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The COVID-19 pandemic brought about sudden changes in pedagogical strategies in higher education. How faculty processed these changes, as well as their lived experiences during these shifts, has informed fundamental shifts in higher education that will last long into the future. The aim of this phenomenological investigation was to explore the lived experience of new and experienced faculty at one midwestern university during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a qualitative phenomenological study using a stratified purposive sample, through learning management virtual LMS tours and semistructured interviews, investigators explored the experiences of 27 new and experienced faculty members across 20 disciplines. Findings included themes of panic and stress, teaching during quarantine (quaranteaching), innovation and technology, acknowledging loss (something lost), giving grace, and carrying new learning forward (something gained). Investigators link findings to the literature, compare and contrast faculty experiences with those of a student, and discuss implications for teaching and research. This study contributes to the literature chronicling the fundamental shifts in higher education occurring as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the impact of these shifts on faculty and students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is focused on the problem of the mismatch of competencies of Masters of Public Administration (MPA) graduates in Russia and current Russian public servants. A mixed methods approach was used to analyze quantitative (n = 734) and qualitative data about the real-world competencies of local, regional, and federal government officials in comparison to what MPA graduates get from their education. The comparison of competency models of MPA graduates and government officials indicated that the most of the competencies are useful in public administration practice, but there is still lot to change in the approach of compiling the content of MPA educational standards and educational programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital badges are web-enabled tokens of accomplishment that contain specific claims and evidence about learning and achievement along with detailed evidence supporting those claims. Badges traditionally consist of an image and relevant metadata (e.g., badge name, description, criteria, issuer, evidence, date issued, standards, and tags). This column features findings from recent research examining the design principles for open digital badges that emerged across the 30 organizations awarded grants to develop badge content in the 2012 Badges for Lifelong Learning Initiative. The column focuses this inspection of the principles identified in the research (recognition, assessment, and motivation) on one student in the MOUSE outreach program. Results from this column provide guidance for educators in and out of traditional learning contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]