‘Holy Cross class ditches the syllabus in favor of ‘experimenting’’

The education issue of Worcester Magazine featured an article on a new class at the College of the Holy Cross titled CreateLab. This unique class structure is an experiment in what happens when the professor flips the traditional script by throwing away the syllabus and inviting students to plan their own education, and the results were surprising.

The course is taught by eight professors from seven disciplines. Theater, business, psychology, sociology, music, visual arts and English were all represented in the inaugural semester of the class, which wrapped up in December. The class generally focuses on lectures and projects about creativity and imagination, but the format varies from week to week. Keeping students engaged and learning to think quick on their feet.

Theater professor Lynn Kremer started the class as part of the “Arts Transcending Borders” program, which focuses on pairing the arts with academics. A  grant from the Andrew W. Mellon foundation makes this non-traditional class experience possible for students at the College.

Theatre and English major Julia McCarthy ’15 says “Every class there was kind of a veneer that we had to break each time because we're so used to trying to be perfect and trying to be what our teachers want in other classes, but each class we had to shed that, and once we shed that amazing things happened,” McCarthy further explains “I think the mentality of turning your mistakes into something cool and not be afraid to fail was the best thing I got out of this class.”

Read the full article here.

This “Holy Cross in the News” item by Kelly Ethier.