IDST 29 - Introduction to Islam - Stage 1 - Neela Chatterjee
Assessment
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| Assessment Description | This course is made up of five major sections: beliefs and practices of Islam, women in Islam, Islamic philosophy and sufism, and Islamic art and architecture. As each section builds on the foundation laid by the previous section, students are given summative exams for each section to evaluate the comprehension of key concepts introduced in each section. Students are also observed in class of engagement of reading while in guided group exercises. Furthermore students are given various take home assignments to analyze and write on concepts covered in class. Students also have to complete and present in groups to show mastery of knowledge from the reading, class lecture, videos and guest presentation. |
| Learning Outcomes | A Describe the origins of Islam and how it became a global religion in a short time. B. Assess the five major tenets oflslam and determine how they make Islam a complete way of life for its followers. C. Make a distinction between the two major Islamic sects of Sunnis and Shiites. D. Research reasons for the disparity between women's high status in the Quran And the absence of female rights in many Muslim societies. E. Analyze the negative stereotypes oflslam in the media. F. Research the notions stereotypes of Islam in the media G. Define a fundamentalist Muslim, a moderate Muslim, and a practitioner of Sufism. H. Evaluate the dichotomy between Islam's emphasis on peace and sporadic terrorism carried out in the name of Islam. I. Compare and contrast Islam with other major religions. J. Describe the three major sources oflslamic jurisprudence. K. Critique the rationale behind the absence of separation between the Church and State in Islam. L. Trace the stages and document probable cause of the decline oflslam. M. Describe specific indications of Islam's resurgence. |
| Number of Sections | 1 |
| Number of Instructors | 2 |
| Number of Students | 23 |
Data Analysis
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| Data Summary | Islamic Foundation and Tenets, Commonalities with Other Faiths, and Divisions At the beginning of the course, the majority of students who were not Muslim were unable to describe the origins and major tenets of Islam and had little to no conception about Islam’s commonalities with other faiths, or the nature of the differences between the various Islamic sects and groups. Media Representations, Muslim Women, and Violence in the Name of Islam At the beginning of class most students also reflected the stereotypical perceptions of Muslim perpetuated in the mainstream media relating to women, violence, and some of the other common memes that have dominated the media for the past few decades. Islamic Decline and Resurgence |
| Analysis Summary | Islamic Foundation and Tenets, Commonalities with Other Faiths, and Divisions By the end of the semester the majority of students (17 out of 19) were able to describe the origins of Islam and the major tenets or “pillars” in some detail, and to identify similarities with the other Abrahamic faiths. They also displayed a grasp of the differences between the major sects of Sunnis and Shiites as well as between a fundamentalist Muslim, a moderate Muslim, and a practitioner of Sufism. Their ability to view Muslims with a more nuanced eye helped them understand some of the complexities of the Muslim world and to gain an appreciation for a group of people that is commonly portrayed as a monolith Media Representations, Muslim Women, and Violence in the Name of Islam After discussing these media representations and some of the realities behind both the status of Muslim women and Qur’anic teachings and the similar dichotomy between Qur;’anic teachings about peace and sporadic terrorism in the name of Islam, the students were able to identify both reasons behind the stereotyping and the fallacy of doing so. They were able to make correlations between the common societal reality of a dichotomy between religious teachings and reality, and particularly with regard to women, some of the same tendencies in other faiths and cultures. They were also able to identify the role of the various cultures in often creating some of the inequalities that exist between genders in Muslim societies today. 14 out of 19 students accurately explained how Islam addressed areas of potential misogyny and inequality, including female infanticide, polygamy, divorce, inheritance, and arranged marriages. Lastly, by the end of the course students were able to both provide reasons for the decline which occurred in most Muslim societies due to historical factors, and the reason for and examples of Islam’s resurgence in recent decades, including the increase in women wearing the headscarf. This exercise was important in providing students with an understanding of some of the root causes and factors leading to the recent conflicts between Muslim societies and the West, that have come to a head in the past decade. The ability to understand some of the underlying causes for conflict will serve them well in hopefully preventing the “clash of civilizations” paradigm that has prevailed in recent years, and help them navigate the contemporary world in a more nuanced fashion. |
| Next Steps Planned | Improvements Because of the challenge for some students in memorizing the many important Islamic terms which are in Arabic, I propose providing a vocabulary list at the beginning of class. Additionally, we plan to administer a survey both at the beginning and end of class to be able to more accurately assess what the students have learned. One of the major challenges in conveying the information to the students is the limited time which I teach; next semester I plan on teaching a greater share of the course. |
| Learning Outcomes | A Describe the origins of Islam and how it became a global religion in a short time. B. Assess the five major tenets oflslam and determine how they make Islam a complete way of life for its followers. C. Make a distinction between the two major Islamic sects of Sunnis and Shiites. D. Research reasons for the disparity between women's high status in the Quran And the absence of female rights in many Muslim societies. E. Analyze the negative stereotypes oflslam in the media. F. Research the notions stereotypes of Islam in the media G. Define a fundamentalist Muslim, a moderate Muslim, and a practitioner of Sufism. H. Evaluate the dichotomy between Islam's emphasis on peace and sporadic terrorism carried out in the name of Islam. I. Compare and contrast Islam with other major religions. J. Describe the three major sources oflslamic jurisprudence. K. Critique the rationale behind the absence of separation between the Church and State in Islam. L. Trace the stages and document probable cause of the decline oflslam. M. Describe specific indications of Islam's resurgence. |
Changes
| Details | We are updating the course outline for IDST 20 to reflect the content covered in class. The section in Islamic philosophy, Sufism, and Islamic Art and Architecture will be included in the course outline. |
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| Learning Outcomes | The outcomes are not in the course outline, but they support the understanding of the development of Islamic Art and Architecture and the artistic contribution to world knowledge as well as confluences of classical cultures with the emergence of Islamic identity. The section on Islamic philosophy supports the contributions of great Muslim thinkers, physicians, and mathematicians to the West and in expanding cultural and intellectual knowledge. The study of Sufism supports students expansion of knowledge in the development of religious sects with in Islam and the appreciation of thoughts and values proposed in Sufism in the West. |
Tentative Future Plans
| Term | Summer 2013 |
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| More Details | 10 students out of 23 received an "A" grade in the class and 11 students received a grade of "C" or better. 2 students received "F" because they missed too many classes. The intention of the face-to-face meeting is to strategize on retention but to also create a prevention plan for students failing the class. Although there are already plans in place for late add students, students who miss classes, a new strategy needs to be implemented during transitions periods when a new section begins. This is the time when students miss class and fall behind. |
SLO Details Storage Location
- HARD COPY - In my personal filing system (my office)
- HARD COPY - In a department filing system (department office)
- ELECTRONIC COPY - In my electronic filing system (hard drive or web server)