Michael Horn

How do colleges and universities stay relevant and a favored pathway for students in a rapidly changing educational landscape? Michael B. Horn, a pioneering digital learning strategist, says institutions need to understand what drives both excitement and anxiety for their students on campus, allowing them to design more responsive experiences that will attract incoming learners. Drawing from his book, “Choosing College,” Horn examines the forces behind students’ educational choices today. Backed by years of research, he explores the shift toward microcredentialing, its potential impact on higher ed, students’ rising demands for a return on investment in education, and how institutions can respond to these trends. Horn provides insights on aligning educational offerings with the evolving needs of students and employers to prepare universities and leaders to not only respond to current demands, but also to see around corners and anticipate future educational needs.

More challenges are facing colleges and universities than at perhaps any time in recent memory. From public perception and financial sustainability for some to mergers and acquisitions and from online learning, ROI and cost, and student debt to free speech, athletics and much more, higher education institutions are facing enormous pressures. Navigating them requires an understanding of which pressures could prove existential—and which could create opportunities for innovation and thriving. There are no one-size-fits-all answers as different colleges sit in different circumstances. Michael B. Horn, an award-winning author of six books on the future of work and learning, including the national bestseller “Job Moves: 9 Steps for Making Progress in Your Career,” offers college leaders a way to navigate the different paths to help them create value for those they serve no matter which future they follow.

In today’s education landscape, colleges are struggling to meet the needs of students as well as businesses facing shortages of skilled workers. There’s a growing sense that a degree is no longer worth the time, money and effort. So how can higher education institutions transform their model into something that works for everyone in the 21st century? In this presentation, Michael Horn – a leading authority on the future of work and education – outlines ways colleges and universities can gain a competitive edge and thrive. Since no two institutions are exactly alike, Horn helps participants evaluate gaps between the desired goals of their organization and existing efforts so they can develop and implement a nimble, discovery-driven path toward success that requires the least amount of capital investment.

According to reskilling and upskilling expert Michael B. Horn, an astounding 1 billion people switch jobs each year and the quest for job satisfaction remains largely unfulfilled. Why is this career carousel spinning so quickly, and how can organizations attract and retain the talent they need? Horn’s insightful book “Job Moves” draws from extensive research and the innovative “Jobs to Be Done” theory to present a new approach to understanding job changes from both the leader and the employee perspectives. He challenges conventional recruitment strategies and emphasizes a more nuanced, individual-centric perspective on career development. Through Horn’s expertise, business leaders will discover how to effectively navigate the intricacies of the modern job market, ensuring their organizations become havens for talent development and retention. Engaging, surprisingly funny and equipped with practical strategies that leaders can put into place right away, Horn’s methodologies show leaders how their organizations can thrive by redefining what it means to progress in one’s life and career.

Digital learning tools are increasingly prevalent—and many are pushing back on their use in schools. That means the question and challenge facing schools should be: if we use edtech, how do we integrate it thoughtfully to make a real impact? The answer lies not in focusing on the technology, but focusing first and foremost on the learning model, says Michael B. Horn, an influential voice in educational innovation. The author of “Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation to Improve Schools, Horn discusses how schools can harness technology to enhance learning environments effectively. An engaging, down-to-earth speaker, he unpacks strategies for redesigning classrooms to foster the durable, positive use of technology that supports educators and students.

Policies that create access to online learning are outpacing policies that transform the system and focus on learning outcomes. The focus on outcomes is a positive trend – it makes sense to pay providers not just for serving students but also for student performance. But we must also eliminate the input-focused rules that dictate how school leaders accomplish these goals, says digital learning strategist Michael Horn, a leading authority on the future of work and education. In this presentation, he examines policies that need to be struck down – from those dictating student-to-teacher ratios, teacher certification requirements or rules governing seat time. He then outlines a framework that will allow institutions and educators to position future generations for success.

Learning gaps and unique individual needs have always been there for students, but this decade’s sudden mass shift to remote learning laid bare just how widespread those gaps and needs are. Though online schooling gives learners options and allows for more students to be reached, they need access to computers and Wi-Fi to take advantage of the opportunities it presents. In this presentation, digital learning strategist Michael Horn – a leading authority on the future of work and education – discusses the lessons learned by remote learning and why we need an equitable system that ensures all students have access to online schooling. He also outlines valuable digital learning tools and explains why the future of education must include online options.

Many companies have adopted digital solutions by investing in robots, technology and automation to increase productivity. While that initially negatively affected a segment of workers, digital learning strategist Michael Horn – a leading authority on the future of work and education – takes an optimistic long-term view. An advisor at Guild Education, Horn has worked closely with Fortune 1000 employers as Guild helps them facilitate upskilling and reskilling to secure jobs, as well as the company’s future. In this presentation, he explains why (contrary to popular myths) robots will NOT be stealing our jobs, how the future of work will cast humans and robots as co-workers, and how organizations can make the most of opportunities using these tools.