Higher Listenings

What if some of the things that make higher education feel most like school are actually getting in the way of learning? In Schoolishness, Dr. Susan Blum argues that familiar practices—from lectures and grades to rigid schedules and requirements—can leave students going through the motions rather than genuinely invested in what they’re learning. Blum challenges us to look beyond student disengagement to the deeper problem of alienation, and to rethink what actually motivates students to care,...

When Christian Fauria—a two-time Super Bowl champion turned broadcaster—stepped into the classroom at Bryant University, he quickly discovered that expertise doesn’t automatically translate into effective teaching. In this episode, he teams up with Bryant’s Interim Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence, Constanza Bartholomae, to explore the surprising parallels between elite coaching and great teaching. From building trust and culture to delivering meaningful feedback and fostering r...

Students aren’t reading the way we expect, and many faculty are feeling the strain. In this episode, James Lang, author of Small Teaching and Distracted, unpacks what’s really behind the decline in reading and what we can do about it. From the impact of distraction and shifting reading habits to the often-overlooked need to teach students how to read in our disciplines, this conversation blends insight with practical strategies. You’ll hear how to scaffold reading, build meaningful acco...

Children ask hundreds of questions a day—until school teaches them not to. In this episode, educational leader, higher ed consultant, and The Collaboration Chronicle author Tawnya Means explores the growing “curiosity deficit” and what we lose when learning becomes an exercise in compliance rather than discovery. Tawnya challenges us to rethink the purpose of higher education—not as the transfer of information, but as the cultivation of human potential. From reimagining assignments to using A...

In an era Zach Mercurio calls an “epidemic of insignificance,” many students feel invisible. And when students feel unseen, motivation fades, trust erodes, and persistence becomes fragile. Drawing on his bestselling book The Power of Mattering, Mercurio shares three simple, research-backed practices—noticing, affirming, and helping students feel needed—that educators can use to cultivate significance in everyday moments. These small shifts don’t require sweeping reforms or more time, but they...