Inside the Museum

Taught by Andrew Schulz, professor of Art History.

This class seeks to equip students to become inquisitive and sophisticated members of the museum-going public by teaching them to analyze culturally diverse works of art in ways not possible in traditional classroom settings.

The class is structured around first-hand contact with works at the UO Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, and will encourage students to view museums, not just as repositories of cultural artifacts, but as sites of knowledge open to critical scrutiny.

Integrated Discovery-Based Teaching of Microbiology

Taught by Karen Guillemin, assistant professor of biology, and Alan Kelly, instructor of biology.

This class redesigns the microbiology lecture and laboratory course so lectures are coordinated with laboratory exercises that focus on research questions in the major sub-disciplines of microbiology.

This discovery-based learning will teach students how we know what we know, and will provide them with important skills in the acquisition and critical evaluation of information, skills invaluable to a wide range of future careers.

Philosophy of Disaster and Emergency Response

This class, taught by Philosophy Professor Naomi Zack, aims, in the shadow of 9/11 and hurricane Katrina, to philosophically develop a humanistic approach to disaster preparation and emergency response from the standpoint of civilian individuals and communities.

As an undergraduate course, the focus of this class is on the importance of individual choice, reflection, and practical emergency preparation. Its purpose is to contribute to the new multidisciplinary field of disaster studies and to benefit students in the class, the UO, the Eugene community, and beyond.

The Language Development Academy

The Language Development Academy, proposed by Interim Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and Professor of Chinese Stephen Durrant, Assistant Professor of Linguistics Susan Guion, and Director of the Yamada Language Center Jeff Magoto, aims to improve and more firmly establish the teaching of four less commonly taught languages: Arabic, Korean, Portuguese and Swahili.

The Academy would guarantee instruction in these increasingly important languages for four years, followed by a review, after which languages could be added, dropped or strengthened by transfer into one of the regular departments within CAS.

Restructuring and Broadening Fundamentals of Elementary Mathematics

This class is taught by Mathematics Education Coordinator and Instructor Scott Fallstrom and Professor of Mathematics Shlomo Libeskind. It is based on the fact that concepts of algebra and geometry, as well as probability and statistics, are being taught in the elementary school curriculum. It is aimed at teaching prospective elementary school teachers these in-depth concepts through the use of hands-on manipulatives and supporting written materials.

The use of manipulatives, materials that are physically handled in order to help understand the mathematical concepts and principles, enables the prospective teachers to better understand, and thus better teach, these complex topics to elementary students.

Modern China in Film

This class, taught by History Professor Bryna Goodman, proposes to use Chinese film (as well as film from other nations) as a visual perspective into the history of China. With its ability to present historical events at the level of daily life and experience, film can enable this course to appeal beyond those who normally take Chinese history courses and increase the number of students who will encounter the history of this important culture.

The class also will engage students to think critically about film, as well as enable them to better apprehend China’s global integration throughout the modern era.

Integrated Pedagogical Training and Field-Based Teaching Opportunities in the Environmental Studies Curriculum

Taught by instructors Kathryn Lynch and Steve Mital, this class offers students hands-on experience in wetlands, forests and marine ecosystems so they are better able to carry out the educational work in careers with the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, state parks, local schools, and other educational settings.

Backed by the study of influential writers in the field, students work together in small groups with a community partner gaining experience that will translate their classroom knowledge into meaningful educational programs for the community.