Higher Listenings

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...

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...

Burnout. Disengagement. AI anxiety. In higher education right now, flourishing can feel like a distant dream. But what if joy isn’t a distraction from serious teaching but the foundation? In this episode, we sit down...

College has never cost more, or the payoff more uncertain. As students question the value of a degree, many are disconnecting, skipping class, ghosting assignments, and drifting through their education. Faculty...

Textbooks are the flip phones of higher ed: clunky, outdated, and yet somehow the model persists. The reality is, students aren’t buying them. And increasingly, faculty are asking: why am I still assigning something...

AI isn’t knocking politely—it’s already moved into the classroom, and higher ed is still figuring out who gets the guest room. Marc Watkins, Director of the AI Institute for Teachers and Assistant Director of Academic...

Every student brings invisible baggage to college—stories about what they’re good at, what they’re not, and who they’re expected to be. But what if those stories are wrong—or just incomplete? In this episode, we talk...

Let’s be real: teaching can feel like performance art. But what if your most powerful teaching tool is you—fully present, emotionally honest, and yes, a little messy? In this episode, we talk with Liz Norell, author of...

We’ve all seen the movies: the perfectly polished professor who captivates every student without missing a beat. But in real classrooms, things go sideways—more often than we might like. In this episode, we’re joined by...

What if student motivation didn’t have to be a tug-of-war? In this episode, cognitive psychologist and author Dr. Michelle Miller joins us to explore what happens when faculty stop policing students and start partnering...

When students go quiet after your best discussion question, it’s tempting to assume the worst. But what if that quiet moment means something else entirely? In this episode, we’re joined by educator, speaker, and author...

Higher education is feeling the pressure—from shifting student expectations to mounting demands for proof of impact. But real change rarely comes with a crash of cymbals. Sometimes, it sneaks in quietly—with the right...

Higher ed may be going through stormy weather, but in this soul-nourishing episode, we’re choosing joy. Psychologist, author, and happiness researcher Sarah Rose Cavanagh joins us to explore the science (and the magic)...

What if the biggest barrier to innovation in our teaching isn’t time or training—but fear? And what if the antidote isn’t a full course redesign, but a single courageous step? In this episode, we sit down with teaching...

Have you ever talked with students about study skills? Did they lean in with unbridled enthusiasm? Or did your intuition suggest this might not be the right approach? Dr. Saundra McGuire, a leading expert on student...