Learning Resources

Abstract: “Will innovative environments like a smart building expand STEM education and reach more underrepresented groups? If technology can support remote work, then why haven’t the previous proofs of concept become fully adopted?” The author pursued these questions through her SCUP Fellows research, exploring the hypothesis that user-centered design would better address STEM student needs and could increase the likelihood of a broader adoption of remote labs. Although the COVID-19 pandemic required a hard pivot in her research plan, she was able to leverage the world's new focus on remote activities and work with students to design a prototype mobile application for a digital, interactive twin of a STEM building on campus.

Abstract: In 2018, the Institutional Effectiveness Office at Kaua‘i Community College developed and administered community and workforce surveys to better understand current and future educational needs of residents and employers on Kaua‘i. These single island surveys highlighted the need for a comprehensive neighbor island survey to collectively advocate for additional online post-associate degree programs that best align with and support these geographically isolated communities. This project demonstrates how surveys can be used to inform decisions and integrated planning across multiple scales within a university system, especially in regards to distance education.

Abstract: What do strategic plans do? Who are they for? What does it mean to be “strategic”? These are among the questions addressed in a recent year-long study of 108 active college and university strategic plans (and the basis of the 2021 book What Makes a Strategic Plan Strategic). Hear directly from the researchers as they highlight a few important insights they discovered during their analysis, like how to avoid the many pitfalls of strategic planning and ensure a process focused on strategy and outcomes.

Abstract: As leaders of colleges and universities continue to analyze changes today and plan their campuses for the future, the knowledge and insight from the SCUP community is critical. The 2022 Campus Facilities Inventory (CFI) report’s valuable facilities benchmarking data will help college and university leaders understand not only what they have now and how it compares, but also how things might change in the future.

The CFI report consists of two sections that provide a holistic picture of today while enabling institutions to crowdsource a vision for the future: current space use data and recent and planned changes to campus facilities.

Data are reported only in aggregate, protecting the privacy of each institution. Reporting focuses on findings and comparison tables by institution type (e.g., four-year public, four-year private, and two-year public), location (e.g., urban, suburban, rural), and size (i.e., in-person student headcount).

Abstract: Active learning has been a growing trend in higher education for decades based on its positive impact on student learning and success. Colleges and universities have invested resources into expanding this teaching approach by using active learning classrooms (ALCs). But why have some institutions been successful at rapidly growing their ALCs and learning spaces, while others have struggled? This article, focusing on the higher education arena, summarizes the best practices from a large-scale study that uncovered factors that led to successful scaling of learning spaces and pedagogical approaches in colleges and universities.

Abstract: Space is not neutral; we perceive physical environments differently based on our backgrounds, experiences, and abilities. Every student brings a unique perspective to campus, and therefore every campus will have individual needs.

This research project collected a body of evidence around student preferences for welcoming and inclusive physical campus environments, sourced from engagements with more than two dozen institutions and more than 200 students. The author used these findings to develop a playbook to guide institutions and design teams through key strategies and possible metrics relative to DEI to use when planning, designing, and assessing physical campus space. The playbook serves as a conversation starter—a way to get planners, designers, and institutional stakeholders to the table and move the needle toward a more supportive physical environment that embodies the strategic values of DEI.

Abstract: Higher education is entering a period of unparalleled turbulence. By 2030, a global knowledge, work, and learning ecosystem will revolutionize work and learning. It will empower individuals to fuse learning, living, and work over 60-year time spans. Tens of millions of additional learners—or even more—will be added to the global learning force. To compete in this rapidly expanding arena, traditional institutions will need to transform, starting now.

Transforming for Turbulent Times: An Action Agenda for Higher Education Leaders will help you support your institution in its efforts to rise to these challenges.

This book outlines a proven, eight-step process for planning, leading, navigating, and orchestrating the transformations necessary to thrive in this new ecosystem. Whatever your role in your college, university, or learning enterprise, you’ll learn the principles, techniques, and actions that will make you indispensable to its transformation in these turbulent times.