher education social media

My key take-away — it’s first and yes, it should always be foremost — “You can’t be transparent without listening.”

As social media administrators (SMAs), our job is to display information and ignite conversations that attract future students, cultivate current students, and resonate with alumni and the community. The best way to accomplish this is to stay transparent. I know some of us might pull out our hair if we hear the words transparent, authentic, or accessible again. However frustrating it may be for some to hear these words over and over, some of us hope they actually sink in for others.

To Pin or Not To Pin: The Debate Over Pinterest Use in Higher Ed

I like thinking about Pinterest with these thoughts in mind:

If we put this all together, we have to think about 1) visual messages, 2) visual identity/brand and 3) online curation. 

Why Smart Poor Students Don't Apply to Selective Colleges (And How to Fix It) - The Atlantic

Today in saddest news is:

Some of the poorest high schoolers in the country are also among our top-performers. These “low-income, high-achieving” students come from the poorest 25 percent of families, but their grades and SAT scores place them in the top 10 — or even top 5 percent — of all students. Getting these students in our best colleges should be a national ambition. It would increase social mobility, raise national productivity, increase taxable income, shrink our deficit, cut income-support payments … you get the point.

Using Social Media to Unlock Your Alumni Magazine

UC Suspends Use of New Monogram | KQED News Fix

Ouch.

Case Studies: Admissions and Social Media

The University of Wisconsin at Madison’s social media presence makes you want to be a part of their community. One of social media’s strong suits is its ability to communicate personality while maintaining that professional disposition expected of an institution of higher learning. At UW, they strike the balance perfectly. They frequently reply and retweet their current students while showing applicants the atmosphere that UW Madison can offer. And also the blanket forts.

Wisconsin Governor Seeks Shift in Higher Ed | Inside Higher Ed

Oh that’s nice. Our Governor unveiled his ideas for changes in Wisconsin’s higher education funding model while at an event in California.

10 Commandments of Twitter for Academics

Most of my friends (the ones who are not already on Twitter) have heard my Twitter pitch, and it’s true that since joining several years ago I’ve become quite an evangelist.

Recently over dinner, a colleague told me he had never really gotten the point of Twitter, but now that he had a book to promote, he wished he had followers he could share it with.