University of Pennsylvania Archives

Checklist for Change: Making American Higher Education a Sustainable Enterprise by Robert Zemsky

August 5, 2013 Wally Boston

When I was a doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education, Bob Zemsky constantly reminded my classmates and me of two important things to remember when writing research papers or dissertations. The first was to show the reader the evidence; making statements or conclusions based on flimsy evidence was not a pathway toward graduation or a means of building a successful academic career post graduation.

Celebrating Innovation in Education at the 2013 Milken-Penn GSE Education Business Plan Competition

May 15, 2013 Wally Boston

Pictured are (from left): Dr. Wallace E. Boston (President, American Public University System), Jill Frankfort (Persistence Plus), Dean Andy Porter (Penn GSE), and Gregory Milken (Milken Family Foundation).

Last week, the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education and the Milken Family Foundation hosted the fourth annual Milken-Penn GSE Education Business Plan Competition. The competition website explains that “there is an urgent need to find ways to reach and educate every person” while also noting that “The United States is the largest exporter of education in the world, and education is our country’s fifth largest export.”

Contagious: Why Things Catch On

April 29, 2013 Wally Boston

It’s hard not to hear about a YouTube video that goes viral these days. With billions accessing the Internet globally, anyone with a product to market can theoretically tap the power of the Internet to create demand for their product after generating a positive buzz on any number of consumer accessed websites. Jonah Berger is the James G.

Education Innovation: Fad or Burgeoning Industry?

April 24, 2013 Wally Boston

I had the pleasure of attending last week’s Education Innovation Summit 2013 in Phoenix. Co-sponsored by Arizona State University (ASU) and GSV Advisors, this year’s event was the fourth and the largest by far. Because of my role in online education at American Public University System (APUS), I have been a member of the ASU/GSV advisory board and have attended all four conferences.

Another Conversation About MOOCs

January 26, 2013 Wally Boston

As an alumnus of the doctoral program in Higher Education Management from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education (GSE), I attended Penn GSE’s recent conference entitled “Innovation in an Era of Disruptive Change.” Conference attendees and alums of the grad school heard Dr. Jack Wilson, President Emeritus of the University of Massachusetts, discuss his topic “Evolution or Revolution: Everyone Wants Universities to Change but Exactly How is Not so Clear.”

What to Make of All the Rapid Innovations in Higher Education?

August 6, 2012 Wally Boston

I was a panel participant at a conference last Thursday in Washington, DC. The conference was sponsored by the American Enterprise Institute and was called Stretching the Higher Education Dollar. The five panels that were convened included: The Case for Reform, Opportunities and Obstacles at Existing Institutions, Unbundling College Degrees in Theory and Practice, College in Pieces: Cost Effective Approaches to Student Services and Credentialing, and Implications for State and Federal Policy.

NEST 2011 – Networking Ed Entrepreneurs for Social Transformation

June 13, 2011 Wally Boston

I attended the NEST 2011 Conference at the University of Pennsylvania last week. Sponsored by Penn’s Graduate School of Education (GSE) (of which I am a graduate), the conference attempts to match education entrepreneurs with investors, educators, and a policy maker or two. The two day event included a business plan competition sponsored by Penn GSE and the Milken Family Foundation as well as the Startl Prize for Open Educational Resources in partnership with the Hewlett Foundation.

Back From School

April 19, 2010 Wally Boston

In December, I wrote a post about why the frequency of my writing slowed and would continue to slow. The explanation was simple: I had entered a doctoral program and was engaged in the final writing stage of my dissertation. I am pleased to say that I satisfactorily completed all the requirements for my doctoral program at the University of Pennsylvania including defending my dissertation.

Why the Frequency of my Posts Slowed

December 16, 2009 Wally Boston

I haven’t written for this blog in almost a month. The reason is simple. I have not been able to bridge the gap between thoughts and comments on primarily current events in higher education and academic research.

Several years ago, I heard about a doctorate program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education that was designed for people who were employed full-time in higher education.

Some Colleges and Universities Considering Three-Year Degrees in Attempt to Increase Access while Reducing Costs

July 13, 2009 Wally Boston

Questions of access and affordability have plagued higher education for many years. Coupled with the implications of the recent global economic downturn, these issues have received even greater consideration in the last several years. As college administrators attempt to tackle the problems associated with providing greater access and affordability, creative ideas are being formulated.

One such idea recently gaining attention is scaling back the length of time it takes to receive a bachelors degree from the traditional four years to three.

Share this video