{"620104":{"#nid":"620104","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Mini-Mester Offerings Being Piloted for Fall Semester","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERegistration is now open for \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.sga.gatech.edu\/ug\/?q=fall-2019-mini-mesters\u0022\u003EFall 2019 Mini-Mesters\u003C\/a\u003E, a pilot program that will offer courses worth one credit hour and meet two or three times a week for five weeks. There will be three terms offered this fall:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003ETerm 1: Aug. 19 \u0026ndash; Sept. 20\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003ETerm 2: Sept. 23 \u0026ndash; Oct. 25\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003ETerm 3: Oct. 28 \u0026ndash; Dec. 3\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBonnie Ferri, vice provost for Graduate Education and Faculty Development, said the goal of the new format is to be able to bundle education into smaller units and offer a sample of a topic area. It allows students to learn about something without dedicating a three-hour schedule slot to it \u0026mdash; but, by meeting three times a week, it offers a similar intensity to a three-hour course.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFerri sees the format as a framework that can benefit students and professors. It allows students to take short courses on both professional development and academic topics \u0026mdash; personal finance or fluid dynamics, for example \u0026mdash; and allows faculty members to teach in a different format. It also makes it possible for professors who typically have fewer teaching opportunities to get back into the classroom.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe mini-mester initiative emerged from feedback through the work of both the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.provost.gatech.edu\/cne-home\u0022\u003ECommission on Creating the Next in Education\u003C\/a\u003E and the Academics cluster of \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.president.gatech.edu\/path-forward-together\/updates\u0022\u003EA Path Forward \u0026ndash; Together\u003C\/a\u003E. The Student Government Association (SGA) was also involved in creating the first mini-mesters, and members are excited to see their impact on academic life at Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I am thrilled to see these courses being implemented into the curriculum, because I truly believe that they have the power to transform education for all students on campus,\u0026rdquo; said Brielle Lonsberry, SGA\u0026rsquo;s educational enhancement chair. \u0026ldquo;Insights from this pilot program will aid in expanding these courses to all schools, for all students.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMini-mesters will also provide a new space for experimentation. More seasoned faculty can test new pedagogies, and graduate students who will one day be faculty members can take the reins in a condensed format.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It brings flexibility for faculty as well as students,\u0026rdquo; Ferri said. \u0026ldquo;When we brought this idea to associate chairs on campus, it was one that a lot of people liked, because they see the basic framework and what they can do with it.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESGA believes this capacity for experimentation will benefit students as well.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We hope that as students begin to explore topics of interest, they will be able to personalize their education to better prepare them for careers post-graduation,\u0026rdquo; said Lonsberry.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor now, the fall pilot offerings include 11 courses on a range of topics. More options may be added before Phase II registration begins in August. Phase I registration for current students closes May 17.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor more information about mini-mesters and the fall course offerings, visit the SGA \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.sga.gatech.edu\/ug\/?q=fall-2019-mini-mesters\u0022\u003Ewebsite\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EStudents can take courses that are worth 1 credit hour, but meet for three hours a week for five weeks.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Students can take courses that are worth 1 credit hour, but meet for three hours a week for five weeks."}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2019-04-12 20:30:55","changed_gmt":"2019-04-15 14:54:23","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-04-12T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-04-12T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"620384":{"id":"620384","type":"image","title":"Georgia Tech students in class","body":null,"created":"1555100000","gmt_created":"2019-04-12 20:13:20","changed":"1555100000","gmt_changed":"2019-04-12 20:13:20","alt":"Georgia Tech students in class","file":{"fid":"236222","name":"16C2901-P1-194.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/16C2901-P1-194.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/16C2901-P1-194.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1247989,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/16C2901-P1-194.jpg?itok=Vf4SXRKT"}},"588321":{"id":"588321","type":"image","title":"Georgia Tech students in class","body":null,"created":"1488818482","gmt_created":"2017-03-06 16:41:22","changed":"1488818482","gmt_changed":"2017-03-06 16:41:22","alt":"Georgia Tech students in class","file":{"fid":"224206","name":"14C2347-P2-039.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/14C2347-P2-039.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/14C2347-P2-039.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":819239,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/14C2347-P2-039.jpg?itok=HFAYdivk"}}},"media_ids":["620384","588321"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.sga.gatech.edu\/ug\/?q=fall-2019-mini-mesters","title":"Fall 2019 Mini-Mester Pilot"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"180970","name":"mini-mester"},{"id":"981","name":"Academics"},{"id":"168561","name":"Commission on Creating the Next in Education"},{"id":"180971","name":"a path forward together"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:kristen.bailey@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EKristen Bailey\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}