Humanities In Action

Students enrolled In Humanities in Action create, research, and implement a community based action research project. Students identify a compelling topic or local problem that stems from personal interests or career goals. They form questions to guide their research, locate a variety of reliable sources, organize information and learning, and use their learning to better the community in some way. Students discuss, support, and collaborate with peers, teachers, and community members. The course ends with a presentation of project results and celebration of the hard work over the course of the semester.

Course Objectives

Communicate ideas effectively to an audience and in a collaborative group.
Think in informed and integrative ways about complex issues.
Be responsible and informed citizens who work well with others.
Play an active and informed role in the self-directed learning process.
Enhance research skills by inquiring, gathering information, synthesizing, and analyzing.

Course Elements:

Create a blog with a series of written reflections on research experience and process.
Manage time independently to work on your action research project.
Keep daily learning logs recording short and long term goals and self-assessed habits of work.
Participate in bi-weekly seminars to share out research process and receive peer feedback.
Develop research, public speaking skills and a community social awareness.
Write a three-page research paper exploring your topic/issue.
Present a visual presentation of your project to an audience at the end of the course.
Maintain an average of a 3 on your habits of work grade. (These will be averaged per daily scores.)