Reflections on Friday SLO Talks, the assessment of student learning, and the ideas shaping higher education, by Dr. Jarek Janio and guests.
by Jarek Janio, Ph.D. Inspired by a recent Friday SLO Talk featuring Dr. Leslie Jennings, Missina Minter, Megan Zara, and Dr. Stacy Greathouse from The University of Texas at Arlington. One of the most powerful lessons from the recent Friday SLO Talk was not about adding complexity to assessment. It was about eliminating confusion.The team […]
by Jarek Janio, Ph.D. In a recent Friday SLO Talk, Dr. Ruth Lane emphasized that many students especially in online or accelerated math courses arrive with high levels of anxiety. This isn’t just emotional discomfort; it directly interferes with learning. Students who are terrified of getting it wrong may avoid showing their work, posting in […]
by Jarek Janio, Ph.D. In traditional education, grades are often assumed to be the clearest reflection of what a student has learned. A transcript filled with A’s is taken as a signal of excellence; a transcript with withdrawals or failing grades is often interpreted as a lack of ability or commitment. But what if neither […]
Friday SLO Talk, March 28, 2025 by Jarek Janio, Ph.D. What happens when a high school science teacher turned innovation strategist turns his attention to the most overlooked asset in education—Student Learning Outcomes? In his Friday SLO Talk, Robert Bajor, founder and CEO of Micro Credential Multiverse, took us on a fast-paced, data-rich tour of […]
by Jarek Janio, Ph.D. Inspired by a recent Friday SLO Talk featuring Dr. Leslie Jennings, Missina Minter, Megan Zara, and Dr. Stacy Greathouse from The University of Texas at Arlington. When we picture course design and student learning outcome (SLO) assessment, the image is often solitary: an instructor sitting alone, revising a syllabus or mapping […]
By Jarek Janio, Ph.D. How many careers does one education prepare you for? If you’re still thinking in singular terms—a “job,” a “career path,” or a “major”—you may be designing Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for a world that no longer exists. As Robert Bajor, founder and CEO of Micro Credential Multiverse, reminded us in his […]
Friday SLO Talk 3/21/2025 By Jarek Janio, Ph.D. Panelists: Dr. Leslie Jennings, Nursing FacultyMissina Minter, Health Sciences LibrarianMegan Zara, OER LibrarianDr. Stacy Greathouse, Instructional Designer and Learning Architect What happens when a team of educators, librarians, and instructional designers challenge the norms of nursing education and set out to build a course around authentic student […]
AI, Questioning, and the Evolving Role of Faculty in Higher Education Artificial Intelligence (AI) is often described as “thinking for us,” which leads to compelling discussions about how faculty might shape its use in educational contexts. Although AI can generate answers to complex questions, the way it does so differs substantially from human thought. AI […]
Storytelling as Assessment (R)evolution: A Friday SLO Talk That Redefined How We Measure Learning There was a hum of anticipation in the air as Daphne Bernard from Howard University and Glenn Phillips from Watermark took to the virtual stage for what promised to be more than just a typical assessment discussion. The title alone—Storytelling as […]
Podcast about Will Miller’s presentation: In a riveting session, Dr. Will Miller, Associate Vice President for Continuous Improvement at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, shared his insights on how the future of education can be shaped through rigorous assessment and data-driven strategies. The theme of his talk revolved around the critical importance of aligning student learning outcomes […]