Statement of Objectives:
Funding is requested through this mechanism to obtain 50% teaching release time for two semesters (Fall, 2004 and Spring 2005). The release time obtained will be used to develop honors enhanced sections of the two existing interdisciplinary courses being considered for approval to satisfy the General Education Requirement (Group IV- Diversity and Multiculturalism). This project addresses the two areas listed: (1) New content and/or modes of instruction linking current faculty research or scholarship to general education courses (2) Pedagogical innovation related to multiple learning styles of students.
The Asian American
Studies Institute (AASI) is an interdisciplinary academic
program devoted to the study of the Asian American experience within the larger
context of an evolving American society. The AASI offers interdisciplinary
courses in allied health, history, art, English and sociology. Currently I am
teaching two AASI courses AASI-215 (Critical Health issues of Asian Americans)
and AASI-216 (Asian Medical Systems). These courses are open to all majors and
enjoy student enrollment from a diverse array of majors ranging from music to
molecular biology. Such diversity in the student composition offers the
greatest challenge of multiple styles of learning and levels of analytical and
critical thinking. The course material that I propose to develop will address
these challenges and also seek ways of incorporating my research and
scholarship into these courses.
Relation to the new General Education
Requirements:
These two courses
are appropriate for group IV (Diversity and Multiculturalism) because they
create awareness and develop an appreciation of the
differences and similarities among people by studying the ideas, history,
values, beliefs and/or creative expressions of the diverse groups of Asian
Americans. They also address one of
the two national priorities of public health “to eliminate disparities
among all” (listed in the national initiative Healthy People 2010) and
examine the alternative systems of medicine to understand the ancient
healthcare systems (listed as priority areas in NIH-NCCAM grant announcements).
These two courses have been approved by the AASI for submission
to the GEOC for consideration and approval as Group-IV courses.
o
AASI-215 (Critical Health Issues of
Asian Americans): This course considers the varieties of health beliefs, values
and human experiences in healthcare and promote greater understanding
of and engender sensitivity to issues specific to healthcare involving human
rights and migration.
o
AASI-216 (Asian Medical Systems):
This course emphasizes that ancient healthcare and healing systems are unique
cultural creations based on observations of nature and the Universe. This
course is also proposed to meet the “international” requirement of
the General Education because it describes the cultural continuities and
transformations of these beliefs and systems over time for several centuries
and space outside the
Development of Honors Enhanced Sections:
AASI supports design
and development of curriculum as well as instructional methods to suit the
student needs and interests. Recognizing the need for an honors enhanced
curriculum the AASI approved an honors section of AASI-216 (Spring 2004). This
honors enhanced section that was originally capped at 5 was expanded to allow
the enrollment of 11 students.
Proposed activities during the grant
period:
Evaluation of
objectives:
The following outcomes may be used as a measure of the courses: (1)
increased honors student enrollment (2) increased number of research
presentations at the UCONN Frontiers in undergraduate research presentations
(3) better understanding of the assignments and improved student evaluations
(4) student recruitment in my research areas that include minority health
issues and alternative medicine.
Time
line:
o
Fall
2004- Submission to
GEOC for consideration and inclusion in the new general education curriculum in
time for the 2005/06 catalog.
o
September
2004-December 2004: Course material selection and compilation
from peer-reviewed journal papers and review articles and powerpoint slide
preparations
o
January 2005- June 2005- Preparation and editing of all
documents/student exercises for final printing
o
March
2005- May 2005-
Printing, final proofing and binding
o
August,
2005- AASI 215 Course
material prepared will be used for the course offering in Fall 2005. This
course is offered every fall semester.
o
January
2006- AASI 216 Course
material prepared will be used for the course offering in Spring 2006. This
course is offered every Spring semester
Budget
Narrative:
|
Item/description/justification |
Amount ($) |
|
Adjunct salary for teaching release time (Fall 2004) |
3,600 |
|
Adjunct salary for teaching release time (Spring 2005) |
3,600 |
|
Printing and binding costs (as per estimate from the
University printing services) |
1,200 |
|
Total amount requested |
8,000 |