Reduce Student Debt Risk and Improve Employability with Distributed Practicum: Changing Higher Ed... скачать в хорошем качестве

Reduce Student Debt Risk and Improve Employability with Distributed Practicum: Changing Higher Ed...

Reducing student debt while improving employability is one of the most persistent challenges facing higher education today. Institutions are under pressure to deliver stronger outcomes without expanding costs, infrastructure, or student risk. In this episode of Changing Higher Ed, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Jarred McNeely, Provost and Chief Academic Officer at Sonoran Desert Institute, about how hands-on, applied education can be delivered beyond traditional campus labs while maintaining rigor, quality, and workforce relevance. The discussion explores a distributed practicum approach that allows students to demonstrate competence, progress through credentials, and stay economically mobile while learning. What you’ll gain from listening to this podcast: ✓ Student Debt Risk: How shorter, applied learning pathways reduce financial exposure without lowering standards ✓ Employability Outcomes: Why demonstrated competence matters more than seat time ✓ Hands-On Learning: How labs and practicums can work outside centralized campus facilities ✓ Faculty Systems: What it takes to train and support instructors in applied, distributed programs ✓ Program Design: How institutions can rethink applied learning without narrowing academic scope ✓ Workforce Relevance: Ways to strengthen career outcomes while preserving institutional mission ✓ Scalability: How distributed models expand access without expanding physical infrastructure ✓ Institutional Strategy: What presidents and boards should consider when redesigning programs for today’s students This episode is especially relevant for presidents, provosts, academic leaders, and board members looking for practical ways to improve student outcomes, control costs, and align education with real-world demands—without compromising academic integrity.