Ten With Ken (audio)

Ten with Ken goes onsite at the University of Waterloo, home to the world's largest free business incubator, Velocity. The program's facilities include a campus Residence, Science facility, Start lounge, and the downtown Garage. In this extended episode, director Jay Shah gives us a tour of the Velocity Garage, explains the 3-stage model of business incubation, and introduces us to some exciting new companies: Maluuba, an artificial intelligence company recently acquired by Microsoft. Innovative Protein Technologies, which makes FrostArmour spray foam to protect crops from frost damage. Alchemy, which is creating nanotechnology films to protect windshields from impact damage. Vitameter, whose desktop device provides realtime analysis of the vitamins in your blood. Qidni Labs, which is developing an implantable artificial kidney, which could make dialysis obsolete. We learn about the tight connection between Velocity and Waterloo's longstanding co-op program, and the critical importance of mentorship and peer

In this special double-episode, Ken shares hilarious highlights from last year’s April Fool’s Day around the world. If you’re curious, looking for laughs, or seeking inspiration for your own pranks this April, check out the collection! Some colleges and universities put real energy into prank media releases, hoax videos, or absurd webpages each April First. Last year, in “Ten Kinds of April Foolery,” we inventoried the basic categories, from minor name changes or new mascots to outrageous infrastructure announcements or bizarre new program offerings. We also analyzed the typical structure: begin with something almost reasonable, build credibility with authoritative sound bytes, pile on the absurdities and puns, and finally (often) deflate the whole hoax. Check out last year’s special at https://youtu.be/v-dSiWr3KHM On April 1 2016, we carefully monitored thousands of higher ed news releases and video feeds, and here are some of the highlights we found. (This summary doesn’t do the jokes justice at all – watch

Last episode, Ken's 10th annual "Year in Review" continued with a look at some of the bigger PR headaches afflicting North American colleges and universities, with a focus on cultural insensitivity and its consequences. (Think Mount St Mary's, Missouri, Yale, Ithaca, and Harvard.) Check out Part I: Budgets & Bunnies at: https://youtu.be/1fnN8QOFrWs This week, he profiles 2 major PR migraines in more detail, which occurred at UBC and the University of Toronto. Both attracted international media attention, hundreds of articles and blogs, millions of views and outrage on both sides. At the University of Toronto, Psychology prof Jordan Peterson ignited a firestorm by insisting that, should a gender non-binary student ever ask him to use non-standard pronouns like "ze" or "zir" or even singular "they," he would refuse. He went on to repeat himself ever more loudly, aggressively, and insistently. Opponents called him transphobic and insensitive to human dignity. He called them biology-deniers and left-wing soci

This week, we start our annual look at college and university PR challenges and controversies with politically incorrect remarks, budget crises, workplace bullying, racial tensions and presidential resignations, across North America. 2016 Higher Ed Headaches, part I: Budgets & Bunnies! Bad luck, bad decisions, and even poor choice of words can derail an academic presidency. Last year started with president Simon Newman at Maryland’s Mount St Mary’s University. In January he made international headlines for his colourful metaphor to describe his approach to improve student retention statistics: drown the bunnies! He then demoted the Provost, fired two faculty members, and was beset with protests, AAUP objections, and an investigation by accreditors. After weeks of chaos, he resigned. CBS Baltimore news: https://youtu.be/mUjkVwJ-RCs Kevin Nagel resigned as president of Keyano College in Alberta, after plunging oil prices took a toll on the region’s economy, and the college budget. (Even before the wildfire.

Ken Steele is Canada's foremost higher ed strategist, speaker and facilitator, and for more than a decade he has presented hundreds of keynotes, campus presentations and workshops across North America, every year. In this brief video, he introduces himself, and the long and winding road that brought him to a unique vantage point on higher education. For more information about Ken's campus presentations, please visit http://eduvation.ca/services/campus-pd-presentations/ For virtual keynotes, delivered remotely at much lower cost, visit http://eduvation.ca/services/virtual-keynotes/ For committee workshops, see http://eduvation.ca/services/workshops/

Ken Steele is Canada's foremost higher ed strategist, speaker and facilitator, and for more than a decade he has presented hundreds of keynotes, campus presentations and workshops across North America. In this brief video, he describes how a combination of rich media, mini-keynotes, audience interaction, group discussion, and real-time polls keeps some of the toughest audiences engaged: college and university professors, front-line staff, senior administrators and governing boards. For more information about Ken's campus presentations, please visit http://eduvation.ca/services/campus-pd-presentations/ For virtual keynotes, delivered remotely at much lower cost, visit http://eduvation.ca/services/virtual-keynotes/ For committee workshops, see http://eduvation.ca/services/workshops/

Ken Steele is Canada's foremost higher ed strategist, speaker and facilitator, and for more than a decade he has presented hundreds of keynotes, campus presentations and workshops across North America. In this brief video, he describes the goals of campus presentations, workshops and PD sessions, to create widespread shared understanding of emerging trends and best practices, and to open eyes and minds to potential innovations in higher education. For more information about Ken's campus presentations, please visit http://eduvation.ca/services/campus-pd-presentations/ For virtual keynotes, delivered remotely at much lower cost, visit http://eduvation.ca/services/virtual-keynotes/ For committee workshops, see http://eduvation.ca/services/workshops/

Ken Steele's 10th annual higher ed "year in review" continues with part 3, a look at the fall – and rise – of for-profit fortunes in 2016. In the previous two episodes, we looked at the proliferation of free college tuition policies across North America, the rise of anti-intellectualism and protectionism, and some of the implications for international education. (If you missed them, check out part 1 at https://youtu.be/CZ6nuznRV_I , and part 2 at https://youtu.be/AWuE7EhoejI ).   6) FOR-PROFITS For decades now, massive for-profit schools like the University of Phoenix and Kaplan University have been rewriting the rules of higher education, and transforming the landscape. Last year was their annus horribilis, but also likely marks a turning point to much better times ahead. For 8 years, the Obama administration aggressively prosecuted for-profit colleges and universities for deceptive marketing, fraudulent enrolments, and high rates of student loan defaults. Collectively, they were receiving more than $20 bill

Ken Steele's 10th annual higher ed "year in review" continues with part 2, a look back at populism, protectionism and post-truth in 2016. (Check out part 1 at https://youtu.be/CZ6nuznRV_I ). There were some significant, and even terrifying, political events last year: 3) POST-TRUTH Oxford Dictionaries have declared “post-truth” the word of 2016. It was used 200 times more than any year previous, mostly because of the US election and UK referendum. Thanks to social media, deliberate misinformation and the layoff of journalists and editors, many people no longer know what to believe. Russian hackers and trolls waged cyberwarfare last year to influence elections and destabilize NATO. Propaganda and “fake news” has proliferated. George Orwell’s dystopian vision (from his novel 1984) was set just a few decades too early. Britain, we heard last year, has “had enough of experts.” https://youtu.be/GGgiGtJk7MA Widespread support for Brexit, Donald Trump, Rob Ford and “Boaty McBoatface” exemplifies the anti-intellectua

Ken Steele's 10th annual higher ed "year in review" looks back at 2016 and sums up the major news and trends shaping the postsecondary landscape in just 6 words. In part 1, he reviews the many tragedies of 2016, from the loss of famous celebrities and great thinkers to Zika and Brangelina. 2016 was a year that left many feeling adrift, and the surge towards populism gave us Brexit, Trump, and Boaty McBoatface. Plenty of trends we identified in previous years continued in 2016, from gender equity and sexual assault protocols to political correctness, indigenous content and "peak campus". But in this episode, we look at a major disaster and an emerging trend that defined the year that was: 1) FIRE! The biggest news story in Canada was unquestionably the Fort MacMurray wildfire, which swept through 1.5 million acres in northern Alberta. It caused the emergency evacuation of all 88,000 residents in town, destroyed 2,400 homes, and caused about $9 billion in damage. Keyano College was fortunate, in that its campus

This week, Ken completes his 3-part review of higher ed branding in 2015 with a look at “New Names & Nicknames,” from DMZ to uVic! (Part 1 was “Cautionary Tales & Cautious Rebrandings” https://youtu.be/m2LF3rGiMLc . Part 2 was “Bold New Brands of 2015” https://youtu.be/pxmRfUfzZ5o .) Without a doubt, institutions are loathe to lose decades of brand equity and recognition by changing their names. Generally it occurs only when the institution’s mandate has changed significantly, such as when a college gains university status, or an institute becomes a polytechnic. (Most recently it was SIAST becoming Saskatchewan Polytechnic.) For years we’ve also seen a pretty widespread trend toward dropping adjectives like “regional” and “community” from college names, and minimizing or eliminating the use of the word “college” itself. Last spring, Saskatchewan’s Southeast Regional College launched a bright new brand identity without the word “Regional.” The AUCC rechristened itself “Universities Canada” last year, l

Last week, Ken shared some classic cautionary tales of higher ed brand misfires, and we looked at some particularly cautious new brands from Canadian colleges and universities, perhaps in response. (Last week: https://youtu.be/m2LF3rGiMLc ) This week, we look at the flipside: provocative brands and campaigns that deliberately court controversy. Aggressive Competition: We start with some examples of pretty aggressive “poaching” campaigns for student recruitment in other institutions’ backyards: York University led the way with their “question every angle” campaign, and notably a subway station domination strategy at the doorstep of the University of Toronto. Memorial University of Newfoundland has bought up bus shelters along routes to major undergraduate university campuses across Canada, to promote their Grad Studies “on the edge.” The University of Saskatchewan has advertised on Calgary transit, dissing Edmonton as a study destination. And St Mary’s University has bought billboards across the street from Ca

For the next few episodes, Ken Steele returns to the Brand Chemistry™ Lab to analyze recent trends in higher ed brand identities and marketing campaigns. This week, we look at some notable brand mis-steps that have become cautionary tales for campus marketers, and the inevitable result: some very cautious, gradual rebrandings that don’t risk passionate opposition from traditional-minded stakeholders like students, faculty, and alumni. Particularly for smaller, remote institutions experiencing the early effects of declining demographics, it’s critical to develop the visibility a strong brand can support. In recent years, many higher ed institutions have hired top-notch ad agencies to develop their visual identities and marketing campaigns, but there are definite risks to that approach. Branding an academic community is significantly more political a process than branding a consumer product like beer or fast food. Presidents don’t have the authority of corporate CEOs, faculty aren’t as compliant as typical empl

Last week, Ken Steele looked back at some major PR headaches sparked by students and faculty, from white student unions to a blogging board member. https://youtu.be/qn0ylCsR9Jw But some of the biggest media relations migraines of all start at the top, with board chairs and presidents. At Western University, president Amit Chakma’s double pay made headlines in 2015, but he had done nothing wrong in accepting a contract with administrative leave. The bigger issue was that the board committee normally responsible for negotiating such contracts was bypassed, and the board chair, Chirag Shah, seemed responsible. A task force made 22 recommendations for governance reform at Western, and Shah stepped off the board at the end of his term last November. The year’s biggest PR headache, though, was the abrupt resignation of UBC president Arvind Gupta, only a year into his term. The board hired a passionate reformer with a bold agenda. Gupta didn’t have the usual university administration experience, but instead had foun

This week, Ken Steele looks back at some of the biggest PR headaches afflicting Canadian colleges and universities in the past year, looking for common causes and some lessons we can learn about crisis communications. Academia may well be the most challenging environment in which to manage messaging, with opinionated faculty, unrestrained students, and concerned parents, alumni, and taxpayers in the community. Without a doubt, many PR headaches are caused by the students, intentionally or not. In previous episodes we’ve looked at sexist behavior in social media and during orientation, but Dalhousie’s School of Dentistry struggled with the biggest PR headache of 2015, when 13 male students posted sexist, misogynistic remarks to a supposedly private Facebook group. Protests, suspensions, a task force – in all, it cost the school about $650,000. And the underlying culture of sexism should have been addressed years earlier. CBC’s “This Hour Has 22 Minutes” parody commercial – https://youtu.be/RtffrcWeMf0 Last ye

This week, Ken Steele completes his countdown of the ten biggest trends impacting North American higher education in 2015, with the top 4: from political correctness and personal safety to major demographic shifts. If you missed part 1, check it out first: https://youtu.be/bziLQbNEXcI 4) Indigenous Content: Even before the recommendations of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, institutions began announcing new mandatory indigenous content in their curricula. Students at the University of Winnipeg proposed mandatory courses in indigenous history or culture. Lakehead University announced that it would introduce indigenous perspectives into courses across all faculties. UBC’s Sauder School of Business and the UBC Okanagan School of Nursing both announced that they would be integrating Aboriginal content. The new president at the University of Saskatchewan declared that he would make indigenization his top priority. And the Law Faculties at UBC and Lakehead had both established mandatory courses in Abo

Canada's most trusted higher ed monitor, Ken Steele, counts down the ten biggest trends impacting North American higher education in 2015, from equity and politics to new technologies and new business models. Intro: 2015 was a rough year, from terrorist attacks in France and extreme weather in Texas and California, to the Volkswagen emissions scandal and the surprising rise of Donald Trump. But we also saw the launch of the Apple Watch, the Lexus hoverboard, and Nike self-lacing shoes. And there was a profound leftward shift in Canadian politics, from Rachel Notley's NDP in Alberta to Dwight Ball's Liberals in Newfoundland, and of course the second prime minister Trudeau. But there was also no shortage of developments directly affecting higher education. Some we have covered in previous episodes of this podcast, and others will deserve more attention soon. Here are Ken’s picks for the top ten. 10) Gender Equity: From pay equity settlements and campaigns to encourage female enrolment in Engineering, to sexism

Governments invest in higher education hoping to see short-term economic benefits in the form of job creation, knowledge mobilization, and increasingly, the launch of entrepreneurial new start-up businesses. In this week’s episode, Ken Steele provides a quick overview of college and university research commercialization, from the first research parks to the latest business incubators and accelerators. In many ways, academic culture is antithetical to entrepreneurship. Scholars and scientists are often perfectionists, conducting exhaustive research, consulting their peers for input and consensus, and avoiding career-limiting risks. Academic culture is centred around credibility, caution, and certainty. Successful entrepreneurs, on the other hand, are often shameless self-promoters, confident or even arrogant, first to market regardless of quality control, and frequently keeping trade secrets from their competitors. Many question whether modern schools are the right environment in which to nurture entrepreneurs

Increasingly careerist students, at colleges and universities alike, are attracted to work-integrated learning opportunities. This week, Ken continues his series on innovations in teaching and learning with a closer look at Experiential Learning. Colleges like Sault College have been promoting hands-on learning opportunities for years, like their Field Camp for outdoor recreation students. https://youtu.be/gCfa_LFTRHQ Calgary’s SAIT Polytechnic emphasizes the value of real-world, career-focused education in their “Get Real” commercials. https://youtu.be/9cOUKB6nfic Algonquin College nicely shows how a daycare, flight deck, kichen, and construction site are all “my classroom.” https://youtu.be/AXnbZhIoU64 Universities Canada reports than more than 50% of undergrad students at Canadian universities now get some form of experiential learning opportunity – although this could be as simple as a few labs, or as intense as a co-op work term or study abroad experience. The so-called “Maker movement” is taking hold on

Passive learning methods like lectures, readings and demonstrations remain the mainstay in higher ed, but research tells us that active learning approaches can have much more lasting impact on student learning outcomes. From small group discussions and project-based learning to experiential field schools and peer teaching, in this episode Ken sums up some compelling evidence from UBC, Queen's, and Guelph that seem to demonstrate that students learn significantly more from deliberate practice and enquiry-based learning than from lecture. Students who collaboratively observe a video of a tutoring session - not a lecture - learn better. Those who made mistakes and were then corrected learned 60% more than those who were guided straight to the correct answer. There are lasting benefits to enquiry-based learning seminars, particularly for "B" students. Queen's has opened Ellis Hall, a new facility featuring active learning classrooms. https://youtu.be/bJDCgeaK44E 80% of Generation Z prefer to study with friends, a