Exploring East Asian Art and Literature - Seminar Requirements

1.   Application

Along with the seminar application, please submit:

• A short résumé (curriculum vita) of 1-2 pages that provides contact information and lists your educational background and teaching experience
• A brief letter from your school principal confirming your teaching assignment
• $100 deposit check made payable to “University of Southern California.”  This will be returned to you at the conclusion of the seminar

2.   Attendance and participation

You should attend and actively participate in all seminar sessions. We will ask you to complete an evaluation posting on the seminar web forum for each session.

3.   Reading assignments

Please prepare for each session by completing the corresponding reading assignment.  Much of what will be discussed in the class will be based upon the readings. Use the web forum to raise questions or discuss the readings with your classmates.

For this seminar, we will be providing a selection of reading materials to be distributed at our first seminar meeting. 

4.   Web discussion forum

Each teacher is expected to actively participate in a seminar-focused web discussion forum.  We will give you access to the forum following our first seminar meeting.

Located at http://uschinaforum.usc.edu, the forum dedicated to your group is titled “Summer Seminar: USCI Residential, 2015.”  To log in:

1. Go to http://uschinaforum.usc.edu.
2. In the login menu on the top upper right corner, enter your username and password, then CLICK THE LOGIN BUTTON (instead of hitting Enter on the keyboard).  Your username is the first letter of your first name and your surname, and the password is “summer15” (for example, Bob Smith would log in using “bsmith” as username and “summer15” as password).  You can change your password after your first login.
3. You will have access to three discussion forums: “Asia in My Classroom,” “Lesson Plans,” and “Summer Seminar: USCI Residential, 2015.”
4. The “Asia in My Classroom” forum is our general discussion forum for educators and anyone interested in teaching about Asia.  Over 800 users have contributed over 17,000 posts on topics ranging from curriculum to restaurants. 
5. The “Summer Seminar: USCI Residential, 2015” forum is the dedicated forum for your seminar.  You will contribute to this forum as a part of your seminar requirements. 

Participation in the forum entails the following:

• Minimum contribution of 20 posts:
  • EVALUATIONS - at least one posting needs to be made following each seminar session:
    • React to the ideas presented
    • Discuss how these ideas can be effectively shared with students
  • FILM REVIEW - at least one posting needs to be a film review from a teacher’s point of view:
    • 100-150 word summary on how you can use the film in the classroom
    • Reviewing a previously discussed film is acceptable, but be sure to offer your own assessment of the film and how it might be used with students
    • Post your review in the “Teaching about Asia” forum, under the “Film Festival” thread
  • WEBSITE REVIEW - at least one posting needs to assess the teaching usefulness of an East Asia-focused website:
• Provide the website URL, describe  its contents and evaluate its ease of use
• Discuss how the website could be used with students
• Post your review in the “Teaching about Asia” forum, under the “Web Resources” thread

5.   Curriculum project

Upon completion of the seminar, you will incorporate the seminar experience into your own classes by developing a multi-lesson curriculum project.    You will be presenting the draft project as a group at the conclusion of the seminar (Friday, August 7) and submitting a final revised version individually to us by Friday, September 4.

Design a series of lessons to be used in one of the courses you teach. This multi-lesson plan should cover at least three days of instruction. You are encouraged, but not required, to create lessons that will help your students meet the California educational standards (included in the “Reference” section of your seminar binder).  You are also encouraged to incorporate the Internet into your lessons, either in the research assigned, activities employed, or presentation of conclusions. You may wish to put draft versions of your lesson plan on the discussion forum to secure feedback from your colleagues.

Your multi-lesson curriculum project should include the following components:

1. A rationale for the proposed unit
   Explain how and where the unit fits into your course. What skills and/or content will your students have prior to the unit and what will they be ready to tackle?
2. Skill and content objectives
   Refer to the CA and NCHS world history standards or the CA language arts standards (included in the “Reference” section of your seminar binder) and identify which of these is addressed by your lesson plans.
3. Detailed lesson plan
   Include specific lesson objectives, class and individual activities, and materials to be used.  Provide discussion-launching questions, questions to guide reading, and other procedural tips. Include copies of textbook readings, draft handouts, or other materials.  Be sure to provide complete citations for the materials you include.

   There are a wide variety of teaching guides you may consult for activity suggestions, and many primary source materials are available from the USCI website. You are encouraged to use music, film, and the web as part of your lessons. Also consider whether your location and budget might permit class trips to museums, temples, or ethnic commercial districts into your unit (don't neglect the possibility of virtual trips to museums and other sites).

4. A plan for assessing student achievement
   Describe culminating activities, projects, or other tasks which will permit students to demonstrate the knowledge and skills they have acquired.

• Optional
  Discuss possible extracurricular extensions of this unit (e.g., Model UN, world music/film club, etc.)

Please submit your curriculum project (include photocopies of required readings, handouts, etc.) in both a hard copy and post the digital copy under “Lesson Plans” in the forum.

6.   Final essay

Reflect on the seminar experience in a 250-500 word essay.  Discuss how you intend to incorporate East Asia into your teaching.  Possible topics you may wish to address include attitudes, approaches, and materials. Which issues or ideas raised in the seminar are of greatest relevance to your courses and your students? Your unit or essay will be shared with other teachers via the web.

DEADLINE - Friday, September 4, 2015

For successful completion of the seminar, 20 minimum web forum postings must be completed and final individual versions of your completed curriculum project and final essay must be received at the USC U.S.-China Institute office by 5 pm on Friday, September 4, 2015.  E-mail project and essay to asiak12@usc.edu.

Seminar Benefits

Teachers who successfully complete the seminar and its follow-up requirements receive:

• $250 stipend (Commuter Option)**
• Nine (9) USC Rossier School of Education Continuing Education Units (CEUs), processing fee applicable.  CEUs are processed by USCI after verification of all seminar completion requirements.
• East Asia-focused resource materials for use in the classroom

**Please note that participants who choose to be housed at the Howard Johnson Pasadena will NOT receive the $250 stipend.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at:

USC U.S. – China Institute | 3502 Watt Way, ASC G24 | Los Angeles, CA 90089-0281
Phone: 213-821-4382 | Fax: 213-821-2382
e-mail: asiak12@usc.edu