International
Cambodia’s failing education system | Even though higher education remains far beyond the reach of most rural and female youth, the gross enrolment rate in tertiary education among youths aged between 18 and 22 has improved significantly over the last 10 years from 4.9 to 20 percent, including among the poorest households (from 0.2 to 2.6 percent) and women (3.3 to 17.4 percent).
This is how the way the world measures success in education is changing | As PISA has developed, through seven global testing rounds every three years, with the first in 2000 and the most recent in 2018, for some it has gained a reputation as the “Olympics of education” given the widespread attention that country rankings receive following the release of results.
Creating inclusive curricula in higher education | An inclusive hidden curriculum promotes positive attitudes and acceptance of all groups and individuals whereas a non-inclusive hidden curriculum may unwittingly promote negative stereotypes and prejudice of others based on race, ethnicity, sex, gender, social class and other factors. The hidden curriculum, for instance, may be reflected in how faculty and university leaders interact with students, the types of services and extra-curricular activities that are offered (or not offered) to students to promote their well-being and whether the institution’s culture is welcoming, positive and reflective of the make-up of the student body.
U.S. National
Student loan debt crisis: How did we get here? | The explosion in the amount of student debt held by Americans was fueled by the financial crisis a decade ago, and economists warn the burden on borrowers threatens the economy as a whole as consumers struggle to repay their loans.
A Moral Stain on the Profession [subscription required] | As the humanities collapse, it’s time to name and shame the culprits [American Historical Association (AHA)].
Scholarly Associations Can’t Be Unions — It’s Illegal | To clear up likely misperceptions among Chronicle readers: The AHA officially supports the right of workers to organize, but the AHA can’t organize workers itself. That would be illegal.
Seniors seeking a college education may be indebted forever | Older people considering a second — or even first foray into college — should look beyond all the internet ads offering free, or virtually free, college tuition and ponder the following questions…
U.S. States
Iowa study links higher ed with community gains | The amount of education Iowans receive after high school can improve not only their standard of living, but also the communities in which they live, according to a new state study analyzing the impact of a postsecondary education.
Colorado Regents Pick Controversial Former Politician as System President | Glen Gallegos, one of the Republican board members, said he had heard a mix of reactions to Kennedy’s appointment, but felt comfortable with the candidate because the individual campuses already have solid leadership. “One person,” he said, “cannot move this university into the Dark Ages or into the future.”
Institutional
Do learning outcomes set institutions apart? | [L]earning outcomes are under scrutiny for their ability to help colleges prove they are helping students at a time when the cost of college is being called into question and alternative credentials offer new options for postsecondary education. Additionally, there have been calls for more accountability and data sharing of student success at the program level.
Study Analyzes Student Learning Outcome Statements and Assessments | While intellectual skills – which encompass reasoning, problem-solving and critical thinking – was the theme with the highest percentage of institutional-level outcomes listed at both types of schools and at the program level at four-year schools, it was second to technology at the program level at two-year schools, the study found.
Increasing ‘grit’ personality trait is possible, predicting college students’ improved academic success | Grit consists of two facets: perseverance of effort and consistency of interest, according to a 2007 Journal of Personality and Social Psychology article…Perseverance is the ability to continue through and overcome difficulty or failure. It allows a person to excel in an area where others would have given up when faced with obstacles.
Net Price Calculators Failing in Mission of Helping Students | In a new research brief published by the Alliance for Higher Education and Democracy (Penn AHEAD) at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, researchers found that schools often tuck the calculators into corners of their websites that make them impossible to find or have links to the calculators that use outdated expense data, misinform on the use of loan funding to cover costs, or don’t work consistently overall.
UIowa’s Afro House, A Safe Space for Black Students | Currently, Black students make up three percent of the university’s population of more than 33,000 students. A number of student and faculty organizations affiliate with Afro House such as the Black Student Union, the Caribbean and African Student Associations, Sista Speak, the Hubbard Scholars, several Black Greek Letter Organizations and the African American Council for faculty and staff.