Technology in Arts & Letters Disciplines: Dual Learning Opportunities
ISLA and the Computer Applications Program (CAPP) support a joint course development competition open to all Arts & Letters faculty. This competition is intended for faculty who are willing to develop courses in their own disciplines that also are appropriate to the mission of CAPP, which is to provide A&L students with an understanding of, and proficiency in, various facets of computing and information technology (see http://www.nd.edu/~capp for more information on CAPP). These new courses might be offered exclusively within CAPP or, more likely, cross-listed in CAPP and the Department within which the faculty member resides.
The type of course targeted by this proposal is one in which there is a dual learning opportunity for students consisting of a significant technology learning experience, along with learning the content normally associated with the course topic or discipline. A significant technology learning experience would be one in which that aspect constituted between 30% and 50% of the total learning/work requirements entailed by the class. A course merely using technology as a means to an end (e.g., as a learning delivery system) will not fulfill this requirement. Rather, a course would need to offer students an opportunity to gain some proficiency with the technology component, along with their exposure to the liberal arts subject matter featured in the course. For example, a class in which traditional subject matter was delivered to students via the Internet would not qualify as the kind of dual learning opportunity being solicited. However, a course in which students learned about some aspect of a liberal arts discipline as well as about how to deliver that subject matter effectively over the Internet would qualify.
Proposals submitted to this initiative should explain both the content and technology learning opportunities with which students will be presented in the proposed course. Also appropriate is some discussion of the specific technological tools (i.e., software applications, etc.) students will employ. The proposal should articulate the developer’s degree of familiarity with the technology in question and should outline any initial or ongoing technical support requirements for the proposed course. Preferences will be given to those technologies employing software and hardware infrastructures already available on campus.
Awards will consist of a one-time materials grant in the amount of $3,500. Faculty can use these funds to add a technology learning experience to an existing course or to create an entirely new course.