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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 […]

Micro-Credentials and the Hidden Curriculum: Surfacing the Unsung Skills

by Jarek Janio, Ph.D. Education is full of signals. Transcripts, GPA, course titles, and degrees all tell a story but not always the full story. At a recent Friday SLO Talk, Noah Geisel reminded us that much of what makes a student truly prepared for life and work is never reflected in these conventional signals. […]

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 […]

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 […]

Micro-Credentials and the Hidden Curriculum: Surfacing the Unsung Skills

by Jarek Janio, Ph.D. Education is full of signals. Transcripts, GPA, course titles, and degrees all tell a story but not always the full story. At a recent Friday SLO Talk, Noah Geisel reminded us that much of what makes a student truly prepared for life and work is never reflected in these conventional signals. […]

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 […]