At Kansas City University (KCU), Kasey Johnson, EdD, MaTL, Med, director of Learning Enhancement, is implementing a framework that enhances academic excellence and guide graduate health sciences students from acceptance through graduation.
Johnson shared how learning enhancement works in practice, how students can maximize the various support offerings at KCU and how building confidence through meaningful academic support drives performance.
Q: Can you tell us about your background and how it led you to this role?
A: I’ve always been drawn to building systems that elevate performance.
I started in K-12 education and taught every grade level, including English language learning. My doctoral research explored how language development affects a person’s connection to themselves, their family and their culture, something patient centered health professionals experience when caring for patients across language barriers.
Later, I chaired the education department at Ottawa University and grew the graduate programs by more than 400 percent. I also worked in the business sector training national sales teams, which taught me how strategy, data and communication drive performance.
Coming to KCU allows me to integrate education, strategy and human development to strengthen how we support students.
Q: What surprises students most about learning at this level?
A: What worked before doesn’t always work anymore.
The pace and velocity of information require intentional strategies for moving content from short-term to long-term memory which creates retrievable knowledge.
Early and ongoing support is key, not because you can’t handle it, but because you want to be the absolute best.
Q: How do you define learning enhancement and what does effective support look like?
A: Learning enhancement is performance optimization for high-achieving students.
We aim to develop confident, self-regulated learners who understand not just what to learn, but how they learn best. High-performing students deserve high-performing support systems. When faculty and learning specialists align, students experience clarity and consistency in expectations and support.
Effective support is proactive, measurable and interactive. We help students prepare, organize, process and perform in ways that build long-term academic resilience that translates into stronger clinical and community impact.
Q: How should students approach getting help?
A: Avoid trying one approach and walking away from the learning process.
Students should view support as part of their academic strategy. If you see a need or just want to explore your options, please reach out. Connect with a learning specialist, engage with peer tutors or student success. Don’t try just one approach or one resource.
You never know when a fresh perspective or idea will align with where you are in your program.
Q: What is one productivity habit every student should try?
A: Practice active retrieval and internal locus of control.
For example, during a two-minute break, explain a concept out loud without using your notes. Teaching others strengthens learning more than anything.
Also, change positions regularly. Movement improves focus and retention. Small, consistent actions build cognitive endurance over time.
Start small, build and add on. Even simple things like organizing a drawer in two minutes, finishing it and walking away can help you feel like you have control over something. Those little wins snowball into tackling bigger challenges. Remember that consistency matters more than intensity.
Sustainable progress happens through hourly, daily and strategic efforts.
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