Hosted by MIT Teaching + Learning Lab

Featured Speaker: Kara Gardner, Ph.D.Associate Dean of Faculty Development, Minerva Schools

This active seminar discussion will introduce participants to Minerva’s educational model, including the technology we use to facilitate our classes, the Forum platform. Our goal at Minerva is to take students with the highest potential and train them to become leaders, innovators, broad thinkers, and global citizens. To that end, we have designed a curriculum focused on “great cognitive tools,” rather than “great books.” In the 21 st century, students need more than just an introduction to content at the university level – they need tools to help them process and make use of information. The Minerva curriculum provides students with habits of mind and foundational concepts organized into four core competencies: critical thinking, creative thinking, effective communication, and effective interaction. All students learn these habits and concepts during our first-year cornerstone courses, and they continue to be measured on their use and mastery of the HCs throughout their four years of study. They apply these skills and concepts inside and outside of the classroom as they travel in cohorts, living in up to six cities around the globe. Our goal is for students to graduate with a skills they can apply in a variety of professional contexts, and tools that will help them solve a wide array of complex problems.

The presentation will include light refreshments and open up to an audience Q&A. All members of the MIT community are welcome to attend.