2009-2010 Presidential Teaching Scholar Award

Dean Defino
Department of English

Movies Across the Curriculum
Movies bring ideas to life, makes abstractions concrete, and concretes abstract, speaks in every language known to man, preserve, destroy and help to shape our sense of reality. They expose us to things we had not imagined, confirm others that we had. They change with the times, but maintain a remarkable consistency. Film is a modern invention that speaks to timeless themes in language that now seems to us eternal.

Long before film study established itself as a standard part of the curriculum at practically every institution of higher learning, it had achieved an acknowledged position as an educational tool in non-film departments, but without specialist instruction in its formal and theoretical applications its effectiveness was often limited and its purposes sometimes unclearly understood. This proposal seeks to determine essential uses for film in the classroom beyond the obvious narrative and artistic analysis within courses devoted to film studies.

2009-2010 CELTIC Excellence in Teaching Award (CETA)

Nancy-Jo Johnson
Department of Mass Communication

Academic Liaison for the Ryan Library Technology Classroom 201
The Ryan Library Technology Classroom 201 has been conceived as the premiere facility for teaching and learning using the latest pedagogical technologies. In order for the facility to reach its potential, however, the input from the faculty members will be required. What do they want? What are their requirements? How will they use the room? What possibilities are available for them and their students? I propose to answer these questions as an academic liaison, the link between the room and its intended users.

The Technology Classroom will be an invaluable technology facility for Iona College faculty, staff, and students.  It houses 25 Mac computers for students, an instructor podium computer, an overhead projector, and basic software.   What is needed now is to ascertain the technology requirements of our faculty.  I propose to be that academic liaison.  In this capacity, I will (1) survey our faculty to determine their technology requirements; (2) research similar facilities in other colleges; (3) recommend equipment and software; (4) suggest procedures; (5) present new possibilities for using the room; and (6) promote the room to the faculty. 

Tricia Mulligan
Department of Political Science and International Studies

Develop Special Topics courses in Political Science Focusing on Environmental Politics
The goal of this project is two-fold. First, this project seeks to enhance teaching and learning by developing a Special Topics courses in Political Science focusing on environmental politics. The course seeks to fill a gap in College course offerings and will examine the evolution of the environment in contemporary politics both in comparative national and international contexts, the approaches adopted and rejected, and the challenges confronting environmental political discussion and solutions into the future. Second, using a hybrid course structure, the project aims to engage students a wide array of alternative learning styles and expose them to a range of web-based information and technology via Blackboard and other linkages. More specifically, the use of hybrid technology will provide student with an opportunity to participate in active learning simulated role play and to experience first-hand the issues, challenges and processes involved in national and international environmental politics. The course would be offered in the 2010 academic year.

Amy Stackhouse
Department of English

Reading Poetry and the Implications for Reading Across the Curriculum

Students' problems with writing is frequently tied in with their poor reading abilities.  Learning to closely read teaches students to pay attention to what is being said and how it is being said, to the structure and development of thoughts, and to the meaning of words and contexts.  Thus, learning to closely read helps students read across the curriculum and develop better writing skills, ultimately leading to greater success in College and beyond.

I propose to spend the next months researching and developing and putting into practice the best practices for teaching close reading of poetry. The benefits of learning to read closely are obvious for students: they will be more successful in their classes and ultimately in their lives. They will have fewer academic struggles in classes, a greater sense of their own success, and increased self-confidence. I believe that this greater sense of self-confidence and purpose will ultimately aid retention, as well, as students will have less reason to look for another university to fulfill their academic concerns. For the faculty, having students who are more sophisticated readers allows more sophisticated assignments and research, which in turn leads to Iona having a student body that is more involved in their own education and better prepared for their future.
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2009-2010 Faculty Instructional Technology Award (FITA)

Jeffrey Alstete
Department of Management and Business Administration

Selecting and Implementing an Online Virtual Simulation/gaming Package for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management Courses at Iona
In the rapidly changing education and business environments of today it is very important for college graduates to be able to evaluate and integrate information from varied sources, make proper planning decisions, and execute plans effectively. To educate students on these matters, colleges and faculty members have been implementing various active learning techniques such as simulation and gaming for many years. Research studies have shown that business simulation games are more effective teaching tools than traditional or conventional instructional methods (such as lecturing or cases), as calculated by performance on final exams, and subsequent business career success.

The objective of this project is to increase the quality of teaching and learning in entrepreneurship and small business management courses by selecting and implementing an online virtual simulation/gaming package that is appropriate package for undergraduate and graduate students at Iona. This project will include a thorough search, examination, selection, and implementation of simulation software in two course sections, evaluation of the results, and documentation for a model to other faculty members. If approved, this project will increase the learning assurance procedures by requiring students to participate in a well-designed small business experiential simulation as part of their requirements for course completion. Simulations are active learning tools that enable to faculty to get students thoroughly engaged in applying course topics by making decisions, competing on teams with other students, seeing timely feedback, and being evaluated on realistic performance.

Br. James Carroll
Department of History

History 101/201 are largely populated by freshman and the intent is to provide a unique classroom/learning experience of history that is radically different from their experience in secondary school. This proposal would provide a unique environment for the study of history and hopefully minimize the common refrain that history core courses are a "rehash" of high school social studies.

This grant application proposes the development of a fully electronic and technological course for both History 101/201 -- the history core courses. Specifically, the course would be designed topically and would feature all of the following:

1. E-Book reading assignments (to replace the traditional textbook)
2. Online primary sources that would allow students to compare competing interpretations and to post their source analysis on a discussion board
3. Short articles for each topic accessed from an online journal with student responses posted on a discussion board
4. UTUBE and other online video components for each topic
5. Video-Streamed lectures on specific topics by renowned scholars in the field (this would allow students to compare lecture styles and to receive another intellectual perspective on a particular issue or topic)
6. All assessments (exams and quizzes) will be completed online

Prior Years' Recipients