Taylor Swaak is a staff reporter at The Chronicle of Higher Education, covering how innovations in technology are changing the student experience. She aims to hold institutions accountable for technology that is misused or contributes to inequity, as well as uplift success stories that could inspire other ideas.
Taylor comes to The Chronicle from The 74, where she spearheaded the organization’s K-12 coverage of the nation’s two largest school districts — NYC Public Schools and L.A. Unified — before documenting D.C. Public Schools’ pivot to virtual learning during Covid-19. Her reporting on a D.C. father navigating the pandemic with his four children earned an Education Writers Association finalist award in visual storytelling. She’s previously worked and interned at Newsweek, Newsday, the Hartford Courant, CNN, and The Diamondback, the University of Maryland at College Park’s student paper.
When she’s not writing, Taylor is listening to narrative-storytelling podcasts and tinkering with her new coffee maker.
Stories by this Author
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'Difficult to Move Forward'U. of Arkansas System Trustees Say ‘No’ to Partnership With Prospective U. of Phoenix Buyer
In a narrow decision, members opted not to support a potential agreement with the entity that’s looking to purchase the for-profit college. -
A 'Third Party' Takes Aim
2U Lawsuit Claims Looming Education Dept. Guidance Breaks the Law
The giant online-program manager is seeking to halt the rollout of new rules for such companies and their college partners. -
Mixed Opinions
The Ed Dept. Is Reconsidering College-Recruitment Practices. Here Are 7 Reactions We Heard.
Dozens weighed in on the pros and cons of current guidance during this week’s listening sessions. -
Teaching
As Colleges Focus on Quality in Online Learning, Advocates Ask: What About In-Person Courses?
At some institutions, growth in remote education is raising standards for both. -
New Federal Guidance
Education Dept. Shocks Ed-Tech Experts and Colleges With Expansion of Oversight
New guidance sweeps vendors that handle student recruitment, software, and other needs under the “third-party servicer” umbrella. -
The Fading For-Profits
What a Possible U. of Phoenix Sale Says About the State of Higher Ed
It would mark the “culmination of the era,” even as demand for online learning persists. -
Rapid Restructuring
U. of Maryland’s Online Campus Turned to Outsourcing for Speed. That Came at a Cost.
Employees say the decision to restructure led to layoffs, diminished morale, and glitches. -
College Credits on the Cheap
Thousands of Students Take Courses Through Unaccredited Private Companies. Here’s a Look Into One of Them.
Fueling the trend is a perfect storm of skyrocketing tuition costs, a rise in adult learners who need flexibility, and falling enrollment. -
Academic Integrity
Some Students Use Chegg to Cheat. The Site Has Stopped Helping Colleges Catch Them.
The homework-help site is no longer providing student information to colleges conducting honor-code investigations through the platform. -
Surveillance & Privacy
Students Say Room Scans During Online Tests Are Invasive. Now a Judge Agrees.
The ruling, which found a Fourth Amendment violation, should prompt colleges to review their proctoring policies, legal experts said.
