Centering Centers

What does it mean to lead from the center, and why should educational development be central to the future of higher education?

In this episode of Centering Centers, we talk with POD Network President Jon Iuzzini and Past President Carl S. Moore about their paths into educational development, their experiences leading POD, and the role of teaching and learning centers in helping institutions fulfill their missions.

Drawing on their AAC&U workshop, Educational Development as a Site of Institutional Strategy, Jon and Carl discuss why educational development should be recognized as essential institutional infrastructure and how our work connects to student success and public trust in higher education. They also share a behind-the-scenes look at serving as POD president and reflect on the importance of professional community.

With the POD Network's annual conference approaching, the conversation offers an opportunity to reflect on the value of our work and the people who make this community what it is.

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In this twelfth bite-sized episode of PodBites, Adam Barger talks with Meg Konkel from Fordham University about scaling impact as a center of one. In just a few minutes, Meg shares five practical insights for thinking strategically about where to focus your efforts and how to reach beyond individual faculty consultations. From partnering with departments and supporting institutional initiatives to making room for dialogue, she explores how one person can support meaningful change while recognizing the value of walking alongside faculty without having all the answers.

This episode was edited and produced by Royzoner of the Studio for Teaching & Learning Innovation at William & Mary.

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What could students teach us about teaching?

In this episode of Centering Centers, we talk with Alison Cook-Sather from Bryn Mawr College about student-faculty partnership and the expertise students bring to educational development. Alison shares how the Students as Learners and Teachers (SaLT) program positions students as consultants who observe classes and meet with faculty, creating space for reflection outside traditional roles. We explore power, faculty mindset, and what it takes to build partnerships that are honest and supportive. The conversation invites educational developers to ask what we currently do for students that we might instead do with them.

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What if we designed faculty development around the same learning principles we encourage faculty to use in their classrooms? In this episode of PodBites, host Adam Barger welcomes Tracy Kwock from Radford University, who shares five practical tips for making professional development more engaging and meaningful. From starting with real problems to giving participants opportunities to do the work themselves, Tracy encourages educational developers to practice what they preach and make faculty active participants in their own learning.
This episode was edited and produced by Royzoner of the Studio forTeaching & Learning Innovation at William & Mary.

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What happens when one of college football’s fiercest rivalries becomes an opportunity to think together? In this episode of Centering Centers, we talk with Dr. Katherine Chiou from the University of Alabama and Dr. Lindsay Doukopoulos from Auburn University about creating the AI Ethics Iron Bowl. They explain how the Ethics Bowl moves beyond a traditional pro-and-con debate, asking students to investigate complex cases, question their assumptions, and respond thoughtfully to perspectives that differ from their own. Along the way, we explore what this approach can teach us about intellectual humility, authentic learning, and creating space for better conversations about AI. Katie and Lindsay also share how the experience transformed their students and how educators can adapt the model on scales both large and small.

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In this tenth bite-sized episode of PodBites, Adam Barger talks with DeElla Wiley from Auburn University about what science fiction can teach us about educational development. In just a few minutes, DeElla shares five lessons for approaching teaching and learning work with imagination, curiosity, and care, from starting with “what if?” to recognizing uneven futures, understanding that technology is never just technology, making small changes, and remembering that the human story is the point.

This episode was edited and produced by Roy W. Petersen.

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What happens when higher education moves faster than we have time to think? In this episode of Centering Centers, we talk with Adam Barger about curiosity, agency, digital fluency, and what it means to keep humans at the center of conversations about AI. Adam reflects on why higher education can sometimes approach AI from a “hunger mindset,” rushing toward new tools and possibilities before fully considering what we actually need from them. Throughout the conversation, we explore curiosity as a deeply human trait, the role of agency in teaching and learning, and why conversations about AI should include wisdom, character, relationships, and perspective-taking alongside technical skills. We also talk about educational development, communities of practice, and the value of creating spaces where faculty can wrestle with difficult questions together.

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In this ninth bite-sized episode of PodBites, Adam Barger talks with Stephanie Whalen from Harper College about developing a culture of faculty engagement that actually takes hold across an institution. In this quick conversation, Stephanie shares five practical insights drawn from her experience building high levels of faculty participation in teaching and learning initiatives. From understanding campus culture and leveraging faculty as leaders, to creating conditions for collaboration, encouraging creativity and innovation, and sustaining relationships through moments of tension, this episode offers concrete strategies educational developers can use to build engagement that lasts.

This episode was edited and produced by Roy W. Petersen.

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In this episode of Centering Centers, we talk with Thomas Tobin about what it means to build a teaching and learning center from the ground up and what happens when that work is shaped by listening, context, and collaboration. Drawing on his recent experience working with a university in the Philippines, Tom shares how a center can grow from “a name on a door” into something that actively supports teaching across an institution.

Throughout the conversation, we explore how teaching extends beyond the classroom into everyday interactions across campus, why starting with what people are already doing well matters, and how small, immediate changes can lead to meaningful shifts in practice. We also talk about universal design for learning at scale, the challenges of defining and evaluating teaching, and what it looks like to design for the realities students actually experience.

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In this eighth bite-sized episode of PodBites, Adam Barger talks with Shauna Mayo from Brightpoint Community College about making course alignment feel manageable for faculty. In this quick conversation, Shauna shares five practical insights to help design courses that actually support student learning. From starting with outcomes instead of assignments and making assessments measurable, to mixing up assessment types, aligning practice with evaluation, and using feedback as a learning tool, this episode offers concrete strategies educational developers and faculty can use right away.

This episode was edited and produced by Roy W. Petersen.

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