Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

iDesign @idesignedu.org · 3d

Enrollment Strategy WIN: Coppin State University is up 26% in overall enrollment & has its largest freshman class in 25 years.

The secret? Offering in-state tuition to students from states without an #HBCU.

www.insidehighered.com/news/institu...

The incoming class at Coppin State pose in the shape of the institution’s initials.

iDesign @idesignedu.org · 4d

Need to improve hundreds of online courses without a full redesign? 🤯

@snhu.edu's BOPs (Program-Level Optimizations) model is scalable, data-informed, and effective. See how they reduced course melt and boosted satisfaction.

Join the Spark Session: Oct 22, 11:15 AM MT.
bit.ly/WCET2025_iDe...

Promotional graphic for WCET 2025 conference session hosted by iDesign and Southern New Hampshire University. The session is titled “BOP-It: Inside SNHU’s Scalable Course Optimization Model,” scheduled for October 22nd from 11:15 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Mountain Time in room Colorado A-B. Featured speakers are Brian Tidwell from SNHU and Leah Davis from iDesign, with their headshots shown below the session details. iDesign and Southern New Hampshire University logos appear at the top of the image.

iDesign @idesignedu.org · 5d

Stop solving fast. Solve smart.

Our live preconference workshop on networked consultancy helps you pause and reframe urgent #highered challenges. Bring your problem, leave with a repeatable process.

Limited seats for this experiment: Oct 21, 9-11 AM MT.
bit.ly/WCET_2025

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iDesign @idesignedu.org · 10d

Nursing schools are stuck: 66,000 qualified applicants were turned away in 2023 due to limited hospital clinical placements. The debate centers on whether simulation training should count for more required hours.

#NursingShortage #HigherEd

hechingerreport.org/nurses-are-i...

Four healthcare professionals in blue scrubs are actively engaged in a medical simulation, gathered around a patient training dummy while using tablets and monitoring vital signs on large screens.

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iDesign @idesignedu.org · 11d

Brian Fleming, Ed.D: Don't fall into the Solution Trap. Institutions are in VUCA Denial, believing data can eliminate irreducible uncertainty. We need VUCA Readiness: resilience, not prediction.

bnfleming.substack.com/p/vuca-denial

#HigherEd #Strategy #EdTech #VUCA

A large early 20th-century steamship is trapped in a frozen sea surrounded by towering blue ice formations. In the foreground, on the deck railing of another vessel, rests a brass compass and a cracked nautical map device dusted with frost. The atmosphere is cold and misty, with the ship’s smokestacks faintly releasing dark smoke into the icy haze.

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iDesign @idesignedu.org · 12d

The nation's first! @olemiss.bsky.social Law School launched a fully online M.S. in Air and Space Law, built in collaboration with @idesignedu.org. It creates an accessible pathway for non-lawyers to lead in the $1.8T aerospace policy sector.

bit.ly/4gZqBsZ

#SpaceLaw #OnlineLearning

The University of Mississippi School of Law building at dusk, featuring large white columns, tall glass windows, and red-brick exterior walls illuminated by warm interior lighting.

iDesign @idesignedu.org · 17d

Employers are focused on durable skills: 70% say these are deciding factors in promotions. Higher ed must integrate skills education and work-based learning to meet this demand.

#HigherEd #CareerReadiness #DurableSkills

www.insidehighered.com/news/student...

A smiling woman with long blonde hair in a black blazer shakes hands with another person across a desk in a professional office setting.

iDesign @idesignedu.org · 18d

The structural problems don't end at admissions. Institutions are scoring an "own goal" on student persistence by failing to solve basic course scheduling. Fix the system that is pushing students out.

onedtech.philhillaa.com/p/the-course...

#HigherEd #StudentSuccess #EdTech @philhill1.bsky.social

Chart of U.S. higher ed students taking at least one online course, 2012–2023. Pre-COVID online enrollment grew steadily, spiked to 74% in 2020, then settled around 54% by 2023—well above pre-pandemic levels.

iDesign @idesignedu.org · 19d

Great news: 80% of students rate their education highly. The mandate? Limit high-stakes exams (45%) & connect learning to careers (40%). The solution is intentional #coursedesign.

www.insidehighered.com/news/student...

Survey chart showing more students rated their education quality as good or excellent in 2025 than in 2024 across all institution types.

iDesign @idesignedu.org · 24d

Generative AI isn't a threat, it's an ultimatum. A new piece from @insidehighered.com argues that higher ed must reinvent itself and focus on the skills machines cannot replicate.

er.educause.edu/articles/202...

#HigherEd #EdTech #AIinEducation

Illustration of human profiles with interlocking gears symbolizing collaboration, innovation, and knowledge sharing.

iDesign @idesignedu.org · 25d

Nursing informatics is on the rise! A new article from Daily Nurse breaks down the benefits and challenges of emerging tech in the field, from AI to telehealth. It's a must-read for anyone in healthcare.

#NursingInformatics #HealthTech #EHR #AI #Nursing

www.dailynurse.com/articles/nur...

Smiling healthcare professional in blue scrubs holding a tablet displaying electronic health records (EHR) data, with medical technology icons such as a brain, heart, DNA, and cloud surrounding her.

iDesign @idesignedu.org · 26d

@idesignedu.org welcomes three nationally recognized leaders to our new Board of Directors: Dr. Amelia Manning, Thomas B. Evans, and Dr. Vernon Johnson!

bit.ly/iDesign_Board

#iDesign #HigherEd #EdTech #Leadership

Abstract digital overlay of education and research icons—such as graduation cap, book, science flask, and growth chart—floating above a modern empty boardroom table, symbolizing innovation, learning, and strategy.

iDesign @idesignedu.org · Sep 18

@brandeisuniversity.bsky.social is investing $25M to reinvent the liberal arts, requiring students to get job-ready skills and an internship. This trend is heating up in #highereducation.

#HigherEd #LiberalArts #CareerReadiness

www.insidehighered.com/news/institu...

A vibrant tree growing from the pages of an open book, with its roots embedded in the text and its branches full of colorful icons representing knowledge, skills, and opportunities, symbolizing growth and learning.

iDesign @idesignedu.org · Sep 17

This week student success: a rundown on the "leaky pipeline" in community college admissions, a campaign at Hamilton College encouraging students to "embrace failure," and a baffling study on how students choose majors.

#HigherEd #StudentSuccess #Admissions

onedtech.philhillaa.com/articles/202...

Infographic titled 'Disconnected Recruitment and Retention Efforts Leave Students Behind' showing a student pipeline: 1,000 applied, 400 enrolled, 300 retained after the first term, and 200 completed a credential. It highlights challenges at each stage, including inefficient manual processes, ineffective SEM plan, murky ownership and tech rigidity, confusing onboarding process, lack of data visibility, staff capacity issues, and unclear pathways.

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iDesign @idesignedu.org · Sep 16

How do we teach in the age of AI? Nana Lee, PhD (University of Toronto) in @insidehighered.com provides strategies for designing curriculum that fosters personalized learning and critical thinking.

#HigherEd #EdTech #TeachingWithAI

www.insidehighered.com/opinion/care...

A group of students in a classroom collaborates with a teacher, using a tablet that projects a glowing digital network of connected data and icons in mid-air.

iDesign @idesignedu.org · Sep 11

Microcredentials have been the "wild west" of #highered, but not for long. We're seeing accreditors like HLC and NECHE launching new quality checks for alternative credential providers. This is a big step for the industry! #Microcredentials #Accreditation

www.insidehighered.com/news/governa...

A wooden sign in a classroom reads "The Wild West of Microcredentials," with a glowing futuristic digital seal floating beside it.

iDesign @idesignedu.org · Sep 10

@idesignedu.org is speaking at NLN 2025 with Pacific College of Health & Science on our new approach to nursing curriculum mapping. We'll show how our patented technology, Align, and its AI capabilities help programs go “From Gaps to Gains.” #NursingEducation #NLN2025 #AI

iDesign and Pacific College of Health and Science invitation to NLN 2025 session. Event details: September 19th, 3:00–4:15 ET, Room 9B. Speakers: Patrick Robinson (Pacific College Health & Science), Briana Johnson (iDesign), Leah Davis (iDesign). Session title: From Gaps to Gains – Using Technology to Transform Nursing Competency Alignment. Subtitle: Lessons from Pacific College Health & Science Nursing Alignment Journey.

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iDesign @idesignedu.org · Sep 9

@idesignedu.org and Ascend Partners have partnered on CLIMB, a new program to get finance pros beyond Excel to powerful platforms like OneStream.com.
#EPM #OneStream #FinTech #EdTech #OnlineCourses

🔗 www.idesignedu.org/latest-news/...

iDesign @idesignedu.org · Sep 4

We’re excited to be at TACTE 2025!

Join Amelia Brown, PhD (University of Tennessee), Rhea Carmon (UT-PLAYS Math), and Leah Davis (@idesignedu.org) as they share insights on how course structure and technology shape student success.

#TACTE2025 #HigherEd #EdTech #StudentSuccess #InstructionalDesign

Graphic with the iDesign and UT-PLAYS logos. Title text reads: Join us at TACTE — Sept 8 @ 10:15am CT | Concurrent Session IV | Ballroom III. Session title: Designing for Learning | How Course Structure and Technology Shape Student Success. Subtext: Lessons from UT-PLAYS Educator Preparation Program. Featured speakers: headshots of Dr. Amelia Brown (The University of Tennessee), Rhea Carmon (UT-PLAYS Math), and Leah Davis (iDesign).

iDesign @idesignedu.org · Sep 3

"What is learned is more important than whether it was accomplished in eight weeks, 16 weeks or even longer." @rayschroeder.bsky.social in @insidehighered.com argues AI helps higher ed move past timelines & focus on mastery.

#HigherEd #AI #EdTech

www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...

Split image contrasting two views of education: on the left, a black-and-white assembly line of identical graduates in caps and gowns moving with stacks of books, symbolizing standardized, industrialized learning; on the right, a colorful path shaped like a flowing river where a student walks toward rising bar graphs and mastery icons, symbolizing personalized, skills-based learning and growth.

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iDesign @idesignedu.org · Aug 28

Colleges need a plan for online learning. A new @forbes.com article quotes @idesignedu.org's @whitneykilgore.bsky.social on why it's not just about tools, but frameworks for responsible AI integration.

www.forbes.com/sites/alison...

#OnlineLearning #EdTech #HigherEd

Illustration of a computer monitor displaying books on digital shelves, with small people interacting with oversized books around it—climbing ladders, carrying books, and reading—symbolizing online libraries or digital learning.

iDesign @idesignedu.org · Aug 27

A new skilled trades academy at TAMUK is prioritizing employment outcomes over rapid scaling. The tuition-free program offers stackable credentials that lead directly to jobs.

www.insidehighered.com/news/student...

#WorkforceDevelopment #SkilledTrades #HigherEd #StudentSuccess

A photorealistic image of a young apprentice in a hard hat and a high-visibility vest standing in a skilled-trades workshop. A glowing digital pathway, made of lines and icons, is overlaid on the ground, symbolizing a clear path for career advancement.

iDesign @idesignedu.org · Aug 26

Quality Matters and @idesignedu.org are collaborating on a new initiative to responsibly integrate AI into online learning. Our focus: frameworks, human-centered design, & faculty development.
#AIinEducation #InstructionalDesign #HigherEd #QualityMatters

www.idesignedu.org/latest-news/...

Person in a library using a futuristic digital tablet that projects glowing AI-driven holographic charts, icons, and network diagrams. Logos of iDesign and Quality Matters appear in the bottom corners of the image.

iDesign @idesignedu.org · Aug 21

A new Assistant Director of AI and Education role is a key part of @riceuniversity.bsky.social's strategic plan to build a campus-wide culture of responsible AI and empower faculty.

www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...

#AIinEducation #HigherEd #InstructionalDesign #RiceUniversity

iDesign @idesignedu.org · Aug 20

A new report from Encoura dives into the online MBA market and finds a big price gap. 30% of students want to pay under $10k, but only 1% of programs cost that little. A must-read for enrollment leaders.
www.encoura.org/resources/wa...
#OnlineMBA #HigherEd #EdTech #Enrollment

Graphic of a laptop displaying the text M.B.A., surrounded by colorful sale signs reading SALE and BOGO, with a green inflatable tube figure labeled SALE, resembling a discount advertisement.