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Friday SLO Talk – Connecting Programmatic Learning Objectives with Practice: Insights from an Analysis of Workforce-Based Assessments

In this Friday SLO Talk, John Moore and Phil Reeves from the National Board of Medical Examiners examine how medical schools assess student performance during real clinical work. Drawing on a multi-institutional study of workplace-based assessments, they analyze millions of evaluation records to explore how clinical competencies are measured in practice. Their findings raise important […]

Friday SLO Talk – Buggy Whips, Rocket Ships, or Total Eclipse?

Rethinking Higher Education in the Age of AIPresented by Dr. J.D. Mosley-Matchett In our first Friday SLO Talk of Spring 2026, Dr. J.D. Mosley-Matchett challenged us to move beyond reactionary thinking about artificial intelligence in higher education. Instead of asking whether AI is “good” or “bad,” she framed the moment through three powerful metaphors: Each […]

Revealing Hidden Time Constraints: How Workload Transparency Strengthens SLO Assessment

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. Imagine registering for a course that looks manageable only to find out halfway through that the reading load is crushing, the assignments are endless, and […]

Designing for Discovery: Credentialing as a Tool for Human Connection

by Jarek Janio, Ph.D. What if credentials weren’t just about certifying completion—but about catalyzing connection? At a recent Friday SLO Talk, Noah Geisel delivered a compelling challenge to how we think about digital credentials, student learning outcomes, and the very role of recognition in education. In his words, badges and micro-credentials are not products—they are […]

Designing with Depth: A Dialogue on AI, Assessment, and Learning Outcomes Beyond Bloom

by Jarek Janio, Ph.D. In higher education, conversations about learning outcomes often orbit one central framework: Bloom’s Taxonomy. It’s ubiquitous in curriculum design, accreditation rubrics, and faculty workshops. But what if Bloom isn’t enough? At a recent Friday SLO Talk, Dr. Gavin Henning encouraged educators to think beyond traditional cognitive frameworks. He introduced alternative taxonomies […]

Humanizing the Online Math Environment to Prompt Demonstrable Skills

by Jarek Janio, Ph.D. In an era of AI tools, auto-graded quizzes, and self-paced asynchronous content, it’s easy to assume that a well-designed course can teach itself. But what Ruth Lane, Program Director of Mathematics at South University, made abundantly clear in her Friday SLO Talk is that students don’t learn from design they learn […]

The “Holy Hail” Standard: Why Every SLO Should Echo Across Your Course

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 […]

Observable Confidence: Reducing Math Anxiety to Elicit Demonstrable Learning

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 […]

From Grades to Recognition: Shifting the Narrative of Student Learning

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 – Connecting Programmatic Learning Objectives with Practice: Insights from an Analysis of Workforce-Based Assessments

In this Friday SLO Talk, John Moore and Phil Reeves from the National Board of Medical Examiners examine how medical schools assess student performance during real clinical work. Drawing on a multi-institutional study of workplace-based assessments, they analyze millions of evaluation records to explore how clinical competencies are measured in practice. Their findings raise important […]

Friday SLO Talk – Buggy Whips, Rocket Ships, or Total Eclipse?

Rethinking Higher Education in the Age of AIPresented by Dr. J.D. Mosley-Matchett In our first Friday SLO Talk of Spring 2026, Dr. J.D. Mosley-Matchett challenged us to move beyond reactionary thinking about artificial intelligence in higher education. Instead of asking whether AI is “good” or “bad,” she framed the moment through three powerful metaphors: Each […]

Designing for Discovery: Credentialing as a Tool for Human Connection

by Jarek Janio, Ph.D. What if credentials weren’t just about certifying completion—but about catalyzing connection? At a recent Friday SLO Talk, Noah Geisel delivered a compelling challenge to how we think about digital credentials, student learning outcomes, and the very role of recognition in education. In his words, badges and micro-credentials are not products—they are […]

Designing with Depth: A Dialogue on AI, Assessment, and Learning Outcomes Beyond Bloom

by Jarek Janio, Ph.D. In higher education, conversations about learning outcomes often orbit one central framework: Bloom’s Taxonomy. It’s ubiquitous in curriculum design, accreditation rubrics, and faculty workshops. But what if Bloom isn’t enough? At a recent Friday SLO Talk, Dr. Gavin Henning encouraged educators to think beyond traditional cognitive frameworks. He introduced alternative taxonomies […]

Humanizing the Online Math Environment to Prompt Demonstrable Skills

by Jarek Janio, Ph.D. In an era of AI tools, auto-graded quizzes, and self-paced asynchronous content, it’s easy to assume that a well-designed course can teach itself. But what Ruth Lane, Program Director of Mathematics at South University, made abundantly clear in her Friday SLO Talk is that students don’t learn from design they learn […]

The “Holy Hail” Standard: Why Every SLO Should Echo Across Your Course

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 […]

Observable Confidence: Reducing Math Anxiety to Elicit Demonstrable Learning

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 […]

From Grades to Recognition: Shifting the Narrative of Student Learning

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 […]