Ask An Expert: Simon Walter

What excites you most about working here?

It always excites me to start conversations with new partners as I’ll never know which program or area of study it’ll be. It might be Law, Finance, Business or even Teacher Prep or Nursing. We’ve worked with all disciplines and it’s always so exciting to hear their ideas and goals and then exceed expectations with our final deliverables.

What is one major shift you’ve noticed in education, content, or instructional design recently?

There’s been a LOT of shifts in Higher Ed over the past year and everyone’s learning and adapting. One shift I’ve noticed is the shortening of programs. For example, I talk to more schools that are looking to shorten the typical “semester” from 16 weeks to 8. It’s driven by market demand from learners wanting a shorter time to the degree. Matched with pertinent work-based learning, students can get the degree in a shorter time frame and enter the job market sooner with the in-demand skills companies need.

In your opinion, how is technology (AI, microlearning, immersive media, etc.) changing educational solutions?

Technology continues to change the teaching and learning experience. When I think of when I went to school, it was all about reading textbooks and writing papers, reports and essays. And no, they weren’t on stone tablets. With the pervasiveness of different devices, learning has included videos as a main source of learners absorbing content. This tech has made learning much more engaging and equitable as media allows those that struggle with the traditional “read to learn” model as a way to receive, retain and comprehend new material. Along with much better methods of checking comprehension and retention than a simple multiple-choice or fill in the blank questionnaire, the tech today allows learners to really master concepts with such engaging methods in the market. I’m amazed at all the ways our team has used media to help schools achieve their learning outcomes: there are a lot of amazing tools out there!

Can you share a project you’ve worked on at SRM that you feel made a significant impact?

I’ve worked with Tulane’s School of Public Health to continue to build new courses based on the industry needs. We also worked with them to create a new resource to help maintain the courses once they’re built as well as help prepare online and in-person courses for accreditation. It’s wonderful to really get a clear understanding of what the School is managing and then work together to meet their goals. It’s allowed the School to really focus on other key priorities and grow.

How does SRM’s approach stand out in the industry?

I come from an edtech background based on a SaaS model to help universities. This method has a lot of benefits, but what makes SRM stand out is our deliverables are not one-size fits all/off the shelf. We create such custom material for each partner’s specific needs that each project is different and unique. In a world full on “online libraries”, to be able to create custom content and curriculum really stands out. At the end of a project, I often hear how the experience of working with SRM was so different than any other edtech company because we spend so much time understanding all the aspects of what a partner wants and work very closely with all individuals involved.

If you could create your dream educational solution, what might it be/look like?

Well, when I was in school, if I could have the information directly uploaded into my brain and be able to recall it at any moment…I would’ve done a lot better. Perhaps it’s being worked on or perhaps having phones with such capabilities as we see today is it.

What’s a fun or unexpected fact about you that you would like to share?

On a personal note, I live all things football. When I say football, I mean the sport you actually play with your feet. So, soccer. I still play several times a week as well as fervently watch my club (Tottenham Hotspur), even though it’s been tough the past few months. I’m excited for the upcoming World Cup, because while I wish the US to do well, I really want England (my father’s side is English) to bring the cup back home (60 years after the first and only time they won it)!