Dr. Bonni Stachowiak is the host of Teaching in Higher Ed, a long-running podcast focused on the art and science of teaching. In this episode, we talk with her about what years of conversations with educators have taught her about teaching and learning. She reflects on curiosity, presence, relationships, and the role failure plays in meaningful learning. Our conversation also touches on faculty development, navigating change in higher education, and how educators can continue growing over time.

This episode includes a Continuing the Conversation Activity, an optional resource designed to help you reflect on the ideas discussed and consider how they apply to your own teaching or professional practice. You can sign up to receive the activity on our show page.

In this episode, Dr. David Wiley joins us to explore how generative AI is reshaping open education. We look at the foundations of open educational resources (OER), what OER-enabled pedagogy makes possible, and why open licensing alone doesn’t drive better outcomes without thoughtful instructional design.

Dr. Wiley also discusses how generative AI may shift the future of OER toward conversational and adaptive learning experiences, how it can help us get closer to solving Benjamin Bloom’s two sigma problem, and where higher education should show both optimism and caution as AI continues to evolve.

Arthur Takahashi leads this conversation, offering a grounded look at how faculty and instructional designers can apply these ideas in their work today.

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Accessible design isn’t just about meeting requirements; it’s about creating learning experiences that work for everyone. In this episode, Peter Berryman, Director of Digital Instruction at the University System of Georgia Office of Teaching and Learning Excellence, explores what accessibility really looks like in higher education. He shares clear and practical ways faculty can make their materials more inclusive, including structuring documents effectively, using captions thoughtfully, and checking accessibility in Word, PowerPoint, and D2L Brightspace.

Whether you are new to accessibility or ready to take your next step, this conversation offers realistic strategies that make teaching smoother and learning more equitable for all students.

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How do we help students step out of silos and see themselves as part of a collaborative team? In this episode, Dr. Joann Denemark, program director for Speech-Language Pathology, and Dr. Megan Mobley, assistant professor of Physical Therapy, share how interprofessional education (IPE) is reshaping the student experience at Augusta University. You’ll hear how IPE builds confidence, strengthens professional identity, and prepares students for patient-centered care.

They also discuss a large-scale escape room simulation that gave over 160 graduate students the chance to practice teamwork, communication, and problem-solving across disciplines. Whether you teach in the health sciences or another field, you’ll come away with ideas for creating meaningful collaboration in your own courses.

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Creating an asynchronous course can feel overwhelming—but the right partnership makes all the difference.

In this episode of Speaking of Higher Ed, Georgia State University’s Mary Peabody, Learning Experience Designer, and Dr. Peter Demerjian, Associate Professor and Director of the School of Accountancy, share how they teamed up to design an Online MBA course. They discuss design thinking, faculty–designer collaboration, and the challenges of moving a traditional classroom course into an engaging online format.

Whether you’re teaching online for the first time or considering a redesign, this conversation offers practical insights for creating effective asynchronous learning.

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Will AI change the role of faculty in higher education? In this episode, Dr. Jason Orlosky, associate professor with the School of Computer and Cyber Sciences at Augusta University, joins Arthur Takahashi to reflect on how AI is reshaping academic work—and why human connection remains central to teaching and learning. From navigating new tools to rethinking what only people can do, he offers a clear, encouraging take: AI won’t replace faculty, but it may just help us do our jobs better.

The conversation also explores Dr. Orlosky’s journey from coding an eye-tracking system by hand in 2017 to now completing similar tasks in hours using tools like ChatGPT and Meta’s Llama series. They will also discuss the difference between “vibe coding” and AI-assisted programming, the limitations of current models, and the unique challenges AI still can’t solve.

Oh—and remember Microsoft Word's Clippy? They revisit early AI agents like Microsoft’s paperclip assistant to explore what’s changed, what’s stayed the same, and what the future might hold. If you’re wondering how to approach AI in your own academic work—with curiosity, caution, or both—this episode offers practical insights from someone who’s actively navigating the frontier.

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In this summer short, Speaking of Higher Ed brings together powerful insights from past guests on what drives authentic learning in today’s classrooms. Dr. James Lang (episode 28) shares a thoughtful approach to handling suspected AI use—not through punishment, but through dialogue and design. Dr. Mary Helen Immordino-Yang (episode 23) explains how emotion isn’t separate from learning—it fuels it. And Dr. Gary T. Green (episode 21) shows how small, human gestures can create powerful connections that motivate students to learn.

Whether you're rethinking assessment strategies or looking for ways to foster student connection, this episode is a quick but meaningful listen to help guide your teaching.

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In this summer short, we revisit standout insights from three episodes that explore how innovation, multimedia, and generative AI are reshaping higher education. Dr. Richard Mayer (episode 22) explains how simple, well-designed multimedia lessons enhance learning. A.B. Osborne (episode 26) reflects on creativity, storytelling, and the emotional complexity of AI in the arts. And Dr. Cynthia Alby (episode 27) urges institutions to support faculty in teaching for integrity amid massive technological change. Whether you're rethinking course design or navigating AI's role in education, this episode offers timely takeaways in a compact format.

Get free access to more of our content, visit our show page for full episodes and additional resources.