(1995). Melting Pot or Not? Debating Cultural Identity. Multicultural Issues. The United States has been called a "melting pot," a container in which separate materials are heated and blended. When people call the United States a melting pot, they are using a metaphor for the blending of cultures that some feel has occurred in this country. Others doubt that America has been a melting pot, and many doubt that it should be. These issues are debated for young people in terms of what it means to be American. The idea popularized by Israel Zangwill's play "The Melting Pot" is that the United States would absorb and transform all immigrants. In fact, immigrants have not found the melting process smooth. The experiences of African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, and other ethnic groups are described. The debate about the importance of multiculturalism will not be soon resolved, but Americans on both sides might consider the compromise involved in a Pledge of Allegiance that refers to "one nation, united in our…
(1997). Issues of Education at Community Colleges: Essays by Fellows in the Mid-Career Fellowship Program at Princeton University, June 1997. This collection contains essays on contemporary issues facing community colleges written by fellows in Princeton University's Mid-Career Fellowship Program. The essays are as follows: \Is Middlesex County College Accomplishing Its Mission?\ (Xenia P. Balabkins); \The Coming of Age of Women's Studies: Attention Must be Paid\ (Lynne M. DeCicco); \The Psychology of Women and Gender\ (Miriam M. Dumville); \An English Professor Considers Mathematics\ (Noreen L. Duncan); \On Assessing Philosophical Literacy\ (Saul Kelton); \Literary Magazines at Community Colleges: Their Forms and Impact\ (Bonnie M. MacDougall); \Clarifying Institutional Policy Toward International Students: A Community College Self-Study Model\ (Sara B. Pfaffenroth); \Multiculturalism: A Design for Introductory Literature on the Community College Level\ (Madeline Santoro); \New Technologies in Mathematics\ (Jorge Sarmiento); \Proposal for an Early Retirement Incentive Program at Mercer County Community College\ (Arthur… [PDF]
(1997). Fresno City College, Exploring America's Communities. Progress Report. In 1996, Fresno City College (California) participated in the American Association of Community Colleges' Exploring America's Communities project, which works to strengthen the teaching and learning of American history, literature, and culture at U.S. community colleges. The college's action plan has four major objectives: establishing an American Studies discipline, forming a faculty committee on "pluralism and identity," changing the curriculum, and ensuring dissemination of the activities focusing on diversity and identity on campus and in the community. A new course on American pluralism was developed and a colloquium on pluralism and its meaning was held. A symposium on the search for common values in the midst of diversity, featuring an essay contest, a panel discussion, and a celebration of multiculturalism, was also conducted. The college's Honors' colloquia included several conversations on the meaning of diversity, ethnic identity, and commonalties of American… [PDF]
(1997). From Fragments to the Whole: Integrating Diversity and Unity in the Academic Foundations Program at Hudson County Community College. In 1996, New Jersey's Hudson County Community College (HCCC) participated in the American Association of Community Colleges' Exploring America's Communities project, works to strengthen the teaching and learning of American history, literature, and culture at U.S. community colleges. The primary goal of HCCC's project was to provide reading materials and writing assignments that will help students in developmental courses develop college-level skills while reinforcing their knowledge of American culture. Specific objectives included developing a course anthology of readings on eight topics, an oral history project, and faculty development workshops. Much progress has been made in the collection of materials for the developmental English course anthology. Both full-length texts and shorter articles and chapters suitable for developmental students have been selected and some have been field-tested in the classroom. The Oral History component of the project was integrated into a Basic… [PDF]
(1997). Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Exploring America's Communities. Progress Report. In 1996, the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College participated in the American Association of Community Colleges' Exploring America's Communities project, which worked to strengthen the instruction of American history, literature, and culture at U.S. community colleges. The primary objective of the college's action plan was to establish a team-taught, interdisciplinary course using films, historical readings, and literary works to examine the American experience. The course would attempt to explore America's process as a polyglot attempting to assimilate its diverse population, but which often divided itself along lines of race, prejudice, bigotry, religion, and sex. To involve colleagues, at least one workshop on multiculturalism was planned. The following three accomplishments were made: four workshops on multiculturalism were held, reaching approximately 250 members of the college community; an additional section was added to the new course due to high demand; and the team… [PDF]
(1997). Motlow State Community College, Exploring America's Communities: Honors American Studies. Progress Report. In 1996, Tennessee's Motlow State Community College (MSCC) participated in the American Association of Community Colleges' Exploring America's Communities project, which works to strengthen the instruction of American history, literature, and culture at U.S. community colleges. MSCC's goal is to introduce an understanding of cultural diversity which goes beyond tolerance to achieve acceptance. MSCC uses an integrated program of study which investigates, through both oral and written literature and historical records, the diversity present in its cultural community. MSCC's long-range goal is to produce an integrated Honors program which addresses, in an interdisciplinary fashion, the richness of local and national cultural heritage and the skills necessary to adapt to and profit from change. The prototype team-taught honors course was taught for the first time, operating from a syllabus which looks at change and value shifts in the past in order to develop sensitivity toward and… [PDF]
(1997). Northampton Community College, Exploring America's Communities. Progress Report. In 1996, Northampton Community College (Pennsylvania) participated in the Exploring America's Communities project sponsored by the American Association of Community Colleges. The project works to strengthen the teaching and learning of American history, literature, and culture at U.S. community colleges. One of the major goals of the project is the revision of two literature classes: one course was expanded to include more works by Native American, African-American, Hispanic-American, and Asian-American writers; and the other, an African-American literature class, was altered to broaden understanding about what it means to be an American. Revisions in the general literature class were made through the inclusion of new textbooks, new instructional approaches, and new course themes. Throughout the semester, the instructor was able to integrate conversations around the issues of pluralism, American identity, commonalties, and differences by encouraging small group discussions held… [PDF]
(1997). Rockland Community College, Exploring America's Communities. Progress Report. In 1996, Rockland Community College (New York) participated in the American Association of Community Colleges' Exploring America's Communities project, which works to strengthen the teaching and learning of American history, literature, and culture at U.S. community colleges. The Task Force on College Pluralism and Identity, appointed in 1990, has made a number of significant recommendations which were adopted as College policy. Primary goals of the action plan included engaging in a series of activities to review and revise the courses in American history and literature and to develop a new inter-disciplinary, team-taught course in Latino/a culture. Accomplishments of the program included: revised Learning Activity proposals; a proposal for an interdisciplinary team-taught course on Latino studies; a colloquium on a novel by a Latina feminist; and hosting a live, national call-in video teleconference. None of the activities have yet reached the classroom, although the concept of… [PDF]
(1997). Tyler Junior College, Exploring America's Communities. In 1996, Texas's Tyler Junior College (TJC) participated in the American Association of Community Colleges' Exploring America's Communities project, which works to strengthen the teaching and learning of American history, literature, and culture at U.S. community colleges. TJC's action plan goals were to solicit administrative endorsement and support of the project, to infuse the existing curriculum with at least one pluralism concept among specified courses, to provide opportunities for faculty dialogue pertaining to cultural diversity, to establish multicultural awareness throughout the campus and community, and to initiate student pluralism projects. The program's accomplishments included making presentations to the college president, the Instructional Counsel, and the Faculty Senate about the program; implementing a new interdisciplinary course examinig the cultural development of America; hosting a luncheon for faculty to explore identity issues; developing a bibliography on… [PDF]
(1995). Voices of the Spirit: Sources for Interpreting the African-American Experience. The face of America is changing rapidly, and this guide helps meet the increasing need for information about our multiethnic populace. Classic and contemporary resources in African American history, from 1883 to the present, are annotated and discussed. When available, reprint information is provided for classic resources. A variety of resources are highlighted, including collections of primary documents, historical photographic books, traveling exhibits, and videotapes. The objective is to inspire the researcher to move beyond the prevailing stereotypes of African Americans found in standard print and electronic media. Six chapters are arranged by genre and historical period as follows: reference books; collective biography and genealogy; historiographical works; general historical surveys; and historical works by chronological period, from slavery to reconstruction. The annotations are designed to provide enough detailed information to help in curriculum material inclusion…
(1998). Evaluating an Intercultural Internet Writing Project through a Framework of Activities and Goals. A framework for student Internet writing projects is proposed that consists of learning outcome goals and component activities. The framework is intended to be useful when designing and developing Internet writing projects and when evaluating student outcomes. Six learning goals are outlined: (1) engagement; (2) consideration of purpose and audience; (3) evaluation and synthesis of information; (4) developing personal standards for writing; (5) cultural awareness; and (6) participation in a literate community. Seven component activities are also outlined: (1) publishing; (2) friendship exchanges; (3) data sharing; (4) collaborative artifact creation; (5) peer critiquing; (6) mentoring; and (7) question asking. The paper shows how the framework could be applied to a pilot project in which students sent questions to African respondents via e-mail, used the replies in revisions of invented \folktales,\ and published the final stories on the Web. Through this example, the paper shows… [PDF]
(1993). Food for Thought. This document describes "Food for Thought," a multidisciplinary project for grades 5 through 8, using nutrition as a focal point. The program focuses on the popular topic of food to make the study of different cultures and historic periods more relevant. In the program students research the diets and prepare the meals of cultures they are studying. They learn that humans throughout history have been driven by similar nutrition needs whether they were Mayans, Roman Centurions, European explorers, or astronauts. Studying history through food conveys a clearer picture of people in the past: what they believed, how they experienced events, and how they conducted their lives. Students draw the important connection between then and now. The program becomes particularly relevant when students examine their own diets and evaluate them using computer software. (SG)… [PDF]
(1982). Cross-Cultural Education: Its Relevance and Implications in the United States. This paper analyzes the relevance and implications of cross-cultural education for citizens of the United States and foreigners, and provides several definitions of culture. Educators must get closer to the foreign culture they are interested in learning or teaching. In that way they would discover how members of other cultures learn and could then understand why people of different cultures react differently to the same stimuli. Since this has not been done, Americans have become ethnocentric and have alienated other countries that are needed as allies. In the technological world of today it is a moral obligation to learn about the cultures of other countries, if one wishes to be able to evaluate their actions. Americans' main problem lies in their ignorance regarding deep-set cultural patterns of different nations. This ignorance results in a lack of respect for those patterns. Also included are suggestions for possible solutions of some world problems that could be supplied by…
(1981). Cross-Cultural Training in the Community College Curriculum. While technological advances have transformed man's social and cultural environment and increased the interconnection between individuals and cultures, they have not in themselves led to a deeper understanding of other cultures. Educational programs can play an important role in remedying this defect and in developing students' sensitivity to other cultures as well as promoting an increased awareness of world issues. Within this framework and within the context of dramatic socioeconomic changes in Hawaii, a course in intercultural communications was developed at Kauai Community College. An existing model was adapted to the particular needs and conditions of the college and community, resulting in: (1) the adoption of a workshop format; (2) offering the course for credit; (3) the inclusion of a significant amount of the theory and principles of intercultural communication; and (4) the integration into the course of a weekend camping retreat which emphasized participation, communal…
(1997). Instructional Technology for Teachers: Preparation for Classroom Diversity. Educational Technology, v37 n2 p16-18 Mar-Apr. Discusses instructional design procedures for teachers to increase instructional effectiveness in classrooms with a culturally diverse student body. Highlights include analyzing learner characteristics using standardized tests and informal assessment techniques; specifying instructional strategies that are particularly useful in multicultural classrooms; and examining materials for bias. (LRW)…