Full and part-time faculty are invited to attend the following professional development workshop:

Rethinking Higher Education

1-3 p.m. Room EW205

The traditional university faces demands for change from all sides: students (think they) want more flexible, career-relevant and experiential programs, provincial governments want expanded access and enhanced student success (while also demanding ever-greater efficiencies and measurable outcomes), and employers (think they) want more “job-ready” graduates. Over the past 50 years, larger institutions have massified education using industrial-age models, creating ever-larger lecture classes, multiple-choice exams, simplified grading systems, and a contingent faculty workforce – sacrificing effectiveness for the sake of efficiency. Now, evidence from neuroscience and cognitive psychology reinforces the importance of more interactive, social and personalized approaches to teaching and learning. For some kinds of learners, and some programs, the time and technology have come to open our minds to consider flexible hybrid delivery, gamification and simulations, interdisciplinary courses, active and experiential learning, intelligent textbooks and adaptive learning platforms, competency-based credentials and expanded transcripts incorporating co-curriculars, work experience, and badges. Algoma University has unique strengths as an intimate learning community, but cannot ignore the seismic changes in the broader higher ed landscape, either.

In this fast-paced interactive workshop, Ken Steele will share some eye-opening new developments, research findings and trends that will shape the future of the modern university, and guide us as we consider how Algoma University can best preserve the liberal arts and sciences, while injecting experiential learning practices – from creation or performance to research and workplace opportunities.

Ken Steele is Canada’s leading higher education monitor and futurist, trusted by more than 25,000 viewers and readers, and consulting with hundreds of institutions. Years ago he co-founded the market research firm Academica Group and created its daily Top Ten; now he conducts environmental scans for strategic planning and produces an “almost-weekly” video podcast at www.TenWithKen.com.