Reading Time: 3 minutes This post is a modified version of an article that originally appeared on the Cengage EMEA “Unstoppable Minds Blog.”  From my years as an undergraduate to working while studying for my master’s degree, combining study with full-time employment has undoubtedly been a challenge. During this period, I have seen many candidates for job roles from all walks of life, each of them diverse in their knowledge, talents and abilities. The work environment can seem like the survival of the fittest and it has been claimed that recent high school and college graduates are underp ..read more

Reading Time: 4 minutes AI has made a rapid foray into the higher education world in the past few years, evoking a spectrum of reactions among students and faculty that range from intense scrutiny to frenzied excitement and everything in-between. Questions remain on many campuses as to whether — or more likely, how — AI will be integrated into the teaching and learning environment. How can faculty spot AI-enabled cheating and plagiarism? To what extent should generative AI usage be allowed or even encouraged among students in certain contexts? How can faculty and student support teams use AI t ..read more

Reading Time: 6 minutes They say that 12.5 percent of adults consider becoming an adjunct instructor. Okay, I made that up. However, it is a dream of many with postgraduate education. Being an adjunct keeps me sharp in my knowledge and provides the rewarding experience of preparing the next generation. One of my first adjunct teaching jobs came after I made multiple attempts to my local community college’s Dean to give me a shot to teach a Business course. After following up for a few months, he finally arranged a meeting with the Department Chair. In this meeting, I discussed how I am ed ..read more

Reading Time: 3 minutes Starting college is a huge social shift that can be challenging for new students to navigate. After completing my senior year online, I arrived at Arizona State University with rose-tinted visions of my first few weeks ahead: Walking across the quad with people I met the day prior, who would be my best friends for life. But, I didn’t realize that building bonds with an on-campus community takes serious work. On one of my first nights away from my parents, I joined a welcome activity with fellow first years. I was paired with students who, like me, were brand new to camp ..read more

Reading Time: 3 minutes Higher education’s purpose, according to the United Nations, is to “enable individuals to expand their knowledge and skills, clearly express their thoughts both orally and in writing, grasp abstract concepts and theories and increase their understanding of the world and their community.” It would be a challenge to find an educator who disagrees with this mission, at its core. Yet, embedded in this definition is a small word that is growing in its importance across the higher education landscape: skills. Today’s students, pressed by the urgency of a challenging jobs mark ..read more

Reading Time: 6 minutes As reviewed in Part I of this series on learning design at Cengage, there are four core principles that direct the pedagogical design of our programs to ensure we create quality projects with a focus on the student: inclusivity, intentionality, personalization, authenticity. As Learning Designers, we use multiple methods to assure that these principles drive quality in our content, including content review, instructional design theory and research. Learning happens best when students engage with the material, and quality content helps them do so. By relying on both lear ..read more

Reading Time: 2 minutes In 2021, Juneteenth was designated a federal holiday. Observed on June 19, Juneteenth marks a significant moment in American history—the emancipation of the last enslaved African Americans in Texas in 1865. While colleges and universities across the country are closed for the holiday, here are some ways institutions honor and celebrate this significant event on campus before and after the June 19 holiday. Discussions, panels and workshops Many colleges, including University of Michigan and Northeastern University, host online and in-person discussions with students, fac ..read more

Reading Time: 3 minutes As we enter Pride month let’s discuss how colleges and universities can support faculty and students in the LGBTQ+ community and highlight influential LGBTQ+ voices in the education space. We understand how important it is for students to feel safe to learn and grow in their environment. Creating and fostering a safe educational space for all students, but especially those belonging to marginalized groups, is the first step towards supporting faculty and students. One way to establish a safe space is by implementing policies and procedures that protect students and facu ..read more

Reading Time: 2 minutes No two students’ academic journeys are the same. From shifting majors, to newfound hobbies, to juggling work with school, each student forges their own path as they pursue higher education. But one thing that many students agree on is that college is too expensive. According to our 2023-2024 Digital Learning Pulse Survey, 70% of students either “strongly agree” or “somewhat agree” that the cost of higher education is becoming financially out of reach for them. Cengage Unlimited was built to help counter rising costs of course materials for students. With it, students ca ..read more

Reading Time: 4 minutes Faculty across higher education are charged with creating educational strategies to better engage diverse learners. Instructors in all programs have a responsibility to provide dynamic, quality education, but online instructors must also consider the unique needs of the typical online student. Most online learners are enrolled in academic programs out of a motivation to improve or advance their careers, and value the flexibility and time savings that an online program provides. It’s no surprise that online learners need their academic demands to fit easily into their ex ..read more