Robert Pearl Starks

Robert Pearl Starks

Location: phoenix, arizona

About me

As Vice President of Product Development, I lead cross-functional teams of designers, developers, QA testers and product stakeholders to develop, launch, and improve products customers need and love. 

Previously, I've worked in a variety of leadership roles in education / learning & professional development. Through my experience, I've become accustomed to working across departmental silos and with various stakeholders (executives, end-users, faculty, staff, students / learners, alumni, parents, regulatory agencies, partners and employers) to facilitate collaboration and advance common goals. In my previous roles, I've advocated for student needs and driven organizational change that helped educators do their best work, students thrive in their careers, and employers connect with quality talent.

Despite different contexts, a common theme in my career journey has been to do work that contributes to a mission which improves people's lives. It's also always been important for me to work with an organization whose values align with my own. I'm a listener, empathizer, customer advocate, servant leader, and lifelong learner. I'm never satisfied with status quo, I constantly strive for "better," and I'm driven by genuine curiosity to solve complex problems.

“Work to become; not to acquire.” -Elbert Hubbard

Interests

social media, career development, training, higher education, web 2.0/3.0, career services, leadership, marketing

Skills

social media, marketing, training, consulting, management, strategic planning

Activity

A report from a panel of higher education experts, including college presidents and foundation leaders, has called for changes to simplify federal financial aid in a white paper. The white paper, “The American Dream 2.0,” published by HCM Strategists, a public policy consulting group, is part of a larger effort by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to recommend changes to financial aid to boost completion rates. 

@gabrielsorci :How would you differentiate persistance from "grit" as Dr. Duckworth explains?  My take is that Dr. Duckworth is indeed discussing persistence - grit as one's quality of being able to persavere.  Her studies have led her to develop a grit scale to measure grit as a predictor of success.  Her research is currently being applied to college completion with implications for better understanding student retention and how to create experiences that lead students to developing more of this quality of "grit" vs. less.  She believes, like most human qualities, grit is not fixed; that it can be nurtured and… >>>

This is a great TED Talk video in which Angela Lee Duckworth, Ph.D, discusses grit as a quality important to achievement.  She discusses grit as the quality that enables people to "unlock" their talent and questions conventional ideas about intelligence and what leads to achievement.  

Is there a way to help students learn how to have "grit?" If so, how?  

How Gritty Are You?  Take the Grit Test here.

The 21st century has often been referred to as the information age with mobile technology enabling us to produce and consume information in the palms of our hands.  How have these innovations changed how students find and use information in courses as well as their personal lives?  Research results from Project Information Literacy (PIL) reveal insights on student behaviors regarding how they find and use information.

 

How Students Find and Use Information 

  1. 7 out of 10 Students use Wikipedia when researching information
  2. 92% of students use search engines to find and use information for courses
  3. Students prefer using
  4. >>>

Today's Campus interviews Dr. Larry Penley, President of Thunderbird School of Global Management.  Larry discusses the needs in the market that the Thunderbird School of Global Management serves, the evolution of e-learning and digital technology in Higher Education and shares his thoughts on the institution's alumni community.  

Ryan Busch, Publisher of Today's Campus Magazine, Interviews Larry Penley of the Thunderbird School of Global Management from Today's Campus Magazine on Vimeo.

"Blogging is about writing and reading NOT about a technology platform.  When using a classroom or student blogs, a global learning community and communication center can grow to facilitate student learning for 21st Century skills and literacies."

@Taybrok : It's amazing how a simple thank you goes a long way.  I think you're right - demonstrating appreciation is a simple way to influence employees' work experience.  When you say this is one of the reasons there is a high rate of teachers in public education now, what reason are you referencing?  Also, do you believe there is a difference between public and private education in terms of employee engagement, retention and/or attrition?  Thanks for adding to the discussion.

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