July 20, 2003

The Middle East and Cross-Regional Connections Project Description

The U. S. Department of Education Title VI Project, The Middle East and Cross-Regional Connections, includes lectures, Teaching Center discussions and a 15-day Summer Seminar. Topics will include areas traditionally designated as Mesopotamia, Persia and Arabia, the history and complexity of Islamic traditions, and early Judaic history in the Israel/Palestine area. The 2004-2005 year will look at the spread of Islamic and Arabic cultures in Asia, Africa and Europe as well as the Jewish Diaspora. Faculty will meet in interdisciplinary Teaching Circles while testing new material and sharing teaching strategies. A two-day retreat in May 2005 will serve as a capstone experience.

Community College of Philadelphia is distinguished by being awarded three such prestigious grants from the U.S. Department of Education in such rapid succession. In past years faculty have enjoyed the camaraderie of reading and discussing new material together and becoming acquainted with some of the best scholars in the world.

Expectations for Title VI Middle East “Course Infusers”

1. There will be a series of lectures and Teaching Center Discussions led by outside specialists and discussions led by Community College of Philadelphia faculty. For lectures given during your class time, we invite you to bring classes if appropriate.

2. Participants will write a “course module” and pilot integrating the material into an existing course the second year. These modules are five to ten page documents that describe a course unit covering three to five weeks of material. Modules present annotated reading lists of required and recommended readings for students; study questions to aid student comprehension and discussion of texts; questions for essay assignments and examinations; and descriptions of other activities such as the use of audio-visual materials and field trips.

3. Participants will attend a Summer Seminar in 2004 and a two-day Capstone Retreat in Summer 2005.

Year One Time-Line

· There will be background reading and specific readings for each presentation.

· During Fall 2003 and Spring 2004 semesters a total of 6 lectures plus 6 Teaching Center workshops will be led by outside specialists. Many workshops will be held Tuesday or Thursday 2:00-3:30 pm.

· During Fall 2003 and Spring 2004 semesters there will be at a total of 4 workshops led by Community College of Philadelphia faculty familiar with Middle Eastern material.

· From May 10 to June 10, 2004, there will be a 15-day faculty development Summer Institute, held from 11 am to 4 pm, typically 3 days a week.

· In Summer II, July-August 2004, Infusion Faculty will write drafts of their

modules. The first draft is due Sept. 1, 2004.

Year Two Time-Line

· During Fall 2004 and Spring 2005 a total of 8 lectures and follow-up Teaching Center Workshops will be held on topics relating the Middle East to Africa, Europe and Asia.

· Faculty will pilot teaching Middle East material in one or more courses.

· Faculty will meet in interdisciplinary Teaching Circles a total of 10 times.

· January 2005-- Modules will be posted on a web-site and duplicated for distribution.

· There will be a two-day Capstone Retreat in early May 2005 which will feature specialist speakers from different area studies comparing perspectives.

· June 2005 Participants will prepare a three-five page report reflecting on their teaching of Middle East material in the 2004-2005 academic year and their plans to continue to revise their courses.