ïAACRAO Spotlight interviews are published twice weekly before major professional development meetings. They feature our conversations with industry experts, highlighting key issues and promoting sessions and workshops at the upcoming conference.
Below you'll find brief summaries of four recent Q-and-As with links to the full interviews.
Dynamic Data Models, Modularity, and Agile Development in Student Systems
Do you know how to avoid “Conway’s law” and develop software that actually meets the needs of your student systems? Jerald Bracken, Software Engineer at Brigham Young University, will help attendees understand “Dynamic Data Models, Modularity, and Agile Development in Student Systems” at this year’s AACRAO Technology Conference.
Read our interview with Bracken here.
Writing Across the Institutions Conference: Initiating a Dialogue about Transfer Student Success in Writing
Transfer student conversations often revolve around registrar practices and credit equivalencies. Another important topic should be added to the mix, according to C.C. Hendricks, consultant to the Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) program at Appalachian State University (ASU).
“We need to have conversations about transfer student success in writing,” she said. “Strong writing skills help students succeed in all curriculum.”
Read the rest of our interview with Hendricks here.
How to Recommend the Transfer Option to First-Year Students: UNCW's Teal Track Program
It’s possible to turn denied first-year applicants into successful second-year transfers, says Tom Tascone, Transfer Admissions Coordinator at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington. It’s not as hard as it may seem at first—and it doesn’t require a lot of extra resources.
Tascone will reflect on the success and lessons of the pilot year of UNCW’s unique transfer program during his session “How to Recommend the Transfer Option to First-Year Students: UNCW's Teal Track Program,” at this year’s AACRAO Transfer and Technology program.
Read our interview with Tascone here.