Speaking of Higher Ed...

About The Podcast

Speaking of Higher Ed logo Speaking of Higher Ed exists to create a resource that will inspire and assist faculty in creating engaging and meaningful learning experiences. We hope to provide higher ed faculty with a platform for sharing research related to the scholarship of teaching and learning, spark new instructional ideas, and promote interdisciplinary instructional methods.

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Episode 28: Teaching, Cheating, and Writing for the Public - A Conversation with James Lang

April 16, 2025

James Lang smiles for camera 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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Season Three Episodes

Episode 27: AI in Higher Education with Dr. Cynthia Alby

March 19, 2025

Cynthia Alby smiles for camera 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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Episode 26: Animating the Future: Education, Creativity, and AI with A.B. Osborne

February 19, 2025

AB Osborne waves 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

Guests Michael Rifenburg and Kristine Johnson

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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About the Hosts

Andrew Everett poses for a photo Andrew Everett is a Faculty & Instructional Developer in the Center for Instructional Innovation (CII) with a focus on video and multimedia production and is the producer of Speaking of Higher Ed. Andrew is also an adjunct instructor in the Department of Social Sciences. After nearly a decade in TV news, Andrew came to Augusta University in 2019 as a video producer for Communications & Marketing before moving to the CII in 2022. Andrew has been awarded numerous Georgia Associated Press awards, an EMMA award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, and two silver Telly awards for his work on the short film Augusta Gives: Back to the Future and for an educational video for physical therapy students. He also holds Sententia’s Gamification Surveyor Certification (Level 1). Andrew earned a BS in Digital Cinematography from Full Sail University and a Master of Public Administration degree from Augusta University.

Arthur Takahashi poses for a photo As a visual storyteller, Arthur Takahashi has worked in TV, public relations, and now instructional design. In his professional career, he has seen how visuals can touch people, how stories can stick with them for a lifetime and how shared emotional experiences can create a strong bond among them. His work has led him to three Southeast Regional Emmy Awards nominations for promo, documentary, and animation. He has also won a regional Edward R. Murrow Award for hard news, two Georgia Association of Broadcasters awards for best locally-produced program and best use of digital platforms, two Georgia Associated Press Awards for investigative reporting and general reporting, a bronze Telly Award for documentary. As an instructional designer, he also placed first at the 2021 Adobe eLearning Design Awards and won a silver Telly for best use of 2D animation and a silver Telly for an educational video in the health and safety category. Since Arthur joined CII, he has helped create faculty development offerings that have impacted hundreds of AU faculty. He holds the Sententia’s Gamification Surveyor Certification (Level 1) and is a QM-certified APPQMR online facilitator. Arthur has a bachelor’s degree in mass communication, a master’s degree in history and a master’s degree in public administration.

Jeff Mastromonico poses for a photo Jeff Mastromonico is the Director of Instructional Innovation for CII. Jeff is celebrating his 24th year in higher education and his 14th year with Augusta University. Jeff has a BS in Business Administration, an M.Ed in Educational Technology from USC, a master's certification in gamification and game-based learning, and is currently pursuing a doctorate in Educational Innovation. Jeff has been awarded numerous awards for his work in the design and development of multimedia, e-learning, and game development, including the international Serious Play award and Adobe's Golden E-Learning Award.