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A group of blurred students walking. C21U, a Catalyst for Impactful Innovation

Established in 2010, the Center for 21st Century Universities (C21U) is Georgia Tech's living laboratory for fundamental educational change.

Serving as a research arm of the College of Lifetime Learning, C21U's technologists and researchers support the Institute's innovation mission by pushing the boundaries of what is already done in higher education to bring learners the most impactful resources and technologies.

We serve as a nexus of collaboration and communication and a catalyst for innovation, bringing together an array of internal and external partners across various disciplines.

Through a sustained and systemic program of research, experimentation, design, prototyping, and implementation, C21U serves the Institute in thought leadership, educational technology design, community building, and support of Georgia Tech stakeholders of all ages.

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Featured Research

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Young Asian man student using laptop computer and taking notes in a notebook.

The global pandemic accelerated the shift to remote teaching, leading to a rise in digital course materials such as textbooks. However, existing literature indicates limited research on how online students utilize digital textbooks and the features they find valuable for their online learning experiences and desire to aid their learning. Therefore, this research aimed to explore the experiences and perceptions among diverse online students and then draw implications for designing future intelligent textbooks.

Recent News

Using Generative AI in Education: Learning by Doing

At 1EdTech's 2024 Learning Impact Conference, panelists in the "Intersection of AI and Education" session argued that using AI is essential for understanding and preparing for the future. Sandra DeCastro, vice president of marketing and higher education programs at 1EdTech, spoke with Tom Andriola of the University of California, Irvine, who moderated the discussion, and panelists Ryan Lufkin of Global Academic Strategy at Instructure, Steve Harmon of Georgia Tech, and Shawna Dark of UC Berkeley to share their insights in this article.

Georgia Tech Commits to Doubling Educational Reach

Today, the Institute announced the launch of its new College of Lifetime Learning, a cornerstone initiative in its commitment to double the number of degrees granted and non-degree learners reached by 2030. The announcement was made at the annual Institute Address by Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera, who emphasized the Institute's dedication to transformative education.

THE podcast: How Technology is Reshaping the 21st-Century Campus

In this episode, Steve Harmon, C21U executive director, and Lev Gonick, chief information officer at Arizona State University, discuss how technology is redefining the university experience. They were both speakers at Times Higher Education’s Digital Universities US 2024 event.

(Photo: Eliza Compton, Campus deputy editor, and Steve Harmon.)

How Familiar Are Your Students with AI and VR?

Higher education institutions must assess students' technological proficiency, readiness to utilize advanced tools, and rationale behind their usage to prepare tomorrow's workforce. In this Times Higher Education article C21U's research scientist, Meryem Yılmaz Soylu, shares strategies for equipping students to thrive in this technology-driven era.

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