Ten with Ken (Video)

In September, the 10K crew went on location to the 2017 Ontario Universities' Fair, to interview a dozen higher ed leaders about trends in innovation.

Sara Diamond has worked in higher education for 3 decades, at BC's Emily Carr University of Art + Design, Alberta's Banff Centre, and Ontario's OCAD University, where she has been President since 2005. In this special bonus episode, edited to 10 minutes, Ken asks Sara 3 key questions about higher ed innovation.

Innovations at OCAD?

Sara proudly points to OCADU's new Academic Plan, which brings together STEAM+D – Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (or Medicine) with Art and Design in a powerful interdisciplinary combination. All OCAD students will be provided with basic programming skills so they can be "digital citizens." OCADU also has a strong focus on Indigenous knowledge, culture and creativity, and "decolonization" is OCAD's first guiding principle. OCAD has diversified its curriculum and built a cosmopolitan campus, with international students from around the world. And OCAD is opening several new buildings, including the waterfront Campus for the Connected World, and the Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers, both of which will focus on new experiential and work-integrated learning opportunities for students. OCAD's business incubator for recent graduates, the Imagination Catalyst, has a very high success rate launching new ventures. And OCAD is partnering with UOIT to bring together design and hard science for STEAM+D.

The Decade Ahead?

Over the next decade, Sara predicts a world of continuous learning in which universities offer increasingly flexible degrees, badges and stackable microcredentials, as well as flexible timetables for working and entrepreneurial students. Digital delivery will intensify, but the "sociality" of learning will continue to bring students together in one place to learn. She also anticipates some really dynamic "international aggregates of institutions" offering students trans-national learning experiences and credentials. And Sara projects ongoing and increasing investment in "blue-sky" investigator-driven research, and the increasing importance of artificial intelligence in the "expressive economy."

Culture of Innovation?

Sara emphasizes that university leaders must support the integration of research and teaching, and maintain curricular openness to new learning. They must be "militant proponents of diversity", be highly collaborative across campus, and also reinforce the "porosity" of the university, building partnerships with industry and external organizations to help build their communities. Ultimately, Sara observes, university research can help solve the world's big problems, so long as we stay "at the coal face" of the real world.

Watch for more interviews soon, or to be sure you don't miss them, join more than 15,000 Ten with Ken subscribers and followers on any of a dozen platforms. Stay in the Loop by subscribing to our free email newsletter at http://eduvation.ca/subscribe/

In September, the 10K crew went on location to the 2017 Ontario Universities' Fair, to interview a dozen higher ed leaders about trends in innovation.

Pierre Zundel has served as a university leader for almost a decade, first as President of the University of Sudbury (2009-2016), then as Provost and VP Academic at Laurentian University (2016-17), and since August 2017 as Laurentian's Interim President. In this special bonus episode, edited to 8 minutes, Ken asks Pierre 3 key questions about higher ed innovation.

Innovations at Laurentian?

First and foremost, Laurentian has been a leader in introducing Indigenous content across the curriculum, has more than 25 indigenous faculty members, and a spectacular new Indigenous Sharing & Learning Centre. Laurentian has recently completed an ambitious renovation of more than 60 classrooms and labs, and created a new Welcome Centre to integrate student services. Laurentian excels at developing college pathways and partnerships, particularly with Cambrian College and Collège Boréal in Sudbury.

The Decade Ahead?

Over the next decade, Pierre predicts that all Canadian universities will be working to figure out the part they can play in reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Moreover, universities will become more "porous," with more community and industry connections, more work-integrated learning and co-op education – particularly in programs like the Arts, where co-op has been uncommon in the past. Pierre anticipates growth in student mental health programs, open textbooks, blended delivery, just-in-time tutoring, and predictive analytics based on "big data" to launch early interventions and student supports.

Culture of Innovation?

Pierre identifies 3 things campus leaders can do to foster a culture of innovation. 1) Firstly, leaders can showcase good innovative ideas or good attempts, whether successful or not. 2) Secondly, they can run interference, helping to create space for innovation by preventing resistance from shutting it down early. 3) And thirdly, leaders have to make it possible to fail, so that we learn from failed attempts instead of focusing on laying blame.

Pierre emphasizes that universities may be "as conservative as cats" but they are also hugely creative places!

Watch for more interviews soon, or to be sure you don't miss them, join more than 15,000 Ten with Ken subscribers and followers on any of a dozen platforms. Stay in the Loop by subscribing to our free email newsletter at http://eduvation.ca/subscribe/

In September, the 10K crew went on location to the 2017 Ontario Universities' Fair, to interview a dozen higher ed leaders about trends in innovation.

Catherine Newell Kelly was appointed Registrar at the University of Waterloo just a month before this interview, after serving for two decades as Director of Waterloo's Centre for Extended Learning, as well as stints as Executive Director of eCampus Ontario and President of CAUCE and OCULL. In this special bonus episode, edited to 7 minutes, Ken asks Cathy 3 key questions.

Innovations at Waterloo?

Cathy emphasizes Waterloo's liberal intellectual property policies, and its roots in co-operative education, and its co-op program has grown to be the largest in Canada, with students earning $253 million a year. Waterloo is pushing the envelope to make experiential learning more flexible, like the EDGE experiential learning certificate program for non-co-op students. Waterloo's Velocity is the largest free start-up incubator in the world. After 50 years in online learning, Waterloo is exploring Labster and Riipen to bring laboratory and co-op work experiences to online students.

The Decade Ahead?

Cathy predicts that university-business partnerships will become much more important, with the government's emphasis on work-integrated learning. Transformative research, which changes what we know, will grow, and interdisciplinarity will continue to drive research and teaching. Universities will also need to enhance the flexibility of program delivery and structure for adult learners and working students.

Culture of Innovation?

Cathy believes that senior leadership has to foster a culture of entrepreneurship on campus, in which students, staff and faculty feel safe enough to take strategic risks.

Watch for more interviews soon, or to be sure you don't miss them, join more than 15,000 Ten with Ken subscribers and followers on any of a dozen platforms. Stay in the Loop by subscribing to our free email newsletter at http://eduvation.ca/subscribe/

In September, the 10K crew went on location to the 2017 Ontario Universities' Fair, to interview a dozen higher ed leaders about trends in innovation.

Alan Wildeman has served as the President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Windsor for a full decade. (He was appointed in July 2008 and recently announced his retirement for the end of June 2018.) In this special bonus episode, edited to 7 minutes, Ken asks Alan 3 key questions.

Innovations at Windsor?

Alan points to his university's community engagement and new downtown facilities in heritage buildings. Innovative cross-border collaborative degrees with the University of Detroit-Mercy, such as the dual juris doctor (law degree) and Visual Arts – Architecture pathways. And the Sexual Assault Bystander Initiative, piloted last year, which will be rolled out to every incoming first-year student by Fall 2018.

The Decade Ahead?

Alan predicts steadily increasing interdisciplinarity, such as between computing and automotive engineering, or environmental science and the social sciences. He also observes that the steadily growing diversity of Canada and of its campuses, particularly the University of Windsor, will become a major engine of innovation in academe and the economy.

Culture of Innovation?

Alan observes that university leaders don't have all the answers, but need to set the conditions and context for creative people to unleash their own potential for innovation. For example, Windsor's SPF50 Strategic Priorities Fund is allowing them to hire 50 tenure-track faculty in priority areas, injecting fresh ideas and new diversity among the faculty. Windsor has also put in place a $1 million curriculum reform and development fund, to conduct market research, develop new courses and interdisciplinary programs.

Watch for more interviews soon, or to be sure you don't miss them, join more than 15,000 Ten with Ken subscribers and followers on any of a dozen platforms. Stay in the Loop by subscribing to our free email newsletter at http://eduvation.ca/subscribe/

Ken Steele interviews 12 university presidents and senior administrators about the innovations most likely to transform higher education over the coming decade, for a series called "Towards 2028."

In this episode, we discuss active learning pedagogies and classrooms, online and blended delivery, immersive telepresence, virtual reality and augmented reality, and the centrality of libraries to an institution-wide strategic approach to IT planning. We hear about pilot projects at the University of Waterloo testing Labster, a VR simulation of a chemistry lab, and Riipen, an online clearinghouse of work experience opportunities for students.

The annual Ten with Ken Holiday Special "wraps up" its survey of more than 200 college and university holiday greeting videos from around the world, with examples from Austria to Australia, New Zealand to New England!

This week in Part 3, we look at dramatic presentations for comic or heartwarming effect, from parodies of classic movies to political satire, feel-good messages about community, gifts of cheer, and acts of charity. To overcome the weaknesses of amateur acting ability, we see holiday mannequin challenges, mascots and puppies, and the self-deprecation of ugly holiday sweaters.

In particular, we acknowledge some "best in class" videos from last Christmas:

Situation Comedy: The Stockton University (New Jersey) "ITS Holiday Card" stages a tongue-in-cheek sit-com featuring the evil genius behind "elf on the shelf." https://youtu.be/PlpcOcFtOu8

Holiday Mannequin Challenges: The University of Glasgow (Scotland) stages an elaborate mannequin challenge across several floors and several buildings, all in a single take. https://youtu.be/cA5qew3K310

Feel-Good Messages: The University of Waterloo Faculty of Environment launches a "challenge" to faculty and staff, with a sentimental twist ending worthy of Dr Seuss' Grinch. https://youtu.be/40rZpjU2Jtg

Holiday Sentiments: Central Penn College's heartwarming video based on a poem composed by one of its professors, "We Are Season's Greetings." https://youtu.be/kmFtkgqLuYI

Acts of Charity: George Mason University (in Virginia) produced "Mason Spreads the Joy," last year's best-produced and best-acted video about students buying and sharing toys with underprivileged children. https://youtu.be/sHGDXHCGqrQ

Honorable mentions to:

Tucker Garborg, a film student at NYU, for his satirical ballad, "Christmas in College". (Definitely worth a look!) https://youtu.be/6VhGCxWhtxI

Bow Valley College's new certificates in Egg-Nog Mixology and Regifting – complete with a website to generate the certificate! https://youtu.be/O651Dc3Eh8Q

Griffith University's School of Government and International Relations for professor John Kane's musical number, "A Very Trumpy Christmas." https://youtu.be/1CQx4kxw4PI

University of Utah Health Care, "Holiday Greeting" year-in-review mannequin challenge. https://youtu.be/JAVZyugLbBs

To find the full list of 2016 Youtube videos reviewed for this episode, check out our playlist at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLodJ8ParJmYW50HvU2lrHm_DURpmz8jqk

We've also started assembling a list of 2017 videos for next year's special, at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLodJ8ParJmYVmGMsmXoJqATfMohQ5cEYb

If you have a video to ADD, use this link and you can add it yourself! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLodJ8ParJmYVmGMsmXoJqATfMohQ5cEYb&jct=MSL7F_rVRIvGlRjnrkq5ZNy_vdTZ-Q

We'll be back in the new year with more interviews with university leaders from the Ontario Universities' Fair, and several episodes based on our excursion to Simon Fraser University!

To be sure you don't miss them, please subscribe to our channel! www.TenWithKen.com

All best wishes for a peaceful holiday, and a happy and prosperous new year!

Yours, Ken

The annual Ten with Ken Holiday Special continues its survey of more than 200 college and university holiday greeting videos from around the world, with examples from Austria to Australia, New Zealand to New England!

This week in Part 2 (of 3), we look at Holiday Shout-Outs, Cute Kids, Parody Carols, Singalongs, Carpool Karaoke, and the talented student choirs and bands that contribute to some beautiful, peaceful greetings. In particular, we acknowledge some "best in class" videos from last Christmas:

Multicultural Shout-Outs: The University of La Verne (in California) encourages us all to "Celebrate Together" despite our superficial differences in a moving message of peace. https://youtu.be/runZqiJrr8I

Holiday Games: Pueblo Community College (in Colorado) asked pairs of staff to play the "Naughty or Nice" game, in which they are surprised by sweet or decidedly sour jelly beans. Part 1 - https://youtu.be/cnUznSZ7F-Q Part 2 - https://youtu.be/gclNjAaxKvw

'Twas the Night Before Christmas: Western Kentucky University produced an amusing vignette about its president encountering a mysterious visitor in red. https://youtu.be/51epgzybMo0

Childlike Spirit: West Virginia University presents "Chaos on the Set!" thanks to a bunch of little helpers. https://youtu.be/T_a7umQkjEs

Holiday Singalongs: Elon University (in North Carolina) produced a very polished, uplifting a capella version of several favourite carols, using voices from across campus. https://youtu.be/Bx9b9P1fTes

Carpool Karaoke: Pennsylvania's Juniata College released a series of 7 separate videos of staff and senior administrators carpooling with President Troha, and singing along to holiday classics. https://youtu.be/0TK4oRq3p_g

Parody Carols: Coastal Carolina University (in South Carolina) produced a slick, well choreographed adaptation of "Deck the Halls". https://youtu.be/66j1LlAMgaQ

Moving Songs: United World College USA Montezuma (in New Mexico) released a holiday video produced by its international students, and featuring the music of Kaamya Sharma and Iqbaal Ramadhan. https://youtu.be/CkMnMyapGXY

To find the full list of 2016 Youtube videos reviewed for this episode, check out our playlist at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLodJ8ParJmYW50HvU2lrHm_DURpmz8jqk

We've also started assembling a list of 2017 videos for next year's special, at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLodJ8ParJmYVmGMsmXoJqATfMohQ5cEYb

This is just part 2 – next time we'll look at some comic and sentimental storytelling videos, and much more! To be sure you don't miss it, subscribe to our channel! www.TenWithKen.com

The annual Ten with Ken Holiday Special begins its survey of more than 200 college and university holiday greeting videos from around the world, with examples from Austria to Australia, New Zealand to New England!

This week in Part 1 (of 3), Ken looks at examples ranging from snowy campuses to snowball fights, decorating students to decorated students, lights on campus to majestic feasts, gingerbread doctors to gingerbread campuses, and more! In particular, he acknowledges some "best in class" videos from last Christmas:

Holiday Lights on Campus: Loyola University (Chicago) "Merry Christmas" portrays a beautiful campus at night. https://youtu.be/8fgj2oOtwDc

Decorating: Humber College (Ontario), "Interior Decorating at Winter Festival of Lights" combines student talents, work placements and even employer testimonials! https://youtu.be/quRG7gmCES8

Showcasing Talents: Southeast Missouri State University, "Happy Holidays" shows us a group of academic deans deciding to make a holiday video based on "So You Think You Can Dance"! https://youtu.be/W3n95aJcXhc

Holiday Feasts: George Brown College (Toronto), "Happy Holidays" shows us traditional family recipes created by culinary arts students from around the world. https://youtu.be/8f2gd6x-Ifk

Gingerbread: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, "Happy Holidays from Chancellor Carol L Foit" beautifully portrays the creation of a scale model cupola that looks good enough to eat! https://youtu.be/bvIuwA3i7p4

To find the full list of 2016 Youtube videos reviewed for this episode, check out our playlist at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLodJ8ParJmYW50HvU2lrHm_DURpmz8jqk

We've also started assembling a list of 2017 videos for next year's special, at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLodJ8ParJmYVmGMsmXoJqATfMohQ5cEYb

This is just part 1 – next time we'll look at the musical talents of student choirs and bands, some "Holiday Shout-Out" videos, and much more! To be sure you don't miss it, subscribe to our channel! www.TenWithKen.com

"Ten with Ken" continues from the 2017 Ontario Universities' Fair. In part 3 of a 3-part series, Ken Steele talks to a dozen Ontario university leaders about creating the environment on-campus in which creative thinking, entrepreneurship and innovation mindset can flourish. In discussion, these senior administrators identified 10 key ways to help foster an environment more amenable to innovation, including ideas about people, special initiatives, organizational values and culture.

Part 1 explored ways to foster meaningful dialogue on campus, and to listen to campus stakeholders, including front-line staff and particularly students. (See part 1 at https://youtu.be/Ttb-6rj_fb0 )

"Ten with Ken" continues from the 2017 Ontario Universities' Fair. In part 3 of a 3-part series, Ken Steele talks to a dozen Ontario university leaders about creating the environment on-campus in which creative thinking, entrepreneurship and innovation mindset can flourish. In discussion, these senior administrators identified 10 key ways to help foster an environment more amenable to innovation, including ideas about people, special initiatives, organizational values and culture.

Part 1 explored ways to foster meaningful dialogue on campus, and to listen to campus stakeholders, including front-line staff and particularly students. (See part 1 at https://youtu.be/Ttb-6rj_fb0 )

Part 2 continued by looking at 4 more important ways to foster an innovation culture, including seeking diverse and international perspectives, promoting openness and trust, recognizing and sharing innovative practices, and helping to clear the path for innovators, running interference against the forces of resistance on campus. (See part 2 at https://youtu.be/Qi4gtUAdxMw )

In this episode, we hear the final 4 recommendations, which are in many ways the most significant for senior campus administrators:

7) Promote strategic partnerships.

Several leaders emphasized the importance of "porosity" and connection with external communities, organizations, private sector companies and other kinds of educational institutions in order to bring innovative new perspectives and fast-track innovation on campus.

8) Use budget levers to support innovation.

Sometimes it comes down to money, to provide appropriate new spaces, resources, faculty release time, incentives, and promotion of innovative new ideas. But leaders need to be cautious what they incentivize, and of course it can be difficult to shift budget away from traditional departments and programs.

9) Hire for innovation.

In many ways, it all comes down to hiring, and senior administrators have a crucial responsibility to hire VPs, Deans, and others for status quo or for change. Finding the resources to hire more young faculty members, and hiring for diverse perspectives, are crucial ways to nurture innovation.

10) Accept some risk of failure.

Academic culture has a thousand-year tradition of excellence and perfectionism. In many ways the whole system is designed to reject or suppress radical change, and that very risk aversion may be the biggest challenge going forward. To promote experimentation and innovation on campus, leaders have to reduce the stigma of failure, stop assigning blame, and promote measured, informed risk-taking. Out-of-the-box thinkers often stumble in the early stages, but will wind up making the most significant contributions to their fields over a whole career.

We will continue this discussion in an upcoming episode from the campus of Simon Fraser University.

Special thanks to the university spokespeople who took time with us at the OUF. Their insights are reduced to sound bytes in this "essay" episode, but we will soon be releasing their individual interviews as standalone "bonus" episodes:

Algoma University – Acting President Celia Ross Brock University – Provost Thomas Dunk Carleton University – VP Enrollment Management Janice O'Farrell Lakehead University – President Brian Stevenson Laurentian University – Interim President Pierre Zundel Nipissing University – President Mike DeGagné OCAD University – President Sara Diamond Queen's University – Provost Benoit-Antoine Bacon Trent University – President Leo Groarke University of Waterloo – President Feridun Hamdullahpur (previously released) University of Waterloo – Registrar Cathy Newell-Kelly University of Windsor – President Alan Wildeman

Thanks also to my patient videographer, John Matthias, and to Deanna Underwood and the organizers of the OUF for allowing us to keep coming back!

"Ten with Ken" continues from the 2017 Ontario Universities' Fair. In part 2 of a 3-part series, Ken Steele talks to a dozen Ontario university leaders about creating the environment on-campus in which creative thinking, entrepreneurship and innovation mindset can flourish. In discussion, these senior administrators identified 10 key ways to help foster an environment more amenable to innovation, including ideas about people, special initiatives, organizational values and culture.

Part 1 explored ways to foster meaningful dialogue on campus, and to listen to campus stakeholders, including front-line staff and particularly students. (See part 1 at https://youtu.be/Ttb-6rj_fb0 )

In this episode, we hear the next 4 recommendations:

3) Seek diverse global perspectives. Many leaders emphasize that diverse perspectives, and international experiences, help to prompt new ideas and out-of-the-box thinking. We should be "militant proponents of diversity", and should encourage staff, faculty and students to travel abroad.

4) Foster openness, transparency and trust. "Insecurity does not breed courage." Staff and faculty need a level of trust, often born of collegiality, for them to be open to new ideas and new ways of doing things. In particular, the university board and senate need strong channels of communication and cooperation.

5) Recognize and share innovative practices. Innovation often occurs at the periphery, in pilot projects or experimental institutes. Leaders need to "showcase" innovators, even when their efforts have not been successful. Centres for Teaching and Learning offer best practices and the exchange of ideas among faculty. With luck, good ideas and an openness to change will become contagious.

6) Clear the path for innovators. Senior leadership can't push a top-down innovation agenda, but they can help prevent the institution from "pushing back" against new ideas. Policies need change. Resisters need reassurance. Innovators need authority. Senior admin can "run interference" like a football running back. Often innovators are difficult people for others to deal with, and leaders need to disarm the forces of resistance and negotiate a truce on campus.

Those are the first 6 ideas – but there are 4 more! Stay tuned for part 3, or subscribe to ensure you don't miss it. http://eduvation.ca/subscribe/

Special thanks to the university spokespeople who took time with us at the OUF. Their insights are reduced to sound bytes in this "essay" episode, but we will soon be releasing their individual interviews as standalone "bonus" episodes:

Algoma University – Acting President Celia Ross Brock University – Provost Thomas Dunk Carleton University – VP Enrollment Management Janice O'Farrell Lakehead University – President Brian Stevenson Laurentian University – Interim President Pierre Zundel Nipissing University – President Mike DeGagné OCAD University – President Sara Diamond Queen's University – Provost Benoit-Antoine Bacon Trent University – President Leo Groarke University of Waterloo – President Feridun Hamdullahpur (previously released) University of Waterloo – Registrar Cathy Newell-Kelly University of Windsor – President Alan Wildeman

Thanks also to my patient videographer, John Matthias, and to Deanna Underwood and the organizers of the OUF for allowing us to keep coming back!