| Title | Cultivating citizenship skills through teaching and learning in the humanities |
|---|---|
| Faculty/College/Unit | Arts |
| Status | Completed |
| Duration | 2 Year |
| Initiation | 04/01/2015 |
| Completion | 03/31/2017 |
| Funding Details | |
| Year 1: Project Year | Year 1 |
| Year 1: Funding Year | 2015/2016 |
| Year 1: Project Type | Small TLEF |
| Year 1: Principal Investigator | Michael Griffin |
| Year 1: Funded Amount | 5,670 |
| Year 1: Team Members | Michael Griffin, Assistant Professor, Classical, Near Eastern and Religious Studies and Philosophy, Faculty of Arts |
| Year 1: Summary | Policymakers and students both describe “citizenship skills” as desirable learning outcomes and graduate attributes in higher education (UBC 2009, Banks 2007, Sax 2004). This project aims to identify methods of teaching and learning within the humanities that are correlated with a positive increase in citizenship skills, using validated psychological measures of perspective-taking, empathy, interpersonal and intercultural fluency, and tolerance of ambiguity (outlined below). We aim to test the hypothesis that the rigorous and charitable study of literature and philosophy drawn from diverse cultural traditions positively influence traits perceived to be conducive to good citizenship (cf. Kidd & Castano 2013); if true, we aim to identify content and pedagogical perspectives and practices that are correlated with this influence, to modify the pilot courses (enrolling approximately 560 students) in year 2, and to disseminate these results within and beyond the university community. |
| Year 1: TLEF Showcase |  |
| Year 2: Project Year | Year 2 |
| Year 2: Funding Year | 2016/2017 |
| Year 2: Project Type | Small TLEF |
| Year 2: Principal Investigator | Michael Griffin |
| Year 2: Funded Amount | 9,038 |
| Year 2: Team Members | Michael Griffin, Assistant Professor, Classical, Near Eastern and Religious Studies and Philosophy, Faculty of Arts |
| Year 2: Summary | Policymakers and students both describe “citizenship skills” as desirable learning outcomes and graduate attributes in higher education (UBC 2009, Banks 2007, Sax 2004). This project aims to identify methods of teaching and learning within the humanities that are correlated with a positive increase in citizenship skills, using validated psychological measures of perspective-taking, empathy, interpersonal and intercultural fluency, and tolerance of other’s values (outlined below). We aim to test the hypothesis that the rigorous and charitable study of literature and philosophy drawn from diverse cultural traditions positively influence traits perceived to be conducive to good citizenship (cf. Kidd & Castano 2013); if true, we aim to identify content and pedagogical perspectives and practices that are correlated with citizenship skills by creating pilot courses on several hundred students in year one, adapting and expanding in year two, and to disseminating these results within and beyond the university community. |
| Project Report | 2016-TLEF-SP-Final-Report-Griffin-WEB.pdf |