By Helene Wiswall Perdue, OD Consultant, ModernThink As a function of our work in higher education, we see many strategic plans. Most of these plans contain some sort of organizational commitment, initiative, or objective related to creating and supporting a culture of innovation. At some institutions, this commitment manifests itself in the formation of an Read More »
The Pursuit of Happiness (in the Workplace)
“The purpose of life is not to be happy—but to matter, to be productive, to be useful, to have it make some difference that you lived at all.” ― Leo Rosten, teacher, academic, writer, humorist It has been scientifically proven that happy workers make the best workers. Recognizing the grand impact of higher productivity, many workplaces have Read More »
Is There A Place For Open-Source Textbooks In Higher Education?
For decades, a leading complaint among college students has been the price of textbooks. If they purchase all of their required books brand new, the bill each full-time semester generally hovers somewhere around $500-600, or roughly $80 to $100 for each required book given a course load of four or five classes. Paired with continually Read More »
Impact of Bonuses on Employee Motivation
Conventional wisdom states that one of the best ways to motivate employees is by paying generous bonuses. The media constantly highlights the huge bonuses paid to CEOs and other top executives. Organizations spend millions of dollars every year on bonuses. But is there evidence that bonuses are actually the best way to motivate employees? Bonuses Read More »
The Evolving Role of the Lecture in Higher Education
The lecture has been a staple of pedagogy since the first formal higher-learning universities were established in Western Europe in the 11th century. Recent studies show that it is still very widely used, but sometimes due more to cost-effectiveness and familiarity than to a belief that it remains a highly effective method of instruction. Read More »