Tag: Designing

Designing Courses for the Future: Key Considerations
The Challenge of Course Design

All learning designers are essentially futurists.

This is because the student who embarks on your designed course will not develop the skills and attributes you anticipated until they have completed it. If your course is part of a multi-year degree, you need to be thinking about a future that might be three or four years ahead.

This might seem like common sense, and to some extent it is, but we often do not start the design process with the kind of collective reflection that ensures we are the right people to design this course or programme. Whether we have the foresight and skills to anticipate what the future holds.

It is self-evident that if you have designed your course around practical activities using a piece of software, and you know that this version will inevitably be replaced several times in the next three years, you are likely to teach just the core and enduring functionalities of the software.

If you are teaching some aspect of urban planning, should you anticipate the impact of self-driving vehicles? When teaching a politics course on the Middle East, how well-grounded are your assumptions about the immovable nature of borders?

Some of you might be saying, “But Simon, I teach history, or foundation level biology or mathematics.’ You may have a point, but I stress ‘may’. Perspectives on history change as new evidence is revealed, biology advances every day as technology provides new insights, and ‘new’ maths underpins much of the current Artificial Intelligence movement.

It is easier to teach about what is than about what might be. We owe it to our students to try. Please reflect on how much your discipline has changed in the last five or ten years.

Orienting your Design Team

It is important to establish the scope of any course or programme design. The canvas upon which it is being painted. The extent to which you have to spend time doing this will depend on your own experience of yourself and your design team members, and the consistency with which your institution plans and designs its courses. You may also benefit from an institution that has an experienced educational development unit that will assist you in your course designs. However, you should feel free to challenge their assumptions too!

In stages 2 and 3 of the 8-SLDF (future posts), explore the broader context in which your course is being designed to ensure optimal alignment with students’ expectations and institutional capabilities. For now, we aim simply to ensure that we are setting off on the journey to design within our institutional limits.

There are several foundational questions your team needs to answer before you can begin. These include:
- What is the credit value of this course? Most countries have nationally determined credit weightings for tertiary qualifications, such as 20 credits equalling 200 hours of student learning.
- Will your course fit into an existing programme that will otherwise be unchanged?
- If you are designing a new programme, what existing courses and pathways are anticipated?
- Will your offering be an option or a compulsory course?
- Will it have co-requisites, pre-requisites or post-requisites?
- What are the timetabling restraints? Is there a formal pattern for learning delivery? It could be that the institutional expectation is for courses to be delivered through a 60-minute lecture and a 120-minute seminar each week.
- Will it be available for out-of-programme enrolment? Some University courses are available for the public on a course-by-course basis.
Design Team Activity 1: Future Learning

Before you even choose the actual design team, I suggest you bring together a group of your colleagues who teach within the same discipline or programme as the one your course is being designed for.

This could be as few as two others, or as many as you can fit into the room you are using. For this exercise, there is little danger of ‘too many cooks spoiling the broth’, and having divergent opinions is a good thing, although, from experience, I would suggest 15 as an upper limit. You may identify a contributor that you ‘must’ have on board, and perhaps others you would rather not!

Allow 60 minutes for this activity. You will need time later to reflect on what has been said. Doing this exercise online via conferencing software may automatically generate a transcript, which can be useful.

Ask two simple questions:

What has changed in our discipline in the last five to ten years?

and

What impact do we think Artificial Intelligence will have on our discipline?

Asking the first question as a historical one will inevitably lead to the present and the future… trust me! You don’t need to curate the responses too much; some participants will want to look back, others will be more focused on the horizon.

You may need to prompt colleagues by citing recent scholarly research. Still, it is more important to focus the conversation on societal changes resulting from recent developments in your discipline.

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February 16, 2026
Designing the 2026 Classroom: Emerging Learning Trends in an AI-Powered Education System – Faculty Focus

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping education faster than many can realize or believe. According to a 2025 report by Microsoft, 86% of education organizations now use generative AI – the highest adoption rate of any industry and an uncharacteristically rapid pace for a sector which has historically lagged behind in technology adoption.

Across educational organizations, AI is moving from experimentation to impact. Each year, more institutions increasingly accelerate their use of AI. The global AI education market reached $7.57 billion USD in 2025, and is projected to exceed $112 billion USD by 2034.

Looking forward to the classrooms of 2026, AI will expand its stance as a powerful service for learners and teachers alike. From the earliest stages of education, AI-driven platforms are helping provide real-time personalized English instruction, helping level the playing field for young learners in developing countries.

AI’s impact extends across primary, secondary, and higher education, supporting personalized learning that adapts to individual needs, delivers instant feedback, enhances student engagement and outcomes, and reduces administrative demands on teachers.

An AIPRM report of U.S. students, for instance, found a 62% increase in test scores among those using AI-powered instruction systems, attributed to the technology’s ability to identify and address knowledge gaps before they develop into larger challenges.

“Instead of being confined to set moments, instruction can respond as learning happens, guiding students through their thinking and helping them build understanding in real time”, says Rajen Sheth, Founder and CEO of AI-powered edtech company Kyron Learning. The startup delivers personalized learning at scale, and raised $14.6 million USD in a Series A funding round.

At the same time as AI adoption in classrooms surges, companies across the globe confront an unprecedented skills crunch, with growing demand for talent capable of leveraging technology to drive innovation and growth. These challenges are inseparable: as AI reshapes business, it is also transforming how individuals are prepared for work.

In such a fast-moving landscape, higher education institutions are embedding AI, experiential learning, and challenge-based approaches into their curricula, alongside the rise of new institutions dedicated to digital transformation, technology, and data rather than traditional academic disciplines.

Democratization of Learning

Families who relocated recently to English-speaking countries often experience difficulties teaching the language to their children. English proficiency is widely viewed as a critical driver of future educational and economic opportunity for young children, although in regions like Latin America access to high-quality, in-person instruction remains limited to a small sector of families who can afford private lessons.

At this early stage of learning, AI-powered language tools are increasingly filling this gap. Experts expect it to play an even more significant role in the coming year, expanding access to effective, engaging English-language education at scale. Luis Von Ahn, founder of Duolingo, suggested on the No Priors podcast that AI will take on much of the instruction while teachers evolve into mentors or facilitators.

Buddy.ai was launched in 2017 to address this need. After he moved to the U.S. from Siberia, co-founder Ivan Crewkov had witnessed his preschool daughter’s difficulties with adapting to an English-language society.

The application has a multimodal AI tutor, Buddy, that interacts with students in real time and features a voice recognition technology specifically designed for children that complies with COPPA regulations.

Despite the precedents set for this technology in academia, Buddy.ai was the first company to successfully bring this concept to market:

“This is a game changer for teachers, since, in the past, they could only give students the practice of speaking in person, which was almost impossible in crowded classrooms”, explained Crewkov to Entrepreneur Magazine.

Research consistently shows that this approach is more effective than traditional learning methods.

AI-Powered Instruction and the Future of Schools

As per an October 2025 report by the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), 85% of teachers and 86% of students used AI in the preceding school year.

“I’m not surprised to hear that 85% of teachers have used it in some way…anything that helps a teacher save time is going to get taken up”, noted Joseph South, Chief Innovation Officer for ISTE+ASCD, a non-profit that provides resources for educators about educational technology, while in conversation with Education Week.

The CDT report also noted that 69% of teachers said AI tools have improved their teaching methods, while 55% agreed that it has given them more time to interact directly with students.

As 2026 unfolds, the use of AI-powered instruction is expected to continue growing amid rising teacher workload and burnout: it reduces administrative demands and offers a promising way to ease staffing shortages and allow educators to focus on teaching and student engagement.

Sheth said, however, that the challenge for educators is scale: “Even the best instructors can’t give every student timely, individualized support 24/7. Kyron helps close that gap while keeping educators firmly in control.”

AI-powered instruction platforms, such as Kyron Learning, help bridge differences in learning styles, cultural backgrounds, and prior educational experiences, with studies showing up to 70% higher course completion rates compared to traditional approaches.

“Rooted in learning science, [Kyron] adapts to each learner’s responses, providing timely feedback, surfacing misconceptions early, and supporting diverse learning needs across environments,” Sheth explained.

Opportunities and Challenges Students Face with AI

Most people can recall a moment in their education journeys when a lack of understanding and frustration made them want to give up. In crowded classrooms, that feeling can be particularly discouraging – but with Kyron’s instruction, students remain engaged, learning with greater confidence.

Kyron Learning is now available to all educational institutions and learning solution providers, partnering with a variety of organizations, including K-12 school districts and universities such as Western Governors University in Utah and the Illinois Institute of Technology.

Regardless, concerns have been raised about whether AI-powered learning could hinder students’ ability to form meaningful relationships with teachers and develop critical thinking and research skills.

“As many hype up the possibilities for AI to transform education, our research shows AI use in schools comes with real risks, like large-scale data breaches, tech-fueled sexual harassment and bullying, and treating students unfairly,” said Elizabeth Laird, director of the equity in civic technology project at CDT, to Education Week.

The CDT report also outlined that 70% of teachers worry that AI weakens critical thinking and research skills, and over half of the students agree that using AI in class makes them feel less connected to their teachers.

Sheth disagrees: “At the core, education remains human. The mentorship, connection, and inspiration that great educators provide cannot be replicated”, he continued, explaining that Kyron’s value is, “in reinforcing those strengths by supporting learning at scale,” he assured.

“The future is educators empowered by AI, not overshadowed by it”, he added.

In 2026, learning how to use these learning tools will be crucial. Experts, in fact, have said that the best way for schools to manage AI risks is through teacher training and student literacy lessons.

By that measure, schools and districts are falling behind: although most teachers and students use AI, the CDT report shows that under half have received no training or guidance from their institutions.

“What schools need to do is help teachers and students use [AI tools] in the right and best ways,” South agreed.

Equipping Learners for a Technology-Powered Economy

According to a report by McKinsey, 92% of business leaders expect to boost AI spending over the next three years. Organizations using AI-powered training report clear gains in employee performance, engagement, and retention.

Positioning AI a strategic device and underscoring the need for higher-education institutions to prepare students for this AI-centric workforce is therefore critical.

Leading universities and institutions are already actively redefining their classrooms to align with the demands of an AI-driven economy. The Tecnológico de Monterrey (Tec), a private university based in Monterrey, Mexico, actively redefines the curricula to align with the demands of an AI-driven economy.

Tec has woven AI, experiential learning, and challenge-based education throughout its undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs.

At Tec, they emphasize real-world problem solving, interdisciplinary collaboration and strong-industry connections to expand digital skills training, certification and workforce opportunities for students– working with partners such as Salesforce, Udemy, AWS, and Oracle, in addition to other global networks like the World Economic Forum Foresight Network and the AI Global Education Network.

Tec’s business programs register an employability level of over 93% just 3 months after graduating.

An alternate institution that has recognized the need to prepare students for the digital economy is ISDI (Instituto Superior para el Desarrolo de Internet), a digital business school in Madrid, Spain that offers master’s degrees and executive programs in digital business, technology, and innovation to equip professionals with these skills.

ISDI utilizes applied learning, continuous reskilling, and close collaboration with industry, equipping students with both technical capabilities and the strategic thinking required to navigate AI-enabled workplaces.

Roughly 90% of ISDI graduates work in fields related to their studies within 6 months of completing their programs.

These institutions have understood that, in 2026, higher education will continue to adapt learning models to prepare students not only to use AI tools, but to thrive alongside them in the modern workforce.

“The value of human skills cannot be replicated by computers. The future belongs to those who can balance technological and human skills to solve problems”, wrote Bernard Marr, world-renowned futurist, author, and strategic advisor who specializes in AI data and digital transformation, in Forbes.

Grace Goldstone is a reporter for Latin America Reports. Originally from the UK, she currently lives in Medellín, Colombia. Grace holds a master’s degree in Politics from the University of Edinburgh and previously interned at the UK House of Commons. Her work has also appeared in WIRED en Español and Entrepreneur Magazine.

References

AIPRM. “AI in Education Statistics.” Accessed December 29, 2025.
https://www.aiprm.com/en-gb/ai-in-education-statistics/

Business Insider. “Duolingo CEO Says AI Will Transform Schools and Childcare.” Accessed December 29, 2025.
https://www.businessinsider.com/duolingo-ceo-schools-ai-future-childcare-2025-5

Center for Democracy & Technology. Hand in Hand: 2025 Polling on Artificial Intelligence and Education. October 2025.
https://cdt.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/FINAL-CDT-2025-Hand-in-Hand-Polling-100225-accessible.pdf

Conecta Tec. “Crear progreso con egresados: Visión de la Escuela de Negocios del Tec.” Accessed December 17, 2025.
https://conecta.tec.mx/es/noticias/nacional/educacion/crear-progreso-con-egresados-vision-de-la-escuela-de-negocios-del-tec

Engageli. “AI in Education Statistics.” Accessed December 15, 2025.
https://www.engageli.com/blog/ai-in-education-statistics

Entrepreneur en Español. “Entrevista: Así es como Buddy.ai se ha posicionado en educación.” November 07, 2024.
https://spanish.entrepreneur.com/emprendedores/entrevista-asi-es-como-buddyai-se-ha-posicionado-en/482535

ISDI. “ISDI Institutions Overview.” Accessed December 17, 2025.
https://www.educations.com/institutions/isdi

McKinsey & Company. “Superagency in the Workplace: Empowering People to Unlock AI’s Full Potential at Work.” January 28, 2025.
https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/tech-and-ai/our-insights/superagency-in-the-workplace-empowering-people-to-unlock-ais-full-potential-at-work

Microsoft Education Blog. “AI in Education Report: Insights to Support Teaching and Learning.” August 20, 2025.
https://windpress.info/en/press-release/851649/ai-in-education-report-insights-to-support-teaching-and-learning-microsoft-education-blog

MDPI. “Artificial Intelligence in Education.” Education Sciences 15, no. 2 (2025): Article 113, January 20 2025.
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/2/113

Precedence Research. “AI in Education Market Size, Share, and Trends.” Accessed November 18, 2025.
https://www.precedenceresearch.com/ai-in-education-market

Springer. “Artificial Intelligence in Education: Promises and Implications for Teaching and Learning.” International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education. Accessed December 17, 2025.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40593-015-0065-9

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January 21, 2026
Designing AI-Resistant Assignments in Educational Leadership Courses – Faculty Focus
When I began teaching graduate-level courses in educational leadership early in the COVID-19 pandemic, my classroom existed entirely online. I quickly learned that keeping students engaged through a screen required more than well-organized slides or polished lectures. It required activities, learning experiences, and assignments that drew students into authentic, applied work that connected theory to the real leadership challenges they would face. Since then, I have taught dozens of educational leadership courses, both online and in person, and I have seen the same pattern: the design of an assignment shapes not only what students submit, but how deeply they engage with the learning process. Now, with generative AI able to produce essays, summaries, and even comprehensive education plans in seconds, the stakes for assignment design have changed. If an assignment can be completed entirely by an AI tool without any meaningful student input, we risk undermining the very skills that matter most in leadership preparation.

Why AI-Resistant Assignments Matter

Some educators have begun using the term “AI-resistant assignments” to describe work that cannot be fully completed by a chatbot. These are not AI-proof, and I am not trying to exclude technology altogether. In fact, when used appropriately, AI can be a valuable support for brainstorming, organizing ideas, or refining language. But an AI-resistant assignment is one where the core of the work, including the evidence gathered, the decisions made, and the reflections offered, must come from the student’s own engagement with people, data, and context.

Other educators have reached similar conclusions. In a recent New York Times column, Grose (2025) profiled professors who are reimagining their courses to ensure students remain active participants in their own learning. The examples she shared came from the humanities, but the underlying lesson applies across fields: in an AI-integrated world, we have to create assignments that cannot be outsourced entirely to a machine. The University of Massachusetts Amherst Center for Teaching and Learning (n.d.) offers strategies for making assignments more resistant to AI completion, such as requiring site-specific context, process documentation, and collaborative components.

Further underscoring the need for evidence, the AutomatED newsletter issued a public challenge to educators to submit assignments they believed were “AI-immune” and then tested them directly with AI tools (Clay, 2023). The results demonstrated that only by actively trialing assignments against AI, not just assuming immunity, can instructors be confident in their design choices.

These realities make it clear that designing assignments for leadership preparation cannot be left to chance. Educators need intentional strategies that not only account for AI’s capabilities but also reinforce the kinds of professional thinking and application AI cannot replicate. The following five principles offer a practical foundation for developing assignments that engage students deeply, foster leadership competencies, and ensure authentic performance.

Five Principles for AI-Resistant Assignments

From my own practice and from published guidance, I have developed five principles for AI-resistant assignments in leadership preparation:
1. Ground in authentic context – Require site-specific or scenario-specific evidence, incorporate the policy and community realities of schools, and engage peers or stakeholders in the process. This can include interactive formats such as presentations (recorded or live), simulations, debates, classroom observations with low-inference notes, analysis of instructional practice, interviews with stakeholders, or structured peer feedback sessions.
1. Connect theory to practice – Anchor assignments in leadership frameworks such as the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders, Lencioni’s Organizational Health, or Kotter’s change model, and always include both application and contextualized reflection.
1. Make the learning process visible – Assess drafts and planning notes alongside final products, and encourage multimodal evidence such as charts, agendas, or observation notes.
1. Clarify the role of AI – Set explicit expectations for when AI can be used and when it cannot replace original, site-based analysis.
1. Center human presence (Saucier’s PEACE Framework) – Build assignments that highlight preparation, expertise, authenticity, care, and engagement — qualities that cannot be automated and remain central to effective teaching (Saucier, 2025). I make sure that my instructions are clear, grounded in tasks they will use in the field, and meaningful for them to complete in their future leadership positions.
Examples from Leadership Preparation

These principles translate into assignments that blend conceptual rigor with applied relevance:
- Community Introduction Town Hall – District leader candidates prepare and deliver a live presentation introducing themselves to the school community during an initial town hall meeting. The presentation includes school demographics, achievement data, community assets, and identified needs, and is followed by a brief Q&A. This assignment is explicitly aligned to the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) and requires candidates to connect their leadership vision to stakeholder priorities.
- Organizational Health Rubric and Evaluation – Students use research to build on Patrick Lencioni’s organizational health model to create a custom rubric tailored to the context of a school district. They then apply the rubric to conduct an assessment, gathering both qualitative and quantitative evidence, rating each dimension, and concluding with a prioritized set of recommendations for improvement.
- Clinical Internship Logs with Contextual Analysis and Showcase – Students maintain weekly logs documenting activities, decisions, and reflections from their clinical internship, ensuring each entry explicitly connects to course content and relevant standards such as the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL). At the end of the course, they present a synthesis of their experiences in a live or recorded showcase, highlighting key takeaways, challenges addressed, and leadership growth.
- Practice Instructional Coaching Conversations – Prepare for and conduct a simulated coaching conversation using an observation or case scenario, applying a framework like Jim Knight’s Impact Cycle, followed by reflection on the exchange.
Implementation Strategies

When implementing these assignments, I sequence them so that simpler applications build into more complex, multi-stakeholder tasks, and I scaffold the skills of data collection, context analysis, and reflective practice. I apply UMass CTL’s transparency recommendations, making the purpose of each assignment explicit, clarifying AI use policies, and linking tasks directly to learning outcomes. I also keep the PEACE framework in mind in both my teaching and my assessment design.

Conclusion: Keeping Humans at the Center

AI-resistant assignment design not only maintains academic integrity; it prepares leadership candidates for the realities of their profession. They practice making decisions with incomplete information, balancing competing interests, and communicating effectively with stakeholders, all in contexts where AI can be a partner but never the whole answer. By aligning these assignments with standards such as the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders and the National Educational Leadership Preparation standards, we ensure graduates leave with the judgment, adaptability, and human skills their roles demand. In an age when AI can produce passable work in seconds, including comprehensive education plans, the temptation for both students and instructors is to let the machine take the lead. But leadership is not about producing text; it is about guiding people and systems toward a shared vision. As Grose (2025) observed, the most enduring learning happens when students must engage with real people and real problems. If we want to prepare leaders who can thrive, we must ensure that every leadership course includes at least one AI-resistant assignment, not as a constraint, but as a commitment to developing the human capacities that no algorithm can replace.

Andy Szeto, EdD, is an adjunct professor in educational leadership with experience teaching more than fifty graduate-level courses. He specializes in instructional leadership, school management, and AI integration in school leadership preparation, drawing from his professional background as a district leader and his ongoing work mentoring emerging school leaders.

References

Clay, G. (2023, April 3). Believe your assignment is AI-immune? Let’s put it to the test. AutomatED: Teaching Better with Tech. https://automatedteach.com/p/believe-assignment-aiimmune-lets-put-test

Grose, J. (2025, August 6). These college professors will not bow down to A.I. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/06/opinion/humanities-college-ai.html

Saucier, L. (2025, May 12). What can college instructors offer their students in the age of AI? Faculty Focus. https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-with-technology-articles/what-can-college-instructors-offer-their-students-in-the-age-of-ai/

University of Massachusetts Amherst Center for Teaching and Learning. (n.d.). How do I redesign assignments and assessments for an AI-impacted world? Retrieved August 9, 2025, from https://www.umass.edu/ctl/how-do-i-redesign-assignments-and-assessments-ai-impacted-world
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January 12, 2026
Designing AI-Resistant Assignments in Educational Leadership Courses – Faculty Focus
When I began teaching graduate-level courses in educational leadership early in the COVID-19 pandemic, my classroom existed entirely online. I quickly learned that keeping students engaged through a screen required more than well-organized slides or polished lectures. It required activities, learning experiences, and assignments that drew students into authentic, applied work that connected theory to the real leadership challenges they would face. Since then, I have taught dozens of educational leadership courses, both online and in person, and I have seen the same pattern: the design of an assignment shapes not only what students submit, but how deeply they engage with the learning process. Now, with generative AI able to produce essays, summaries, and even comprehensive education plans in seconds, the stakes for assignment design have changed. If an assignment can be completed entirely by an AI tool without any meaningful student input, we risk undermining the very skills that matter most in leadership preparation.

Why AI-Resistant Assignments Matter

Some educators have begun using the term “AI-resistant assignments” to describe work that cannot be fully completed by a chatbot. These are not AI-proof, and I am not trying to exclude technology altogether. In fact, when used appropriately, AI can be a valuable support for brainstorming, organizing ideas, or refining language. But an AI-resistant assignment is one where the core of the work, including the evidence gathered, the decisions made, and the reflections offered, must come from the student’s own engagement with people, data, and context.

Other educators have reached similar conclusions. In a recent New York Times column, Grose (2025) profiled professors who are reimagining their courses to ensure students remain active participants in their own learning. The examples she shared came from the humanities, but the underlying lesson applies across fields: in an AI-integrated world, we have to create assignments that cannot be outsourced entirely to a machine. The University of Massachusetts Amherst Center for Teaching and Learning (n.d.) offers strategies for making assignments more resistant to AI completion, such as requiring site-specific context, process documentation, and collaborative components.

Further underscoring the need for evidence, the AutomatED newsletter issued a public challenge to educators to submit assignments they believed were “AI-immune” and then tested them directly with AI tools (Clay, 2023). The results demonstrated that only by actively trialing assignments against AI, not just assuming immunity, can instructors be confident in their design choices.

These realities make it clear that designing assignments for leadership preparation cannot be left to chance. Educators need intentional strategies that not only account for AI’s capabilities but also reinforce the kinds of professional thinking and application AI cannot replicate. The following five principles offer a practical foundation for developing assignments that engage students deeply, foster leadership competencies, and ensure authentic performance.

Five Principles for AI-Resistant Assignments

From my own practice and from published guidance, I have developed five principles for AI-resistant assignments in leadership preparation:
1. Ground in authentic context – Require site-specific or scenario-specific evidence, incorporate the policy and community realities of schools, and engage peers or stakeholders in the process. This can include interactive formats such as presentations (recorded or live), simulations, debates, classroom observations with low-inference notes, analysis of instructional practice, interviews with stakeholders, or structured peer feedback sessions.
1. Connect theory to practice – Anchor assignments in leadership frameworks such as the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders, Lencioni’s Organizational Health, or Kotter’s change model, and always include both application and contextualized reflection.
1. Make the learning process visible – Assess drafts and planning notes alongside final products, and encourage multimodal evidence such as charts, agendas, or observation notes.
1. Clarify the role of AI – Set explicit expectations for when AI can be used and when it cannot replace original, site-based analysis.
1. Center human presence (Saucier’s PEACE Framework) – Build assignments that highlight preparation, expertise, authenticity, care, and engagement — qualities that cannot be automated and remain central to effective teaching (Saucier, 2025). I make sure that my instructions are clear, grounded in tasks they will use in the field, and meaningful for them to complete in their future leadership positions.
Examples from Leadership Preparation

These principles translate into assignments that blend conceptual rigor with applied relevance:
- Community Introduction Town Hall – District leader candidates prepare and deliver a live presentation introducing themselves to the school community during an initial town hall meeting. The presentation includes school demographics, achievement data, community assets, and identified needs, and is followed by a brief Q&A. This assignment is explicitly aligned to the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) and requires candidates to connect their leadership vision to stakeholder priorities.
- Organizational Health Rubric and Evaluation – Students use research to build on Patrick Lencioni’s organizational health model to create a custom rubric tailored to the context of a school district. They then apply the rubric to conduct an assessment, gathering both qualitative and quantitative evidence, rating each dimension, and concluding with a prioritized set of recommendations for improvement.
- Clinical Internship Logs with Contextual Analysis and Showcase – Students maintain weekly logs documenting activities, decisions, and reflections from their clinical internship, ensuring each entry explicitly connects to course content and relevant standards such as the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL). At the end of the course, they present a synthesis of their experiences in a live or recorded showcase, highlighting key takeaways, challenges addressed, and leadership growth.
- Practice Instructional Coaching Conversations – Prepare for and conduct a simulated coaching conversation using an observation or case scenario, applying a framework like Jim Knight’s Impact Cycle, followed by reflection on the exchange.
Implementation Strategies

When implementing these assignments, I sequence them so that simpler applications build into more complex, multi-stakeholder tasks, and I scaffold the skills of data collection, context analysis, and reflective practice. I apply UMass CTL’s transparency recommendations, making the purpose of each assignment explicit, clarifying AI use policies, and linking tasks directly to learning outcomes. I also keep the PEACE framework in mind in both my teaching and my assessment design.

Conclusion: Keeping Humans at the Center

AI-resistant assignment design not only maintains academic integrity; it prepares leadership candidates for the realities of their profession. They practice making decisions with incomplete information, balancing competing interests, and communicating effectively with stakeholders, all in contexts where AI can be a partner but never the whole answer. By aligning these assignments with standards such as the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders and the National Educational Leadership Preparation standards, we ensure graduates leave with the judgment, adaptability, and human skills their roles demand. In an age when AI can produce passable work in seconds, including comprehensive education plans, the temptation for both students and instructors is to let the machine take the lead. But leadership is not about producing text; it is about guiding people and systems toward a shared vision. As Grose (2025) observed, the most enduring learning happens when students must engage with real people and real problems. If we want to prepare leaders who can thrive, we must ensure that every leadership course includes at least one AI-resistant assignment, not as a constraint, but as a commitment to developing the human capacities that no algorithm can replace.

Andy Szeto, EdD, is an adjunct professor in educational leadership with experience teaching more than fifty graduate-level courses. He specializes in instructional leadership, school management, and AI integration in school leadership preparation, drawing from his professional background as a district leader and his ongoing work mentoring emerging school leaders.

References

Clay, G. (2023, April 3). Believe your assignment is AI-immune? Let’s put it to the test. AutomatED: Teaching Better with Tech. https://automatedteach.com/p/believe-assignment-aiimmune-lets-put-test

Grose, J. (2025, August 6). These college professors will not bow down to A.I. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/06/opinion/humanities-college-ai.html

Saucier, L. (2025, May 12). What can college instructors offer their students in the age of AI? Faculty Focus. https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-with-technology-articles/what-can-college-instructors-offer-their-students-in-the-age-of-ai/

University of Massachusetts Amherst Center for Teaching and Learning. (n.d.). How do I redesign assignments and assessments for an AI-impacted world? Retrieved August 9, 2025, from https://www.umass.edu/ctl/how-do-i-redesign-assignments-and-assessments-ai-impacted-world
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January 12, 2026
Smarter Student Support: Designing Connected Ecosystems That Drive Equity and Completion
Across higher education, student support systems are often built for institutions, not for students. As a result, many learners encounter a maze of disconnected services that feel reactive, impersonal, or inaccessible. For students already balancing work, caregiving, and financial pressures, this fragmentation can be the difference between staying enrolled and stopping out.

As Chief Academic Officer, I’ve seen how crucial it is to align support structures with academic goals and student realities. Institutions must move beyond piecemeal solutions and instead design holistic ecosystems that prioritize student experience, equity, and completion from the start. That means leveraging data, embracing design thinking, and fostering cross-campus collaboration.

Where fragmentation undermines student outcomes

Many institutions approach support through isolated units: advising, student success, IT, and academic departments each operating in silos. The result is a disjointed experience for students, where important information is delayed or missed altogether. Without a unified view of the student journey, opportunities for early intervention or personalized support fall through the cracks.

This fragmentation disproportionately affects students from historically underserved backgrounds. When support isn’t accessible or timely, those with less institutional knowledge or fewer resources are more likely to disengage.

Disconnected systems can lead to:
- Missed early warning signs
- Delayed or generic interventions
- Frustration from navigating multiple systems
- Lower retention and completion rates
It’s not enough to offer services. It’s crucial to ensure those services are connected, visible, and tailored to real student needs.

In my experience, when institutions treat student support as a set of tasks rather than a strategic function, it limits their ability to make meaningful progress on equity and completion. Students shouldn’t have to navigate a patchwork of websites, offices, and policies to get the help they need. They deserve a system that anticipates their challenges and responds in real time.

What a connected, learner-first ecosystem looks like

A modern support ecosystem begins with data. Institutions need to unify data from across the student lifecycle (from admissions to advising to classroom performance) to create a comprehensive view of each learner. With integrated platforms, faculty and staff can access timely insights to guide interventions and support decisions.

At Collegis, we’ve seen how data-powered ecosystems — supported by platforms like Connected Core® — drive measurable improvement in retention and equity. But technology alone isn’t enough. Data needs to be paired with personalization. That means using predictive analytics to identify students at risk and deliver outreach that is relevant, proactive, and human.

It’s not about automation replacing connection. It’s about enabling the right kind of connection at the right time.

I often ask, “Are support systems designed for students or around them?” A learner-first ecosystem doesn’t just meet students where they are academically. It considers their time constraints, personal responsibilities, and evolving goals. It removes barriers rather than creating new ones.

Key elements of a connected ecosystem include:
- Unified, actionable student data
- Proactive, personalized interventions
- Support that reflects real student lives
- 24/7 digital services and hybrid options
Flexible course scheduling, hybrid advising models, and round-the-clock support aren’t just conveniences. They’re equity tools that recognize the unique needs of today’s student body.

Using design thinking to reimagine support systems

Design thinking offers a powerful framework for this work. It starts with empathy — understanding the lived experience of students and mapping the friction they encounter in navigating institutional systems. From there, you can co-create solutions that reflect students’ realities, prototype interventions, and iterate based on feedback and outcomes.

I’ve found this approach invaluable for aligning innovation with mission. It brings together diverse voices (students, faculty, advisors, technologists) to build support systems that are not just efficient, but equitable.

Design thinking allows us to move beyond assumptions. Instead of designing around legacy processes or internal structures, we start with real student stories. This helps us ask better questions and arrive at more inclusive answers.

It’s not just about solving problems—it’s about solving the right problems.

The role of academic leadership in cross-campus collaboration

No single office can transform student support in isolation. It requires a coalition of academic, technical, and operational leaders working in sync. Academic affairs plays a central role in this work, bridging the gap between pedagogy and operations.

In my experience, success begins with a shared vision and clear metrics:
- What are we trying to improve?
- How will we measure progress?
From there, we build alignment around roles, resources, and timelines. Regular communication and an openness to iteration keep the momentum going.

One of the most powerful things academic leaders can do is model cross-functional thinking. When we approach student success as a collective responsibility, we shift the culture from reactive to proactive. And when data is shared across departments, everyone can see the part they play in helping students succeed.

Turning strategy into action

At Collegis, we’ve partnered with institutions to bring student-centered strategies to life:
- Our Connected Core data platform enables the kind of integration that underpins personalized support.
- Our deep higher education experience ensures solutions align with academic priorities.
We believe in the power of aligning strategy with execution. We don’t just talk about transformation. We build the infrastructure, train the teams, and help institutions scale what works. From data strategy to digital learning design, we act as an extension of our partners’ teams.

This work is about more than improving services. It’s about advancing equity, accelerating completion, and fulfilling our mission to support every learner.

Designing for what matters most

If we want better outcomes, we have to start with better design. That means asking not just what services you offer, but how and why you deliver them. It means shifting from reactive support to intentional, data-informed ecosystems that center the student experience.

By embracing design thinking, unifying your systems, and working across traditional boundaries, you can build the kind of support that today’s learners deserve and tomorrow’s institutions require.

Student success shouldn’t depend on luck or persistence alone. The most impactful institutions are those that view support not as a service, but as a strategy — one that helps every student reach their full potential.

Let’s talk about how to design smarter student support together.

Innovation Starts Here

Higher ed is evolving — don’t get left behind. Explore how Collegis can help your institution thrive.
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December 1, 2025
The Final Stretch: Designing a Meaningful Course Ending – Faculty Focus

As the term draws to a close, students are not the only ones counting the weeks left. Instructors, too, often feel a mix of relief and fatigue. However, while the finish line may be in sight, what happens in those final weeks can be some of the most impactful moments of the entire course. Far too often, the end of a course is treated as an administrative period, marked by the collection of assignments, preparation for tests, and course evaluations. However, research and teaching practice suggest that this stretch can—and should—be much more. The final weeks are an opportunity to consolidate learning, deepen reflection, and help students leave the course with a sense of accomplishment and continuity.

Ending a course well helps students understand what they have learned, use it in other situations, and feel a sense of closure. It also gives instructors a chance to reflect on and improve the course for the next time (Stone, Powell, and McGuire 2020).

Revisit Learning Outcomes to Reinforce Understanding

One of the best ways to structure this final phase is by revisiting the learning outcomes. At this point in the course, students have encountered significant themes and concepts, but they may not yet see how they all fit together. You can facilitate this by asking students to engage in a learning outcome reflection activity—matching each course objective with a specific assignment, concept, or experience. This encourages students to internalize the course structure and reflect on their growth. Annotating earlier assignments or revisiting early reflections with newly acquired knowledge can reinforce their sense of progress. These metacognitive strategies have been shown to improve both retention and student satisfaction (Bangert-Drowns, Kulik, and Kulik 1991).

Help Students Reach Cognitive Closure

As the end approaches, it can be tempting to try to “cover more” or introduce one last complex theory. However, research shows that introducing too much new material late in the term can lead to cognitive overload (Schwartz & Bransford, 1998). Instead, focus on helping students reach cognitive closure. This involves creating space for them to synthesize what they have learned. One approach is to host a “big ideas” class discussion where students collectively identify and explore the three or four most critical takeaways. This could be done in groups, using concept maps or visual timelines, or through creative synthesis activities—such as summarizing the course in 280 characters, designing a graphic, or teaching a core idea to someone outside the field. These methods encourage active processing of material and can support different learning styles.

Another effective way to create momentum in the final stretch is to engage students in peer teaching and joint review. This taps into the benefits of social learning, supporting students’ learning while promoting a sense of community. Peer-led review sessions can involve students taking turns explaining key topics, preparing review materials, or facilitating study groups. In online settings, students might create narrated slides or post video explanations. (Topping 2005) emphasizes that peer teaching promotes engagement, motivation, and a deeper understanding of concepts. A collaborative study guide, built as a shared document or Padlet board, enables students to crowdsource notes, identify knowledge gaps, and co-construct meaning from the course content.

Flexible and Creative Assessments

Final assessments naturally dominate the end of the term, but they do not have to be high-stress hurdles. In fact, they can be designed as culminating experiences that invite students to integrate and apply their knowledge and skills. Whether your final assignment is a paper, presentation, portfolio, or exam, distinctly expressing your anticipations and helping students throughout the process is essential. Offering rubrics, example answers, and chances to ask questions can ease student stress and boost their confidence (Olson and Krysiak 2021). A rubric allows for reliability, validity, and transparency in grading student work (Schwartz and Bransford 1998).

In some courses, alternative or flexible assessment options can be meaningful, allowing students to select how they demonstrate their learning. This might include multimedia projects, reflective essays, or real-world application tasks. Offering a “project lab” class where students can brainstorm ideas, seek feedback, or work in groups can also reduce isolation and improve the quality of final submissions.

Gather Reflection and Feedback for Continuous Improvement

Reflection is one of the most overlooked yet most powerful tools available to instructors. The last few weeks offer a prime opportunity to gather feedback, not just for your improvement, but to help students reflect on their learning. Creating a simple “course wrap-up survey” with questions like “What helped you learn the most?” or “What would you do differently if you retook the course?” promotes self-awareness. Some instructors even include short reflection elements in their final assignments, encouraging students to describe their process, challenges, and learning outcomes. Reflection also helps foster a sense of closure, which is essential for learning and emotional processing.

In addition to reflection, feedforward focuses on providing students with prior exposure to and practice with assessment, enabling them to develop a clear sense of expectations and standards that they can apply to future work (Carless, 2007; Boud & Molloy, 2013). Feedforward involves helping students connect course content to future learning or real-world applications. You might conclude your course with a brief discussion of the next steps, including which electives complement the course, what career paths align with the content, or what reading and media resources can support continued growth. A simple handout or post in your learning management system featuring recommended resources, articles, and tools can go a long way. This also reinforces the idea that the course is not a self-contained experience but part of a broader learning journey.

Create Emotional and Social Closure

Another critical but often neglected aspect of course endings is the emotional and social closure. The last day of class should not feel like a transaction—it should feel like a moment of celebration. This does not require balloons or big productions. It might be a unique reflection from the instructor on what made this cohort special, a slide deck of class highlights, or a casual roundtable where each student shares a takeaway. Even small rituals can have a significant impact. In online classes, you might broadcast a farewell video, host a “virtual hallway chat,” or invite students to contribute thank-you notes or final reflections in a shared document. These moments help build relationships and strengthen students’ sense of belonging, which research shows is essential for keeping students engaged and satisfied with their learning experience.

Extend Learning Beyond the Final Grade

To maintain learning beyond the final grade, instructors can help students see how their new knowledge relates to continued growth. For instance, creating a “course toolbox” that students can download, complete with templates, key readings, and glossaries, is a small gesture that adds long-term value. You could also offer to stay connected on LinkedIn, particularly for senior students or those enrolled in capstone courses. For students primarily interested in the topic, consider recommending follow-up courses, podcasts, or co-curricular opportunities such as research projects or student groups. This type of support represents trust in their continued growth and allows bridge the often-short end of the term.

In conclusion, the final stretch of a course is more than just a wrap-up period. It is a time to reinforce learning, acknowledge growth, reduce anxiety, and build lasting takeaways.

By thoughtfully planning the last few weeks, instructors can ensure that students not only complete the course but also leave it with a sense of clarity, confidence, and closure. Reconnecting with learning outcomes, avoiding last-minute content overload, encouraging peer collaboration, designing culminating assessments, and incorporating reflection and celebration can all contribute to a stronger course ending. Rather than coasting to the finish line, walk beside your students and make the end of your course as meaningful as the beginning.

Dr. Amena Shahid is a dedicated educator with over 15 years of university-level teaching experience in Human Resources and Management. She has designed and delivered a wide range of courses including leadership, strategic management, organizational behavior, marketing, and cross-cultural communication. Her teaching philosophy centers on student engagement, inclusive practices, and real-world application, with a strong emphasis on experiential and reflective learning.

In addition to her teaching, Amena has held academic leadership roles supporting faculty development, program planning, and student success initiatives. She holds a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) in Management-Leadership, an MBA, and a BA. Amena is committed to fostering meaningful learning experiences that empower students to think critically, lead ethically, and succeed in diverse professional environments.

References

Bangert-Drowns, Robert L., James A. Kulik, and Chen-Lin C. Kulik. 1991. “Effects of Frequent Classroom Testing.” The Journal of Educational Research 85 (2): 89–99. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.1991.10702818.

Boud, David, and Elizabeth Molloy. 2013. “Rethinking Models of Feedback for Learning: The Challenge of Design.” Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education 38: 698–712.

Carless, David. 2007. “Learning-Oriented Assessment: Conceptual Bases and Practical Implications.” Innovations in Education and Teaching International 44: 57–66.

Olson, Jacqueline, and Rebecca Krysiak. 2021. “Rubrics as Tools for Effective Assessment of Student Learning and Program Quality.” In Curriculum Development and Online Instruction for the 21st Century, edited by Jacqueline Olson, 158–175. Hershey, PA: IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-7653-3.ch010.

Schwartz, Daniel L., and John D. Bransford. 1998. “A Time for Telling.” Cognition and Instruction 16 (4): 475–522.

Stone, Garrett A., Gwynn M. Powell, and Francis A. McGuire. 2020. “‘Beginners Are Many But Enders Are Few’: How to End a Course Well and Why It Matters.” SCHOLE: A Journal of Leisure Studies and Recreation Education 37 (3): 194–200. https://doi.org/10.1080/1937156X.2020.1760745.

Topping, Keith J. 2005. “Trends in Peer Learning.” Educational Psychology 25 (6): 631–645. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410500345172.

Source link

December 1, 2025
The Final Stretch: Designing a Meaningful Course Ending – Faculty Focus

As the term draws to a close, students are not the only ones counting the weeks left. Instructors, too, often feel a mix of relief and fatigue. However, while the finish line may be in sight, what happens in those final weeks can be some of the most impactful moments of the entire course. Far too often, the end of a course is treated as an administrative period, marked by the collection of assignments, preparation for tests, and course evaluations. However, research and teaching practice suggest that this stretch can—and should—be much more. The final weeks are an opportunity to consolidate learning, deepen reflection, and help students leave the course with a sense of accomplishment and continuity.

Ending a course well helps students understand what they have learned, use it in other situations, and feel a sense of closure. It also gives instructors a chance to reflect on and improve the course for the next time (Stone, Powell, and McGuire 2020).

Revisit Learning Outcomes to Reinforce Understanding

One of the best ways to structure this final phase is by revisiting the learning outcomes. At this point in the course, students have encountered significant themes and concepts, but they may not yet see how they all fit together. You can facilitate this by asking students to engage in a learning outcome reflection activity—matching each course objective with a specific assignment, concept, or experience. This encourages students to internalize the course structure and reflect on their growth. Annotating earlier assignments or revisiting early reflections with newly acquired knowledge can reinforce their sense of progress. These metacognitive strategies have been shown to improve both retention and student satisfaction (Bangert-Drowns, Kulik, and Kulik 1991).

Help Students Reach Cognitive Closure

As the end approaches, it can be tempting to try to “cover more” or introduce one last complex theory. However, research shows that introducing too much new material late in the term can lead to cognitive overload (Schwartz & Bransford, 1998). Instead, focus on helping students reach cognitive closure. This involves creating space for them to synthesize what they have learned. One approach is to host a “big ideas” class discussion where students collectively identify and explore the three or four most critical takeaways. This could be done in groups, using concept maps or visual timelines, or through creative synthesis activities—such as summarizing the course in 280 characters, designing a graphic, or teaching a core idea to someone outside the field. These methods encourage active processing of material and can support different learning styles.

Another effective way to create momentum in the final stretch is to engage students in peer teaching and joint review. This taps into the benefits of social learning, supporting students’ learning while promoting a sense of community. Peer-led review sessions can involve students taking turns explaining key topics, preparing review materials, or facilitating study groups. In online settings, students might create narrated slides or post video explanations. (Topping 2005) emphasizes that peer teaching promotes engagement, motivation, and a deeper understanding of concepts. A collaborative study guide, built as a shared document or Padlet board, enables students to crowdsource notes, identify knowledge gaps, and co-construct meaning from the course content.

Flexible and Creative Assessments

Final assessments naturally dominate the end of the term, but they do not have to be high-stress hurdles. In fact, they can be designed as culminating experiences that invite students to integrate and apply their knowledge and skills. Whether your final assignment is a paper, presentation, portfolio, or exam, distinctly expressing your anticipations and helping students throughout the process is essential. Offering rubrics, example answers, and chances to ask questions can ease student stress and boost their confidence (Olson and Krysiak 2021). A rubric allows for reliability, validity, and transparency in grading student work (Schwartz and Bransford 1998).

In some courses, alternative or flexible assessment options can be meaningful, allowing students to select how they demonstrate their learning. This might include multimedia projects, reflective essays, or real-world application tasks. Offering a “project lab” class where students can brainstorm ideas, seek feedback, or work in groups can also reduce isolation and improve the quality of final submissions.

Gather Reflection and Feedback for Continuous Improvement

Reflection is one of the most overlooked yet most powerful tools available to instructors. The last few weeks offer a prime opportunity to gather feedback, not just for your improvement, but to help students reflect on their learning. Creating a simple “course wrap-up survey” with questions like “What helped you learn the most?” or “What would you do differently if you retook the course?” promotes self-awareness. Some instructors even include short reflection elements in their final assignments, encouraging students to describe their process, challenges, and learning outcomes. Reflection also helps foster a sense of closure, which is essential for learning and emotional processing.

In addition to reflection, feedforward focuses on providing students with prior exposure to and practice with assessment, enabling them to develop a clear sense of expectations and standards that they can apply to future work (Carless, 2007; Boud & Molloy, 2013). Feedforward involves helping students connect course content to future learning or real-world applications. You might conclude your course with a brief discussion of the next steps, including which electives complement the course, what career paths align with the content, or what reading and media resources can support continued growth. A simple handout or post in your learning management system featuring recommended resources, articles, and tools can go a long way. This also reinforces the idea that the course is not a self-contained experience but part of a broader learning journey.

Create Emotional and Social Closure

Another critical but often neglected aspect of course endings is the emotional and social closure. The last day of class should not feel like a transaction—it should feel like a moment of celebration. This does not require balloons or big productions. It might be a unique reflection from the instructor on what made this cohort special, a slide deck of class highlights, or a casual roundtable where each student shares a takeaway. Even small rituals can have a significant impact. In online classes, you might broadcast a farewell video, host a “virtual hallway chat,” or invite students to contribute thank-you notes or final reflections in a shared document. These moments help build relationships and strengthen students’ sense of belonging, which research shows is essential for keeping students engaged and satisfied with their learning experience.

Extend Learning Beyond the Final Grade

To maintain learning beyond the final grade, instructors can help students see how their new knowledge relates to continued growth. For instance, creating a “course toolbox” that students can download, complete with templates, key readings, and glossaries, is a small gesture that adds long-term value. You could also offer to stay connected on LinkedIn, particularly for senior students or those enrolled in capstone courses. For students primarily interested in the topic, consider recommending follow-up courses, podcasts, or co-curricular opportunities such as research projects or student groups. This type of support represents trust in their continued growth and allows bridge the often-short end of the term.

In conclusion, the final stretch of a course is more than just a wrap-up period. It is a time to reinforce learning, acknowledge growth, reduce anxiety, and build lasting takeaways.

By thoughtfully planning the last few weeks, instructors can ensure that students not only complete the course but also leave it with a sense of clarity, confidence, and closure. Reconnecting with learning outcomes, avoiding last-minute content overload, encouraging peer collaboration, designing culminating assessments, and incorporating reflection and celebration can all contribute to a stronger course ending. Rather than coasting to the finish line, walk beside your students and make the end of your course as meaningful as the beginning.

Dr. Amena Shahid is a dedicated educator with over 15 years of university-level teaching experience in Human Resources and Management. She has designed and delivered a wide range of courses including leadership, strategic management, organizational behavior, marketing, and cross-cultural communication. Her teaching philosophy centers on student engagement, inclusive practices, and real-world application, with a strong emphasis on experiential and reflective learning.

In addition to her teaching, Amena has held academic leadership roles supporting faculty development, program planning, and student success initiatives. She holds a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) in Management-Leadership, an MBA, and a BA. Amena is committed to fostering meaningful learning experiences that empower students to think critically, lead ethically, and succeed in diverse professional environments.

References

Bangert-Drowns, Robert L., James A. Kulik, and Chen-Lin C. Kulik. 1991. “Effects of Frequent Classroom Testing.” The Journal of Educational Research 85 (2): 89–99. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.1991.10702818.

Boud, David, and Elizabeth Molloy. 2013. “Rethinking Models of Feedback for Learning: The Challenge of Design.” Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education 38: 698–712.

Carless, David. 2007. “Learning-Oriented Assessment: Conceptual Bases and Practical Implications.” Innovations in Education and Teaching International 44: 57–66.

Olson, Jacqueline, and Rebecca Krysiak. 2021. “Rubrics as Tools for Effective Assessment of Student Learning and Program Quality.” In Curriculum Development and Online Instruction for the 21st Century, edited by Jacqueline Olson, 158–175. Hershey, PA: IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-7653-3.ch010.

Schwartz, Daniel L., and John D. Bransford. 1998. “A Time for Telling.” Cognition and Instruction 16 (4): 475–522.

Stone, Garrett A., Gwynn M. Powell, and Francis A. McGuire. 2020. “‘Beginners Are Many But Enders Are Few’: How to End a Course Well and Why It Matters.” SCHOLE: A Journal of Leisure Studies and Recreation Education 37 (3): 194–200. https://doi.org/10.1080/1937156X.2020.1760745.

Topping, Keith J. 2005. “Trends in Peer Learning.” Educational Psychology 25 (6): 631–645. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410500345172.

Source link

December 1, 2025
Dreamery Speaker Series: Designing flexible learning in the digital age

Penn State University Libraries’ Teaching and Learning with Technology’s (TLT) Dreamery Speaker Series will host guest speaker Melody J Buckner, associate vice provost of digital learning and online initiatives at the University of Arizona, Dec. 3 and 4. She will lead sessions focused on designing courses that foster adaptability and flexibility in the digital age. Learn more via the PSU News article.

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November 7, 2025
Planning with Purpose: Designing Certificate Programs That Align with Market and Mission
Higher education is seeing a surge of interest in non-degree credentials. Learners are seeking faster, more affordable pathways to workforce advancement. Employers are increasingly open to (and in some cases requesting) alternatives to traditional degrees. And with new federal policy expanding Pell Grant eligibility to non-degree programs, institutions are feeling the urgency to act.

But not all certificate programs are created equal. And while the trend line is clear, the strategy behind how institutions respond is anything but. This moment presents an opportunity, but only for those willing to plan with purpose and set realistic expectations.

What’s driving demand for short-term credentials?

Recent data underscores a clear increase in interest:
- Undergraduate certificate enrollment grew 33% and graduate certificate enrollment grew 21% from Fall 2020 to Fall 2024, according to National Student Clearinghouse data.
- Google search volume for certificates has increased 19% from 2020 to 2025, according to Google Trends data.
Today’s learners are drawn to programs that offer accelerated timelines, reduced costs, and clear pathways to meaningful career outcomes. Many working adults are looking to upskill or pivot careers, and a certificate can be a more practical option than a full degree.

On the employer side, organizations want proof of skills and are increasingly willing to collaborate with institutions on curriculum design. In fact, according to a 2022 employer survey from Collegis and UPCEA, 68% of respondents said they would be interested in teaming up with an institution to develop non-degree credentials to benefit their workforce.

Certificates are a piece of the puzzle — not the whole strategy

Despite the interest, many institutions struggle to meet enrollment goals for certificate programs. Strong market trends do not automatically translate into high enrollment volume. The reality is that most certificates serve niche audiences and deliver modest numbers. When treated as stand-alone growth drivers, they often fall short.

The institutions that see the most strategic value from certificates do so by positioning them within a larger enrollment and academic ecosystem. For example, we’ve helped our partner institutions find success in using certificate interest as a marketing funnel to drive engagement in related master’s programs. Once a prospective student engages, enrollment teams can advise them on the best fit for their career goals, which, for some students, is enrolling in the full degree program.

Ready for a Smarter Way Forward?

Higher ed is hard — but you don’t have to figure it out alone. We can help you transform challenges into opportunities.

What a strategic certificate model looks like

A certificate program with purpose isn’t just a set of courses — it’s a product with clear value to both learners and the institution. Key elements of a strategic approach include:
1. Workforce alignment: Programs must be rooted in real-time labor market data. What skills are employers seeking? Which certifications are valued? Aligning with reputable industry certifications is a proven way to ensure relevance and employer recognition.
2. Accessibility: Pricing should reflect the certificate’s value relative to degree programs, and eligibility for financial aid must be prioritized. Lack of aid is a significant barrier to enrollment for many prospective learners.
3. Laddering and stackability: Certificates should not be terminal unless intentionally designed that way. They should stack into larger degree pathways or offer alumni incentives for continuing their education.
4. Delivery speed and flexibility: Busy adult learners expect quick starts, clear outcomes, and minimal red tape. Institutions need streamlined onboarding and agile curriculum design.
5. Internal collaboration: Designing certificates in isolation often leads to friction. Academic, enrollment, and marketing teams must be aligned on purpose, target audience, and outcomes.
6. Employer engagement: Employers want to be part of the development process and seek assurance that certificate programs teach the skills they need. Their involvement enhances the recognition and credibility of the credential.
The role of institutions: Balance mission with market

Certificate programs are not a shortcut to growth. But they can be a smart strategic lever when grounded in data and designed to complement an institution’s broader mission. They offer colleges and universities an opportunity to:
- Expand access to underserved learners
- Respond more nimbly to labor market shifts
- Strengthen ties with regional employers
- Drive awareness and enrollment for degree programs
The key is alignment. When certificate offerings reflect both market demand and institutional mission, they can play a powerful role in expanding reach and impact.

Plan with purpose, execute with intent

Certificates are more than just a trending credential. They’re a tool to serve learners in new ways. But institutions must resist the urge to chase quick wins. Success requires thoughtful design, realistic expectations, and cross-functional collaboration.

With the right foundation, certificate programs can do more than fill a gap. They can open doors for learners, employers, and institutions alike. Collegis supports this effort with integrated services in market research, instructional design, and portfolio development — empowering institutions to make informed, mission-aligned decisions that deliver impact.

Innovation Starts Here

Higher ed is evolving — don’t get left behind. Explore how Collegis can help your institution thrive.
Amber Arnseth oversees program and market research as a skilled problem-solver with an ability to integrate and contextualize data for partners into actionable recommendations. The research she and her team conduct help inform and strengthen our partners’ strategic portfolio and program decisions.

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October 22, 2025
Designing a Seamless Student Journey
Every Gap Is a Broken Promise

Ever call a service provider only to get bounced between departments, retelling your story to every new agent, each one promising a fix that never comes? You hang up frustrated, unheard, and uncertain.

This same dynamic plays out in higher ed every day. A prospective student tells an admissions counselor, “I need to finish my graduate degree in one year.” That context gets lost in the handoff. The student success team never hears it. Course sequencing doesn’t line up. Frustration builds. Momentum stalls.

That isn’t just a communication slip. It’s a broken promise.

Too often, institutions treat the student journey as a series of separate phases — marketing handles outreach, admissions manages enrollment, and student success supports retention — but students don’t experience their education in phases. They experience it as one journey.

And when we don’t design for that, we create invisible gaps that undermine trust, break continuity, and erode outcomes.

This isn’t a marketing problem. Or an admissions problem. Or even a student success problem. It’s an alignment problem.

The real challenge is that internal teams aren’t playing from the same sheet of music. Without shared data, shared metrics, and shared goals, it’s impossible to have a meaningful conversation about where the student journey breaks down.

It also makes improvement feel like guesswork. One team pushes harder on applications. Another tries to boost first-term persistence. But without a full-funnel view, efforts remain disjointed and hard to scale.

To grow enrollment and retention sustainably, you need institutional alignment around the full journey, from first click to graduation.

Full-Funnel Enrollment Planning as a Solution for Growth

A full-funnel strategy doesn’t just connect dots — it puts everyone on the same map. Sustainable enrollment growth requires moving beyond early-stage efforts and focusing on a unified enrollment strategy that carries a prospective student from interest all the way through graduation. That means marketing, admissions, and student success teams need to share the same data, vision, and goals. Here’s what that looks like in practice.

Connect Marketing, Admissions, and Student Success

Replace handoffs with collaboration. That means shared access to student data, from first inquiry to graduation. When teams see the same big picture, outreach becomes more relevant, timing improves, and support gets proactive.

Build a Shared Road Map With Clear Metrics

Institutions need to establish a single road map that charts the student journey from inquiry to enrollment to graduation and attach measurable goals to each phase, such as enrollment yield, first-term persistence, and long-term retention rates. A shared scorecard keeps the discussion focused on the big-picture student journey, rather than team silos.

This shared dataset should be analyzed to detect patterns and trends. Where are students dropping out of the funnel? Which programs retain the best-fit learners? Which messages produce the best engagement? The insights you glean from your analysis can help you tweak targeting and support.

Align Around Student Fit Early

Retention starts with recruitment. When marketing and admissions teams are aligned with student success, they can spot patterns of persistence and adjust targeting accordingly. It’s not just about getting more students in the door — it’s about attracting students who will thrive.

Structure Cross-Team Check-Ins

Yes, it means more meetings, but structured, purposeful alignment sessions across departments can surface insights you’d otherwise miss. Better yet, tie every meeting to shared key performance indicators (KPIs) and use that data to drive strategy.

Treat Technology as a Bridge, Not a Band-Aid

Modern customer relationship management (CRM) platforms give you visibility into every stage of the funnel. Real-time reporting and alerts enable teams to identify issues — where students are disengaging, where more support is needed, which outreach messages are failing to resonate — and respond quickly before they become systemic.

Reframing Retention as a Targeting Opportunity

Strong retention doesn’t begin in week eight of the semester. It begins the moment a prospective student clicks “Learn More.” Strategies for success include the following:
- Target right-fit students using behavioral and demographic data.
- Tailor outreach to meet the expectations of adult and online learners.
- Use predictive insights to intervene before a student disengages.
When you design a journey that prioritizes clarity, continuity, and fit, your enrollment and retention numbers start to reflect that.

Key Takeaways

With the value of higher ed under scrutiny and students facing more choices than ever, institutions must start treating the student journey like a customer journey.

That means designing around measurable satisfaction at every stage. Rallying around shared information. And giving every team a role in both the promise and the delivery of student success.

Because when students fall through the cracks, they don’t just feel confused. They feel let down.

Enrollment growth requires an end-to-end student journey approach, not a single-stage fix.

Full-cycle planning drives stronger enrollment and better retention.

Alignment among internal teams is the foundation for sustainable results.

It’s Time to Close the Gaps

At Archer Education, we partner with institutions to connect marketing, enrollment, and student success into one seamless journey. We help you build full-cycle strategies that grow enrollment, increase retention, and, most importantly, deliver on your promises to students.

Ready to start the conversation? Let’s talk.

Contact our team to learn more about our tech-enabled strategy, marketing, enrollment, and retention services.
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October 2, 2025