Education Revolution: Shawna Thayer Of Sophia Learning On Innovative Approaches That Are Transforming Education
An interview with Eden Gold
Feedback is a gift: We all want to be perfect at the start of our careers, but that isn’t possible. Instead of being hurt or offended when I was given constructive feedback, I wish I would have understood that each piece of criticism I received would make up the building blocks to my eventual success.
The landscape of education is undergoing a profound transformation, propelled by technological advancements, pedagogical innovations, and a deepened understanding of learning diversities. Traditional classrooms are evolving, and new modes of teaching and learning are emerging to better prepare students for the complexities of the modern world. This series will take a look at the groundbreaking work being done across the globe to redefine education. As a part of this interview series, we had the pleasure to interview Shawna Thayer, Ph.D., CEO of Sophia Learning.
Shawna Thayer, Ph.D., CEO of Sophia Learning, is a seasoned higher education leader dedicated to providing affordable, accessible pathways for personal and professional advancement to students at every stage. Prior to her current role as CEO, she led a team that provided insights to improve adult learner achievement at Strategic Education, Inc. Shawna holds a Ph.D. in family science and a Master of Science in human development and family studies from Arizona State University, as well as a Bachelor of Science in human development and family studies from the University of Wisconsin.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share the “backstory” behind what brought you to this particular career path?
I earned my PhD in family science and always thought I would be a traditional university professor, but career opportunities pulled me to the field of business analytics and statistics instead. While I enjoyed the rigor of business analytics, I missed higher education and craved something that was both mission-driven and innovative. Eventually, that led me to Strategic Education, Inc. where I began by measuring educational outcomes for adult learners. After many years of providing insights that drove positive learning outcomes, I moved on to become CEO of Sophia Learning, one of Strategic Education’s educational solutions that allows students at any stage of their higher education journey to get started on or continue their education by taking affordable and flexible college-level general education courses. Sophia courses are ACE®-recommended for college credit and are designed to be transferred to many colleges and universities. I would never have predicted this path to my career, but I couldn’t be happier leading a mission-driven and innovative business like Sophia Learning.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I am going to go a little further back. Neither of my parents went to college, so when it was time for me to apply, I was on my own figuring out that entire application process. At the time, the applications were on paper or very basic forms online, and where I was asked to select if I was applying to be a “graduate” or “undergraduate” student, I checked “graduate” because I thought they were asking me if I would be a high school graduate. I had checked that box wrong on all my applications, which meant I was rejected by several schools. I didn’t realize my mistake until one kind and thoughtful admissions counselor called me to check if my “graduate” selection was accurate. I was so embarrassed, but grateful for the call.
I often share this story with my team because this is just one example of the types of barriers students face when they are trying to access higher education. Those of us who work in higher ed often assume we understand these barriers — financial, time, etc., but sometimes they can be small details like not understanding the language on an application. We need to keep these needs in mind as we work towards our mission of supporting students through their education.
Can you briefly share with our readers why you are an authority in the education field?
I hold a Master’s and a PhD in the field of Family and Human Development and have spent a lot of time researching the role of education in adolescent and human development, incorporating that in my early research. I’ve spent most of the past decade leading analytics and research for an education company to understand the impact of innovations on learning outcomes. And today, I lead an innovative education technology company that aims to make every student feel empowered and supported at every stage of their educational career.
Can you identify some areas of the US education system that are going really great?
While there is still work to do, the U.S. has made great strides in ensuring access to quality public education for kindergarten through high school students. Of course, there are real challenges to ensuring the quality throughout the country, but the availability of a free K-12 education stands in stark contrast to the affordability issue facing higher education.
Can you identify the key areas of the US education system that should be prioritized for improvement? Can you explain why those are so critical?
The U.S. needs to prioritize access and affordability to higher education. Once upon a time, a high school diploma may have been enough to ensure economic mobility and a thriving workforce, but we now live in an economy that demands constant upskilling and lifelong learning. We can do much more to ensure everyone has access to higher education — just as we do primary education — by looking for more affordable pathways, such as college tuition paid by employers, expanding credit for prior learning and platforms like Sophia that allow students to take more affordable college level courses at their own pace.
Please tell us all about the innovative educational approaches that you are using. What is the specific problem that you aim to solve, and how have you addressed it?
Sophia Learning aims to reduce barriers to higher education with a low monthly subscription to access courses that are ACE®-recommended for college credit and are designed to be transferred to many colleges and universities. All of our courses are self-paced and flexible to various student schedules, providing an innovative approach to fulfilling gen-ed requirements for a degree.
Too often, it feels as though traditional higher ed weeds people out. We are doing the opposite. Our model seeks to “garden people in” by making higher education more accessible and attainable, with a self-paced model that supports success.
One way we do this is by reimagining learning objectives to center on our students. Traditional education sets the time — a semester, or a quarter — and the amount of learning that happens during that time varies by student. Competency-based education (CBE), on the other hand, prioritizes learning over time, which means that when students demonstrate their competencies, they can move on. When they need more time to learn, they can slow down and have more time to develop a competency. Sophia offers more than 70 college-level courses designed with this CBE philosophy through a $99/month subscription, and students can move through courses at their own pace. We are incredibly proud of our approach to ground all our courses in this student-centered approach.
In what ways do you think your approach might shape the future of education? What evidence supports this?
We think our approach can influence higher education to be more flexible so that it is more affordable and attainable. Sophia’s platform allows students to take their general education courses for a fraction of the cost and then transfer those credits to their home institutions. In fact, students can save up to 90% on their gen-eds with Sophia compared to the cost of public in-state tuition.
And, Sophia’s flexible format allows students to complete gen ed courses more than 70% faster than the traditional 15-week semester formats.
Higher education leaders should keep working together to find innovative ways to increase flexibility so that it is more attainable and affordable.
How do you measure the impact of your innovative educational practices on students’ learning and well-being?
We have measured the impact of Sophia Learning by looking at how students who take Sophia courses persist at their home institution and there is evidence that these students have higher persistence rates.
While we haven’t specifically measured well-being yet, we do know from our research that high school students, and likely any student that hasn’t experienced higher learning, are feeling anxious about the transition to college. We recently conducted a survey of 1,000 high school juniors and seniors and 1,000 parents/guardians to better understand current perspectives on college readiness from both parents and students and found that 51% of high school juniors and seniors who plan to attend college within the next two years agree that they need more time to decide on a college major. In addition, two-thirds (66%) of high school juniors and seniors responded that taking college-level courses in high school that could earn them credit would reduce college-related concerns.
Sophia is a low-risk way for any student who is anxious about taking college level courses to experiment and feel more confident without stress and commitment.
What challenges have you faced in implementing your educational innovations, and how have you overcome them?
Like all innovations in a very traditional field, the greatest challenge is being the new kid on the block. A lot of people don’t know this option to make college more flexible and affordable exists. There are so many types of students that would benefit from Sophia’s alternative way of learning and potentially gaining college transfer credits, including high school students, working adults who want to complete a degree, and current college students. It’s going to take time to reach these different audiences to let them know there is an alternative, more affordable and flexible way to gain college credits.
Keeping in mind the “Law of Unintended Consequences” can you see any potential drawbacks of this innovation that people should think more deeply about?
This model of competency-based learning is not for everyone. Learning at your own pace without set deadlines means you have to be self-motivated and possess strong time management skills. Before setting out on an alternative learning pathway, it is important to consider what will work best with your learning style. That is one reason why we are proud of our flexible and low-cost option; there is little risk in trying out our model to see if it is a fit for students. Many of our subscribers find that there are certain times of the year where they have the motivation and time to progress in their coursework — like over summer or winter break — but there are other times when life takes over and progression can stall out. In those cases, we recommend pausing your subscription with Sophia and picking it back up when ready. The last thing we want to see is any Sophia Learning student feeling like they are wasting time or money — we want to empower students to find the schedule that works for them.
What are your “5 Things I Wish I Knew When I First Started”?
1. Feedback is a gift: We all want to be perfect at the start of our careers, but that isn’t possible. Instead of being hurt or offended when I was given constructive feedback, I wish I would have understood that each piece of criticism I received would make up the building blocks to my eventual success.
2. A career path is not straight: I thought once I graduated college there would be a straight path ahead of me (e.g. the corporate ladder) but that wasn’t the case. I wish I knew that the path zigs and zags in unexpected ways and you will take sharp, unexpected turns as new opportunities arise.
3. Don’t wait until you’re ready: Opportunities will come to you before you think you are ready. I was lucky enough to take some of them. If you wait until you are ready and comfortable, you will miss your chances to prove what you are capable of.
4. Balance is a myth: When my kids were young, I kept searching for “balance,” but I now know true work/life balance doesn’t exist. There will be times when the scale is in favor of work, and other times home life, and that is OK.
5. Authentic leadership is everything: I started out with the typical consultant mindset of “fake it till you make it” and, at some point, I realized that being authentic and vulnerable — knowing what I know and admitting to what I don’t — garners so much more respect as a leader.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Do one thing every day that scares you” -Eleanor Roosevelt. To be clear, I do not do something scary every day, but this reminds me to try. It’s a challenge to myself to never get too comfortable and complacent.
We are blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂
Hannah Waddingham, the English actress and singer that starred in Ted Lasso. She is accomplished, poised, authentic, and extraordinarily talented. I think I’d like to be her best friend!
How can our readers further follow your work online?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnathayer/
Thank you so much for these insights! This was so inspiring!
Education Revolution: Shawna Thayer Of Sophia Learning On Innovative Approaches That Are… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.