FCTL Summer Institute 2002

1. FCTL Summer Institute 2002 Summary Report from pairs preparing to teach unique sections of: • AMH 4270 The United States from 1939-1960 • EDF 4603 Analysis of Critical Issues in Education • PHI 3930 Ethics in Science and Technology • POT 4932 Politics and Literature • SYG 2000 General Sociology Sponsored by the Academic Affairs Interdisciplinary Initiative

2. Participating Professors • Dick Adicks (English) • Dwight Kiel (Political Science) • Mike Bass (Physics/School of Optics) • Don Jones (Philosophy) • Bob Flick (Humanities) • Jennifer Deets (Educational Studies) • Giles Hoglin (Communication) • Ida Cook (Sociology) • Harry Smith (Theater) • Spencer Downing (History)

3. Introduction • The five pairs attending the 2002 Summer Institute are participating in a pilot program designed to increase the number and kind of interdisciplinary offerings at UCF. Retired (or retiring) faculty members from several disciplines have been matched with current faculty members of differing disciplines in order to restructure or create interdisciplinary courses to be offered in Fall 2002 and Spring 2003.

4. Group Statement of Purpose • Develop new strategies • Refresh approaches to teaching • Learn how to collaborate effectively • Learn how to increase interdisciplinarity, the use of multiple disciplinary perspectives, within courses • Use collaboration time to plan specific courses

5. Example from the PHI 3930 Team • Develop existing course in order to: • introduce point of view of working scientists • design 12 modules to include cultural, historical, and contemporary dimensions of issues • select topics for guest experts • develop subunit on women in science and technology • develop special ways to explore international status of science

6. Settings • AMH 4270 • upper division timeline history course • EDF 4603 • upper division course required of all education majors • PHI 3930 • likely an “E” course suitable for up to 100 students • POT 4932 • upper division political science course • SYG 2000 • lower division General Education Program sociology course

7. Teaching and Learning Problems • (Possible or Potential) Problems: • differences in grading expectations and methods across disciplines • students’ fear of one or the other disciplines in a course • lack of appreciation for forging interdisciplinary connections • maintenance of student interest • expectations of students that the courses be “traditional” according to their home disciplines

8. Learning Goals for Us • Find ways to teach critical speaking and writing • Find ways to make class time interesting to students and professors • Find ways to raise levels of learning • Learn how to negotiate with a co-teacher • Find ways to make the material relevant

9. Learning Goals for Students • Experience the blending of multiple disciplines as they focus on a topic • Experience the unique uses of language, concepts, and strategies as professors explore those topics from multiple perspectives • Learn how to make connections across disciplines themselves

10. Example of Problem and Goal from EDF 4603 Team • Problem: • Recognize need to appeal to five senses • Goal: • introduce slides and other visuals • include music with discussion of artistic expressions of religion and when we consider role of poetry and music in ancient education

11. Creating a Learning Environment • Institute facilitators have helped show how the following dimensions can enhance our courses: • collaborative activities and projects • role-playing and mock courtroom trials • sharing our personal experience with various topics • focusing on student learning rather than progress through a textbook • being explicit about our goals and expectations

12. Learning Environment Example from EDF 4603 Team • As a course in a teacher-preparation program, we hope to teach contemporary issues from multiple perspectives as well as model how to plan and interact with colleagues from other disciplines or areas. • As with other pairs, we hope to demonstrate how life-long learning is manifested. • We anticipate using lectures, readings, discussions, projects, guests, small- and large-group activities, and real-world experience to teach and to assess learning.

13. Outcomes for Us as Professors • Awareness of additional preparation requirements (e.g., reading additional texts) • Need to download Institute materials for detailed perusal • Excitement of meeting new challenges • Anticipation of continued planning throughout Summer and Fall semesters

14. Potential Outcomes for Students • Their awareness of interconnectedness of all domains of knowledge will increase. • If we succeed in creating many-faceted, multi-sensory environments, they may seek to do the same in their own classrooms, lives, family situations. • Their enjoyment and comprehension will grow hand-in-hand.

15. Example of Potential Outcome for AMH 4270 • The introduction of theory and appreciation of Dramatic Literature and Film will not only provide the students with an interesting body of information, but will provide them with understandings which will enable them to appreciate life and culture long after they have finished the course.

16. Implementation • Include statement in course schedule indicating interdisciplinary nature of these courses • Tools are readily available at UCF and in the city: • electronic classrooms • theaters • museums • schools • Recognition of the need to stay in close contact with our co-teachers and to work to refine the course in all of its aspects: requirements, assessment, participation, grading.

17. Conclusions • We leave the Institute with a clearer perspective on the collaborative process of teaching • We can view this project as an experiment that will need to be evaluated as we proceed and at the end of our courses • The Institute has provided considerable insight into the techniques, advantages, and desirability of engaging in such an interdisciplinary project.