The Signal

By Jeff Dillon

With more than 450,000 downloads, The Signal is the podcast for higher education’s innovative leaders.

Hosted by Jeff Dillon, The Signal cuts through the noise of the "status quo" to bring you the st... more

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How many episodes does The Signal have?

The podcast currently has 97 episodes available.

The Signal episodes:

December 26, 2025Ep. 67 - NYU's Erin Callihan: Real AI Strategy for Higher Ed
This week on EdTech Connect, host Jeff Dillon sits down with Erin Callihan, AVP of Strategic Marketing at NYU and a powerhouse who blends law, design, and deep tech strategy. They dive into the ever-expanding AI toolbox that's reshaping how higher ed professionals work.
Erin shares her latest favorite tools—from Google Gemini's surprising slide design capabilities and Napkin AI for instant data viz to Notebook LM's powerful research features. She gets practical about how AI is saving her team significant time on everything from analyzing survey data to identifying fonts from a screenshot. The conversation tackles the big questions: How do we maintain an authentic, human voice while scaling content with AI? What's the right pace for developing university-wide AI policy? And how can professionals in "high-risk" areas like advancement and fundraising get started safely? Tune in for a masterclass in practical AI adoption from one of higher ed's most creative and strategic minds.

Key Takeaways
AI is Built into the Tools You Already Use: The most powerful and accessible AI is often integrated into existing platforms. Leverage the AI functions in Google Sheets, Gemini, and Notebook LM for data analysis, research, and content creation before seeking out standalone apps.
Start with Low-Risk, High-Impact Tasks: To build comfort and demonstrate value, begin with AI on "low-risk" tasks. Examples include analyzing anonymized survey data, brainstorming campaign ideas, troubleshooting tech issues, or automating mundane formatting tasks in spreadsheets.
The "Human 20%" is Non-Negotiable: For authentic communication—especially in areas like donor relations—AI should handle the middle 80% of a task. Humans must provide the crucial front-end context (brand voice, mission, audience personas) and the final 20% review to ensure quality, accuracy, and heart.
AI Policy is About Guidance, Not Just Prohibition: Effective university AI strategy involves moving beyond simple "don't share data" policies. It requires providing practical guidance, showcasing good and bad use cases, and, where possible, standardizing on a few trusted, vetted tools to simplify training and security.
Clean Your Data to Mitigate Risk: For teams in sensitive areas (e.g., advancement), a critical first step is ensuring data is clean and exportable. This allows you to replace private information (like donor names) with unique identifiers before using LLMs for analysis, protecting privacy while unlocking insights.
Curiosity is the Ultimate Superpower: Erin’s unique background in law (distilling authoritative sources) and design (asking exhaustive questions) makes her a natural at prompt engineering. The key to using AI effectively is innate curiosity and the ability to ask comprehensive, context-rich questions.
AI is Not a Fad—Ignoring It is the Risk: The biggest misconception is that AI is a passing trend. It is already integrated into everyday technology and is reshaping the economy and workforce. The real risk for higher ed professionals is not engaging with it to understand its capabilities and limitations.
The Real Need is a "Pause Button": With the breakneck pace of new tool releases, the greatest challenge—and desired superpower—is time. Professionals need dedicated space to explore, experiment, and thoughtfully integrate new technologies into their workflows without being overwhelmed.

Find Erin Callihan:
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/erincallihan/
NYU
https://www.nyu.edu/

And find EdTech Connect here:
Web: https://edtechconnect.com/
...more
32min
December 19, 2025Ep. 66 - Christy Heid: How VR Simulation is Transforming Nursing Education
Jeff Dillon sits down with Dr. Christy Heid, a Nursing Simulation Specialist at UbiSim. They tackle a critical issue revealed by UbiSim’s recent report: 65% of hospital leaders feel new nursing graduates aren't fully prepared for day-one patient care.
Christy explains how this "readiness gap" is being closed through immersive VR simulation and AI-powered tools. She delves into how UbiSim’s nurse-built platform fosters essential clinical judgment, provides a safe space for deliberate practice, and helps solve systemic challenges like clinical site shortages and faculty burnout. From stunning stats on AI-assisted charting adoption to real-world success stories of improved nurse retention, this conversation is a deep dive into how technology is not just enhancing, but fundamentally reshaping, nursing education to create a more confident, competent, and future-ready healthcare workforce.

Key Takeaways
There is a Significant "Readiness Gap": 65% of hospital leaders believe new nursing graduates are not fully prepared for day-one patient care, highlighting a critical disconnect between academic training and the realities of modern healthcare.
Clinical Judgment is the #1 Priority: The most pressing skill gap identified by employers is clinical judgment—the ability to make sound decisions in complex, changing situations. This is a foundational skill that takes time and repeated practice to develop.
VR Simulation is a Safe, Scalable Solution: Immersive VR provides a risk-free environment for students to make mistakes, learn from them, and engage in "deliberate practice." It is scalable, standardizes experiences for all learners, and can help address limitations like scarce clinical sites and faculty shortages.
AI is Already Transforming Healthcare Workflows: The adoption of AI-assisted charting in hospitals has increased by 165% in the last three years. Nurses now need to be trained to work alongside AI tools, which can free up to half of their time from administrative tasks for direct patient care.
The Future is a Blended, Personalized Approach: The goal isn't to replace all live clinical experience with simulation, but to use it as a strategic, blended component. The future of nursing education lies in personalized, goal-directed learning that leverages both VR immersion and AI-driven feedback.
Technology Strengthens Academic-Practice Partnerships: A major trend is hospitals and nursing schools creating co-branded micro-credential programs. Immersive VR acts as a bridge between these two worlds, ensuring graduates are equipped with the specific competencies employers need.
The Human Element Remains Irreplaceable: While AI and VR are powerful tools, they are designed to enhance, not replace, human skills. The focus is on using technology to recapture time for the human connection, critical thinking, and reflective dialogue that are at the heart of nursing.

Find Christy Heid:
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drchristyheid/
UbiSim
https://www.ubisimvr.com/

And find EdTech Connect here:
Web: https://edtechconnect.com/
...more
28min
December 12, 2025Ep. 65 - Jim Sterne: When AI Becomes a Thinking Partner
In this episode of EdTech Connect, host Jeff Dillon sits down with digital marketing pioneer Jim Sterne, a professional explainer who has been at the forefront of every major tech shift since the 1980s. Jim reframes Generative AI not as just another tool, but as a fundamental metamorphosis—a shift from computational power to intellectual prowess.
They explore how this changes the very nature of our work and identity, why "taste" and "context" are the irreplaceable human advantages, and how organizations can build trust with this new technology. Jim offers pragmatic advice on where to start, the critical importance of sharing failures, and why the goal isn't to replace people, but to empower them to become trusted advisors. Tune in for a masterclass in navigating the AI revolution with clarity, curiosity, and a healthy dose of critical thinking.
Key Takeaways
AI is a Metamorphosis, Not Just a Tool: Generative AI represents a sea change from automating tasks to generating ideas. It's a different kind of computing that requires a fundamental shift in how we think about work, creativity, and problem-solving.
Humans Provide the Critical "Taste" and "Context": The two most valuable things humans bring to the table in the age of AI are context (understanding the bigger picture) and taste (the opinion and judgment to evaluate AI's output). Our role is evolving from task-doers to trusted advisors.
Trust, But Verify: You can trust AI to be creative and generate ideas, but you should never trust it for facts. Always validate and verify its outputs before publication or action, treating it like a witness that may tell you what you want to hear rather than the absolute truth.
Start with an "AI Council" and Active Play: To adopt AI effectively, organizations should form a cross-functional council to establish policy and risk tolerance. Simultaneously, individuals should dedicate time to "active learning"—playing with the tools daily and sharing insights with colleagues.
Celebrate and Share Failures: The path to AI mastery is paved with mistakes. Creating a culture that celebrates and shares "stupid mistakes" is one of the fastest ways for an entire organization to learn and avoid common pitfalls.
AI Enhances Jobs, It Doesn't Just Replace Them: The misconception is that AI will allow you to fire half your team. The reality is that it allows your current team to do the work of 10, freeing them from toil to focus on higher-level strategy, creativity, and human connection.
Ask for Opinions, Not Just Facts: When using AI for analytics, move beyond simple queries for data. Ask it for its opinion—"Where do we seem to be making the same problem over and over again?"—to uncover insights that prompt critical thinking and new ideas.
The Promise of Hyper-Personalization is Finally Here: AI is the key to delivering on the long-held "one-to-one" marketing promise. It can parse complex customer data to not only send the right message at the right time but also to use the right tone, creating truly personalized customer relationships at scale.

Find Jim Sterne:
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimsterne/
Target Marketing of Santa Barbara
https://targeting.com

And find EdTech Connect here:
Web: https://edtechconnect.com/
...more
30min
December 05, 2025Ep. 64 - Mariah Tang: Why Storytelling Still Wins in the Age of AI
Jeff Dillon and Mariah Tang dive deep into the philosophy that content marketing is more about people than platforms. Mariah explains the critical mindset shift marketers need to make—from creating generic "AI slop" to crafting content that uniquely answers people's questions.
They explore the concept of "Search Everywhere Optimization" (SEO), the importance of niching down, and how to effectively repurpose long-form content across multiple channels—even with a small team. Mariah shares practical advice on using AI as a creative partner for ideation and efficiency without losing the human touch, and reveals how higher ed can learn from healthcare's successful embrace of blogging.
Tune in for a lesson in creating content that doesn't just generate clicks, but builds genuine connection and drives real conversions.
Key Takeaways
Content is About People, Not Platforms: The biggest mindset shift for marketers is to return to creating content "by people, for people." Generic content is dying; successful content uniquely answers questions and speaks to niche topics with a human voice.
Embrace "Search Everywhere Optimization": SEO best practices still apply, but you must now optimize for all platforms where your audience searches—like TikTok, YouTube, and Reddit—not just Google. Content should be broken down and repurposed to meet users wherever they are.
Focus Your Efforts with Limited Resources: Don't try to be on every platform. Do the upfront work to identify your target audience and the 1-2 platforms they use most.
Use AI as a Creative Assistant, Not a Replacement: AI will not replace authentic, expert-driven content. Use it for ideation, to whittle down complex topics, to draft social media posts, and to check grammar—but the final product must reflect genuine human expertise and connection, especially for high-stakes decisions.
Go Niche to Stand Out: Move beyond safe, general topics. The key to differentiation is creating highly specific, niche content. Be "pleasantly persistent" in interviewing subject matter experts to uncover the unique depth and stories that only your institution can tell.
Measure What Matters Beyond Clicks: To prove content effectiveness, look at a holistic set of metrics: social engagement, brand sentiment, reach, non-branded search traffic, user activity on-site, and ultimately, conversions like form fills and "click to apply."
Content Should "Close the Deal": Conversion-ready content makes the audience feel something. It successfully balances a clear answer to a specific question with a sense that the institution genuinely cares, building trust that influences final decisions.
The Ultimate Goal is to Be Helpful: Don't let data and internal goals completely rule your strategy. The most impactful content marketing goes back to the core principle of being useful and helpful to the person on the other end. This human-centric approach, ironically, leads to better metrics and ensures you can't be replaced by a robot.

Find Mariah Tang:
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahtang/
Stamats
https://stamats.com/

And find EdTech Connect here:
Web: https://edtechconnect.com/
...more
30min
November 28, 2025Ep. 63 - Mia Healy: Creativity Is the New Campus Currency
From her roots as a struggling student and president of the Cal State Student Association to her current role as a Higher Education Consultant at Canva, Mia Healy shares her unique journey and passion for making education more approachable and equitable.
They dive into how her student leadership experience shaped her approach to EdTech, the importance of meeting students and institutions where they are, and why technology adoption is more about trust and people than the tech itself. Mia reveals innovative ways campuses are using Canva to transform learning, communication, and brand management, and discusses the rising trends of generative AI and digital skill-building as the new baseline competencies across all majors.
Tune in for a conversation filled with practical insights on bridging gaps, fostering creativity, and leading with empathy in higher education.
Key Takeaways
Start with Empathy and Purpose: Mia's passion for EdTech was sparked by her own experience as a struggling student. She believes technology should be an equalizer, designed with empathy to meet students where they are and break down systemic barriers in higher education.
Leadership is Ecosystem Building: Effective leadership in education and tech isn't top-down; it's about building ecosystems and ensuring every voice—from students to administrators—has a hand in shaping how technology transforms learning and connection.
Change Requires "Dancing with the System": Successful technology adoption in higher ed is rarely about disruption. It's about aligning with an institution's culture and capacity for change, "dancing" with the existing systems to create meaningful, lasting impact.
Focus is Key to Digital Transformation: With limited resources and endless possibilities, institutions must have a laser focus. Mia's success with the Sac State mobile app came from optimizing for specific, high-impact needs like basic student resources, rather than trying to do everything at once.
The Visual Economy is Here: Communication has shifted from text-based to visual. Campuses must adapt to cut through the noise and communicate clearly with their communities (students, alumni, donors) using modern, visual tools.
Canva as a Strategic Partner: Beyond being a design platform, Canva serves as a strategic partner for campuses. It helps unify brand governance, enhance accessibility, and develop digital skills, effectively acting as an extension of often resource-strapped campus teams.
AI is Moving from Experimentation to Implementation: The trend in higher ed is moving from disorganized experimentation with GenAI to structured implementation, focusing on enhancing academic integrity, personalizing learning, and streamlining workflows.
Digital Skills are Baseline Competencies: Communication, design, and data literacy are no longer just for creative majors. They are essential skills for all students—from engineers to scientists—to translate complex ideas and succeed in the modern workforce.
Career Advice: Say "Yes" and Be Useful: For students looking to make an impact, Mia's advice is to start where you are, use what you have, and say "yes" to learning opportunities that scare you. Shift your focus from quantitative achievements to the qualitative impact of how you can help and be useful to others.

Find Mia Healy:
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mia-c-kage/
Canva
https://canva.com

And find EdTech Connect here:
Web: https://edtechconnect.com/
...more
34min
November 21, 2025Ep. 62 - Faton Sopa: The Reddit Effect and How It’s Changing College Decisions
In this episode of EdTech Connect, host Jeff Dillon sits down with Faton Sopa, the co-founder and CEO of Manaferra, to unravel how the prospective student journey has been completely transformed.
Faton shares groundbreaking insights from his agency's latest research, revealing that prospective students no longer get their information from single sources, but are instead "cross-checking" information across a vast digital ecosystem—from Google and Reddit to TikTok and AI tools like ChatGPT.
We dive into why nearly 90% of students find AI-generated answers helpful, how Reddit has become an unexpected powerhouse for influencing college decisions, and why authenticity now trumps polished advertising. Faton provides actionable strategies for institutions to navigate this new reality, including the importance of optimizing for AI search engines, engaging authentically on platforms like Reddit, and balancing paid ads with organic, trust-building content. This is a must-listen for any enrollment leader or marketer in higher education looking to connect with students where they are today.
Key Takeaways
The College Search Journey is No Longer Linear: The college search process has evolved from a simple Google-based path to a complex, multi-platform journey. Students now fluidly move between search engines, social media (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube), community forums (Reddit), and AI tools.
The Rise of "Cross-Checking": A staggering 88% of students cross-check the information they find on one platform by visiting another. They are actively searching for truth and consistency, making a cohesive digital presence more critical than ever.
AI is a Major Player: AI search engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity are being used consistently across all stages of the student journey. To be visible, institutions must ensure their public information is consistent, fresh, and widespread across the "AI ecosystem," as these tools synthesize data from many sources.
Reddit's Surprising Influence: One of the most surprising findings was that 1 in 5 students visit Reddit during their search. They go there for authentic, unfiltered voices from current students and alumni. Institutions are advised to conduct sentiment analysis and empower their community to engage authentically on the platform, not promotionally.
Authenticity Beats Polish: Across all segments, students prefer authentic content over polished advertising. They skip sponsored results and are more influenced by organic content that feels genuine, such as college life videos and admission tips on social media.
Don't Abandon Paid Ads, But Balance Them: While students trust organic content more, paid ads are still crucial for building awareness at the beginning of the student journey. The key is to find the right balance, using paid ads to capture attention and authentic content to build trust and drive the final decision.
Different Segments, Different Journeys:
Undergraduates are highly influenced by social media and are looking for "fit" and college life.
Graduate Students are more precise, searching for specific programs and how they balance with work/life.
Adult Learners are the heaviest users of AI, seeking fast, efficient answers to balance their busy lives.
The Core Challenge for Institutions: The fundamental gap in higher ed marketing is a disconnect between how students behave online (searching for trust signals) and how institutions manage their online presence (often focused on brand control). Closing this gap requires a shift towards authenticity and a multi-platform strategy.

Find Faton Sopa:
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatonsopa/
Manaferra
https://www.manaferra.com/

And find EdTech Connect here:
Web: https://edtechconnect.com/
...more
26min
November 14, 2025Ep. 61 - Rasheed Behrooznia: Beyond the Student ID & The Future of Campus Commerce and Experience
How can universities create a seamless, safe, and connected experience that meets the soaring expectations of today's students? In this episode of Edtech Connect, host Jeff Dillon sits down with Rasheed Behrooznia, Executive Vice President and General Manager at Transact+ CBORD, who leads a $250 million business serving over 1,500 institutions.
Drawing from his unique background in defense systems engineering and transportation tech, Rasheed explains why the modern campus is like a "smart city" and how mission-critical technology—from mobile credentials in digital wallets to AI-powered dining—is the key to navigating it. They dive into the explosive 90% adoption rate of mobile student IDs, how his team balances massive scale with rapid innovation, and why the convergence of FinTech and EdTech is creating powerful new insights.
For any leader looking to reduce friction and build a truly integrated campus ecosystem, this conversation is a masterclass in leveraging technology to put the student experience first.
Key Takeaways
The Campus is a "Smart City": Modern campuses are complex ecosystems where students navigate numerous daily use cases—from residential access and dining to parcel pickup and makerspaces. The goal is to integrate these into one seamless, safe, and efficient experience, much like a smart city, rather than treating them as disjointed, one-off tasks.
Mobile Credentials are Now Table Stakes: The digital student ID, housed in the secure element of a phone or watch, has moved from a novelty to an expectation. With a 90% adoption rate at deployed institutions, it's the foundational layer for a frictionless campus experience, and the innovation now focuses on what can be built on top of this platform.
Balance Innovation and Scale with a Portfolio Mindset: Managing a vast product portfolio requires strategic prioritization. The key is to assess where each solution is in its lifecycle—heavy innovation, growth, or maturity—and use continuous client feedback and data to weigh the "hundreds of good ideas" against mission-critical reliability and security needs.
AI is an Operational Streamliner and Future Disruptor: In the short term, AI is being applied to solve immediate operational pains, such as using machine learning to predict food order ready-times or natural language interfaces for system queries. Long-term, AI is expected to be a disruptive force that will fundamentally change campus operations.
The Rate of Innovation Must Match Student Expectations: Student expectations evolve as fast as technology does. What was once a cutting-edge feature quickly becomes a baseline requirement. To keep pace, EdTech providers must continuously increase their own rate of innovation, leveraging cloud architectures to deliver updates to all clients simultaneously.
Success is a Team Sport: In an era of accelerated change and pressure to do more with less, impactful transformation cannot happen in silos. Rasheed's central message to university leaders is to "work as a team," leaning on trusted partners and fostering collaboration to navigate the future successfully and safely.

Find Rasheed Behrooznia:
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rbehrooznia/
Transact + CBORD
https://www.transactcampus.com/home

And find EdTech Connect here:
Web: https://edtechconnect.com/
...more
30min
November 07, 2025Ep. 60 - Ricardo Rengifo: From Filing Cabinets to a Future-Ready Campus
Why is coordinating family dinner surprisingly similar to managing complex university processes? In this episode of Edtech Connect, host Jeff Dillon sits down with Ricardo Rengifo, President and CEO of DBS Software and Services, a pioneer in digitizing campus operations.
Ricardo pulls back the curtain on the "document chaos" that plagues so many institutions—the siloed systems, fillable PDFs, and endless email chains—and reveals the path to a streamlined, paperless future. They discuss how smart forms and e-signatures transform user experience, why the biggest ROI often comes from overlooked operational areas like HR and facilities, and how to overcome the twin roadblocks of fear and perceived lack of IT resources.
For any campus leader drowning in paperwork or looking to launch a digital transformation, this conversation is a practical guide to eliminating friction, boosting efficiency, and finally creating that single, seamless digital experience for students and staff.
Key Takeaways
Start with the Painful, Overlooked Processes: Don't try to boil the ocean. The biggest ROI for digital transformation often comes not from student-facing applications, but from internal operational areas like HR, facilities, and faculty contracting, where cumbersome, paper-based processes create significant hidden costs and inefficiencies.
"Smart Forms" are a Game Changer, Not Just Digital Paper: Moving from a fillable PDF (a "dumb" container) to an interactive smart form transforms the user experience. Smart forms guide users with logic and validation, reduce errors, and automatically kick off workflows, moving information seamlessly from user to stakeholder.
A Partnership Model is Key to Successful Change Management: Successful implementation isn't just about installing software; it's about partnership. By starting with a few key use cases to prove value, building internal champions, and providing "concierge-level" support, schools can socialize success and drive organic adoption across departments.
The Right Tool for the Job Saves Money: Many schools use the wrong tools for their needs, such as trying to model complex workflows in e-signature platforms like DocuSign, which causes costs to skyrocket. A dedicated forms and workflow solution can handle signatures at a much lower total cost.
The Future is Intelligent and Accessible Automation: The next wave of innovation is moving beyond simple digitization to intelligent automation. Integrating AI (like using ChatGPT to generate code for form logic) empowers non-technical staff to create complex, rich digital experiences without needing to be programmers.

Sign up for the Webinar and find out how to transform your college and save money:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/1617603826973/WN_JUrajEQBT0mys3qU5Ibk_w

Find Ricardo Rengifohere:
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rrengifo/
DBS Software and Services
https://www.dbsgroup.net/

Sign up for the November 19th webinar here:
Web: https://edtechconnect.com/
...more
22min
October 31, 2025Ep. 59 - Matthew Seitz: Humans + AI = Business Impact at UW Madison’s AI Hub
What does training for one of the world's hardest Ironman races have in common with leading AI transformation in business education?
Host Jeff Dillon sits down with Matt Seitz, Director of the AI Hub for Business at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A veteran of Google, Abbott, and McDonald's, Matt brings 30 years of tech leadership to his mission of preparing students for an AI-driven world. He draws powerful parallels between overcoming the fear of the triathlon swim and the misconceptions holding businesses back from AI adoption. They tackle the critical questions: How can universities balance genuine learning with the need for AI skills that employers demand? What's the "barbell effect" of prompting and verification that students must master? And why is using AI today like having a pair of carbon-plated running shoes in a race?
For anyone looking to understand the practical, human-centric future of AI in education and business, this conversation is packed with actionable insights and a healthy dose of motivation.
Key Takeaways
AI is Like the Ironman Swim—The Fear is Worse Than the Reality: The biggest barrier to AI adoption is often misconception and fear, just like how many avoid triathlons due to the swim. In reality, the swim is the shortest part, and AI's perceived challenges are often more manageable than they seem when you start engaging with them.
Future-Proof with a "Barbell" Skill Set: The most valuable professionals will be strong at both ends of a "barbell": deeply knowing their core domain (e.g., marketing, finance) and mastering AI skills (prompting, verification), with the crucial connector being adaptability to continuous technological change.
The Education Paradox: "Cheating" vs. "Job-Ready": There's a fundamental tension in education where what a teacher might consider "cheating" (e.g., using AI to write an essay) is exactly what a company expects a new hire to be able to do productively. Institutions must find ways to preserve genuine learning while equipping students to be "AI superheroes."
Use AI Now to Gain a "Carbon Shoe" Advantage: Just as carbon-plated running shoes gave early adopters a significant speed advantage, using AI tools today provides a competitive edge. Being an early and proficient user makes you more effective ("superhuman") and puts you ahead of peers who are slower to adopt.
Human + AI is the Winning Combination: AI is not a magic bullet for replacing humans. Its greatest power is in augmenting human capability. The most impactful business outcomes come from a human defining the goal, strategy, and creative direction, and then working with AI to execute and optimize.
Authenticity Will Become a Premium Value: As AI generates a flood of content, there will be an increasing premium on genuine, human authenticity. The MIT "Your Brain on ChatGPT" study showed that over-reliance on AI can lead to "anodyne" work and less ownership, highlighting the enduring value of original thought and human connection.

Find Matthew Seitz here:
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattseitz/
University of Wisconsin - Madison
https://www.wisc.edu/

And find EdTech Connect here:
Web: https://edtechconnect.com/
...more
32min
October 24, 2025Ep. 58 - Nick Cawthon: Responsible AI and Strategic Design
How can universities overcome their unique challenges to create amazing digital experiences in an AI-driven world?
In this episode of Edtech Connect, host Jeff Dillon sits down with Nick Cawthon, a seasoned UX strategist with over two decades of experience working with giants like Adobe and Visa, and a professor at the California College of the Arts. Nick pulls from his rich background in the first dot-com boom to draw powerful parallels between then and now, arguing that we are in a similar era of transformative potential with AI. He offers a candid look at why higher ed struggles with UX—citing complexity, siloed departments, and slow-moving governance—and provides a fresh perspective on how to navigate it.
They dive into the ethical integration of AI, the irreplaceable value of human creativity, and why mastering the humble spreadsheet is more important than ever. For any leader, educator, or designer looking to build more intuitive and impactful digital products, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom and strategic insight.
Key Takeaways
Design Thinking is a Personal Productivity Tool: The principles of design thinking are not just for work. They can be applied to manage personal life, transforming scattered thoughts into a tangible, actionable plan.
Higher Ed's UX Problem is a Governance Problem: The struggle to create great digital experiences isn't due to a lack of ideas, but often because of organizational complexity, siloed departments, and a lack of trust that prevents unbiased user research and streamlined decision-making.
AI Resets the Starting Line for Everyone: Just as the internet and tools like QuarkXPress once leveled the playing field, AI is doing the same today. It’s not about replacing skills but augmenting them, allowing those who embrace it to move from idea to deployed application at an unprecedented speed.
Embrace AI with Amnesty and Transparency in Education: Instead of treating AI as "cheating," educators should grant "amnesty" and encourage its use, with the requirement that students document their process and prompts. This fosters mentorship and transparency, turning AI into a collaborative learning tool.
Ethical AI Considers More Than Output: Ethical integration requires looking beyond the "magic" of the output. Consider the human labor used to train models, the intellectual property sourced, the mental health of content moderators, and the environmental impact (carbon footprint) of running AI processes.
Foundational Data Skills Are Still Critical: In an age of sleek SaaS interfaces, the fundamental skill of manipulating data in a spreadsheet (e.g., pivot tables, VLOOKUPs) is more important than ever. It teaches the crucial process of normalizing and analyzing data, which is the bedrock of any data-driven narrative or AI application.
Prototype and Validate AI Ideas Rapidly: The speed of AI tools allows teams to prototype and test complex product ideas quickly. This enables rapid iteration and "failing fast," helping to validate usability and refine the target user profile before making significant investments.

Find Nick Cawthorn here:
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickcawthon-ux-digital-agency-product-design-leadership/
Gauge
https://gauge.io/

And find EdTech Connect here:
Web: https://edtechconnect.com/
...more
33min

FAQs about The Signal:

How many episodes does The Signal have?

The podcast currently has 97 episodes available.