Disseminating Mesolore: An Interdisciplinary and Interactive Change Agent for College Pedagogy

Brown University, Providence RI

Investigators

Abstract

This work is developing Phase II of the Mesolore Project, a two-phase educational-software effort. Phase I, completed in 2001, resulted in Mesolore: Exploring Mesoamerican Cultures, an exemplary, multimedia resource of interdisciplinary course materials for undergraduates. Phase II is a three-year, dissemination effort to facilitate creative classroom adoption and to promote Mesolore as a change agent for college pedagogy. The problems the project addresses are centered on faculty professional development. This includes closing the gap in social science pedagogy between the potential of multimedia technology and its classroom adoption, and expanding the practice of interdisciplinary teaching. Phase II consists of three parts: (1) writing and classroom implementation of a user's guide for teaching with Mesolore; (2) holding a series of professional development workshops and poster sessions; and (3) building a faculty community. Collectively, these introduce faculty to new scientific content for undergraduate teaching, promote effective educational practices, and improve classroom teaching. The goals of this project are to encourage the wide adoption of Mesolore, to improve the quality of college education, and to encourage more Latinos, Native Americans, and women to see the interconnectedness of science and humanities.