Resilience, Not Rigor: Skills We Want Learners to Develop

<p>In this episode of <em>Agile Ed</em>, Lindsay and Ashley dig into the tension between <em>rigor</em> and <em>real learning</em>. Using stories from the classroom, like lab reports and in-class participation, they explore why the word “rigor” so often becomes a stand-in for unnecessary friction, mistrust, and outdated academic traditions. Together, they reframe what higher education should strive for: resilience, intrinsic motivation, relationship-rich learning, and authentic challenge that helps students grow. With humor, honesty, and plenty of real-world examples, this conversation invites educators to rethink the skills we actually want learners to leave with—and why resilience, not &quot;rigor&quot;, might be the future of meaningful education.</p>