Flexible, nimble, entrepreneurial. These are three words that most of us wouldn't associate with our traditional college system.

But what if we restructured the way we approach higher education to make it more flexible for all learners, to adapt more nimbly to workforce needs, and to instill an entrepreneurial spirit in the way education does its business?

Tim Hood, President of Mid-Michigan College is an unconventional leader in his own right. His working-class upbringing and entrepreneurial background make him the perfect disruptor to traditional approaches to college education.

This episode is full of non-traditional ideas about how we should be doing college, like:

• Getting rid of the stigma that career and technical education is less important than academic programs
• Creating ultra-flexible pathways for adult learners to earn certificates and degrees
• Removing the polarization between business and education and instead embracing collaborative partnerships
• Making college all about experiential learning...and designing curriculum that's closely tied to the needs of industry that are hiring these individuals
• And when it comes to incumbent worker training, listening to the shop floor employees to see what they want/need to learn

Education is facing some major changes in the coming years, and leaders like Tim Hood who think outside the box are going to get us where we need to go.

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Is it time we rethink the K-12 model? Our education system needs some major updates, including more flexibility, greater focus on student identity, and a college and career readiness plan that starts in kindergarten.

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Dr. Joe Gothard, Superintendent of Saint Paul Public Schools, exploring these points and more in a discussion around career readiness.

Among a plethora of insights, Dr. Gothard shares his unconventional idea of the 12-Hour School Day. Could it really be a solution to providing students with more access to work-based learning, more flexibility in their coursework, and make it easier for them to work, be involved in after-school activities, and take classes that they're excited about?

Listen to find out!

If you missed our last episode with Dr. Gothard, we talked about building systemic equity into a large urban district that is primarily made up of minority students and families. You can listen here: https://techedpodcast.com/building-systemic-equity-in-urban-education/

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Education has reached a tipping point; people are waking up to the idea that we can and should do things in a different way. The challenge is how to actually enact change in a large urban district.

St. Paul Public Schools reaches 35,000 students, 79%  of whom identify as a race other than white, with 125 languages spoken by these students at home.

In this episode, we talk with SPPS Superintendent Dr. Joe Gothard about what needs to be done to build systemic equity into our urban education system. 

Our conversation runs the gamut of hot topics facing K-12 education, including:

• How COVID-19 brought to light so many disparities among urban students and their families and what school districts must do to bridge those gaps
• Digital natives vs. digital immigrants and how this affects the teacher-student relationship
• What's wrong with our high school graduation requirements, and why it's affecting our students' workforce readiness
• Making tough decisions, like school closures, for the long-term benefit of all students
• Building systemic equity into every aspect of your district's culture, strategy and initiatives
• How to include parents and families into DEI conversations and initiatives: the two-generation approach

One word appears consistently in our conversation on systemic equity: identity. How can education do a better job of supporting each individual student's passions, interests and needs, and then help them build their identity?

We answer all these and more in this fascinating conversation with Dr. Gothard.

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How can technical and community colleges keep pace with the skilled workforce needs of their regional employers? How do we equip learners with the micro-credentials for highly-technical fields? How do we get more students excited to pursue STEM pathways?

We answer these questions and more in our second episode with Dr. Jay Allen, President of Itawamba Community College. 

Listen to learn about:

• Tips for college leaders to be on the same page as their regional employers
• Why industry-recognized credentials are so in-demand today
• What disruption means for education 5 years from now
• Real-world examples of how higher ed can get more students interested in STEM

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Two-year colleges are truly the unsung heroes of our communities. They provide a whole range of services that go beyond the classroom to advance education, culture, athletics, our workforce...the list goes on. 

In part one of our two-episode series with Dr. Jay Allen, President of Itawamba Community College, we're breaking these services down to really understand all the resources our colleges can offer. 

We discuss how ICC is:

• Meeting the specific workforce needs of its employers, large and small
• Providing dorms, athletics and extracurriculars so students can have the full college experience
• Breaking down barriers like finances and access via online learning so all students can pursue their dreams
• Collaborating in statewide system that allows learners to take the specific courses they need without having to move or travel
• Helping states like Mississippi achieve education attainment goals and advance the level of education for all residents

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Economic development strategies must take on a comprehensive, collaborative approach, especially in today's climate. 

Missy Hughes, Secretary and CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), joins us to talk about all the factors that play into such an approach. 

We discuss relevant economic development issues, like:

• Why workforce issues are about far more than jobs and skills
• How government can instill the speed of action common in the private sector
• The rise of entrepreneurship in the current economy
• The role of technical education in preparing learners for the workforce
• Resources employers can utilize to support their workforce

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Artificial intelligence is totally transforming the world in which we live, learn, and work.

But how exactly does artificial intelligence work? How should industrial employers be leveraging AI? And what can education do to prepare their students for an AI-driven workforce?

Matt Kirchner breaks it all down in this episode. Listen for actionable insights into:

Understanding artificial intelligence: Breaking down key AI terminology so you can approach the subject with more confidence.

11 predictions for how AI will disrupt industry: From materials, to processes, to supply chain, these predictions can get you strategizing for how to get ahead of the curve.

Artificial intelligence in education: How we can bring AI into the classroom in an age-appropriate, accessible way that prepares students to step into a world of work where AI is the norm.

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We live in a connected world, where everything from news, to business, finances, health and wellness and our social lives can be accessed and updated in real-time wherever we are. And as technology gets smarter, the information we consume becomes tailored to our specific interests and goals.

Why should the manufacturing floor be any different?

If you're still printing data and charts, laminating it and pinning it to a huddle board...you're wasting time, manpower, and opportunities to be a data-driven organization.

In this episode, we're talking with Don Korfhage, Founder, CEO and President of iGear. His company has developed Squeaks, a software solution that is revolutionizing the way we collect, aggregate, share and respond to manufacturing data in real-time. 

Thanks to software like Squeaks, manufacturers can develop a truly connected Industry 4.0 workforce. We talk all things Industry 4.0, how to use data to optimize workflows, the value of having a connected workforce, how to individualize manufacturing information, and much more!

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In part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Michael Lovell, we answer a big question: STEM or Humanities?

If we want well-rounded graduates, then the answer is quite simply, we need both. 

Navigating this balance can be difficult. In the case of Marquette University's Jesuit roots, Dr. Lovell shares how the liberal arts work alongside new innovations in STEM and technology-based programs to produce students with the skills and character for successful futures.

This STEM vs. Humanities discussion brings up a host of other questions that universities across the US have to answer. Our conversation dives into some of these, like:

• How do you find the right balance between liberal arts and STEM?
• Is the traditional model of higher education outdated? And what should universities be doing about it?
• How do liberal arts universities need to pivot in this digital age?
• What role do universities and their regional partners play in socio-economic issues?
• How do we get liberal arts majors and STEM majors in the same room solving problems together?

If you missed part 1 where we talked extensively about cross-disciplinary teams, you can catch up by listening here: https://techedpodcast.com/cross-disciplinary-teams-can-solve-the-worlds-problems/.

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How can we do a better job of solving the world's challenges?

When it comes to research and innovation, too often we have siloed teams trying to solve big problems. Instead, we need broader teams of people from different backgrounds, organizations and skillsets to develop solutions together.

In this episode, Dr. Michael Lovell, President of Marquette University, shows us how taking a cross-disciplinary approach to big problems is already accelerating innovation in Milwaukee.

You'll hear about:

• How putting together teams of students from different majors for a class project can prepare them to work in cross-disciplinary teams in their careers
• Why moving from independent work to research clusters can accelerate the research being done at a university
• How an athletic performance lab is improving the lives of firefighters and cancer patients
• How the Data Science Institute brings together diverse individuals from universities and businesses to tackle broad-based socio-economic issues and attract talent to the region

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