Brad G. Knight
@bradlyg.bsky.social
Nebraskan. Higher Education Professional in DC. MA Media & Public Affairs, GWU. BA Comm & English, Nebraska Wesleyan. Husband to @kajaxknight.
It's that time of year (college admissions season)! My team meetings tend to involve a lot of idea sharing that we make better together. Here's one I think could improve the admissions experience and help campus communities stay aligned on their mission. bradknight.substack.com/p/what-if-ad...
What If Admissions Messaging Were Collaborative?
A “yes, maybe” experiment in institutional storytelling
bradknight.substack.com
February 11, 2026 at 6:31 PM
It's that time of year (college admissions season)! My team meetings tend to involve a lot of idea sharing that we make better together. Here's one I think could improve the admissions experience and help campus communities stay aligned on their mission. bradknight.substack.com/p/what-if-ad...
Yes, but now there's also the reverse happening where applied fields are being privileged over more abstract or theoretical knowledges because grant dollars drive incentives in these areas. Neither extreme is good for the long-term health of our universities. stevenmintz.substack.com/p/against-ac...
Against Academic Hierarchy
The Intellectual Poverty of the University’s Prestige Hierarchies
stevenmintz.substack.com
February 9, 2026 at 2:56 PM
Yes, but now there's also the reverse happening where applied fields are being privileged over more abstract or theoretical knowledges because grant dollars drive incentives in these areas. Neither extreme is good for the long-term health of our universities. stevenmintz.substack.com/p/against-ac...
I went to a law review symposium on labor and employment law and (unsurprisingly) kept finding higher education everywhere. open.substack.com/pub/bradknig...
There’s (Pretty Much) Always a Higher Ed Angle
Notes from a Law Review Symposium on Labor & Employment
open.substack.com
February 8, 2026 at 4:37 PM
I went to a law review symposium on labor and employment law and (unsurprisingly) kept finding higher education everywhere. open.substack.com/pub/bradknig...
“Today, most young workers do not attain a good job until their early 30s, and only young workers with a bachelor’s degree or higher are consistently more likely than those in the previous generation to have a good job before age 30.”
Student debt dampens the positive economic effects of #highered. Among college grads, Black women are the group most likely to hold student debt. This debt constrains their ability to build wealth. #UncertainPathway bit.ly/39mn6ye
The Uncertain Pathway from Youth to a Good Job - CEW Georgetown
These CEW reports find that the pathway to adult economic independence differs and compounds by race, class, and gender.
bit.ly
February 6, 2026 at 4:08 PM
“Today, most young workers do not attain a good job until their early 30s, and only young workers with a bachelor’s degree or higher are consistently more likely than those in the previous generation to have a good job before age 30.”
Putting teaching "back in faculty hands" or just cutting corners? Why recent T&L restructures worry me. substack.com/@bradknight/...
Saving the Centers That Save Teaching
Recent reorganizations risk undermining the very support structures that make improvement possible
substack.com
February 4, 2026 at 7:34 PM
Putting teaching "back in faculty hands" or just cutting corners? Why recent T&L restructures worry me. substack.com/@bradknight/...
This should change: "While colleges are required to report graduation rates for undergraduates to the federal government—and often to state governments—no similar reporting is required for graduate students" www.insidehighered.com/news/student...
Grad School Completion Lags Despite Growth
New research finds that only 62 percent of Texas graduate students completed their degree within six years. Collecting more systematic national data can help boost that rate.
www.insidehighered.com
February 4, 2026 at 12:13 AM
This should change: "While colleges are required to report graduation rates for undergraduates to the federal government—and often to state governments—no similar reporting is required for graduate students" www.insidehighered.com/news/student...
This new patchwork of restrictions will hurt the people in our communities who are poor or have food insecurity and will cost retailers. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/29/b...
Twix Is OK but Granola Isn’t as States Deploy New Food Stamp Rules
www.nytimes.com
January 30, 2026 at 2:40 AM
This new patchwork of restrictions will hurt the people in our communities who are poor or have food insecurity and will cost retailers. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/29/b...
I’ve been thinking a lot about how we design courses that make room for risk-taking—and whether, in our eagerness to support students, we’ve sometimes made failure so safe that it no longer teaches what we hope it will. substack.com/@bradknight/...
Making Room for Failure Without Making It Meaningless
I’ve been thinking a lot about how we design courses that make room for risk-taking—and whether, in our eagerness to support students, we’ve sometimes made failure so safe that it no longer teaches wh...
substack.com
January 29, 2026 at 6:38 PM
I’ve been thinking a lot about how we design courses that make room for risk-taking—and whether, in our eagerness to support students, we’ve sometimes made failure so safe that it no longer teaches what we hope it will. substack.com/@bradknight/...
There's a lot of agreement that AI literacy matters—but far fewer agree on what it actually is. bradknight.substack.com/p/everyone-w...
Everyone Wants AI Literacy
Few agree on what it actually is
bradknight.substack.com
January 28, 2026 at 3:13 PM
There's a lot of agreement that AI literacy matters—but far fewer agree on what it actually is. bradknight.substack.com/p/everyone-w...
Reposted by Brad G. Knight
Thanks @jeffgreene.bsky.social for sharing our meta-analysis led by Zohreh Fathi! Kudos to co-authors @pedram-zarei.bsky.social, @arnobsaha.bsky.social, & Sanzida Sharmeen!
Faculty-student relationships are vital but complex; we tried to consider 6 dimensions!
Open-access: doi.org/10.1007/s106...
Faculty-student relationships are vital but complex; we tried to consider 6 dimensions!
Open-access: doi.org/10.1007/s106...
January 28, 2026 at 2:25 PM
Thanks @jeffgreene.bsky.social for sharing our meta-analysis led by Zohreh Fathi! Kudos to co-authors @pedram-zarei.bsky.social, @arnobsaha.bsky.social, & Sanzida Sharmeen!
Faculty-student relationships are vital but complex; we tried to consider 6 dimensions!
Open-access: doi.org/10.1007/s106...
Faculty-student relationships are vital but complex; we tried to consider 6 dimensions!
Open-access: doi.org/10.1007/s106...
This new article from @royeljohnsonphd.bsky.social brings together so many thought-provoking and useful threads. The Intersectional Ecological Model of Belonging (IEMB) ought to be on the next agenda for every higher ed team, everywhere. link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Reframing Belonging in Higher Education: an Intersectional Ecological Model for Research, Policy, and Practice - Educational Psychology Review
Educational Psychology Review - This essay critically synthesizes recent theoretical and empirical developments on belonging in higher education. Although the concept has gained wide traction,...
link.springer.com
January 23, 2026 at 12:17 AM
This new article from @royeljohnsonphd.bsky.social brings together so many thought-provoking and useful threads. The Intersectional Ecological Model of Belonging (IEMB) ought to be on the next agenda for every higher ed team, everywhere. link.springer.com/article/10.1...
ICYMI: In my latest Knight School post, I reflect on graduate-employee collective bargaining and how different union philosophies produce distinct contracts and distinct conceptions of graduate work. open.substack.com/pub/bradknig...
Graduate Labor in Higher Education
Reflections on union strategy, historical context, and what it reveals about graduate work
open.substack.com
January 17, 2026 at 10:59 PM
ICYMI: In my latest Knight School post, I reflect on graduate-employee collective bargaining and how different union philosophies produce distinct contracts and distinct conceptions of graduate work. open.substack.com/pub/bradknig...
Reposted by Brad G. Knight
Right now, the risks of generative AI to students overshadow the benefits—but the trajectory is not fixed. New research breaks down the evidence on AI’s impact and what we can do to reduce harm.
A new direction for students in an AI world: Prosper, prepare, protect | Brookings
This report explores the potential risks generative AI poses to students and outlines what we can do now to minimize them.
brook.gs
January 14, 2026 at 4:35 PM
Right now, the risks of generative AI to students overshadow the benefits—but the trajectory is not fixed. New research breaks down the evidence on AI’s impact and what we can do to reduce harm.
“Leadership roles are a privilege and must be continually earned.” er.educause.edu/articles/202...
Leadership Practices for Cultivating Value and Belonging in the Workplace
Cultivating a sense of value and belonging is critical for retaining talented staff and driving organizational success. Effective leaders foster a sup
er.educause.edu
January 15, 2026 at 12:38 AM
“Leadership roles are a privilege and must be continually earned.” er.educause.edu/articles/202...
New post up: a continuation of my reflections on The Disengaged Teen. This one explores achiever mode, fragility, and what happens when education rewards performance more than learning. substack.com/@bradknight/...
Achievers and Fragile Success
Why Doing Everything Right Can Undermine Learning
substack.com
January 13, 2026 at 2:44 PM
New post up: a continuation of my reflections on The Disengaged Teen. This one explores achiever mode, fragility, and what happens when education rewards performance more than learning. substack.com/@bradknight/...
Reposted by Brad G. Knight
Thank god. open.spotify.com/album/06SGsY...
January 9, 2026 at 5:16 AM
Thank god. open.spotify.com/album/06SGsY...
How do our courses hold together as part of a larger educational project? And how do we ensure that what we intend students to learn is still what they’re actually getting the chance to practice? My thoughts on curricular “drift” as a new semester begins. open.substack.com/pub/bradknig...
As the Semester Begins, a Reminder About Drift
And Why It's a Collective Problem
open.substack.com
January 10, 2026 at 6:39 PM
How do our courses hold together as part of a larger educational project? And how do we ensure that what we intend students to learn is still what they’re actually getting the chance to practice? My thoughts on curricular “drift” as a new semester begins. open.substack.com/pub/bradknig...
I’ve got a new post up on Knight School reflecting on The Disengaged Teen and what it suggests about engagement, the replenishment effect, and helping students find their spark. open.substack.com/pub/bradknig...
Fuel for the Work
The Virtuous Cycle Between Learning Inside and Outside the Classroom
open.substack.com
January 8, 2026 at 1:06 PM
I’ve got a new post up on Knight School reflecting on The Disengaged Teen and what it suggests about engagement, the replenishment effect, and helping students find their spark. open.substack.com/pub/bradknig...
“We’re at a point now where we need to make sure that these things are backed by outcomes & figure out what’s working & what’s not working.” I’d go one step more: perhaps not treat these things as inevitable & ask ourselves if we ought to use them in the first place. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/02/t...
As Schools Embrace A.I. Tools, Skeptics Raise Concerns
www.nytimes.com
January 2, 2026 at 8:02 PM
“We’re at a point now where we need to make sure that these things are backed by outcomes & figure out what’s working & what’s not working.” I’d go one step more: perhaps not treat these things as inevitable & ask ourselves if we ought to use them in the first place. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/02/t...
Going into the New Year, one emerging principle for me about AI in education is that we should be skeptical of adopting AI in ways that increase the distance between people. Not every use of technology does this, but some very clearly do. open.substack.com/pub/bradknig...
On the Year to Come
Keeping People Close
open.substack.com
January 2, 2026 at 3:59 PM
Going into the New Year, one emerging principle for me about AI in education is that we should be skeptical of adopting AI in ways that increase the distance between people. Not every use of technology does this, but some very clearly do. open.substack.com/pub/bradknig...
Reposted by Brad G. Knight
In 2026 I want all of the decent people to remember one thing.
You aren’t meant to be this disciplined, this self-sacrificing to survive. The environment is supposed to support good living. We can have that. You are not a failure. That is politics.
That is all.
You aren’t meant to be this disciplined, this self-sacrificing to survive. The environment is supposed to support good living. We can have that. You are not a failure. That is politics.
That is all.
January 1, 2026 at 10:30 PM
In 2026 I want all of the decent people to remember one thing.
You aren’t meant to be this disciplined, this self-sacrificing to survive. The environment is supposed to support good living. We can have that. You are not a failure. That is politics.
That is all.
You aren’t meant to be this disciplined, this self-sacrificing to survive. The environment is supposed to support good living. We can have that. You are not a failure. That is politics.
That is all.
I’ve found writing to be one of my best tools for thinking and learning, & after ages of sharing reflections with colleagues by email & on Slack, I’m excited to try continuing that practice more publicly on Substack: open.substack.com/pub/bradknig...
If you're curious, I hope you'll read along.
If you're curious, I hope you'll read along.
Knight School
Opening reflections as we close 2025.
open.substack.com
December 30, 2025 at 4:12 PM
I’ve found writing to be one of my best tools for thinking and learning, & after ages of sharing reflections with colleagues by email & on Slack, I’m excited to try continuing that practice more publicly on Substack: open.substack.com/pub/bradknig...
If you're curious, I hope you'll read along.
If you're curious, I hope you'll read along.
Reposted by Brad G. Knight
A wave of large-scale studies is quantifying how early smartphone access and heavy screen use can harm adolescent minds.
The numbers suggest screens are taking a broader, deeper toll on teens than many expected.
The numbers suggest screens are taking a broader, deeper toll on teens than many expected.
This is your teen’s brain on phones and social media, according to science
A wave of new studies is shedding light on the risks of early smartphone access and heavy screen use for adolescent mental health and development.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 28, 2025 at 11:00 PM
A wave of large-scale studies is quantifying how early smartphone access and heavy screen use can harm adolescent minds.
The numbers suggest screens are taking a broader, deeper toll on teens than many expected.
The numbers suggest screens are taking a broader, deeper toll on teens than many expected.
Reposted by Brad G. Knight
My essay for The Teaching Professor, "How Faculty Fool Themselves about Teaching and Learning" now freely available at ResearchGate
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
(PDF) How Faculty Fool Themselves about Teaching and Learning
PDF | Last month I wrote about how students fool themselves into thinking they have learned concepts when they really haven't. This month I focus on how... | Find, read and cite all the research you n...
www.researchgate.net
November 7, 2025 at 11:57 PM
My essay for The Teaching Professor, "How Faculty Fool Themselves about Teaching and Learning" now freely available at ResearchGate
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
Reposted by Brad G. Knight
"Disarming Girls" runs at Greenberg Theatre 10/16-10/26. Read our story to learn about the playwrights’ workshop with AU student cast & crew member, and how the production is featured in AU Core programming—meaning every AU freshman will experience the play. www.american.edu/cas/news/dis...
October 9, 2025 at 6:00 PM
"Disarming Girls" runs at Greenberg Theatre 10/16-10/26. Read our story to learn about the playwrights’ workshop with AU student cast & crew member, and how the production is featured in AU Core programming—meaning every AU freshman will experience the play. www.american.edu/cas/news/dis...