Higher Education in the US - Reflections from Scholar-Practitioner: Sarah Bond

 

Dr. Sarah Bond was raised in east central Illinois and was actively involved in 4-H for 12 years and the FFA for six years. She believes that her educational and leadership success is attributed to the opportunities she received in agriculture and these organizations. In 1991-92, she served as the State FFA Secretary-Treasurer, which allowed her to travel across the state and speak with high school students, business leaders, and educational institutions about the importance of Career and Technical Education.

 

She has completed several degrees from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, including a Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Economics, a Master of Science in Agricultural Education and Mechanization, and a Ph.D. in Workforce Education and Development with a specialization in Education, Training, and Development. In addition to these qualifications, Dr. Bond has also earned a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Science in Strategic Management with a Leadership Concentration from Oakland City University.

 

She is an educator at multiple universities, including SIUC's Agribusiness Economics Program, Oakland City University's School of Business, Valdosta State University's Adult and Career Education Department, and Auburn University's Education Foundations, Leadership and Technology Program. Additionally, she specializes in creating effective instructional design for online, face-to-face, and hybrid courses. She is also a co-owner of Abundant Harvest, LLC, which provides customized training solutions for businesses and industries, and she is an accomplished professional speaker.

 

Dr. Bond lives in Marion, Illinois, with her husband, Dr. Jason Bond, who is a Professor at SIUC. Jason is a second-generation plant pathologist, and his research program at SIUC focuses on managing corn and soybean diseases.

 

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From Traditional to Student-Centered in China: Dr. Xi Lin

 

Dr. Xi Lin is a co-author of Chapter 6. She holds a B.M. degree in Public Utilities Management from the North China Electric Power University, a M.A. in Communications and a Ph.D. in Adult Education from Auburn University. Xi Lin is currently an associate professor in the Department of Interdisciplinary Professions at East Carolina University. Dr. Lin is dedicated to exploring how technology can enhance teaching and learning in higher education. Her research focuses on student engagement and interaction in online and distance learning and international students and faculty in the US higher education. She has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, edited and authored multiple books and chapters, contributing valuable insights into best practices for online instruction and the use of multimedia in education.

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 Transitions Xi Lin Interview Transcript

The Young Adult: Dr. Linnea M. Haren Conely

 

Dr. Linnea M. Haren Conely leads curriculum development at AIDT, Alabama’s workforce development agency where she designs training programs to prepare Alabama citizens for jobs at the state’s new and expanding businesses. Dr. Haren Conely is also the founder of Questia Corps, a social impact training consultancy. Her research focuses on the intersections of lifelong learning, civic engagement, and technology. She holds a Ph.D. in Adult Education from Auburn University, a M.R.P. in City and Regional Planning from Cornell University, a M.Ed. in Instructional Technology from Kent State University, and a M.L.A. in English from Auburn Montgomery University. 

 

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An Overview of the Evolution of Higher Education in China: Yan Dai

 

Yan Dai is the co-author of Chapter 6. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Educational Psychology program at Auburn University. Her research interests include motivation, particularly self-efficacy and self-regulation. She has over 15 years of experience as an ESL instructor in China, and was recognized as the FLTR (Foreign Language Teaching and Research) Outstanding Mentor for guiding a student to victory in the National English Contest in China. 

 

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36 Years at the Lectern: Michael Wooten

 

Dr. Michael Wooten is the author of Chapters 4 (on the brain) and 13 (this podcast). He is Emeritus Professor of Genetics with the Department of Biological Sciences at Auburn University. Wooten reflects on his 36-year career as a faculty member within a land-grant institution of higher learning. He shares how the common practice of faculty members in the sciences begin teaching without any formal training in education theory and how he navigated the learning journey.

 

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Further Education and Training (FET) in Ireland: Stephen O’Brien

 

Dr Stephen O’Brien the author of Chapter 11 and is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Education, University College Cork, Ireland. He is Programme Director for the Postgraduate Diploma in Further, Adult and Community Education (PDFACE). O’Brien sets the scene for critically examining Further Education and Training learners’ transition to university, discussing how ‘voice’ is central to the university’s mission and can deepen inclusion in the Higher Education community.

 

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An Overview of the Evolution of Higher Education in China: Lingfei Luan

 

 

Dr. Luan is a researcher and educator originally from China and is one of 3 authors who collaborated on the Chinese chapter. She also shares the unique differences in Chinese higher education and culture that impact the adult learner and their growth as learners. Lingfei has a background in educational psychology and, in this episode, she helps us understand the perceptions of adult learners to better understand knowledge acquisition and memory in the learning process. 

 

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Adult and Community Education in New Zealand: Colin McGregor

 

 

Colin McGregor is the former Director of Adult and Community Education (ACE) Aotearoa. ACE Aotearoa, a non-governmental organisation, is the lead body for Adult and Community Education in New Zealand. Our role is to support ACE providers through training, resources, conferences and sharing best practice. Colin says “I am committed to promoting the value of lifelong learning and ensuring access to learning opportunities.”

Mr. Colin McGregor has had a long career in Adult Education. He recently retired as the Director of the peak body for Adult Education in New Zealand (NZ) - Adult and Community Education (ACE) Aotearoa. In this podcast episode, Colin shares his thoughts about NZ’s bi-cultural society and how we might learn from collaborations and partnerships across the world. In addition, he discusses the importance of policy and funding for ACE.

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Digitalization and Higher Education in Germany: Jan Schiller

Jan Schiller

 

Dr. Jan Schiller is a researcher at Helmut Schmidt University and has a sociology and educational philosophy background. In this episode, he highlights Bildung's importance to adult education and lifelong learning. This chapter highlights the digital transformations critical to higher education and learning in later life.

Dr. Jan Schiller has been a research assistant at the Chair of Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning since November 2016. He currently researches and teaches primarily on questions of digitalization in adult education/further education, time-related issues in the context of education in connection with educational sociological and contemporary philosophical approaches, European and national educational policy, as well as formats, didactics, and target groups of academic continuing education. Jan Schiller did his doctorate on education for an uncertain future. Temporal Agendas in the Context of Continuing University Education awarded the 2022 Dissertation Prize of the German Society for Scientific Continuing Education and Distance Learning (DGWF). He worked on international comparative issues and those of open education in the completed ERASMUS+ joint project INTALL, previously COMPALL. He is currently working in the dtec-bw project DigiTaKS*.

 

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Transitions Jan Schiller Interview Transcript 

 

 

 

 

Twenty-First Century Holistic Learning: A Caribbean Perspective: Shermaine Barrett

 

Shermaine Barrett

Dr. Shermaine Barrett has been involved in adult education for many years, including environmental education for community leaders in Jamaica. In this episode, she shares how adult learning is about preparing people for the world of work. As educators, we need to understand our learners and engage them with a holistic approach that develops the skills and competencies needed in the 21^st century.

Dr. Shermaine Barrett is a Professor of Adult Education and Workforce Development. She holds a PhD in Work and Human Resource Education from the University of Minnesota, USA and a Masters Degree in Adult Education from the Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Canada. She has a strong background in academic leadership and management, having served in various leadership capacities over twenty years at the University of Technology, Jamaica. She is the Acting Deputy President of the University of Technology, Jamaica. Her substantive post is Dean of the Faculty of Education and Liberal Studies (FELS) and has served as Head of the School of Technical and Vocational Education (SOTAVE).

Her professional experience goes beyond academia, as she has served in several other positions of leadership in industry and the not-for-profit sector. She has served as Principal Consultant with SAMBAR Associates, a training and development consulting company she founded. She has also served on several local and international Boards.  She is the immediate past Caribbean Vice President of the International Council for Adult Education (ICAE) and the Jamaican Council for Adult Education (JACAE) president.

She is the author of the book “Adult Education, Social Change and Development in Post Colonial Jamaica: Investing in Human Capital.” She has also authored several journal articles and book chapters.

Professor Barrett has been invited as a speaker at various conferences, seminars, and other forums, local and international, face-to-face and virtual.

 

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Transitions Shermaine Barrett Interview Transcript