PULLMAN, Wash. — Washington State University is one of eight centers
nation-wide to lead model seminars this summer on the application of new
technologies in humanities education.
Sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American
Social History Project, the New Media Classroom Project offers educators the
chance to join scholars and multimedia designers to explore the issues and
challenges of teaching in an electronic age.
The topics include resources available on the Web and CD-ROM and how
these resources are best integrated into instruction and student research.
Participants also will discuss the implications for humanities at all levels of
instruction, and how to support teacher training and faculty development as
new technologies are incorporated into teaching and learning in the
humanities.
“Advances in technology provide teachers with exciting possibilities for
improving and expanding classroom practice,” said Bill Condon, director of
WSU’s Campus Writing Programs and a spokesperson for the NEH Western
Regional Summer Institute for Faculty Development. “Using technologies from
word processing to the World Wide Web, teachers have designed courses
and projects that invite students to explore new ways of reading, responding
to and creating knowledge in humanities disciplines.”
The program includes the July 8-12 institute, “Finding What Works: Best
Practice(s) in the New Media Classroom,” at WSU’s Vancouver campus; a
yearlong, online seminar; and follow-up meetings, all focusing on successful
implementation of new media-based instruction.
Thirty secondary teachers and graduate students, as well as faculty from two-
and four-year colleges and universities, can join the program, Condon said.
The program is open to educators who teach a U.S. history survey, American
studies or comparable interdisciplinary humanities survey, interdisciplinary
history/English, or other interdisciplinary courses that would benefit from the
project. Candidates will be selected on interest and experience in using
inquiry-based classroom teaching, exploring online communication systems,
and expanding their professional knowledge and teaching repertoires.
Additional information and registration details are available at the institute’s
Web site at http://www.hrc.wsu.edu/NewMedia/ or from Condon,
509/335-2268, bcondon@wsu.edu, or Susan Kilgore, associate director, WSU
General Education Program, 509/335-5699, skilgore@wsu.edu.
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