1.Class Discussion/ Facilitation/ Conversation
I think this was an essential part of the class. Although it took a little bit of time for all of us to get comfortable with sharing our thoughts, I think as the quarter went on, the discussions became much more constructive. The readings definitely helped facilitate these conversations. I don’t think there is a way to speed up the process of getting more comfortable in a discussion setting. I think it just depends on the group’s familiarity with the subject matter and comfort level with such a volatile subject and the other students in the class.
2. Video Conferencing
I really enjoyed this aspect of the class. Although I wish we could have done so more often, the three times we did video conference definitely added depth to my understanding and learning experience that can’t really be paralleled. Especially since I am not one of the students going to Jerusalem, the video conferencing gave me an opportunity to get a very real (for lack of better term) look into Jerusalem. It would have been really interesting to meet with more university students, but I think just the fact that we were not able to, and the reasons behind why we couldn’t serve as learning points.
3. Readings and the topics
I found the readings to be very helpful. Although I had some basic knowledge about the region before I took this class, the readings made me realize how much I didn’t know. I really appreciated the diversity of the topics. I think too often in talking about the region, people focus on one thing and forget to consider the many aspects that affect that one thing. Our readings, ranging from architecture to short stories, gave me a much more holistic perspective of life in Jerusalem. In addition, the readings in this class really made me appreciate the power of history.
4. Lecturers and Speakers
I thought each of the lecturers/speakers was very interesting. Kasa’s talk gave me perspective that I had never considered before. Although I do not agree with all her views, I now have a better understanding of how passionate a person can be about a place based on one element of their life that in essence becomes the defining feature of their life. I though the three professors on the religion panel were also very interesting, not necessarily for the subject matter of what they said, but more so for the interaction between them. Professor Herrmann was definitely my favorite speaker. He provided a very comprehensive and accessible presentation on the political situation that I think is so hard to grasp with all the biased media coverage. I think having the guest speakers also facilitated easier class discussions.
5. Blogging
This aspect of the class has probably been the most challenging part for me. For some reason, posting things online makes me more nervous than writing papers that get turned in. This is probably because of the permanent status the post takes on “out there” once I hit the “submit” button. Blogging has definitely forced me to loosen my writing style (in a good way). It took me awhile to get used to it, but now that I have used it on a regular basis, it seems to me that it is a very efficient tool for both the writer and the readers. It was a great way to get to know what everyone else in the class was thinking, even if I was only able to browse through the posts without reading each word in all of them. Writing posts on others’ blogs is an activity that I thought was very beneficial, not only because of the interaction, but because it forced me to think more critically about the posts than just read them on a surface level. The class blog was very helpful in keeping track of what was going on in class and communicating with the class as a whole. I especially liked that the comments from various people we met were posted on there.
6. Syallabus and its clarity
I thought it was great as it was.
7. Final Project
I really appreciated that open ended nature of the final project. I think it really reflects the essence of this class. It gave me a chance to explore music, something that wasn’t specifically covered in class but was indirectly hinted at. The music group Sabreen caught my attention the first time I heard them in class. Therefore, being able to learn more about them and their ties to Palestine through the final project was really interesting to me. And sharing what I learned through a multi-media project was a completely new experience for me. Having never made a “movie,” the final project was two dimensional in subject matter and presentation. Also, given the open ended nature of the projects, it was really interesting to see what everyone else came up with. It diversity of living Jerusalem was clearly represented in the diversity of subjects and modes of presentation, from the painting to interviews.
8. Personal Reflection
This class has by far been one of the best classes I have taken at OSU. Unlike any of the other classes I have taken, this class incorporates aspects such as video conferencing and blogging that make the class engage in direct interaction with the “real world.” As such, the class also incorporates diversity in many forms: the topics, people, and methods of information gathering. This diverse approach not only offered a much more holistic information base of “living Jerusalem”, but also gave me a new perspective into how various forms of technology can be utilized to facilitate dialogue. Although I won't be able to go on the trip, the class itself has been a tremendous learning experience for me. I have a much better understanding of what is going on in the region and how people live within such circumstances. Although much of history and the conflicts we have covered in class serve to shed a depressing light on the current situation, the common bond of humanity and the persistence for dialogue gives me hope.
