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Ten with Ken (Video)

Ken Steele is Canada's most trusted higher ed monitor and futurist, and in this webcast he rounds up emerging trends, research data, best practices and innovative new ideas for higher education. (For HD version see YouTube, DailyMotion, Vimeo or Facebook. Audio only podcast version available separately.)
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Now displaying: July, 2018

For more information about Ken Steele's speaking and facilitation services, an archive of articles and white papers, and a database of bright ideas, please visit www.eduvation.ca

This podcast is also available on iTunes or on YouTube. For exclusive early access to future episodes, please subscribe to our free email newsletter, the Eduvation Loop

Jul 23, 2018

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.

When Mike DeGagné was appointed President of Nipissing University in 2013, he became one of the first Aboriginal university leaders in the country. He had 25 years of public sector leadership experience in federal government departments and non-profits focused on Indigenous affairs, and has published and spoken internationally on Aboriginal reconciliation and healing.

In this special bonus episode, Ken asks Mike to answer 3 key questions about higher ed innovation.

 

Innovations at Nipissing?

Mike observes that Nipissing has long been innovative in developing flexible program delivery to meet the needs of students, from the summer Aboriginal Teachers Certification Program to one of the first Concurrent Education degrees in Canada. The majority of Nipissing’s students get experiential and work-integrated learning because so many of the programs are applied, such as Teaching, Nursing, and Social Work. Nipissing also has extensive partnerships with colleges and associations to meet learner needs.

 

The Decade Ahead?

Mike predicts that government and PSEs will start providing more secondary and tertiary education options in remote Aboriginal communities, and that universities will need to be more flexible in offering bridging programs to Indigenous students who have not been exposed to university-level courses in high school. He observes that northern institutions have the opportunity to partner more, and expects microcredentials and short-term programs to grow in popularity, particularly in the North. It is a critical task to help Canadians understand why Indigenous issues are important, and curricula at all levels will continue to be more nuanced and detailed in its exploration of Aboriginal history and society.

 

Culture of Innovation?

Mike agrees that universities are among the oldest institutions in the world, and have a deep reverence for tradition which limits their ability to be nimble, or launch new programs quickly. He believes the best way to challenge those traditions is collegiality: shared governance structures, discussions about efficiency, and market research can provide common goals for everyone on campus. But while market research may indicate demand for new programs, Mike emphasizes the need to balance student trends with traditional humanities programs that are critical for an educated populace.

 

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/

 

Jul 17, 2018

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.

Celia Ross began teaching French Literature at Algoma in 1982, became Dean in 1997, and served as President from 1998 until 2010 – 12 busy years in which Algoma gained its independence from Laurentian University, and signed the Covenant with Shingwauk Education Trust. When her successor resigned in 2016, the board of governors appointed Celia Acting President until a search could be completed.  (Asima Vezina, formerly the board chair, was appointed President in October 2017).

In this special bonus episode, Ken asks Celia to answer 3 key questions about higher ed innovation.

 

Innovations at Algoma?

Algoma University is particularly noteworthy for its partnerships with First Nations peoples. The University is in a former Indian Residential School building, but is working to change the paradigm of education from colonial to a “two-way dialogue.” As a small university, Algoma demonstrates the continuing value of small undergraduate seminars from first year onward – although now it utilizes videoconferencing and other technologies to create small groups across a wide geography. Algoma’s Institute for Community-Based Research gives students research and volunteer experience, and even leads to paid internships. Again, the philosophy is one of collaboration, in which the communities grow their own solutions.

 

The Decade Ahead?

In a world of rapidly advancing automation and globalization, Celia predicts that university students will be increasingly international, and seek ever-narrower specializations. At the same time, with coming labour market disruptions, Celia anticipates that students will turn to their educations to bring meaning to their lives, resulting in a renaissance of interest in Philosophy, Religious Studies, the Humanities and Fine Arts. She also sees exciting developments in First Nations education coming thanks to Ontario’s funding of the Aboriginal Institutes Consortium.  Universities will need to ensure that a diverse range of students feels comfortable on our campuses, and that all our students come to understand other cultures and histories. We need to be forerunners in the fight against ignorance and racism. Over the next decade, universities will increasingly partner with colleges, industry and other communities: “the days of the ivory tower are gone.”

 

Culture of Innovation?

Celia observes that it can be challenging to nurture a culture of innovation on campus. We need to value the innovators on campus, no matter how difficult or demanding they may seem. Leaders need to make time to discuss the big ideas, either in a strategic plan consultation process or during an off-site strategic retreat. Especially for isolated institutions, it is very important to bring in external speakers to spark new ideas. Our students are being encouraged to think innovatively, and you can see them becoming the leaders of tomorrow.

 

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/

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