This document describes the evolution of the Exploratory College at Rio Hondo Junior College (Whittier, California) from its inception at a faculty retreat in 1970 through its first year of operation in 1972-73. The Exploratory College was designed as an alternative center for exploring new ways of learning within the college community. By being a…

Innovation programs in higher education are generally received with some skepticism and are often asked to justify their existence and the funding they are accorded. Since the programs are largely efforts to explore and demonstrate effective teaching and learning not present in traditional postsecondary education, the appropriateness of judging…