WGU Labs

College students are weary. Among the more disturbing trends to accelerate during and persist beyond the pandemic is the decline in student well-being. According to many studies, students have become more stressed and less socially engaged. However, researchers have identified a sense of belonging as a key protective factor against the stressors caused by the pandemic. This year, we surveyed 359 faculty members from six institutions to find out the faculty perspective on belonging in the classroom. Our data revealed four key takeaways: 👭 87% of faculty believe it is important to ensure that all students feel like they belong at their institution 🏫 75% of faculty received training on implementing inclusive practices in the classroom  👩🏫 Women faculty are ten percentage points more likely than men to take steps to increase students’ belonging and tailor their instructional approaches for diverse learners 💻 Faculty that reported most looking forward to a tech-enabled future for education were also most likely to value cultivating belonging in the learning environment. Find the full research brief on our site: https://lnkd.in/guzisMHn

AI has made it easier than ever for a transactional higher education experience — students can simply outsource their assignments to ChatGPT while professors can likewise outsource the assessment of those assignments to ChatGPT. As a result, we must fundamentally rethink how teaching and learning are done, argues Professor Dan Sarofian-Butin for EDUCAUSE. Of course, most faculty believe college is about more than the mere transfer of knowledge from teacher to learner. It’s about the act of learning — and the critical thinking skills that are developed along the way. But this is where many teachers fall short. Sarofian-Butin acknowledges that professors have long struggled to show their students why college really matters. “If college is about helping students to think critically, then the research is clear that we need to do three specific things in the classroom: foster dialogue, engage in authentic instruction, and provide individualized mentorship. We have already moved into a learning-centered model where dialogue and authentic high-impact practices have become commonplace. Yet, and this is the key, researchers note that ‘mentoring may serve in a catalytic capacity’ for such critical thinking. Mentorship is exactly where mass education has always fallen short. How am I supposed to mentor a room of twenty or two hundred students individually? I can't. Until now. ChatGPT can serve as a real-time ubiquitous tutor and mentor.” By embracing ChatGPT, Sarofian-Butin posits, we may finally be able to achieve a personalized, learner-centered model of education at scale. https://lnkd.in/gA-zmA8k

Meet WGU Labs, the nonprofit EdTech consulting, incubation, research, and design arm of Western Governors University. We're proud to call them one of our #EDTECHWEEK 2024 sponsors. Be sure to join Jason Levin, Executive Director at WGU Labs, at our Navigating Career Pathways Shark Tank at #EDTECHWEEK 2024. Thank you, WGU Labs for your involvement in this year’s festival! #newyorkcity #festival #edtech #aiineducation #conference #civichall

“Time poverty” — the concept that some students, especially those from under-resourced communities, have less time for their studies — can explain major differences in student outcomes, according to a new The City University of New York study. The research underscores how time poverty is often the result of structural inequities in higher education: “Black women had the least time for college of any group. Compared with the group with the most time — Asian and Pacific Islander men — Black women had, on average, 24 fewer hours per week to devote to their studies. However, both groups spent the same amount of time on college. How is this possible? Black, Hispanic, and women students sacrificed an even greater proportion of their free time — time left over after paid work, housework, and child care — on college than their peers. The average total time Black women spent on college as well as paid and unpaid work was 75 hours per week, or equivalent to more than two full-time jobs.” According to Claire Wladis, one of the report’s authors who broke down the findings for The Conversation US, on-campus childcare, and better wraparound support to cover basic needs expenses beyond tuition are needed to ensure opportunity for all. https://lnkd.in/gkz2xhYT

Today, I’m looking forward to a future where 1 million lives will have been changed through pathways to opportunity at Western Governors University. In our relatively short 27 years, 340,000 individuals have earned competency-based degrees and certificates, applying their innate talents and skills learned through life and work to their educational journeys. But through the recognition that tens of millions of individuals are still unable to access education, we know we must continue to innovate and meet individuals where they are. To reinvent pathways to opportunity, we must ensure they are relevant to the world of work. To that end, I’m happy to announce today that WGU is committing to further innovating and scaling work-based learning pathways. To accelerate that endeavor, we have acquired Craft Education System, a leading #edtech company specializing in apprentice-based programs. Craft's innovative platform facilitates on-the-job training aligned with degree programs and work-ready skills that will enable WGU to scale new programs and activate more of America’s diverse talent into opportunity. The personalization of learning is just that – it’s personal. Whether gaining expertise through formal education programs, personal instruction, on-the-job training, or online learning, there are so many ways in which individuals acquire knowledge, skill, and ability. As we continue to lead the way in integrating these diverse modalities and learning pathways, I am excited about a future where untapped talent is not only activated and rewarded but also seamlessly connected with employers to fulfill their strategic workforce needs. If you’d like to read more, I’m including a link to the press release in the comments. I’d also be curious to hear your ideas on the future of bridging education and the workforce.

A whopping 86% of employees would commit to their employer for five years if they helped them pay back their student loans. That’s considerable, given there are over 40 million adults with outstanding student loans in the U.S. Allie Danziger, a 2x exited founder who has dedicated her career to upskilling, empowering, and mentoring early career professionals and students, shares three ways employers can help employees navigate their student loan debt for Forbes: 1️⃣ Assess your entry-level salaries and encourage advancement. 2️⃣ Cultivate financial literacy for your employees. 3️⃣ Attract talent with student loan relief benefits. https://lnkd.in/g3mgQuGe Supporting employees with student loans isn’t just good for retention. We found that many borrowers are experiencing mental distress as a result of their student loans in our research with Savi https://lnkd.in/g-XgX5q3). A stressed workforce is a less productive workforce, which is why more and more employers are recognizing their responsibility to help — not only to support their workers but also to improve their bottom line.

ICYMI, our latest Faculty EdTech Survey is out! WGU Labs Director of Learning Innovation Omid Fotuhi spoke with Inside Higher Ed about the findings — and what institutions can do with this data ⬇️

We’ve made progress expanding access to higher education for students of color and low-income students. However, improved access may have unintentionally resulted in a higher percentage of students experiencing food insecurity, according to a new New Mexico Higher Education Department survey. Financial aid and tuition assistance alone aren’t enough to support these students. Colleges need to consider more robust wraparound support when expanding enrollment to students from underresourced communities. Our own research has revealed that unrestricted aid — which students reported using for basic needs expenses such as food, housing, and utilities — can improve graduation rates (https://lnkd.in/g_bxUTMq). Learn more about the findings and New Mexico’s Basic Needs Consortium, an effort to better provide needed resources to students, via Inside Higher Ed: https://lnkd.in/gcRd7qSN

What a pleasure it was to sit down with WorkingNation's Ramona Schindelheim to discuss how #highereducation can be a powerful force in activating talent and connecting individuals with opportunities that have a lasting impact. It’s not just about earning a degree—it’s about creating an educational experience that continues to deliver value throughout a lifetime. By personalizing learning journeys and aligning curricula with the demands of tomorrow’s workforce, higher ed can empower students to develop the skills and confidence they need to step into meaningful careers. This commitment to aligning education with workforce needs is something Western Governors University is actively pursuing through our new partnership with Social Finance, which I was grateful to discuss with Ramona. This collaboration is a testament to how higher education can be reimagined to deliver lasting value. We’re not just bridging gaps—we’re creating pathways to meaningful careers and a stronger, more resilient workforce. https://lnkd.in/gz8wVZMw

Meet our newest Accelerator client CodeSignal! CodeSignal enables teams and individuals to discover and develop essential skills by assessing skill gaps and creating personalized learning pathways. Its platform offers learning paths in a variety of topics related to career readiness, including coding, preparing for job interviews, and AI and machine learning. The platform also features a built-in AI tutor that gives users one-on-one guidance to provide a more interactive and adaptive learning environment. “CodeSignal is committed to democratizing education by providing practice-based, personalized learning that aligns with the evolving demands of the job market,” said Tigran Sloyan, co-founder and CEO of CodeSignal. “Our partnership with WGU Labs will help us extend these benefits to a broader student base, empowering them to achieve their career goals.” Learn more: https://lnkd.in/g34fzJfK