FACULTY DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE ON EAST ASIA

(Rice University, January 13-February 24, 2007)
Richard J. Smith
Rice University
Spring, 2007

Description

This Institute has been designed for Houston-area secondary school teachers who would like to incorporate more Asian content into their courses. It is based on a curricular model developed by the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia (see its "Education for Educators" website at http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/), and for several years it has been generously funded by Rice University and the Freeman Foundation. The Institute for 2007 will focus on two major themes: (1) "ways of world-making"--that is, the process by which culture groups (in this case, culture groups in East Asia) arrange "things," ideas and activities into coherent systems of meaning; and (2) the complex historical interaction between China, Korea, Japan and Vietnam from neolithic times to the present. The particular emphasis of this Institute will be on China, which influenced the other cultures of East Asia in roughly the same was that ancient Greece, Rome and the Middle East influenced Europe.

Benefits

Twenty-five secondary teachers will be selected for this Institute. Each will receive a stipend of $500 upon successful completion of the program ($250 after the regular Institute sessions and $250 six months later, upon submission of a report on classroom implementation). In addition, participants will receive $200 worth of books for the Institute at no cost, plus a free subscription to the journal Education about Asia. Compact discs of translations, articles, images (including power point presentations) and other relevant materials will also be provided free of charge. In addition, the library of each participating school will receive $300 worth of curricular materials per teacher.

Finally, depending on available financing, each teacher completing the Institute will be eligible to apply later for an expenses-paid study trip to East Asia. In the past, these study tours have been administered by Rice University and funded by The Freeman Foundation.

Institute Sessions 2007*

Saturday, January 13: 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Thursday, January 18: 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Thursday, January 25: 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Thursday, February 1: 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m
Thursday, February 8: 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Thursday, February 15: 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Thursday, February 22: 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 24: 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

*There will also be a three-hour "follow-up" session in the Fall of 2007.

Requirements

Institute participants must teach a course in which there is, or will be, a substantial East Asian component. To learn more and to apply, see the link at bottom of this page.

Institute Leader

The 2007 Institute will be conducted by Dr. Richard J. Smith, George and Nancy Rupp Professor of Humanities and Professor of History at Rice. A specialist in Chinese history and culture, Professor Smith has written, co-written or co-edited ten books, including one of the texts for this Institute, China's Cultural Heritage (1994). He has also won twelve teaching prizes, including the "Texas Professor of the Year" Award, given by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

How to Apply     (All spaces are now taken.  Please email us if you want to be included on the email list for notification next August to apply for the next one.)

***Each participant must have an e-mail account and regular access to the Internet. Click on this link to the page for the application, instructions, and frequently asked questions:

Application and FAQs 

Syllabus

Last updated on 01/17/2007