Active Listening

This episode focuses on the article, "Evolution of Six Functions in the History of the Process Education Framework," by Cy Leise, Dan Apple, Wade Ellis, and Steve Beyerlein. It appeared in the International Journal of Process Education, Vol. 13, Issue 1 (2023).

This episode focuses on a classic International Journal of Process Education article (2020) by King-Berry, Ellis, and Apple. The article focuses on defining the qualities of a strong first-year student, including rubrics to assess student progress.

International Journal of Process Education (July 2020, Volume 11 Issue 1): Closing the College Readiness Gap: Tools for Preparing Students for College Success.

This episode provides insight into the article about Learning to Learn experiences and how they model principles of student learning. This article, by Apple, Leasure, Nelson, Ulbrich, and Woodbridge, focuses on the student success and learning gains that happen in Learning to Learn experiences over time.

https://www.ijpe.online/2020/universal.pdf

This episode recaps the 2026 Process Education Conference, the 20th annual event, which was held in conjunction with West Coast University's annual Academic Conference. Hear about some key session themes, and learn about how you can become more engaged with the International Academy of Process Educators and the 2027 conference.

This episode features ideas from the 2025 article by Leise, Apple, and Ellis, entitled The Self-Growth Journey: Transforming Mindset, Consciousness, and Motivation. This article outlines the relationship between growth and self-growth. By focusing on how mindset, consciousness, and motivation play specifi c roles for each anchor, the model resolves some of the concerns of practitioners about the complexity of the PE self-growth model while also making more transparent how a self-growth mindset, higher-order consciousness, and motives can be harmonized on an individual level to attain life aspirations possible only through self-growth.

https://www.ijpe.online/2025/self-growth-journey.pdf

This episode focused on the 2025 article by El-Sayed, Burke, Onodipe, Apple, and Ellis, exploring Deming's Cycle and turning it into a growth cycle for individuals and organizations. The original article can be found here: https://www.ijpe.online/2025/deming-growth-cycle.pdf.

This month’s podcast, "Prioritizing Human Connection Over Rigid Rules," explores the profound intersection between the philosophical foundations of proximity ethics and the practical framework of Process Education. Based on the article, "Between You and Me: A Comparison of Proximity Ethics and Process Education" by Hintze, Romann-Aas, and Aas, this exploration reveals that the educator-student relationship is not merely transactional but a face-to-face ethical encounter that carries an "irrecusable obligation" to care and a fundamental responsibility to facilitate student success. By comparing the works of thinkers like Buber and Løgstrup with Process Education methodologies, we see how moving to a learner-centered model requires educators to risk giving up control to foster authentic dialogue and mutual respect. This approach replaces traditional, objective "I-It" interactions with an "I-You" perspective that intentionally avoids prejudgment, using assessment-based feedback to meet the unique needs of the "Other". Ultimately, both proximity ethics and Process Education align in their mission to empower students toward full autonomy, helping them transition into independent "self-growers" capable of lifelong success.

In this episode, we share a structured approach to intentional self-growth through the Weekly Transition Methodology, which utilizes five distinct roles—Guide, Director, Coach, Scriptwriter, and Performer—to provide the necessary mindsets for effective action planning. This framework helps individuals overcome common challenges in self-regulation and goal setting by aligning specific cognitive perspectives with the 16 steps of the planning process, from reflecting on past insights to executing "in the moment" behaviors. By internalizing these roles, practitioners can move beyond reliance on external "self-help" and instead take full command of their own development, using an inner compass to align daily actions with a long-term vision of their ideal self. This deep dive explores how each role contributes to a synergistic system for continuous improvement, transforming weekly planning into a powerful tool for enhancing both productivity and overall quality of life.

In an age where knowledge is "fast, cheap, and always updating," the true differentiator for a busy professional is no longer what you know, but how effectively you can adapt and grow. This audio overview serves as a definitive guide to Process Education (PE), a performance-based philosophy that moves beyond the simple acquisition of information to focus on the continuous development of learning skills. By distilling decades of educational theory into a practical framework, this resource explains how to shift from a traditional culture of evaluation to an assessment culture—a move that is critical for anyone looking to improve the quality of their performance in a rapidly changing, experience-based economy.

You will be introduced to the "PE in a Nutshell" framework, which offers a streamlined methodology for performing, assessing, and growing to reach your unlimited potential. This overview is the single best source for learning how to become a "self-grower": an empowered individual who takes control of their own destiny, navigates ambiguity, and serves as a mentor to others. Whether you are looking to enhance your own capability or lead your organization through uncertainty, this recording provides the essential tools to help you become the "guide, director, coach, and scriptwriter" of your own professional journey.

In this episode of Active Listening, we dive into the essential question of why some individuals push themselves to their limits while others of equal intelligence do not. Research suggests that the defining quality shared by high achievers is grit, defined as "perseverance and passion for long-term goals". While standardized tests like the SAT are useful, studies indicate that grit and self-discipline are actually better predictors of success in college than IQ or test scores

We explore how educators can move beyond simply praising talent—which can actually harm student motivation—and instead foster a growth mindset

You will hear about the importance of teaching students that confusion and mistakes are a normal, expected part of the learning process rather than a sign of failure

This episode also examines the role of "tough love" in higher education. We discuss how creating a quality learning environment requires faculty to:

• Set high expectations that challenge students to move beyond their comfort zones
• Avoid "enabling behaviors" that create dependency, such as intervening too quickly when a student struggles
• Manage short-term failure so it serves as a catalyst for growth and long-term goal directedness
• Utilize peer interaction and common vocabulary to build a culture of character and resilience

Ultimately, student success is not an entitlement; it must be earned. By teaching students how to regulate their attention and emotions through deliberate practice, we empower them to reach their full potential.

To understand the necessity of high expectations, consider the high jumper: if an athlete successfully clears a bar at six feet, the coach must raise it to six feet and six inches to motivate a better performance

In the same way, academic excellence requires us to raise the bar for our students, providing them with the "stamina" to clear it.

This episode is based on the following sources:

• Faculty Guidebook 3.1.8 Letting Students Fail So They Can Succeed (by Jim Hadley) https://www.facultyguidebook.com/fgb/efgb4/modules/3/3_1_8.htm
• Developing Grit In Our Students: Why Grit is Such a Desirable Trait, and Practical Strategies for Teachers and Schools (by Jennifer Bashant) https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1081394.pdf