{"63418":{"#nid":"63418","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Provost Forms Committee to Develop \u2018X-College\u2019 Initiative","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs academic and administrative units continue to develop and initiate plans in response to the five goals outlined in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/vision\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Strategic Plan\u003C\/a\u003E, academic leadership has begun to explore some of the ten \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/vision\/sites\/kraken.gatech.edu.vision\/files\/SP_Goals_Initiatives_brochure.pdf\u0022\u003Einstitutional initiatives\u003C\/a\u003E that accompanied the document.\n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEarlier this month, Provost Rafael L. Bras announced the creation of a committee that will review options and formulate strategies for the creation of an X-College, one of the ideas that sprouted from the yearlong strategic planning process.\n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe X-College Initiative grew from the very strong recommendations from students and faculty in the strategic planning process that Georgia Tech needs to increase student-faculty interaction and allow more flexibility in curricula,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.spp.gatech.edu\/aboutus\/faculty\/richardbarke\u0022\u003ERichard Barke\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor in the School of Public Policy and chair of the X-College planning committee. \u201cFor example, the X-College is considering whether to allow students \u2014 with strong faculty guidance \u2014 to compose programs of study that focus on particular \u2018grand challenges\u2019 facing society, using knowledge from a wide range of relevant fields. The committee is investigating how to achieve these goals while balancing disciplinary and interdisciplinary learning, maintaining the traditional rigor of a Tech education, innovating in learning techniques and educational technologies, and respecting the expectations of graduate schools and employers.\u201d\n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe vision is broader than student-designed degrees, however. An X-College experience should also serve to challenge faculty to experiment with learning techniques, balancing core instruction with problem-based approaches. Other opportunities could lie in developing alternatives to regular courses taught in semester-length blocks. \n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFor some time, our students have asked the administration to offer some kind of self-directed learning options,\u201d Bras said. \u201cThe X-College concept should be developed to reflect the fundamental importance of a rigorous Georgia Tech education, to complement existing degree programs and academic units, and to prepare students for creative careers.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECommittee members include:\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ERichard Barke, Public Policy (chair)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESabir Khan, Architecture\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ERavi Bellamkonda, Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EColin Potts, Interactive Computing\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ERich DeMillo, Computer Science\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMonica Halka, Honors Program\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EJason Freeman, Music\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EDavid Collard, Chemistry\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMike Schatz, Physics\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EStylianos Kavadias, Management\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EBecki Grinter, Interactive Computing\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EUsha Nair-Reichert, Economics\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ELisa Yaszek, Literature, Communication and Culture\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EBert Bras, Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAyanna Howard, Electrical and Computer Engineering\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ENicholas Robson, undergraduate student\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ERob Parrish, graduate student\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EElliotte Creel, undergraduate student\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEarlier this month, Provost Rafael L. Bras announced the creation of a committee that will review options and formulate strategies for the creation of an X-College, one of the ideas that sprouted from the yearlong strategic planning process.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Group charged with exploring opportunities for self-directed learning, innovative learning techniques"}],"uid":"27299","created_gmt":"2011-01-07 09:41:17","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:07:57","author":"Michael Hagearty","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-01-07T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-01-07T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.provost.gatech.edu\/","title":"Office of the Provost"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/vision","title":"Georgia Tech Strategic Vision"}],"groups":[{"id":"1183","name":"Home"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"}],"keywords":[{"id":"11556","name":"institutional initiatives"},{"id":"11557","name":"planning committee"},{"id":"937","name":"provost"},{"id":"167488","name":"strategic plan"},{"id":"11555","name":"x-college"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jennifer.herazy@carnegie.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJennifer Herazy\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOffice of the Provost\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-385-3037\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}