News in brief

Inclusive classroom. Erik Day describes teaching at Beacon College, the first accredited institution of higher learning to award bachelor's degrees exclusively to students with dyslexia, ADHD, or other specific learning disabilities. (The 'Q' Blog)

Tech ban? A professor offers a balanced approach in the debate about allowing laptops in the classroom. (Vitae)

Bite-sized courses. Two states have revised their remedial education programs to replace courses with modules, allowing students to complete work in smaller increments. (EdSurge)

No GPAs. Jonathan Lash, the president of Hampshire College, explains why his school uses a "narrative-evaluation" system rather than grading student work. (Hechinger Report)

Labor of love. President Michael Sorrell shares how he turned around Paul Quinn College, in part by using a program where students' internships defray the cost of attendance. (Washington Monthly)

Skills vs. content. A lecturer argues that we should stop debating the relative values of teaching skills or content because students need both to maintain learning over the long term. (Vitae)

Interactive teacher. Kansas State professor Gregory Eiselein, who is featured in ACUE’s Course in Effective Teaching, is profiled for his work in the classroom, spearheading a program for first-year students, and bringing his research into the classroom. (The Collegian)

Taught to learn. Research looking at why students who did well in high school fail to thrive in college found that noncognitive skills, like study habits, may be the difference between success and failure. (Washington Post)

Speaking up. A professor of business offers four tips for supporting foreign students’ participation in the classroom, including understanding the challenges the students are facing. (Inside Higher Ed)