How did Dr. Thomas White move Cedarville University forward through the implementation of ChatGPT Edu across its entire campus? How will this campus-wide initiative make an impact on students, faculty and staff? In this episode, Rob and Jared discuss these questions and more with Dr. Thomas White (President of Cedarville University). Have questions about some of the topics we’ve discussed recently? Drop all your burning questions in our form for an upcoming Q&A episode! View a transcript of ...
Aug 22, 2025•28 min•Ep. 129
What can an instructor do to seem approachable to students? How does an instructor’s enthusiasm or attitude affect how students interact with them or their class? What kinds of assessments seem to be most effective for learning from a student’s view? Join Rob and Jared as they discuss the instructor-student relationship, assessments and more with Lauren and Daniel. Have questions about some of the topics we’ve discussed recently? Drop all your burning questions in our form for an upcoming Q&...
Aug 15, 2025•22 min•Ep. 128
How does the continued rise of technology affect how instructors should approach learning? What is a thoughtful usage of technology? In this episode, Rob and Jared chat with Derek Bruff, author of Intentional Tech , about what principles are most relevant six years after his book was released. Have questions about some of the topics we’ve discussed recently? Drop all your burning questions in our form for an upcoming Q&A episode! View a transcript of this week's episode. Resources Intentiona...
Aug 08, 2025•29 min•Ep. 127
In this episode, Rob and Jared review “Intentional Tech: Principles to Guide the Use of Educational Technology in College Teaching” by Dr. Derek Bruff. They discuss the key principles of the book and their major takeaways. View a transcript of this week's episode . Resources Intentional Tech: Principles to Guide the Use of Educational Technology College Teaching - Derek Bruff FOCUS Blog - Cedarville University CTL Chat with us! Take our survey Connect with us via LinkedIn Contact us at ctlpodcas...
Aug 01, 2025•19 min•Ep. 126
What are the major takeaways from our “Online Teaching Practices” series? In this episode, Rob and Jared reflect on the lessons they learned throughout this series and provide some next steps for educators who want to improve their online teaching. Lesson 1: Reflective Practice Fuels Everything Lesson 2: Organization Is an Act of Empathy Lesson 3: Collaboration—You’re Not on an Island Lesson 4: Crystal-Clear Communication Lesson 5: Cultivating Community Online Lesson 6: Media Matters—More Than Y...
Jul 25, 2025•24 min•Ep. 125
How can media enhance an online course? What are the markers of “quality” media in an online course? How can instructors take their media from good to better to best? In this episode, Rob and Jared chat with Jacob Lashuay, the CTL’s instructional media producer, about some practical ways to make high quality media in your courses. Have questions about some of the topics we’ve discussed recently? Drop all your burning questions in our form for an upcoming Q&A episode! View a transcript of thi...
Jul 18, 2025•24 min•Ep. 124
Can you really create a good sense of community in an online course? What does it look like? In this episode, Rob and Jared discuss what community is, the value of community in an online course, and the best way to encourage community among online students. Have questions about some of the topics we’ve discussed recently? Drop all your burning questions in our form for an upcoming Q&A episode! View a transcript of this week's episode . Resources FOCUS Blog - Cedarville University CTL Chat wi...
Jul 11, 2025•28 min•Ep. 123
How is being clear about content and grading in an online course different from face-to-face? What needs to be emphasized? What should be avoided? Join Rob and Jared as they discuss clarity in online teaching. Clarity in an online course can be achieved by avoiding “UNCLEAR” practices: U – Unexplained jargon or acronyms N – Nonspecific instructions or vague prompts C – Complex, run-on sentences L – Lack of examples or concrete models E – Erratic formatting or inconsistent styling A – Assumptions...
Jul 04, 2025•28 min•Ep. 122
How can someone else help you develop better teaching practices? Who should you collaborate with as you design courses? What forms can collaboration take? In this episode, Rob and Jared discuss how collaboration can lead to better teaching and learning. Have questions about some of the topics we’ve discussed recently? Drop all your burning questions in our form for an upcoming Q&A episode! View a transcript of this week's episode . Resources FOCUS Blog - Cedarville University CTL Chat with u...
Jun 27, 2025•26 min•Ep. 121
How can structuring and chunking content and assessments in an online course help both the instructor and the learner? What are some best practices for organizing a course in your school’s learning management system? In this episode, Rob and Jared discuss how organization can alleviate barriers and facilitate learning in an online course. Have questions about some of the topics we’ve discussed recently? Drop all your burning questions in our form for an upcoming Q&A episode! View a transcrip...
Jun 20, 2025•25 min•Ep. 120
What importance should instructors place on student reflection in their online course? How crucial is modeling self-reflection to your students? In this episode, Rob and Jared discuss self-reflection and how it can be placed pre-, mid-, and post-learning in an online course. Have questions about some of the topics we’ve discussed recently? Drop all your burning questions in our form for an upcoming Q&A episode! View a transcript of this week's episode. Resources FOCUS Blog - Cedarville Unive...
Jun 13, 2025•22 min•Ep. 119
What are some key aspects of online teaching? What role does self-evaluation play in teaching and learning? In this episode, Rob and Jared begin a new series on online teaching practices and preview the importance of reflecting on your own teaching practices. Have questions about some of the topics we’ve discussed recently? Drop all your burning questions in our form for an upcoming Q&A episode! View a transcript of this week's episode . Resources FOCUS Blog - Cedarville University CTL Chat ...
Jun 06, 2025•26 min•Ep. 118
How can Generative AI limit the number of syllabus questions you get? Can students use it as a reviewer before they submit their assignments? In this episode, Rob and Ryan chat with Dave Leitch (Associate Professor of Special Education in the School of Education and Social Work at Cedarville University) about how to leverage Generative AI tools with students. Have questions about some of the topics we’ve discussed recently? Drop all your burning questions in our form for an upcoming Q&A epis...
May 30, 2025•26 min•Ep. 117
How does an educator practicing law use generative AI in teaching? What are the potential IP or copyright issues that could affect GAI usage? How can GAI help prepare students for tasks they will face in the workplace? In this episode, Rob and Jared chat with Bryan Schroll (General Counsel and Adjunct Professor at Cedarville University) about how he is using GAI in his business law course. Have questions about some of the topics we’ve discussed recently? Drop all your burning questions in our fo...
May 23, 2025•30 min•Ep. 116
How helpful is course organization for student learning? How do students rely on their peers as resources? What are students looking for in terms of feedback? Join Rob and Jared as they discuss syllabi, course structure and more with Lauren and Daniel. Have questions about some of the topics we’ve discussed recently? Drop all your burning questions in our form for an upcoming Q&A episode! View a transcript of this week's episode . Resources FOCUS Blog - Cedarville University CTL Chat with us...
May 16, 2025•23 min•Ep. 115
In this episode, Rob and Jared review “Brave New Words: How AI Will Revolutionize Education (and Why That’s a Good Thing),” which talks about the “transformative” nature of Generative AI in education. They evaluate Sal Khan’s presentation of the benefits of using GAI including personalized learning, its effect on equity, and its application in the tool Khanmigo. Have questions about some of the topics we’ve discussed recently? Drop all your burning questions in our form for an upcoming Q&A e...
May 09, 2025•21 min•Ep. 114
What do higher ed instructors need to know about the new college student? What issues are current high school students facing, and what solutions exist? In this episode, Rob and Jared share their takeaways from this series and determine, once and for all, if the math shark is real. Have questions about some of the topics we’ve discussed recently? Drop all your burning questions in our form for an upcoming Q&A episode! View a transcript of this week's episode . Resources FOCUS Blog - Cedarvil...
May 02, 2025•23 min•Ep. 113
Does higher education need to prepare for students who may be suffering from the math shark? Is education for pre-service teachers being modified to account for the math shark? Do we need a bigger boat to confront this issue, or is the math shark really just a guy in scuba gear with a fake fin on his back? Rob and Ryan chat with Dr. Terri Bucci (Associate Professor and Researcher in Mathematics Education at The Ohio State University) about the state of math education and how it can be approached...
Apr 25, 2025•30 min•Ep. 112
Is the Math Shark as big of a deal as we’re making it out to be? Or are there bigger fish to fry? What should math instructors prioritize for this coming generation of college students? Rob and Jared chat with Lynne Allen, a math teacher at River Valley High School, for answers to these questions. Have questions about some of the topics we’ve discussed recently? Drop all your burning questions in our form for an upcoming Q&A episode! View a transcript of this week's episode. Resources FOCUS ...
Apr 18, 2025•27 min•Ep. 111
Are private educators seeing the same issues as public and homeschool educators? How does the diversity of students or technology access compare? What are private school educators doing to help students work through real-life struggles? Rob and Jared chat with high school English teachers Christina Jones (Grove City Christian School) and Becky Stelzer (Calvary Christian School). Our listener survey is still open, so please let us know how we can make the podcast even better. View a transcript of...
Apr 11, 2025•25 min•Ep. 110
How are homeschool students managing stress and anxiety? How does a parent manage the role of both parent and educator of the student? What social and technological issues are present in the homeschool world, and are they different from other types of schooling? Rob and Jared chat with two homeschool educators, Stephanie Hill and Kathy Kirtland, to get their insights. Our listener survey is still open, so please let us know how we can make the podcast even better. View a transcript of this week'...
Apr 04, 2025•27 min•Ep. 109
What strategies are educators using to address the anxiety and stress of current high school students? What technology accessibility barriers are educators trying to overcome? Is there a reason to assign homework anymore? Rob and Jared chat with Hank Hacker (Economics teacher at Greeneview High School) and Garrett Rinehard (Chemistry teacher at Bellefontaine High School) about how these issues are affecting their students. Our listener survey is still open, so please let us know how we can make ...
Mar 28, 2025•29 min•Ep. 108
Is the level of maturity changing in college students? How can educators serve students and assist as they become professionals? Rob and Jared lay the groundwork for this conversation as they chat with Cedarville University’s Dr. Thomas Hutchison (Professor of Educational Ministries and Applied Theology) and Dr. Chris Miller (Senior Professor of Biblical Studies) about developing maturity and resilience in college students. View a transcript of this week's episode . Resources FOCUS Blog - Cedarv...
Mar 21, 2025•31 min•Ep. 107
What accessibility standards need to be considered when designing a course? How do these considerations serve the needs of students? Rob and Jared chat with Dr. Amy Lomellini, Director of Accessibility at Anthology, about strategies for creating accessible courses for the sake of students. Our listener survey is still open, so please let us know how we can make the podcast even better. View a transcript of this week's episode . Resources FOCUS Blog - Cedarville University CTL Chat with us! Take ...
Mar 14, 2025•27 min•Ep. 106
In our previous series “Understanding the New College Student,” Rob and Jared spoke with experts to discover the characteristics and trials that define the new generation of college students. In this episode, they introduce a new series that will hopefully serve to answer the question of what’s being done to serve the new generation of students to prepare them for life after high school. Our listener survey is still open, so please let us know how we can make the podcast even better. Resources F...
Mar 07, 2025•19 min•Ep. 105
In this episode, Ryan Liming presents the results of our listener survey from the fall and winter of 2024. Dr. Rob McDole, Dr. Jared Pyles, and Ryan discuss listener demographics and interests as well as plans for the future. The survey is still open, so please let us know how we can make the podcast even better. Resources FOCUS Blog - Cedarville University CTL Chat with us! Take our survey Connect with us via LinkedIn Contact us at ctlpodcast@cedarville.edu with any questions...
Feb 28, 2025•24 min•Ep. 104
How does research align with student perception? Do students agree with what research says helps them learn best? Join Dr. Rob McDole and Dr. Jared Pyles as they discuss higher education best practices with two current undergraduate students. Transform Your Teaching wants to hear from you! Please take our survey to let us know how we can make the podcast even better. Resources FOCUS Blog - Cedarville University CTL Chat with us! Take our survey Connect with us via LinkedIn Contact us at ctlpodca...
Feb 21, 2025•23 min•Ep. 103
In this episode, Dr. Rob McDole and Dr. Jared Pyles review “Uncommon Sense Teaching,” which explores practical insights into effective learning by leveraging neuroscience and cognitive psychology, providing easy-to-understand strategies and tools for enhancing classroom teaching. Transform Your Teaching wants to hear from you! Please take our survey to let us know how we can make the podcast even better. Resources FOCUS Blog - Cedarville University CTL Uncommon Sense Teaching: Practical Insights...
Feb 14, 2025•24 min•Ep. 102
In this episode, Dr. Jared Pyles and Ryan Liming chat with Dr. Rob McDole about what he does in his spare time, what he’s reading, what he’s playing, and his life-changing experience at Stumptown Coffee Roasters in Portland, OR. Enjoy another behind-the-scenes peek! Transform Your Teaching wants to hear from you! Please take our survey to let us know how we can make the podcast even better. Resources FOCUS Blog - Cedarville University CTL Chat with us! Take our survey Connect with us via LinkedI...
Feb 07, 2025•27 min•Ep. 101
Join Dr. Rob McDole and Dr. Jared Pyles as they celebrate the 100th episode of the podcast! Guests from previous episodes will make brief appearances and ask Rob and Jared questions that they have to answer in 100 seconds. The kicker: Rob and Jared have no clue who’s coming on. At whatever point you joined us on this podcast journey, thank you for listening. Here’s to 100 more! Transform Your Teaching wants to hear from you! Please take our survey to let us know how we can make the podcast even ...
Jan 31, 2025•40 min•Ep. 100
