Susan A. Ambrose

Laura A. Wankel

Explores the current context, role, and challenges of post-secondary education and presents options for promising pathways forward. The post-secondary educational system has undergone dramatic changes and experienced immense stress in the past two decades. Once regarded as the logical next step toward career opportunities and financial security, higher education is a subject of growing uncertainty for millions of people across the United States. It is more common than ever to question the return on investment, skyrocketing cost, and student debt burden of going to college. Prospective students, and many employers, increasingly view attending institutions of higher learning as inadequate preparation for entering the 21st century workforce. High-profile scandals—financial impropriety, sexual abuse, restrictions of free speech, among others—have further eroded public trust. In response to these and other challenges, leading voices are demanding strengthened accountability and measurable change. Higher Education's Road to Relevance illustrates why change is needed in post-secondary education and offers practical solutions to pressing concerns. The authors, internationally recognized experts in college-level teaching and learning innovation, draw heavily from contemporary research to provide an integrative approach for post-secondary faculty, staff, and administrators of all levels. This timely book helps readers identify the need for leadership in developing new networks and ecosystems of learning and workforce development. This valuable book will help readers: Understand the forces driving change in higher education Develop multiple pathways to create and credential self-directed learners Promote access to flexible, cost-effective, and relevant learning Adapt structures and pedagogies to address issues and overcome challenges Use an inclusive approach that extends to employers, K-12 educators, post-secondary educators, and policy-makers, among others Higher Education's Road to Relevance is a much-needed resource for college and university administrators, academic researchers, instructors and other faculty, and staff who support and interact with students.

Navigating Complexity

Higher Education's Road to Relevance

Sandra M. Estanek

Robert S. Meyer

Edward P. Wright

The purpose of this book is to provide student affairs professionals who work at Catholic colleges and universities a tool for reflection and dialogue on difficult issues they face in their campuses. It is intended to be used in staff development sessions, in training sessions with student leaders and resident assistants, and in master’s level student affairs preparation programs at Catholic colleges and universities. This book is the next step in a series of projects that began in the early 1990s after the publication by the Vatican of the apostolic constitution. This book is a collection of case studies that focus on particular issues related to Catholic identity that are faced by student affairs professionals who work at Catholic colleges and universities. By its very nature, the focus on the difficult issues we face is a limitation. The editors in no way wish to imply that Catholic identity is only about problems. Previous research and experience clearly indicates those who work at Catholic institutions understand and embrace the opportunities that this environment provides for them. But as Schaller and Boyle (2006) indicated, there is a need for dialogue around the difficult issues that we face. The editors believe that a book of case studies is particularly helpful because it allows a staff to discuss problems at fictionalized universities and then ask themselves, “What would we do here?” The editors solicited cases using a mailing list provided by the ASACCU; thus, the cases included in this book represent the real concerns of those practicing in the field. Some of the cases that are included are true stories of situations that actually happened, some are fictional, and some are hybrid stories based on actual events but changed to illustrate an issue. To protect the privacy of those who were kind enough to share their difficult issues with their colleagues, the names of case contributors are listed at the beginning of the book in alphabetical order, rather than being listed with the cases they contributed.

Using Case Studies to Discuss Student Life Issues at Catholic Colleges and Universities in the United States

Reading the Signs

Charles Wankel

New technologies provide new ways of delivering the programs and services of higher educational (HE) institutions. This book examines how social media are redefining what university communities are and the purposes and practices of the various functional areas in HE.

Including Applications in Student Affairs, Enrollment Management, Alumni Relations, and Career Centers

Higher Education Administration with Social Media

Mobile technologies are reshaping and reframing the practice of teaching and learning in higher education. This volume critically examines new research on how mobile technologies and m-learning technologies like Skype are being used in higher education to increase learner engagement in an era of increasing globalization and mobility.

Laura A. Wankel

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