Build for Stability, Invest in What Makes You Stand Out
In the rush to modernize and innovate, many institutions fall into one of two traps: they either obsess over perfecting their core systems or they leap into strategic initiatives without a strong data foundation. Because Systems of Record are such a significant investment, there’s a natural desire to extract every ounce of value, often by […]
AI in Teaching and Learning: Pedagogy at Scale…And the Stakes if We Get it Wrong
For decades, we’ve known what “good teaching” looks like: timely formative feedback, targeted reteaching, scaffolded guided practice, and classrooms designed around Universal Design for Learning (UDL)—with multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression. We’ve also known why these practices are hard to sustain: they require time, diagnostic acuity, and continuous adaptation that few faculty can […]
Choosing the Right Partner for Change
Reflecting on our Future Campus™ Summit, an unmistakable theme was clear: in an era of constant disruption and distraction, the urgency for colleges and universities to catalyze change at pace and scale is accelerating. Their ability, or lack thereof, to do so will be a decisive factor in how efficiently they can operate in the […]
Curiosity > Coding: What Really Matters for Careers in the AI Era
According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), AI is projected to displace 9 million jobs by 2025 but also create 11 million new ones. That net gain is the story many headlines miss. And it’s the key to how we should prepare our children (and ourselves) for the future. Recently, I’ve been hearing the same […]
Digital Tools and the Growth Mindset: Fostering Lifelong Learners
In my last post, I discussed the importance of fostering a growth mindset in higher education: Fostering a Growth Mindset in Higher Education Today. In this post, I want to expound on this idea, focusing on engaging with digital tools to foster a growth mindset for lifelong learning. One of the most dynamic ways to […]
Reflections from D2L Fusion 2025: Innovation Grounded in Research and Relationships
A Strong Turnout and a Clear Focus The 2025 D2L Fusion Conference brought together over 1,000 in-person attendees and more than 2,000 total registrants. With hundreds of institutions represented and a packed agenda of sessions, panels, and networking events, the conference offered a comprehensive look at how D2L is evolving to meet the needs of […]
It’s Exhausting
Higher Education is under fire from every direction. I retired from Ohio State in November 2019, almost six years ago, and looking back, that world seems almost quaint. Yes, careers in higher education have always been challenging, and I was closing a career of 31 years. There was pressure, as always, and we were in […]
Anthology Together 2025: A Turning Point Toward a Unified, AI-Driven Student Experience
Anthology Together 2025 (AT25) brought together a wide range of institutional leaders and end users from across many different domains. Held in Las Vegas, Nevada, the conference showcased not only Anthology’s renewed commitment to innovation but also its strategic clarity in delivering a truly integrated, AI-powered ecosystem that spans the entire student lifecycle, from recruitment […]
Fostering a Growth Mindset in Higher Education Today
Empowering Students as Architects of Their Own Learning The concept of a growth mindset has never been more crucial in higher education. Pioneered by psychologist Carol Dweck, a growth mindset embraces the belief that intelligence and abilities can be developed through effort, perseverance, and learning from mistakes. Adopting a growth mindset can be transformative for […]
What Does IT Do Today? Responding to Higher Education’s New Reality
Matthew Winn, PhD’s recent article, The Golden Years Are Over, lays bare the forces reshaping higher education. As he points out, institutions no longer have the luxury of relying on prestige or tradition to carry them forward. The time for bold leadership and clear-eyed strategy is now. So, what does that mean for IT? Institutional […]
