When Every Equity Problem Looks Like a Noncognitive Nail
It's an old adage, but one I'm quite fond of: When all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Whenever someone presents...
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The College Knowledge Blog addresses the most pressing issues in higher education. From the cost of going to college to employment for graduates and everything in between, this Blog takes a balanced approach to covering issues, identifying challenges, and identifying solutions.
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Ross Markle
- Jan 13, 2022
- 4 min
Getting to Work
As 2022 gets underway, I'm reflecting on the nature of starting something vs. building it. I recently put together a letter for all our...
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Ross Markle
- Aug 27, 2020
- 9 min
Education is an Intervention
What exactly is education? The obvious consultation of Webster's dictionary could provide an answer, but as with many constructs, it can...
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Ross Markle
- Aug 11, 2020
- 9 min
Factor Focus: Sense of Belonging
The "Factor Focus" series is designed to review various noncognitive factors and their relevance to student success. I thoroughly enjoy...
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Ross Markle
- Jul 30, 2020
- 7 min
The Problem with "Best Practice"
There are certain things that, when I step onto a college campus, I just know I'm going to hear. "We tend to have lots of silos here."...
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Ross Markle
- Jul 24, 2020
- 10 min
Can we measure student learning outcomes qualitatively? I don't think so...
... but I could be wrong. Typically I write these posts from a position of knowledge and expertise, seeking to espouse a viewpoint that...
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Ross Markle
- Jul 15, 2020
- 8 min
The best book I've ever read about student success
I've never been really good at catching the first wave of trends. Last summer, I came across a very catchy song and, when chatting with a...
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Ross Markle
- Jun 23, 2020
- 6 min
Assessment, Growth Mindset, and Star Trek: The Kobayashi Maru
A fond memory from my childhood helps me understand the ways we observe human behavior and make attributions. It's also one of the more...
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Ross Markle
- Jun 17, 2020
- 8 min
Factor Focus: Self-Efficacy
The "Factor Focus" series is designed to review various noncognitive factors and their relevance to student success. Confidence is a...
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Ross Markle
- Jun 10, 2020
- 9 min
Improving survey response rates and motivation: tips, tricks, and science
As with many things in assessment, getting more and better responses isn't magic. It's really about learning from the science, a little...
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Ross Markle
- Jun 2, 2020
- 7 min
The pandemic shows us that everyone should go to college
While common ground between liberals and conservatives can be hard to find, employability seems to be one respite. I've spent a little...
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Ross Markle
- May 25, 2020
- 9 min
What is Assessment?
One of my all-time favorite professional memories starts with me sitting at the Northeastern Educational Research Association's Annual...
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Ross Markle
- May 18, 2020
- 7 min
Stop asking “what’s the best predictor?”
I had a call with a client the other day, a man who is highly experienced, intelligent, and – perhaps most importantly – legitimately...
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Ross Markle
- Feb 19, 2019
- 7 min
The Duck Problem
Our ability to change human behavior is often guided (or hindered) by the mechanisms we use to understand it in the first place. Imagine...
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Ross Markle
- Feb 12, 2019
- 8 min
Noncognitive Skills, Part 2: Why are they called "noncognitive"?
After years of considering/battling other terms, I decided to put my thoughts on the word "noncognitive" to paper. When I wrote my last...
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Ross Markle
- Feb 5, 2019
- 9 min
Noncognitive Skills, Part 1: Are They Really That Important?
In the first part of my series on noncognitive skills, I discuss why I think this domain is such a critical area of educational research...
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