Speaking of Higher Ed...

What if the way we design our courses is actually encouraging students to cheat? 

Dr. James Lang joins us to discuss academic integrity in the age of generative AI. Drawing from his influential book Cheating Lessons, Lang explains how cheating often stems not from student character flaws but from course environments that prioritize extrinsic motivation, high-stakes assessments, and limited support for self-efficacy. 

At the heart of the discussion is the argument that academic dishonesty often arises not from “bad” students, but from the pressures and pitfalls of ineffective course design. Lang outlines key environmental factors—such as extrinsic motivation, high-stakes assessments, and low self-efficacy—that contribute to cheating, and offers concrete ways faculty can design courses that support learning while discouraging misconduct. He also reflects on how generative AI has intensified these challenges, and how faculty can respond with next-generation assessments that promote metacognition and student voice. 

Later in the conversation, Lang turns to his newest book, Write Like You Teach, which encourages faculty to bring the clarity and accessibility of their classroom teaching into their writing. He shares advice on how academics can communicate their work to broader audiences and engage the public in meaningful ways. 

Whether you’re a new instructor or a seasoned professor, this episode blends theory and actionable insights for both your teaching and your writing life.

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

• Dr. Lang has written articles on teaching and learning that regularly appear in The Chronicle of Higher Education — read Dr. Lang’s columns. 

• In Cheating Lessons, Lang explores how course design can reduce academic dishonesty while promoting deeper student learning — learn more about Cheating Lessons on Amazon. 

• Write Like You Teach offers practical guidance for educators who want to publish their ideas clearly and persuasively — explore Write Like You Teach on Amazon. 
• Small Teaching provides easy-to-implement strategies that can make a big impact on student learning in any classroom — view Small Teaching on Amazon. 

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Generative AI is rapidly changing the landscape of higher education, offering new possibilities for student engagement, personalized learning, and course design. In this episode, Cynthia Alby, PhD, professor of teacher education at Georgia College and lead instructor in the Governor’s Teaching Fellows Program, shares how faculty across the country are integrating AI into their teaching. 

She discusses practical applications, from AI-assisted feedback to generative textbooks, as well as the challenges faculty face when incorporating AI into their courses. Dr. Alby also explores the ethical considerations of AI use, student concerns about fairness and job prospects, and strategies for fostering academic integrity in an AI-driven world. 

Whether you’re already experimenting with AI or just starting to explore its potential, this conversation offers valuable insights and concrete strategies for leveraging AI to enhance teaching and learning.

Note: The above episode description was written by ChatGPT using the podcast transcript as a guide. 

About Dr. Alby: 
Cynthia Alby is a Professor of Teacher Education at Georgia College studying the re-enchantment of learning and co-author of Learning that matters: A field guide to course design for transformative education. For 20 years she has also helped to develop Georgia faculty through the “Governor’s Teaching Fellows Program” at the University of Georgia. 

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

The Learning that Matters website offers resources like “Cut and Paste AI Prompts for Teaching,” which can help you get started with generative AI quickly.

In this episode, Dr. Alby discusses her go-to AI tool, BoodleBox.ai.

You can reach Dr. Alby by email with questions about AI in higher education. 

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How do you prepare students to enter a rapidly changing industry like animation? What impact does AI have on such a competitive industry?

On this episode, we’re exploring animation education with our guest, A.B. Osborne. We discuss the development of Augusta University’s animation program, how students balance creativity with technical skills, and the impact of AI on the animation industry—and what it means for animation students.

Professor Osborne is an associate professor Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences in the Department of Art and Design and the director of Augusta University’s Animation Program which he helped launch in 2019.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

You can learn more about the animation program at Augusta University by visiting the Art and Design department webpage. 

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Episode 25: Undergraduate Research with Drs. Michael Rifenburg and Kristine Johnson

January 15, 2025

What is the lifelong influence of undergraduate research experiences?

For this month’s topic of undergraduate research, Dr. Michael Rifenburg and Dr. Kristine Johnson discuss their book A Long View of Undergraduate Research: Alumni Perspectives on Inquiry, Belonging, and Vocation. They discuss insights into undergraduate research learned by interviewing alumni about the effect that participating in UR played in their lives after graduation.

The authors discuss the balance between intellectual growth and career readiness that UR can provide as well as the importance of the faculty role for students. Finally, they provide practical advice for faculty just starting or expanding undergraduate research.

About our guests:

Dr. Michael Rifenburg, is an associate professor of English at the University of North Georgia, serves as co-director of First-Year Composition and is a Senior Faculty Fellow for Scholarly Writing within UNG’s Center for Teaching, Learning, and Leadership.

Dr. Kristine Johnson is an Associate Professor at Calvin University in Michigan. She currently serves as the University Rhetoric Director, directing first-year writing, Rhetoric Across the Curriculum, and the Rhetoric Center.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

The book discussed in this episode, A Long View of Undergraduate Research: Alumni Perspectives on Inquiry, Belonging, and Vocation, is available online. 

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