Higher education news and this week's update on the ACUE Community Forums

The Q Newsletter

February 4, 2016

Good morning and happy February! This week, higher education news making headlines includes an MIT professor's bold departure, tips on running effective exam review sessions, and a new project to make the first year of college a smoother transition.

Plus, Dr. Linda Nilson shares advice for warding off "stage fright" in response to a question from an aspiring instructor in ACUE's discussion forums. Watch the videos here.

News in brief
The latest higher education news and opinions.

Not studying harder, not gaining more work experience, and not choosing a different major are what graduates regret most about their college experience, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center. (The Atlantic)

Alternate Reality Learning Experiences (ARLE) offer online game scenarios for faculty participating in professional development at Saint Leo University. (Campus Technology)

Professor Christine Ortiz is stepping down from her post as dean for graduate education at MIT to found a new residential research university where project-based learning will be the cornerstone of the school’s educational model. (The Tech)

Both lawmakers and observers are doubtful that an overdue overhaul of federal education policy will be coming this election year. (Inside Higher Ed)

The best kinds of exam review sessions are the ones where students do the reviewing. Collaborating with classmates, study strategies, and crib sheets are among the ways to ensure effective reviews. (Faculty Focus)

The American Association of State Colleges and Universities announced a project to work with 44 of its member institutions to substantially change students' experience during their first year of college. (Inside Higher Ed)

Public universities are shifting their focus to out-of-state applicants to compensate for diminishing state funding. (Washington Post)

Three universities across the United States are collaborating on a new program aimed at increasing Hispanic faculty. (The 'Q' Blog)

Setting clear expectations before a group assignment and randomly choosing groups to share their findings help to make debriefing time less about individual reports and more about deepening the learning. (Faculty Focus)

A lack of institutional support during pregnancy and sexist slurs were among the challenges that a female professor says she has had to put up with during her time in academia. (Quora)

The teaching and learning experience in the classroom was a major theme at AAC&U's Annual Meeting in Washington, DC, last month. (The 'Q' Blog)

On the Forums: Fending of Stage Fright

In this week’s update on the ACUE Forums, a prospective professor wants to be well prepared for her first day of class as an instructor.

Dr. Linda Nilson, founding director of Clemson University’s Office of Teaching Effectiveness and Innovation, explains that nervousness is something all novice instructors have to manage as they get started. One way to reduce that anxiety is to be overly prepared on the first day. Read the full story and watch videos of Dr. Nilson on the topic.