{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Signals","title":"Flexible, Free, and Job-Ready: The Calbright College Experiment","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/7207a6ea\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2336,"description":"\nIn this episode of The Signals Podcast, host Laura Glaab sits down with Dr. Shannon McCarty, Vice Provost of Learning and Instruction at Calbright College—California’s groundbreaking online community college designed exclusively for adult learners. Shannon shares how Calbright is rewriting the playbook for higher education through competency-based, flexibly-paced, tuition-free programs aimed at unserved populations.\nFrom overcoming institutional inertia to experimenting with work-based learning, project-based assessments, and student-driven design, Shannon dives into how Calbright empowers learners to upskill on their terms. You'll also hear candid reflections on challenges with funding, the tension between innovation and policy, and why Calbright believes the future of education shouldn’t require a one-size-fits-all degree.\nWhether you're an educator, entrepreneur, or lifelong learner, this episode offers an insider’s look at how the future of workforce development is unfolding today.\n\nKey Moments\n05:17 Improving Student Completion Rates\n07:41 Rejoining Workforce After Hiatus\n12:37 Community College: Free But Sustainable?\n14:05 Calibrate's Secret to Success?\n18:55 \"Educator's Passion: Innovation in EdTech\"\n21:10 Challenges in Implementing Competency-Based Education\n23:04 Education Needs Diverse Pathways\n28:57 \"Learning-Focused Education Journey\"\n32:06 Empowering Change Through UX/UI Learning\n33:00 Future of Personalized Online Learning\n36:47 \"Emphasizing Durable Skills\"\n\nWhy You’ll Love This Episode:\n\nYou’re frustrated by how higher ed often leaves adult learners behind. Shannon offers a bold, working model for serving unserved populations—flexible, free, and built entirely around the realities of adult life.You want to see what learner-centered education really looks like. From human-centered design to weekly program starts, Calbright is a living case study in how to meet students where they are—and keep them moving forward.You're intrigued by competency-based...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/ZQBLNu5bL6QDsMZngU8O-GefGMV_EVDwumeP7DuoUGE/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS82ZGUy/MzhiODgyYTdhYWJm/MjI1MGZkY2Y2OGQ5/YTMxYy5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}