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Hi! I'm Bonni Stachowiak. Host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast.

Each week I send an update to subscribers with the most recent episode's show notes and some other resources that don't show up on the podcast. Subscribe to the Teaching in Higher Ed weekly update.

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“You don't need to change your entire course tomorrow. What is one simple thing that you can do that will push you on the path?” - Matthew Mahavongtrakul
Featured Post

Teaching in Higher Ed Update // Active Learning That Engages All Learners with Matthew Mahavongtrakul

Reader, here's your weekly Teaching in Higher Ed update. On Episode 603, I welcome Matthew Mahavongtrakul, Program Director of Faculty Educational Development at UC Irvine and a practicing educator, to Teaching in Higher Ed. We dive into what vibrant active learning looks like in large classrooms and how it can be designed to engage all learners, regardless of class size. Matthew Mahavongtrakul, whose work bridges neuroscience, faculty development, and science communication. The discussion...

12 days ago • 3 min read
"When we stop aiming for perfection, we allow ourselves to then be fully present for others." - Bonni Stachowiak

Reader, here's your weekly Teaching in Higher Ed update. Dave and I celebrated Episode 600 together, reflecting on six practices gleaned from six hundred episodes. Resources from the episode: Episodes with James Lang Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning, 2nd Edition, by James M. Lang Episodes with Tracie Addy Who’s in Class Form Reach Everyone, Teach Everyone: Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education, by Thomas J. Tobin and Kirsten T. Behling Episodes with...

about 1 month ago • 1 min read
"One danger of these tools is that they give you such instant gratification. There's a hit of dopamine." Jeff Young

Reader, here's your weekly Teaching in Higher Ed update. On Episode 598, I welcome Jeff Young, host and creator of the Learning Curve podcast and freelance reporter for The Chronicle of Higher Education and other national publications, to Teaching in Higher Ed. We reflect on the early days of generative AI’s arrival and the changes it has brought to education and journalism. Jeff Young shares sound bites from students and educators wrestling with AI’s possibilities and pitfalls, including how...

about 2 months ago • 3 min read
"It can be helpful to have a map when we think about all of the different ways that artificial intelligence might impact our teaching." Bonni Stachowiak

Reader, here's your weekly Teaching in Higher Ed update. On Episode 597, Bonni Stachowiak shares with listeners about the creation and use of "Go Somewhere," a card game she has facilitated at over ten universities and conferences to help educators and students explore metaphors and conversations about Artificial Intelligence in higher education. Drawing from critical AI literacy frameworks, metaphor analysis, and playful approaches, Bonni explains how the game builds a supportive,...

about 2 months ago • 3 min read
“People assume that grief gets smaller, and actually we grow around it.” Rissa Sorensen Unruh

Reader, here's your weekly Teaching in Higher Ed update. On Episode 596 of Teaching in Higher Ed, I welcome Christy Albright, educator and PhD in Organization, Information, and Learning Sciences, and her sister Clarissa Sorensen Unruh, a chemistry faculty member and previous podcast guest, to discuss teaching, learning, and the lessons of grief. Together, we explore the nuanced, often counterintuitive nature of grief and the ways it intersects with both our personal and professional lives...

2 months ago • 5 min read
“You can’t solve institutional problems with individual sacrifices.” - Leslie Kern

Reader, here's your weekly Teaching in Higher Ed update. On Episode 595 of Teaching in Higher Ed, I welcome Roberta Hawkins, Professor of Geography at the University of Guelph, and Leslie Kern, author and academic career coach, to explore their book, Higher Expectations: How to Survive Academia, Make It Better for Others, and Transform the University. These two authors help us examine the realities of surviving and thriving in higher education, discussing practical strategies for balancing...

2 months ago • 3 min read
“Ken Bain was such good company to me and to countless people from around the world.” -Bonni Stachowiak

Reader, here's your weekly Teaching in Higher Ed update. On Episode 594 of Teaching in Higher Ed, Bonni and Dave Stachowiak reflect on the remarkable life and impact of Ken Bain, celebrated author of What the Best College Teachers Do. This episode honors Ken Bain’s enduring legacy in the scholarship of teaching and learning, sharing personal stories and social media tributes from educators touched by his work. Bonni and Dave recall how Bain’s research helped connect faculty to their values...

3 months ago • 2 min read
“I hope we don't abandon the decades of research that has shown the benefits of peer learning, of caring, belonging, and relationships in the classroom.” - Carter Moulton

Reader, here's your weekly Teaching in Higher Ed update. On Episode 593, I welcome Carter Moulton, educational developer, facilitator, and media researcher from the Colorado School of Mines, to Teaching in Higher Ed. We explore the intersection of human-centered teaching, values-driven design, and intentional integration of generative AI in the classroom. Carter shares the story behind his creation, Analog Inspiration—a thoughtfully designed card deck intended as both a professional...

3 months ago • 3 min read
“Really intelligent people find it very hard to be flexible, to change their mind.” - Barbara Oakley

Reader, here's your weekly Teaching in Higher Ed update. On Episode 592, I welcome Barbara Oakley. She is globally renowned for her hit course “Learning How to Learn” and is a celebrated voice on the science of learning—to Teaching in Higher Ed. We explore her extraordinary journey, spanning a US army career, Antarctic research, and time spent on Soviet trawlers, which informs her thoughtful perspective on the role of free speech in education. Our conversation centers on Barbara’s latest...

3 months ago • 3 min read
"Critical thinking problems with students turn out to be critical doing problems." - Mike Caulfield

Reader, here's your weekly Teaching in Higher Ed update. On Episode 590, I welcome back to the show, Mike Caulfield. He’s the creator of the SIFT fact-checking framework, digital literacy expert, and co-author of Verified: How to Think Straight, Get Duped Less, and Make Better Decisions about What to Believe Online. We discuss Mike’s latest experiments using artificial intelligence as a co-reasoning partner for critical thinking, exploration, and fact-checking. Mike reflects on his early...

3 months ago • 3 min read