{"257681":{"#nid":"257681","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Tech4Good Showcases Semester of Service Learning","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETrue to the Institute motto of \u201cprogress and service,\u201d students across campus have been working throughout the semester on projects that benefit nonprofits and community partners. They\u2019ll show off their work Wednesday at Tech\u2019s inaugural Tech4Good service learning expo.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cStudents do great things that can be quite invisible,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/~ewz\u0022\u003EEllen Zegura\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the School of Computer Science who taught a \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/about\/advancing\/c4g\u0022\u003EComputing for Good\u003C\/a\u003E (C4G) course this semester. The expo will focus on projects students have done this semester in a number of colleges and schools and will also include participants in this semester\u2019s C4G courses, which in the past presented at their own expo.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAndy Pruett, who\u2019s pursuing a master\u2019s in human-computer interaction, will be there with his team, which created \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/stormy-harbor-1727.herokuapp.com\/\u0022\u003EFood Mapper\u003C\/a\u003E, an open and accessible platform that lets users map food sources in places where they are scarce (sometimes called \u201cfood deserts\u201d). Tackling the project from a service learning perspective served as a motivating factor in several ways.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen the project hits challenging spots, knowing that you are working to serve and volunteer can be a source of pride and drive,\u201d Pruett said. \u201cThe clients for these service learning projects can be emotionally dedicated to their work, and it\u2019s rewarding to know simple solutions can often make a significant difference for nonprofits and service providers.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe expo is the first event organized by the newly formed Service Learning and Community Engagement Council (SLCE), a group convened as part of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.strategicvision.gatech.edu\/projects\/service-learning-legacy-project\u0022\u003EStrategic Plan Service Learning and Legacy Project\u003C\/a\u003E, for which Zegura is a co-chair. It aims to build on current service learning activities on campus and promote social entrepreneurship and civic engagement in the Tech curriculum.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEfforts have an emphasis on undergraduate education but also affect the graduate experience, particularly in the case of cross-listed courses such as C4G that may be taken by both undergraduates and graduates. The SLCE plans to pursue a course designation for service learning course offerings. Around 10-15 courses have already been identified, and others would likely be added in the coming years.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the meantime, the expo is intended to showcase what\u2019s already being done and the momentum that exists for this type of learning.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOutreach by Tech students to the surrounding communities is important for the profile of the university,\u201d Pruett said. \u201cKnowing that the quality of the end result matters beyond the scope of the course is a positive and compelling reminder that details matter, decisions matter, communication matters, and execution matters. This soaks through the team, makes work more enjoyable, and makes small wins very rewarding.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to the expo, the SLCE is working on a concept paper as part of the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) for Georgia Tech\u2019s Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) reaccreditation. The QEP is intended to have broad application that enhances student learning or the learning environment. Tech\u2019s International Plan and Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program were both part of the QEP in Tech\u2019s last reaccreditation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAround 30 projects will be on display, with their creators, at the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/calendar\/8248\/254641\/tech4good-civic-engagement-expo\u0022\u003ETech4Good expo\u003C\/a\u003E this Wednesday, Dec. 4, from 4\u20136 p.m. on the first floor of the Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EExpo will showcase about 30 student projects that benefit nearby nonprofits and community partners.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Expo will showcase about 30 student projects that benefit nearby nonprofits and community partners."}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2013-11-27 15:32:59","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:15:25","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2013-12-02T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2013-12-02T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"258171":{"id":"258171","type":"image","title":"Zane Cochran Teaches Photography in Liberia","body":null,"created":"1449243856","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 15:44:16","changed":"1475894938","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:48:58","alt":"Zane Cochran Teaches Photography in Liberia","file":{"fid":"198275","name":"img_33071.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/img_33071_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/img_33071_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":70829,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/img_33071_0.jpg?itok=xEI0R2OY"}}},"media_ids":["258171"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.strategicvision.gatech.edu\/projects\/service-learning-legacy-project","title":"Service Learning and Legacy Project"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/~ewz","title":"About Ellen Zegura"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/about\/advancing\/c4g","title":"About Computing for Good"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"7806","name":"computing for good"},{"id":"167890","name":"service learning"},{"id":"167488","name":"strategic plan"},{"id":"81001","name":"tech4good"}],"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\u003Cbr \/\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}