Transform Your Teaching

The “Teaching Compass” with Dr. Nathalie Aelterman

20 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What is the “Teaching Compass?” How can it be used as a tool to adjust our teaching to meet the needs of our students? Join Rob and Jared as they ...

Fostering Motivation Through Feedback with Dr. John Hattie

13 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

How can the feedback we give to students increase their motivation? How can understanding how they receive it help teachers give better feedback? Join...

Why Use Bloom’s Taxonomy?

06 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Is Bloom’s Taxonomy the best standard for creating learning objectives? What other taxonomies like Bloom’s exist, and where are they useful? Join ...

Sleeping Habits and Motivation with Dr. Chao Liu

27 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

How can sleeping habits influence a student’s motivation? How does it affect cognitive abilities? What can instructors do to help? Join Rob and Jare...

Self-Determination Theory with Dr. Erika Patall

20 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What is self-determination theory? What role do autonomy, competence, and relatedness have in driving motivation? How can giving students the right ch...

Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation

13 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What are the differences between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation? Can extrinsic motivation be enough for students to succeed in a class? How can an...

Why Does Motivation Matter with Professor Betsy Linnell

06 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What factors are at play in motivation? Can showing the value of our content increase a student’s motivation? How important is it that students know...

Stirring Motivation - Kickoff

30 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Can an educator increase a student's motivation towards academic goals? What motivational theories can serve as tools to understand how to motivate st...

Student Perspectives – Usage of AI

23 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

How are current college students using AI in their academics? Where are they finding it useful? What limitations do they see? Join Rob and Jared as th...

Student Perspectives – Flexible Deadlines, Tech Integration, and Real-World Applications

16 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What do students think about flexible deadlines, technology integration, and real-world applications in the classroom? Join Rob and Jared as they chat...

Behind the Scenes with Professor Eric Stroud

09 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Rob McDole and Jared Pyles chat with Eric Stroud (Instructor of Communication at Cedarville University). They discuss his professiona...

Transform Your Teaching's Goals for 2026

02 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What are we doing in 2026? In this episode, Rob and Jared discuss the topics that they are looking forward to covering this year.Please take this oppo...

Year in Review - 2025

26 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Rob and Jared reflect on this year's podcast. Thank you to our listeners and followers who have joined us this year! On to year 4!Ple...

Book Review: "Teach Like a Human" with Dr. Dave Mulder

19 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How do Christian educators approach Generative AI with caution? How can educators find the balance between using GAI as a tool and having it take over...

Reflections on OLC Accelerate Conference with Dr. Bob Lutz

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Rob and Jared reflect on the OLC Accelerate 2025 conference in Orlando, FL. They are joined by Dr. Bob Lutz, the Vice President of St...

Yes We Tried...

05 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What did Rob and Jared take away from our series, “Have You Tried...”? What innovative strategies made their way into their classes? Join Rob and ...

Mind Mapping for Systems Thinking with Dr. Larry Cox II

28 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We've discussed how mind mapping can impact teaching and learning, but what other applications exist? How can mind mapping help solve problems or orga...

Have You Tried...Mind Mapping?

21 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What is mind mapping? How can it be an effective tool for making connections between concepts? How can it help us process knowledge more effectively? ...

Have You Tried...Music as a Tool?

14 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What impact can familiar and unfamiliar music have on students in teaching? Do beats per minute correlate to cognition? Join Rob and Jared as they ref...

Music as a Tool with Dr. Deforia Lane

07 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What happens in the brain when music is played? How can music be used for teaching and learning? Join Rob and Jared as they chat with Dr. Deforia Lane...

Have You Tried...Storytelling?

31 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What are the benefits of personal storytelling in the classroom? How can an anecdote enhance or support direct instruction? Join Rob and Jared as they...

Storytelling with Dr. Quentin Schultze

24 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What are Dr. Q’s essentials for good storytelling? How can storytelling be used as an effective tool for teaching and learning? Join Rob and Jared a...

Gamification Success Stories

17 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What are some studies that have demonstrated the effectiveness of gamification? How can the work that others have done to gamify their classes help yo...

Gamification vs Game-Based Learning with Dr. Daniel Singletary

10 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you gamify your class, how do you ensure that students remember content, not just the game that they played? What would it look like if you wanted ...

Have You Tried...Gamification?

03 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What are the differences between gamification and game-based learning? How can one small “gamifying” step increase student engagement and make con...

Have You Tried...Starting a New Series?

26 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What do gaming, storytelling, and music have in common? Can they be used in innovative ways in our teaching practices? Join Rob and Jared as they begi...

Metaphors that Stick with Dr. Barbara Oakley

19 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How can teachers use brain science to design more effective lessons? What do metaphors, working memory, and even a “quadrapus brain” have to do wi...

Farewell Mr. L - A True Servant Teacher

12 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How does someone remain a faithful educator over the course of their teaching career? What does it look like to invest in students beyond the classroo...

Flipped Learning, Student Engagement and GAI with Dr. Wes Baker

05 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How has flipped learning developed over time? What are the best strategies for pushing students towards higher levels of learning? Is there any place ...

GAI & Reflections on STEM Conference

29 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What is prompt engineering? How can you use prompt engineering to improve the output from Generative AI? In this episode, Jared Pyles reflects on his ...

Dr. Thomas White on Campus-Wide ChatGPT

22 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How did Dr. Thomas White move Cedarville University forward through the implementation of ChatGPT Edu across its entire campus? How will this campus-w...

Student Perspectives – Approachableness, Attitude & Assessments

15 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What can an instructor do to seem approachable to students? How does an instructor’s enthusiasm or attitude affect how students interact with them o...

Intentional Tech with Dr. Derek Bruff

08 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How does the continued rise of technology affect how instructors should approach learning? What is a thoughtful usage of technology? In this episode, ...

Book Review: Intentional Tech

01 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Rob and Jared review “Intentional Tech: Principles to Guide the Use of Educational Technology in College Teaching” by Dr. Derek B...

Online Teaching Practices - Lessons Learned

25 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What are the major takeaways from our “Online Teaching Practices” series? In this episode, Rob and Jared reflect on the lessons they learned throu...

Online Teaching Practices - Enhanced Media

18 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How can media enhance an online course? What are the markers of “quality” media in an online course? How can instructors take their media from goo...

Online Teaching Practices - Community

11 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Can you really create a good sense of community in an online course? What does it look like? In this episode, Rob and Jared discuss what community is,...

Online Teaching Practices - Clarity

04 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How is being clear about content and grading in an online course different from face-to-face? What needs to be emphasized? What should be avoided? Joi...

Online Teaching Practices - Collaboration

27 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How can someone else help you develop better teaching practices? Who should you collaborate with as you design courses? What forms can collaboration t...

Online Teaching Practices - Organization

20 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How can structuring and chunking content and assessments in an online course help both the instructor and the learner? What are some best practices fo...

Online Teaching Practices - Self-Reflection

13 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What importance should instructors place on student reflection in their online course? How crucial is modeling self-reflection to your students? In th...

Online Teaching Practices Kickoff

06 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What are some key aspects of online teaching? What role does self-evaluation play in teaching and learning? In this episode, Rob and Jared begin a new...

Generative AI with Dave Leitch

30 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How can Generative AI limit the number of syllabus questions you get? Can students use it as a reviewer before they submit their assignments? In this ...

A Lawyer's Take on Generative AI in the Classroom

23 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How does an educator practicing law use generative AI in teaching? What are the potential IP or copyright issues that could affect GAI usage? How can ...

Student Perspectives – Course Organization, Peers as Resources & Feedback

16 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How helpful is course organization for student learning? How do students rely on their peers as resources? What are students looking for in terms of f...

Book Review: Brave New Words

09 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Rob and Jared review “Brave New Words: How AI Will Revolutionize Education (and Why That’s a Good Thing),” which talks about th...

Serving the New College Student: Lessons Learned

02 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What do higher ed instructors need to know about the new college student? What issues are current high school students facing, and what solutions exis...

The Math Shark – Are We Going to Need a Bigger Boat?

25 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Does higher education need to prepare for students who may be suffering from the math shark? Is education for pre-service teachers being modified to a...

Navigating the Math Shark Waters

18 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is the Math Shark as big of a deal as we’re making it out to be? Or are there bigger fish to fry? What should math instructors prioritize for this c...

How are Private School Educators Serving Future College Students?

11 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are private educators seeing the same issues as public and homeschool educators? How does the diversity of students or technology access compare? What...

How are Homeschool Educators Serving Future College Students?

04 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How are homeschool students managing stress and anxiety?  How does a parent manage the role of both parent and educator of the student? What social a...

How are Public School Educators Serving Future College Students?

28 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What strategies are educators using to address the anxiety and stress of current high school students? What technology accessibility barriers are educ...

Serving Students for Growth

21 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is the level of maturity changing in college students? How can educators serve students and assist as they become professionals? Rob and Jared lay the...

Creating an Accessible Learning Environment

14 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What accessibility standards need to be considered when designing a course? How do these considerations serve the needs of students? Rob and Jared cha...

Serving the New College Student

07 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In our previous series “Understanding the New College Student,” Rob and Jared spoke with experts to discover the characteristics and trials that d...

Survey Says (2024 Edition)

28 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Ryan Liming presents the results of our listener survey from the fall and winter of 2024. Dr. Rob McDole, Dr. Jared Pyles, and Ryan d...

Student Perspectives – Discussions, Group Work, and Student-to-Student Interaction

21 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How does research align with student perception? Do students agree with what research says helps them learn best? Join Dr. Rob McDole and Dr. Jared Py...

Book Review: Uncommon Sense Teaching

14 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Dr. Rob McDole and Dr. Jared Pyles review “Uncommon Sense Teaching,” which explores practical insights into effective learning by...

Behind the Scenes with Dr. Rob McDole

07 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Dr. Jared Pyles and Ryan Liming chat with Dr. Rob McDole about what he does in his spare time, what he’s reading, what he’s playi...

Transform Your Teaching’s 100th Episode - 100 Second Segments

31 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join Dr. Rob McDole and Dr. Jared Pyles as they celebrate the 100th episode of the podcast! Guests from previous episodes will make brief appearances ...

Approaching GAI Ethics from a Community-Based Perspective

24 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Does community have an impact on ethical AI usage? What problems arise when individuals or organizations have differing ethical approaches? Join Dr. R...

Approaching Ethical Usage of AI Thoughtfully and Without Fear

17 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What is at stake when making decisions about using GAI? What kind of questions need to be asked and answered before using AI in higher education? Join...

Defining Ethical Usage of GAI in Higher Education

10 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We’re starting the new year with a miniseries on the ethical usage of GAI in higher education. In this first episode, Dr. Rob McDole and Dr. Jared P...

[Re-Air] Objectives with Dr. Haisong Ye

03 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode originally aired November 24, 2023, Dr. Rob McDole and Dr. Jared Pyles joined forces with Dr. Haisong Ye who has a PhD from Indiana St...

[Re-Air] The Philosophy of Servant Teaching

27 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode originally aired February 17, 2023, Dr. Rob McDole and Dr. Jared Pyles introduced the topic of "Servant Teaching.” They discussed th...

Transform Your Teaching 2024 Reflections

20 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Dr. Rob McDole and Dr. Jared Pyles reflect on all that happened with the show in 2024. They discuss the progress that the show has ma...

Backchannel Communication in an Online Doctoral Program

13 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What is backchannel communication, and what effects can it have on students in a cohort? In this episode, Dr. Rob McDole, Dr. Jared Pyles, and several...

Behind the Scenes with Jared Pyles (EdD)

06 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Dr. Rob McDole and Ryan Liming chat with Rob’s usual partner in crime but now with a new title: Jared Pyles, Ed.D. Join them as Jar...

Understanding the New College Student - Lessons Learned

29 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What are the major lessons that Jared and Rob learned from our series on understanding the new college student? What things stuck with them, and how a...

Adjusting to Being a New College Student: A Conversation with Anna and Kaelan

22 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Rob McDole and Jared Pyles chat with two more students about their adjustment to college life. How prepared were they to overcome academic struggl...

Adjusting to Being a New College Student: A Conversation with Nathanael and Deidra

15 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Rob McDole and Jared Pyles chat with two more students about their adjustment to college life. How does instructor support influence their connect...

Adjusting to Being a New College Student: A Conversation with Lalitha and Noah

08 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Rob McDole and Jared Pyles chat with two students about their adjustment to college life. How did their educational background prepare them for co...

A Perspective on Rural and First Generation College Students

01 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What are some of the unique college trends for students growing up in a rural environment? How can being a first generation college student affect a s...

Engaging with Students: An Update on Dr. Rob McDole’s Class

25 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We’re at the midway point of the semester, so let’s take some time to discuss Rob’s class. Have the students kept up with Rob’s academic prowe...

Teaching the Whole Student

18 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How does a student’s non-academic life affect their academic life? Are there patterns outside the classroom that are affecting their learning? Dr. R...

What Is Causing High Anxiety and Stress in Students?

11 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How is social media contributing to students’ mental well-being? What about mobile devices? Are there other factors affecting student mental health?...

Maturity and Resilience in the Current College Student

04 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What are some of the changes in the new group of 18–22 year-olds who are entering higher education? What factors are affecting their maturity and re...

What Factors Are Affecting Student Readiness?

27 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What kind of technological access did incoming college students have, and could that affect their college readiness? How might increases in mental hea...

Creating a Student Profile

20 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Where does the next generation of college students come from? What are their demographics? How does their school typology influence their college prep...

Understanding the New College Student

13 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What does the new generation of college students look like? What experiences do they bring? What challenges should higher education faculty be prepare...

Education in the Age of AI: One Year Later

06 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Last summer, the Transform Your Teaching hosts talked a lot about AI and its role in education. What has changed in the world of AI since that summer ...

A CBTE Conversation with Dr. Bennie Wolvaardt

30 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What does competency-based education look like on an international scale? How can theological education and competency-based education be paired well ...

Behind the Scenes of Transform Your Teaching with Lauren Eissler

23 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Rob and Jared chat with Lauren Eissler, who serves as the UX Designer and Editor at the CTL. She also edits all the content for the p...

The Future of Active Learning & Lessons Learned

16 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What are Rob and Jared’s biggest takeaways from our series on active learning? Where do they see active learning spaces heading in the future? How w...

Designing a Flexible Learning Space

09 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How important is flexibility in the design of an active learning space? How can spaces be designed to meet student needs? Dr. Rob McDole and Jared Pyl...

Creating Creative Spaces

02 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How can space be used to enhance creative thinking? What should be done to “future-proof” a learning space? Dr. Rob McDole and Jared Pyles chat wi...

Student Perspectives on Active Learning

26 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How does space play a factor in a student's learning? Where do students like to go to do coursework? In what ways are students using active learning s...

Active Learning in a Higher Education Library

19 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What changes can libraries make for the benefit of students? What are the trends on library usage among higher education students? Join Dr. Rob McDole...

Designing an Active Learning Space

12 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How does one begin designing an active learning space? What resources can be of help in this process? What are the necessary considerations for creati...

Building a Better Direct Instruction (Coffee Drop Edition)

05 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We are taking a break from the Active Learning series for July 4th week. Join Rob and Jared as they share some tips to enhance your direct instruction...

Engagement, Motivation & Active Learning

28 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What role does a student’s self-determination play in active learning? What role does space play in a student's learning? Dr. Rob McDole and Jared P...

What Does Active Learning Look Like?

21 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is there one definition for active learning? Or does it vary for every teacher and every class? Dr. Rob McDole and Jared Pyles ask Dr. Tracey Birdwell...

Understanding Active Learning

14 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Rob McDole and Jared Pyles start a new series on active learning and active learning spaces. They begin by setting a foundation by defining key terms ...

Coffee Drop: Building a Better Rubric

11 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What should be done when you build a rubric?  How can you start building better rubrics? Rob McDole and Jared Pyles start a mini-series to discuss wa...

A Conversation with Dr. Jeff Guernsey and Dr. Kyung-Hwa (Christine) Kim

07 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What is a servant teacher? How does someone practice servant teaching? Rob McDole and Jared Pyles chat with two professors at Cedarville University—...

Behind the Scenes of Transform Your Teaching with Jacob Lashuay

31 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What does it take to get rid of the crazy things that Jared and Rob say? In this episode, Dr. Rob McDole and Ryan Liming chat with Jacob Lashuay, podc...

Competency-Based Education: Lessons Learned

24 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What did Rob and Jared learn about Competency-Based Education? Is Jared fully on board with it? What questions remain? Listen to hear their lessons le...

Competency-Based Education with Dr. Aleda Chen

17 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What impact is competency-based education currently having in the pharmacy education world? Dr. Rob McDole and Jared Pyles chat with Dr. Aleda Chen—...

Competency-Based Education with Dr. David Croteau

10 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What does Competency-Based Education look like in theological education? What does CBE look like in a hybrid format? What are some of the ground-floor...

Competency-Based Education: A Student Perspective with Genny McDole

03 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Rob and Jared chat with Genny McDole who has an MEd in Instructional Design from Western Governors University. She gives a student pe...