"Promoting Teaching Excellence and Quality Student Learning in Integrative Studies," led by Assistant Director Kirk Kidwell.
Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs) are ongoing discussion groups that allow MSU colleagues to gather from across departments in order to discuss and develop their skills around a specific teaching and learning topic. This FLC proposes to help integrative studies faculty understand better the role and importance of integrative studies and how they might best teach such courses. FLC members will review the literature on general education and integrative learning, investigate best teaching practices, and explore the unique challenges and opportunities such courses pose for the faculty who teach and the students who enroll in these courses.
In March 2009, Dr. Rosina Hassoun presented "Droplets of Hope: Searching for Sustainability and Common Ground through Traditional Water Altitudes and Knowledge in the Arab/Israeli Conflict" at the UNESCO 5th World Water Forum in Istanbul, Turkey. Dr. Hassoun teaches IAH 210 (The Middle East and the World) and 211C (Arab Americans) on a regular basis, and CISAH research funds supported this trip.
As a follow up to this experience, the UNESCO-IHP (International Hydrologic Program has invited Dr. Hassoun to present at the UNESCO Symposium Water, Cultural Diversity, and Global Environmental Change: Emerging Trends, Kyoto, Japan (October 1-3, 2009) at the Research Institute for Humanity.
The objective of this symposium is to encourage global recognition of, and respect for, cultural diversity in water resources management, in order to facilitate collaborative actions for sustainability of water and cultures. The symposium will bring together an international and interdisciplinary community of scholars, scientists, advocates and policy makers to explore various issues, such as: "water cultures" and the culture of water; how traditional ways of life are threatened due to the loss of water resources, and, how traditional knowledge might contribute towards future water security; how water resource development and management has undermined the viability of culturally diverse groups, and, how water resource management can strengthen biodiversity and cultural diversity; and, alternative futures: strategic recommendations for incorporating sociocultural perspectives into water resource management systems, addressing rights and entitlements to water, and stewardship principles and responsibilities. In addition to this invitation, Dr. Hassoun?s paper has been accepted for publication in a book that will be published by UNESCO and this organization is, this time, supporting her expenses. Our warmest congratulations to Dr. Hassoun for this international recognition.
Maria Soledad Gomez and Washington Cucurto. members of Eloisa Cartonera Publishing Cooperative in Argentina, visit MSU on October 6-7. IAH 241F students, led by professor Marco Díaz-Munoz, will have the opportunity of experiencing the philosophy of first-hand making of cardboard/hand-painted books by this Argentinean editorial project.
Date&Location:A panel of MSU faculty facilitated by Dr. Carrie Heeter recently chose to honor the course of one faculty members from the College of Arts and Letters as an Honorable Mention in the Blended category in the AT&T Instructional Technology awards for 2009. IAH 241E: The Creative Process was developed and designed by a team led by Professor Kirk Domer (Theater).
Four students that took IAH 203/section 1 in fall semester 08, presented their final papers in the 2009 UG Conference of Latin American Studies organized by CLACS at MSU.
Date&Location:Within the section of IAH 241E The Sources of Creativity, led by professor and writer Nancy Bunge, four artists engage in a conversation on their journey towards and through the creative process in writing, music and visual arts.
After careful selection, revision of materials and deliberations, the CIS-AH Advisory committee recommended two IAH faculty for the 2009 Fintz Award and three teaching assistants for the 2009 Somers awards.
Date&Location:Supported by IAH travel funds, Dr. Rosina Hassoun (IAH 210: The Middle East and the World and IAH 211C: Arab Americans) attended and presented a paper at the Fifth World Water Forum in Istanbul, Turkey in March 16-22, 2009. The panel in which she presented was sponsored by UNESCO and attended by 30,000 people.
Professor Christian Lotz, Assistant Professor of Philosophy and IAH 231A faculty and member of the CIS-AH Advisory Committee, has been awared one the six 2009 Teacher-Scholar Awards in recognition of his devotion and skill in teaching.
After attending a conference on Poes studies in Nice (France) early this year, Professor Steve Rachman, faculty of record of IAH 207 (Literatures, Cultures and Identities), along with Professor J. Gerald Kennedy (Louisiana State U) and Susan E. Sweeney (College of the Holy Cross), talked in NPR Tom Ashbrock's On Point: Master of the macabre, Edgar Allan Poe, at 200.