Course: Introduction to African Studies
Faculty: Boubacar N'Diaye, Black Studies/Political Science Departments
Librarian: Mark Gooch, Technical Services Librarian
Overview and Rationale
It is a fair proposition to assert that introductory courses on Africa confront instructor and students with difficulties above and beyond the average expected difficulties most other subject matters present. This is due to a variety of reasons. Among these are the perceived intractability of the subject, the assumed absence of reliable data sources (or conversely the plethoric and chaotic nature of the sources), and definitely, the absence of a reliable and readily accessible didactic instrument to support the teaching and learning process about the continent. Since the addition to our curriculum of BLST 131 Introduction to African Studies, I have endeavored to alleviate these psychological and material handicaps. One of the approaches I have used over the last two academic years has been to systematically start each semester with at least an hour of extensive information literacy sessions in the library for my Africa-focused classes. These sessions were also meant to correct my own pedagogical bias for content-based courses as opposed to focussing on research methods, processes, and strategies, and sharpening the students' discernment toward Africa-related materials.
With the help of Mark Gooch, these sessions were meant to address this weakness as well as familiarize students with the resources available in the library and on the Web relative to various aspects of the continent. While this one shot approach has been helpful as it exposed students to basic aspects of research on Africa, it has proved insufficient to have a lasting effect on these students who are predominantly first year and sophomore students.
Introduction to African Studies is an introductory, multidisciplinary course, the obvious purpose of which is to expose our students to the rich diversity of the continent and the historical and contemporary experiences of its peoples. Most of our students are singularly unfamiliar with the basic concepts, names, dynamics, and major data sources and resources on the continent. Consequently, most of them usually experience apprehension and inhibitions that must be dealt with on at least two levels. First, the course must rely intimately on involving students in hands on research and activities (individually or/and in group) as the acknowledged pedagogical best approach to teaching and learning. Second, the course must endeavor to demystify the perception that it is particularly taxing to learn about the continent because of the assumed intractability of or difficult access to information on Africa. Weaving in the fabric of the course as currently set up well designed and judiciously implemented sessions will help reach these two objectives. A complementary and critical addition will be to equip this course with a permanent, readily available, and constantly updated information technology based tool and infrastructure that enables the adoption of the activities and approaches mentioned above.
The benefits of integrating student friendly information literacy instruction and approaches to this class and subsequently to other Africa-focussed courses will make it much easier for our students to conduct research on any Africa related topic. It will also make the teaching of these classes on our campus catch up with teaching methods for similar classes elsewhere and in other fields where various technologies are a regular feature of instruction. These benefits are acknowledged by the Black Studies department and this proposal is fully supported (See the attached letter of support of Alphine Jefferson, Chair). I do not doubt that enhancing and systematizing further the information literacy component of this course will address a clear need for better information literacy and competency for our students as they pursue education in African and African diasporic fields of study.
OBJECTIVES FOR THE COURSE:
The Integration of Information Literacy to this course will accomplish among other benefits, the following:
To reach these objectives and fully integrate information literacy into BLST 131 Introduction to African Studies, I propose the following:
Timeline for the Project:
The tentative timeline for conducting the project is as follows:
Starting in the 2nd half of the end of Spring 2003, as our respective schedules permit, regular consultations with Mark Gooch.
Starting in mid-May 2003, (beginning of the summer semester):
By August 2003:
Fall 2003:
Beginning implementation of the information literacy enhanced Introduction to African Studies.
November/December 2003:
Student evaluations and reports ready and submitted.