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There is now a CONTENT FREEZE for Mercury while we switch to a new platform. It began on Friday, March 10 at 6pm and will end on Wednesday, March 15 at noon. No new content can be created during this time, but all material in the system as of the beginning of the freeze will be migrated to the new platform, including users and groups. Functionally the new site is identical to the old one. webteam@gatech.edu
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Accreditation is one of the most pressing and controversial issues facing the evolving landscape of higher education today. Current accreditation models have changed very little in the past 100 years, although other related aspects have altered dramatically, especially tuition costs and student demographics. Accreditation impacts the way higher ed is funded and its outdated model lacks scalability. Today, accreditation focuses on institutions. What would it mean for higher ed if a shift was made to instead focus on students?
To register for the Unconference on Accreditation on April 10, please visit our Unconference Community and complete a quick registration. Then, visit the events page to indicate your attendance. A discussion forum has been set up for participants to initiate conversations before the unconference by sharing ideas, interests, and experiences. Although participants may see suggested discussion topics or recommended session categories created by event organizers (indicated by “Admin” in the forums), they may feel free to create more topics or make suggestions for new sessions. The actual agenda is created on the day of the unconference. Using a discussion forum prior to the event allows participants to offer seed ideas or discuss a set of questions to get the ball rolling, which is the virtual portion of the event at the heart of an “unconference.”
What is an Unconference?
The Center for 21st Century Universitities (C21U) holds workshops that act as a catalyst to stimulate educational innovation. Known as unconferences, the workshops are designed so that participants drive the discussion and shape disruptive educational innovations through peer-to-peer learning and collaboration. Attendees include a mixed group of traditional and non-traditional stakeholders, such as faculty, staff, administrators, students, alumni, and industrial partners. Held in conjunction with the Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL), unconferences result in a working agenda for making real changes at Georgia Tech and also impact higher education in general.
