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11 leaders shaping the future of higher education

eCampus News’ new Advisory Board members sound off on the future of higher-ed…and their role in shaping it

higher-education-board [1]There’s certainly no dearth in vocal opinions when it comes to discussions on higher education, but who are the professors, administrators, and leaders working on today’s evolving campuses? Who are the consultants and analysts working to better a changing landscape? And most importantly…what do they think?

As part of eCampus News’ mission to be the platform for innovative news and opinions on higher education, we asked 11 of our most helpful sources—the people we consider true leaders in higher-ed because of their direct involvement and outreach in the higher education arena—to become part of our 2014 Advisory Board.

From learning about Georgetown Library’s Head of IT’s predictions for the future, to one of higher-ed’s most well-respected analyst’s take on current issues, we hope you enjoy meeting some of our favorite people in higher education.

We asked each member for their bio, what they considered a major game-changer, one trend that will continue in the future, their personal passion in education, a personal hobby, and a quote or belief they live by.

We hope you enjoy meeting some of your most inspiring peers!

(Next page: Meet our 11 leaders in higher education)

[Listed in alphabetical order by first name]

Brian_lukoff300 [2]

Name/Title: Brian Lukoff, Program Director for Learning Catalytics at Pearson Education

Bio: Previously a Postdoctoral Fellow in Technology and Education at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University, Lukoff was also co-founder and CEO of Learning Catalytics, which Pearson acquired in 2013. He has also taught mathematics at Harvard University and Boston University. He received a Ph.D. from the Stanford University School of Education where he studied educational measurement and technology. He also holds an M.S. in statistics from Stanford University and a B.A. in mathematics from Cornell University.

The game changer: The willingness of faculty to rethink the lecture format and to embrace active learning approaches, including the flipped classroom, peer instruction, team-based learning, and more. A key long-term benefit of these approaches is the “network effect” that is created when a critical mass of faculty at a particular institution adopt active learning strategies, because that will help reset students’ expectations about what should be happening in the classroom and about the nature of learning more generally.

Future trend: A move towards more alternatives to traditional higher education institutions. But the challenge is in credentialing—I don’t think the alternatives will truly take off until an alternative certification provides the same benefits as having a college degree on a resume.

Passion: Assessment. Assessment naturally drives learning—what is tested is what gets taught—and so I think improving the ways in which we assess students is the essential avenue to improving learning outcomes.  In particular, I think it’s important to shift from a mindset of “knowing” to “doing” as the assessment of the latter will not only tell us much more about students’ capacity to apply the skills they have learned but will also push students to learn more deeply.

Hobby: I love playing the piano.

Quote/Belief: “Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.”  — Albert Einstein

crystal_sands [3]

Name/Title: Crystal Sands, Director of the Online Writing Lab at Excelsior College.

Bio: Sands has worked for nearly 20 years teaching college writing and began teaching online ten years ago. She has served as a writing program director, led writing across the curriculum initiatives, and worked as a curriculum designer and teacher trainer for several institutions. She has also published textbooks and articles on a variety of issues in writing, reading, literature, and education.

The game-changer: Open-source resources. While MOOCs remain controversial, I think the lessons they can teach us about engaging students online are important and can inform those of us who are not teaching in such large online settings. Open-source textbooks and resources like free online writing labs provide teachers and students with opportunities to reduce some of the costs of college. They also provide incoming college students with free opportunities to prepare for their college experiences.

Future trend: Again, open-source resources. As tenure and promotion committees realize the value of this kind of contribution, I think more academics, those who see the benefits of open-source resources for students, will be able to devote more time to creating these resources. Perhaps idealistically, I foresee a ‘Maker Movement’ of sorts in higher education that has the potential to change the way we teach, even in our face-to-face classrooms.

Passion: As a writing teacher and first-generation college student, I am probably most passionate about writing and what we as educators can do to help improve students’ writing skills to ensure that students learn how to use those skills in a variety of situations. We know that writing skills make an important difference in employment and promotion. When we teach students to be strong, flexible writers, we are arming them with tools that can change their lives.

Hobby: I am a foodie! I love to cook from scratch. My husband and I also have an organic garden where we live in Maine. I am fascinated by the power of seed, sun, and water to make the food that sustains us.

Quote/Belief: “It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” — Henry David Thoreau

Connor_Gray300 [4]

Name/Title: Connor Gray, Chief Strategy Officer at Campus Management

Bio: As chief strategy officer for Campus Management, Gray is responsible for developing a robust strategic vision for the company. Gray brings over twenty years of experience in executive leadership for prominent technology companies, most recently as senior vice president, operations and product development, for Channel Intelligence, an e-commerce company that was purchased by Google. Earlier in his career, Mr. Gray was senior vice president and chief technology officer at StarCite, a global leader in SaaS-based solutions for event management, where he led product strategy, engineering, information technology, and customer service. Gray also brings an enterprise software background from executive roles at Indus International and SCT. Gray is a frequent speaker at many industry-related conferences and has published numerous articles on the application of technology tools and strategies. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from San Diego State University, with additional graduate course work and advanced certificates from San Diego State and Stanford University.

The game-changer: The shift to an “On-Demand Model.” Between the super storm of factors challenging higher education – competition, funding, delivery models, and outcomes – and the generational shift that is occurring relative to prospective inbound students, higher education 10 years from now will look very different than it does today.

Future trend: Technology will play a huge role in enabling institutions to adapt to new models for on-demand engagement and delivery.

Passion: The “On-Demand” shift occurring in higher education is both frightening and exciting. I am passionate to help our clients be successful as new models emerge and they learn how technology will play a pivotal role.

Hobby: Spending time on the lake with my family.  We love the water.

Quote/Belief: The first thing that came to my mind was a story that motivational speaker Doug Hanson told me about a personal coach he met with once and the coach asked to see his “to do” list. The coach reviewed it and after seeing a very impressive list of his “to dos,” he asked to see his “to be” list.  I’ve got my “to be” list, and I think about it often.

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Name/Title: David J. Hinson, Executive Vice President & Chief Information Officer of Hendrix College, in Conway, Arkansas.

Bio: Hinson is also a mobile developer, who has developed commercial titles for iPhone, Android, Blackberry, and Windows Phone 7. Previously, Hinson was the CEO of Sumner Systems Management, a software development company that created custom applications for social networking services such as LinkedIn and Facebook, and for the Apple iPhone.

The game-changer: I don’t know that there is any one single “game-changer” that I can name, but I think most would agree that the ready availability and free access to knowledge—in our hip pockets—is certainly near the top of everyone’s list. If anything, I would say that the biggest game-changer in higher-ed is that colleges and universities are no longer assured that “business as usual” is good enough to thrive, or even survive.

Future trend: The consumerization of IT will continue unabated, as will the proliferation of mobile – and wearable – devices on campus. We’re already seeing four-to-five devices connected to our Hendrix College campus network, for every student, staff, and faculty member.

Passion: Creating a campus technology environment that promotes active learning and intellectual curiosity, where decision making is predicated on the belief that pedagogy drives technology—and not the other way around.

Hobby: Music. I love playing my Taylor acoustic guitar.

Quote/Belief: Challenge everything.

joanna_young300 [6]

Name/Title: Joanna Young, Chief Information Officer and AVP for Finance & Budget at the University of New Hampshire.

Bio: Young’s IT career spans two decades in property & casualty and higher education, including eleven years in executive roles. Young’s experience includes applications development, infrastructure management, program office management, and mergers & acquisitions, both domestically and internationally. As CIO for University of New Hampshire, Young is accountable for applications and infrastructure supporting all university functions, including learning management systems, distance learning, student and advancement systems, university system enterprise services, networks, servers and data centers. In her role of AVP for Budget and Finance, she is responsible for budgeting, financial planning, business services and strategy & planning for UNH. Young’s prior CIO assignment was at Liberty Mutual Group. She is also a member of Globespan Capital’s Advisory Committee and a regular contributor and speaker at various industry forums.

The game-changer: New entrants & disruption in the higher-ed market.

Future trend: Flexible pathways to degrees, or new equivalent of degrees such as badging and credentialing.

Passion: Engaging more young people, especially females, in Science, Tech, Engineering and Math (STEM) education, whether as a primary course of study or even as a minor or certificate. It will position them for success regardless of career interest.

Hobby: Hiking.

Quote/Belief: “The end crowneth the work.” — Queen Elizabeth 1st

john_orlando300 [7]

Name/Title: John Orlando, Northcentral University Associate Director of Faculty Training in the Center for Faculty Excellence.

Bio: Orlando developed and led the CyberSummer online course program at the University of Vermont, as well as online master’s degrees in Information Assurance and Business Continuity Planning at Norwich University. He has delivered numerous courses, workshops, webinars, and presentations on online teaching, as well as how to incorporate technology into face-to-face teaching. Orlando has also written over 70 articles on online education, including the monthly “Online Learning 2.0” column for Online Classroom newsletter.

The game-changer: The internet changed everything, from how students and faculty get information, to how instruction is delivered.  But just as all new technologies are first misapplied through the paradigm of the old technology, faculty are still trying to figure out how to deliver online instruction in a way that takes advantage of the internet’s unique communication style.  Most online classes are simply translating face-to-face content into digital format without thought for whether that format is appropriate for the web. MOOCs are developing content for the web, and so are finally causing higher education to develop high quality teaching material for the online environment.

Future trend: Most, if not all, classes will be flipped. Studies have consistently shown that the traditional lecture is nearly fruitless as a way of teaching. Putting information online so that students can watch, and re-watch if needed, at their own pace and time is a far better way to deliver content. Class time can then be used for engagement with the material through activities.  But very few instructors understand how to engage students during class time.

Passion: Higher-ed has ignored principles of good teaching for too long. Professors are trained to be researchers and writers, not teachers. We have the technology and understanding to do great teaching in higher education—we just need to get that understanding out to transform teaching practice. My passion is in teaching faculty how to use technology to improve their teaching.

Hobby: I was married on a 100 mile bike ride.  My wife and I learned that biking is by far the best way to explore a new place. People make the mistake of driving from tourist spot to tourist spot when they are on vacation. But it is everything in between the tourist spots that are the most interesting.

Quote/Belief: “Work hard, and play hard, and know when to do each.”

mark_baker [8]

Name/Title: Mark Baker, Assistant Registrar at Whitworth University

Bio: Baker has worked in higher education for the past 10 years and holds a BA in Cross-Cultural Studies and MIM (Master of International Management) from Whitworth University. He is also currently the Site Moderator of www.SoftwarePhD.com [9]. Baker founded Software PhD in January 2014 after seeing a need for greater transparency in the higher education software selection process.

The game-changer: The proliferation of task-specific software on college and university campuses is changing the entire landscape of higher-ed, from business practices to pedagogy. The efficiency created by these software solutions adds both innovation and complexity.

Future trend: The continued de-centralization of higher-ed software administration on campuses. More and more non-IT staff members at colleges and universities are becoming software administrators of specific niche products that only their department uses. This is often supported heavily by the software vendor’s support staff rather than the school’s internal IT staff and resources.

Passion: I enjoy the study of gamification and the many applications it has not only to business but also to higher-ed.

Hobby: Playing board games with my family (Settlers of Catan is the current favorite).

Quote/Belief: A quote from a 19th century pastor Phillip Brooks about true humility being only authentic when we compare ourselves with our Creator: “The true way to be humble is not to stoop until you are smaller than yourself, but to stand at your real height against some higher nature that will show you what the real smallness of your greatness is.”

paige_francis300 [10]

Name/Title: Paige Francis, Chief Information Officer for Fairfield University, CT.

Bio: Northwest Arkansan turned New Englander, Francis is a successful executive IT leader with a wide range of experience including the ability to clearly define and implement strategic priorities for applying technology in any environment; to rally consensus across diverse functional, service and campus wide interests; to foster teamwork and collaboration in order to maintain and implement new technology; and to create a constant learning environment in which various teams gain knowledge from failures using temporary setbacks to produce new and effective innovations. Recently named to the Top 50 Most Social CIO’s in Higher Education as well as one of Computerworld’s 2014 Premier 100 IT Leaders.

The game-changer: Exponential growth of accessibility/connectivity needs. As we move more and more applications online, unfettered access is the expectation, by design. So selling the budgetary reallocation from tangibles (PCs, software, etc.) to intangibles (storage, space, and bandwidth) becomes the challenge. People like to ‘see’ what they’re buying and our future doesn’t necessarily support that.

Future trend: Wearable technology seems almost outlandish now, but after one day with Google Glass, I can envision this concept being a significant player in sharing experiences, facial recognition and demonstration/teaching.

Passion: I’m an advocate for the Arts and Sciences. I see immeasurable value in a solid core as a foundation for future degrees as well as immediate employment. As a CIO, my undergrad degree was earned in Communication which prepared me for a wide variety of situations from presentation to communication through thoughtful discussion and the ability to dial out to big picture. In graduate school I fine-tuned by technology skills and presence. As the mom of young kids, I also rally for K-12 funding in public schools.

Hobby: I enjoy volunteering my time in my kids’ school district. I also enjoy our rowing matches, getting caught up on DVR’d Bravo shows and planning trips home to visit family.

Quote/Belief: ‘It ain’t show friends, it’s show business’ which I shamelessly stole years ago from my friend Howard, currently on the road with the band Seether. It makes it easier for me to separate out how I want to react from how I know I should react. Personally I don’t ever want to inconvenience anyone, but as a CIO, security and scalability needs to outweigh personal convenience.

phil_hill300 [11]

Name/Title: Phil Hill, Educational Technology Consultant and Analyst

Bio: Hill (@PhilOnEdTech) has spent the last 12+ years advising in online education and ed-tech markets. As an independent consultant and analyst, Phil helps education institutions develop effective strategies to understand and implement ed-tech and online program initiatives. Phil’s clients have included Western Governors University, the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, UCLA, California State University, DeVry University, Colorado Community College System, University of Maryland University College, Pearson, Cengage, Poll Everywhere, among others. Hill is also the co-founder of MindWires Consulting, a strategic consulting company that helps higher education institutions, K-12 school districts, and the companies that support them to make necessary changes based on the new world of digital education. He is also co-publisher of the e-Literate blog and co-creator of e-Literate TV. In addition to e-Literate, Phil has also written for EDUCAUSE Review, EvoLLLution, Inside Higher Ed, 20MM blog and is a frequent interviewee for ed-tech stories.

The game-changer: Despite the hype of adaptive learning as an automated, black-box, magic-bullet solution, the broader field of personalized learning is likely to be a game changer in higher ed. For the first generation of online learning, the tendency was to replicate the factory model of education (one size fits all) but just do it online. For the second generation, the ability to use online technologies to create multiple pathways for students and to personalize learning will be a strength that can even go beyond face-to-face methods (for any classes larger than 10 to 15 students). We’re already starting to see some real improvements in remedial coursework based on students’ use of personalized learning tools, but this has been in pilot programs to date. As this usage spreads over time, personalized learning, including adaptive data-driven systems, will present real change to our educational system.

Future trend: Personalized learning.

Passion: Transparency in education. Like Laura Gibbs, I believe in the open syllabus concept where students should be able to see what is in a course without having to enroll; while ed-tech vendors and open source providers can be very supportive of education, we should have an open view of how well the products and companies are doing; when schools adopt strategic technology initiatives, the process should be open and inclusive; schools should have their results (including academic performance of students) open for others to view. I realize there are risks involved, such as the over-simplification of college scorecards, but the general need for transparency is one that I firmly support.

Hobby: Traveling with family and experiencing local cultures. Whether that is simply a different town or region of California, or different locations internationally, my wife and I enjoy seeing new places and trying to embed ourselves with locals.

Quote/Belief: “I have to laugh, because I’ve out-finessed myself. My foe, my enemy, is an animal. And in order to conquer an animal, I have to think like an animal, and—whenever possible—to look like one. I’ve gotta’ get inside this guy’s pelt and crawl around for a few days.” – C Spackler

roxann_riskin300 [12]

Name/Title: Roxann Riskin, Technology Specialist/Technology Student Assistant Service Supervisor at Fairfield University at the DiMenna-Nyselius Library, CT.

Bio: Riskin has over 20 years of educational experience and holds an M.S., B.S. in Education, Special Education/Learning Disabilities all from Southern Connecticut State University, and from Penn State University World Campus- Instructional Systems-Educational Technology, and is a MCP- Microsoft Certified Professional. She has completed numerous Coursera Signature Track MOOC courses in technology, healthcare and marketing. Riskin is an official GOOGLE Glass Explorer as of January 2014, and professional experience includes information technologist—computer coordinator, classroom computer teaching, and campus—instructional technology facilitator, supervisor for the student technology assistant library service, and mobile technology-iPad coordinator. She is an experienced conference presenter and is currently an advocate at the university for LGBT Safe Spaces, a member of ALA, CLA, and a Microsoft MCP- Member. She has an active Twitter account #roxannriskin

The game-changer: Wearable technology, especially like the Google Glass. The social and informational connectivity platform that Glass uses for communicating is by design dynamic.  With practically no learning curve needed to operate it, Glass can almost obviously become a win-win device in teaching and learning environments. Since many types of wearable, internet-connected items are, at this time, entering into the consumer marketplace, it would be realistic to acknowledge that higher education institutions will be seeing an influx of these devices on campus very soon.

Future trend: Wearable devices. With that said, the next generation of smart devices, looks to me, like the wearable items will be favored i.e. smart watches, glasses, clothing, and also, non- professional, types of “sentient” physical fitness devices. Also, the emerging 5G, next-generation mobile communications will help to situate wearable tech into an even faster paced adoption. Then, the ‘Internet of Things’ will become realized as more devices begin to communicate with each other transparently. I think Apps, for these devices, will become very customizable for personalized learning experiences.

Passion: Developing creative teaching and learning opportunities. Using, and investigating new technologies, like Glass, in conjunction with social media sites like Twitter, can lead to the discovery of new methods of augmenting and enhancing teaching and learning environments. Mashing up social sites with emerging devices, provides for unique opportunities for creative educators to flip or blend, transforming the classroom, by developing collaborative and participatory teaching and learning experiences.

Hobby: The hobby I enjoy the most is taking voice lessons online, and I also have fun singing on a world known Karaoke App called Sing! developed by Smule.  There are many karaoke Apps available, but this particular App has connected me with professional and non- professional, vocalists who have an infinitesimal love of music in all genres.

Quote/Belief: In 1986, the national tragedy, of the Space Shuttle Challenger, occurred, and in President Ronald Reagan’s State of the Union Address, was a quote, that I keep close to my heart and mind, (as I, also ,was a witness to the tragic event that unfolded on live, TV):

He said:

“…And I want to say something to the schoolchildren of America who were watching the live coverage of the shuttle’s takeoff. I know it is hard to understand, but sometimes painful things like this happen. It’s all part of the process of exploration and discovery. It’s all part of taking a chance and expanding man’s horizons. The future doesn’t belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave. The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we’ll continue to follow them … “

Especially now, I believe this quote speaks volumes to the world community. Conversations that define a clear focus on sustaining awareness, and motivation to create innovative outreach opportunities for exploring new technologies in the technological revolution, need to significantly increase.  In this regard, we must continue to be a thoughtful community, keeping a curious mind for creativeness, in synchronicity with courage and wisdom in order to model the best educational practices for the digitally lived students of the 21st century. And in time, when the post digital students become the next generation of future teachers and leaders, they too, will build upon the past legacy technologies, and will be brave, like the Challenger crew, to boldly take the chances and challenges that pull them into their future, and many will follow them.

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Name/Title: Salwa Ismail, Head of the Department of Library Information Technology at the Georgetown University Library in Washington, D.C.

Bio: Prior to her current position, she was the Head of the Digital Library at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. A Florida native, she holds various graduate degrees in business administration, public administration and information sciences from Florida State University and Florida Atlantic University. In her current position, she oversees the information technology facets of library systems, library application development, web services and digital initiative and services for Georgetown University Library.

The game-changer: The evolving school of thought and innovations in what higher-ed should be. There are several challenges facing higher education from disruptive technologies to dormant curriculum. However, with more universities exploring how the universities of the future should be designed and what core competencies in students can facilitate better discovery and interaction with the help of emerging technologies – this school of thought definitely will be a game changer.

Future trend: The trend of online education that is student-centered and focused on core foundational concepts that develop a person as a human being, not just a degree that meets the credit requirements.

Passion: I have a deep passion in exploring how emerging trends and technologies can mold and pave way for how the universities of the future will be designed and the types of curriculum and interaction that they will offer.

Hobby: I enjoy running outside, but of course only when the weather is enjoyable.

Quote/Belief: I try to follow Eleanor Roosevelt’s advice that “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”