The Digital Badge Revolution

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For better or worse, we live in a society in which credentials are currency.  A credential is a signal that the bearer has participated in and successfully completed some type of formal learning. Some credentials are broad and encompassing while others are highly specialized.  In spite of the vast number of credentials awarded by an…

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Backgrounder: Evolving Models of Postsecondary Learning

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Today’s students—who are more likely to be workers, parents, returning adults, veterans, and more—may have postsecondary education experiences and pathways that don’t fit traditional molds. They no longer follow a single and consistent pathway to a degree. Today’s students need access to more flexible higher learning pathways and delivery models, as well as access to…

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Taxpayers should demand a return on their investment in higher education

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Another April 15th has come and gone, which means hundreds of millions of Americans have filed their income taxes. Well, what if I told you the federal government is spending your tax dollars every year on higher education institutions that graduate only one out of 10 students?  $108 million annually to be exact. Would you…

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Why Better Data Holds the Key to Improving Student Outcomes: A Q&A with Mamie Voight of the Institute for Higher Education Policy

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Insights & Outlooks: How has the national conversation around outcomes in higher education evolved in recent years? Mamie Voight: For too long, we have struggled to answer key questions about outcomes in higher education—questions like: Who graduates from college? How do students fare in the workforce after college? How do outcomes vary by race/ethnicity and…

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The Next Wave of Student Completion: A Q&A with Yolanda Watson Spiva, Ph.D., President, Complete College America

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Insights & Outlooks: What challenges have prevented two and four-year institutions from missing the mark on improving student outcomes? Yolanda Watson Spiva: Many challenges have prevented two- and four-year institutions from improving student outcomes. The first is a design flaw. Most institutions are not designed with a focus on students, particularly student outcomes. While many…

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Three Lessons Higher Ed Can Learn From Charter Schools

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While various aspects of the charter school model remain at the center of hot-button political debates, there are many lessons that can be learned from their successes and failures. A more nuanced look reveals that, when done well, charter schools can provide a high-quality—and greatly personalized—educational experience to students. The stories found at successful charter…

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Access Begins with Affordability

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As an educator, it’s been my privilege to support students investing in their future by attending college. Many students share aspirations of being the first in their family to graduate college and dreams of a fulfilling career and improved financial stability.   A college degree is the surest path available for students from low-income backgrounds…

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An Inspired Community College Leader’s Rise from Poverty to the Presidency

portrait of Dr. Tonjua Williams

With more than 30 years of experience in higher education, Dr. Tonjua Williams is recognized nationally as an expert in student development. She has a passion for helping others realize their potential and has made it her personal mission to do so through her community outreach and higher education career. “I believe everybody’s worth the…

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Why Access Matters?

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Our country has shifted its conversation from college access to college completion as the new measure of success, sometimes overlooking the fundamental premise that you have to start to finish. Or, as they say when the Powerball jackpot nears record amounts, “You gotta be in it to win it.” Talent is everywhere, opportunity is not.…

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