In this episode, host Kelsey Peterson sits down with Dr. Ying Iverson, Chief Academic Officer at Westcliff University, to explore how higher education is evolving for today’s global, digital-first learners. Dr. Iverson shares what she’s seeing across Westcliff’s worldwide student population from rising expectations for flexibility and mobile learning to the growing influence of AI on study habits, assessment, and faculty roles.

The conversation digs into why power skills like communication, critical thinking, and collaboration matter more than ever and how universities can embed them authentically into online and hybrid environments. Dr. Iverson also unpacks how stackable credentials, transfer-friendly pathways, and microlearning can support working adults while still preserving the deep value of a degree.

Whether you're rethinking curriculum design, exploring AI’s impact on learning, or imagining a more student-centered future, this episode offers a grounded, forward-looking view of what higher ed can become.

Key Moments

01:17 What today’s digital learners expect flexibility, accessibility, and bite-sized content

03:54 AI as a “jetpack” and a crutch helping students use it ethically and effectively

09:57 How AI is used for research, reading expansion, and formative assessment

11:20 How faculty roles are shifting from “knowledge keepers” to facilitators and co-creators

19:13 Building critical thinking through multi-AI analysis assignments

20:50 Communication, group work, and collaboration in digital learning environments

24:11 The core competencies remain the same even as context changes

24:57 Stackable credentials, transfer credit, and meeting adult learners where they are

28:20 Rethinking pathways: designing flexible, modular systems for real student needs

32:28 Recognizing experience, validating prior learning, and building student-centered systems

Why You’ll Love This Episode

If you care about the future of higher education especially for working adults and global learners this conversation offers a refreshing and practical perspective. Dr. Iverson explains how universities can embrace AI without losing academic integrity, how power skills can be woven into digital programs, and why flexibility and transfer pathways matter more than ever. You’ll walk away with clear, actionable ideas for building programs that are both innovative and deeply human-centered.

Connect with Dr. Ying Iverson

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ying-iverson-ph-d-66bb742b
Website: https://www.westcliff.edu/about-westcliff/leadership/ying-iverson-ph-d/

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Host LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelsey-peterson-b80171142/
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kyronlearning/
Company Website: https://www.kyronlearning.com/

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In today’s episode of signals podcast, host Kelsey Peterson sits down with Richard McDorman, Chief Academic Officer at Language On Schools, to dig into the intersection of language learning, technology, and regulation in U.S. education.

They discussed how Language On Schools uses technology across their ten campuses to support students from their first contact all the way through graduation, and how tech has transformed everything from placement testing to classroom instruction. But it’s not just about the tools, Richard McDorman explains why, for students on visas, live, in-person learning isn’t just preferred, but required by U.S. immigration law.

Together, they explore why group dynamics and social interaction are so fundamental to language acquisition, and look ahead to the role AI and digital innovation might play, without shying away from the real regulatory and cultural challenges along the way. Plus, Richard McDorman shares his perspective as a certified translator on how machine translation is reshaping motivation and opportunity for language learners worldwide.

Whether you’re a language educator, a tech enthusiast, or just fascinated by the future of learning, this episode is packed with insights on what it really takes to master a new language in our digital age.

Key Moments

05:13 Student Assessment & Proficiency Measures

09:08 Student Visa Rules Limit Online Learning

11:01 Student Visa Rules for Online Learning

14:53 Language Learning: In-Person vs. AI

17:57 "AI Won't Replace Language Classrooms"

22:07 "AI Enables Remote Language Learning"

27:29 "AI Mimicking Human Interaction"

28:45 "AI Mimics Human Interaction"

32:23 "AI Transforming Education Potential"

37:56 Language Learning: Motivation and Technology

40:33 "Adapting Appalachian English Dialect"

Why You’ll Love This Episode:

If you’re thinking about the future of language learning, international education, or the role of AI in real classrooms, this episode gives you the clarity you’ve been missing. A rare, candid look at how technology actually shows up across the student journey, from recruitment to assessment to daily instruction, and why legal and regulatory forces matter just as much as innovation. Clear, grounded explanations of what can go online, what never should, and why socially mediated learning is still the heart of language acquisition. And a forward-looking but realistic take on AI: when it genuinely expands access, when it can’t replicate human interaction, and what the next decades of immersive tech might make possible.

Connect with Richard McDorman
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardmcdorman
Company Website: https://languageonschools.com/
Richard’s Website: https://richardmcdorman.org/

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Host LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelsey-peterson-b80171142/

Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kyronlearning/

Company Website: https://www.kyronlearning.com/

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In this episode, host Kelsey Peterson sits down with Bethany Becknell, Director of Online Learning and Student Success at Oklahoma Christian University, to explore what it really looks like to move from K12 teaching into leading online programs in higher education. Bethany shares her journey from 9th-10th grade English teacher to doctoral student to online learning leader and how being an adult learner herself fundamentally shaped the way she now designs for working adults.

From unpacking the core differences between teaching adolescents and adults, to rethinking what actually works in an online course. Bethany reflects on structure, flexibility, and the power of lived experience in adult learning. She also gets candid about AI: her concerns, her excitement, and the very real ethical questions she’s asking as both an educator and a parent.

Bethany walks through how her team moved from a restrictive “no AI” stance to a cautious, permissive policy that treats AI as a learning partner rather than a shortcut. She shares practical examples, including using generative AI to simulate high-stakes parent-teacher conferences and to give future educators safe spaces to practice, reflect, and build confidence before they’re in the room with real families.

Key Moments

00:03 From High School English to Online Higher Ed

03:16 Kids vs. Adults: How Learning Really Differs

07:23 Why Copy-Paste Lectures Fail Online

11:18 Flipped Learning & On-the-Job Application

17:48 When Your Teen Uses AI for Homework

21:25 Shifting from “No AI” to Cautious Use

28:54 Practicing Parent–Teacher Conferences with AI

31:53 Will AI Be Everywhere in 5 Years?

Why You’ll Love This Episode:

If you’re working at the intersection of online learning, adult education, and AI, this conversation gives you both language and tactics for what comes next. A grounded, honest look at the emotional side of adult learners (“Am I smart enough?”) and how course design can either amplify or reduce that anxiety.Concrete examples of transforming “lecture-heavy” courses into interactive, feedback-rich experiences that better fit online formats.A nuanced take on generative AI that neither panics nor hand-waves: specific misuses to watch for, and assignments that intentionally leverage AI for practice and reflection.

Connect with Bethany Becknell
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethany-becknell-93698320a
Website:https://www.oc.edu/

Follow Us On

Host LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelsey-peterson-b80171142/

Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kyronlearning/

Company Website: https://www.kyronlearning.com/

Enjoyed this episode?
Subscribe to The Signals Podcast and leave us a review!
Share this episode with educators, innovators, and anyone who believes in the power of learning, creativity, and technology to move education forward.