Learning Resources

Abstract: Georgia’s two higher education systems, the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia, are busy working together on initiatives aimed at improving graduation rates. Initiatives include college mergers, a quarter-to-semester conversion, articulation agreements, Complete College America/Georgia plans and meetings, remedial education redesign, and Achieving the Dream participation. These initiatives are creating a momentum that is moving higher education in the right direction, according to the author. What is good for college students in Georgia is good for the economy as well.

Abstract: Continuing its efforts to provide engaging spaces for students and promote collaborative education, Southwestern Michigan College had a new vision for what the campus library should be. An interior renovation of the existing library created an inviting atmosphere that is more conducive to today’s active learning. A new space plan encourages social interaction and group activities while providing dedicated areas for quiet study and tutoring. New finishes and updated furnishings revitalized the outdated facility with a warm, contemporary aesthetic. The design team worked closely with the college administration and library staff to achieve their goals within a short time frame and with limited resources.

Abstract: This report was produced by the research team awarded the inaugural M. Perry Chapman Prize in 2012.

This collection summarizes and evaluates how far the field of learning space design has come in identifying the elements that will allow us to thoughtfully design learning spaces and evaluate their impact. Although several hundred articles and a number of books on these topics had been written by the fall of 2012, the field is still at an early stage of development. A first step in creating value from this existing body of work is to gather, summarize and evaluate how far the field has come in identifying the elements that will allow us to thoughtfully design learning spaces and evaluate their impact.

Abstract: Over the course of two years, The New School, a New York City university established in 1919 by philosopher John Dewey and other prominent Progressive Era scholars, partnered with the Stevens Institute of Technology, a private research university in Hoboken, New Jersey, founded in 1870. The partnering universities entered—and were selected as one of 20 finalists of—a biannual, international competition among higher education institutions to design and build an energy-efficient house. Typically, the competition draws significant public attention because of its focus on showcasing innovative technologies to advance energy savings. (All 20 finalist houses—this time, including the New School–Stevens “Empowerhouse”—are displayed on the National Mall in Washington, DC.) As well, the competition spurs innovation among students and provides an extraordinary “real-world” educational experience. Five of us who worked on this project discuss the challenges and benefits of an inter-institutional approach that also centered on collaboration with multiple community partners including Habitat for Humanity of Washington, DC, several DC government agencies, and community-based organizations in the DC neighborhood of Deanwood, where the competition house would ultimately be relocated and reconstructed as a two-family Habitat for Humanity residence. The project involved more than 200 students over a multiyear period working on and employing their academic preparation in areas including community engagement, advocacy, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, environmental policy, sustainability management, fashion design, lighting design, organizational change management, urban policy, environmental studies, architecture, and product design.

Abstract: Converging crises of climate destabilization, environmental deterioration, rising inequity, and economic turmoil call for extraordinary responses by organizations and institutions at all levels. Oberlin College, Oberlin City School District, and the City of Oberlin have launched a series of projects that join the many strands of sustainability including urban revitalization, green development, advanced energy technology, sustainable agriculture and forestry, green jobs, and education into an integrated response that serves as a model for others around the world who wish to pursue a more sustainable, integrated model for the design of a post-carbon economy.

Abstract: Member colleges of the Georgia Independent College Association sought to ease the burdens frequently associated with transferring among institutions by partnering with the technical college sector to create a single articulation agreement. The articulation agreement addresses students who may have only taken a few courses or received an associate’s degree at a Georgia technical college. The articulation agreement was created in response to Governor Deal’s request to focus on improving college completion rates without sacrificing educational quality. This unique partnership among private, not-for-profit institutions and the state’s technical colleges can serve as a model for other states.

Abstract: Most colleges and universities have well-developed strategic plans. But these plans may not be helpful if there is a sudden or unexpected leadership transition or crisis. Sadly, succession planning is the least understood and practiced form of planning in higher education. This neglect often results in leadership crises, confusion in leadership, disorganized search and transition processes, and a lack of appropriate professional development. This article provides a clear explanation of the meaning and purpose of succession planning as well as a guideline and process for implementing succession planning in any institution of higher education.