All of the Academy's classes are challenging, for they are designed to be the approximate equivalent of a semester-long university course offered during the regular academic year. Of course the classes have to be adapted to correspond to the three-week session (Truman semesters are fifteen weeks long), but faculty members still have high expectations for the performance of the students. Students accepted to JBA will enroll in ONE concentrated college course, which meets six hours each weekday and three hours on Saturdays. These classes are taught by Truman State University faculty.

The Academy's classes fall within one of several categories:

Social Sciences are classes that investigate human behavior and activity in its social and cultural context. More specifically, social scientists consider what motivates human beings in both private and public settings. Students will learn how to collect evidence, test a hypothesis, analyze results, and present conclusions. Past JBA classes that belong to the Social Sciences group include: The Historian as Detective; Native Americans Frontiers: Images and Realities; Psychology & the Media: Reality Explored; Advocacy and Debate: Argument, Critical Thinking, and Persuasion and Crime and Justice in America.

Natural Sciences are classes that attempt to understand and explain the natural world. Students will learn how to gather and analyze evidence in order to develop experiments that will test a hypothesis. Scientists use proven and disproved hypotheses to develop a tentative series of laws and theories in order to create a model that describes the natural world. Past JBA classes that belong to the Natural Sciences group include: Introduction to Chemistry; The Horse; Exploring Ecology: An Experience in the Field; The Human Lab; Retiles and Amphibians of Missouri: Natural History, Ecology, and Behavior; What Bugs You: Insects and Human Affairs and Missouri Mammals: Natural History, Ecology and Behavior.

Mathematics/Computer Sciences are classes that create structures to describe the relationship and functions of concrete and abstract objects. Students must employ a rigorous logic whether they are working with a branch of mathematics (such as geometry, algebra, trigonometry, and calculus) or a specific language in computer sciences (such as JAVA or Visual Basic). These classes also are invaluable tools for many disciplines, especially the natural and social sciences. Past JBA classes that belong to the Mathematics/Computer Sciences group include The Art and Science of Computer Programming and Why You’re Wrong: Statistics and Persuasion. We also offer two courses that teach sophisticated applications of computing technology: Computers in Art and Design and An “Animated” Course.

Humanities are classes that examine the culture of human beings. More specifically, the Humanities strive to examine and appreciate human values by examining creative works (such as literature, art, and music) and systems (such as languages and ethics). Students will learn how to analyze and evaluate the creative world of humans and to express their personal reactions. Past JBA classes that belong to the Humanities group include: Shakespeare Lives!; Elementary Latin: The Words and Ways of the Ancient Romans; Ethnomusicology: Music in the Real World; Russian Language and Culture; World Mythology; Elementary Old English and the Heroic Age of Britain; This Just In! Radio and Television Broadcasting and Italian Language and Culture.

Fine Arts are classes that nurture human creativity by allowing students to engage in the production of music, art, acting, and fiction. Students will learn the conventions of a specific academic discipline and how to channel and express their own creative impulses. JBA students in these classes will have an opportunity to display or perform their works before the Academy. Past JBA classes that belong to the Fine Arts group include: Drawing: A Springboard to the Visual Arts; The Writer's Craft; Design: An Introduction to the Language of Art; and Theatre: Onstage and Off. This year we also offer two courses that approach fine arts via computers – see “Mathematics/Computer Sciences,” above.

Truman has a distinctive focus on interdisciplinary. Interdisciplinary classes draw from different areas of the liberal arts. For instance, these offerings have included: Argumentation: The Toolbox of Inquiry; Communicating Politics: Rhetoric and Campaigns in the Communication Age and Language: Myths and Truths, which are areas of study in their own right, but which apply to a wide variety of human inquiries, problems and endeavors. In fact, all of our JBA courses strive to meet the interdisciplinary challenge: to bring various ways of thinking and learning together in one course, to challenge students to find how disciplines solve problems and address creativity in different ways.

Session I
June 5-June 26, 2010

An “Animated” Course

An “Animated” Course is an introduction and exploration of traditional cell frame animation. Drawing and sketching skills are recommended. Fundamentals of cartooning, character development and storyboarding will be explored and experienced. Photographic and claymation animation techniques are also topics for this course. Students will use Macintosh computers utilizing Adobe Photoshop and Apple iMovie to prepare a DVD presentation of the final projects.

The class will be watching a documentary movie about animator Chuck Jones and his long career animating Loony Tunes characters for Warner Brothers. Chuck will impart vital animation tips and secrets. Yes, we will watch a lot of cartoons in addition to viewing the summer’s best animation offering at the local theater.

Students should be confident in drawing and/or interested in making their drawings and characters come to life.

Enrollment limited to 20 students. Course fee for supplies and materials is $50.00.

Textbook
Animation: The Basic Principles

Instructor
Rusty Nelson, Associate Professor of Art, Visual Communications. B.F.A. Fort Hays State University; M.F.A. Kansas State University.

Crime and Justice in America

Did you even wonder why some individuals commit crimes and others do not? What causes this behavior? Why do criminals emerge from some families and not others? Experts in the field of criminal justice, from law enforcement officials to scholars of human behavior, have been trying to determine why crime exists and how we can eliminate it for years without much success. Solutions remain elusive.

In this course, you will explore some of those theories of human behavior and the history of crime. Students will be exposed to a variety of activities that will enhance the learning process, including visits to area agencies that enforce the law and address the needs of criminals and their victims, such as the local juvenile justice center. Students will explore the judicial process first hand by visiting local and state courts. They will further practice investigation techniques through simulations, including plaster casting, fingerprinting and other forensic methodologies. A special emphasis in the course will be placed on ethics and how the field of ethics applies to the three divisions of the criminal justice system (police, courts and corrections). Lectures and practical exercises will be supplemented by opportunities to research and debate various aspects of the law and criminal justice practices. This is an exciting field that is constantly changing which makes it more interesting year after year.

Textbook
Criminal Justice in America, 4^th edition.

Instructor
Marjorie Burick-Hughes, Instructor in Justice Systems, Truman State University. B.S., Youngstown State University; M.J.A., Wichita State University.

Introduction to Chemistry

The course will introduce you to several major concepts in chemistry through the study of such contemporary environmental issues as air pollution and acid rain. You will consider many major chemical concepts throughout the session, including atom and atomic structure, molecules and chemical bonding, chemical nomenclature, writing and balancing chemical equations, the mole and molarity, pH, hydrogen bonding, solubility, and the structure and function of organic macromolecules. You will have the opportunity to participate in several laboratory experiences in which you will learn to work safely in the laboratory and make careful observations of chemical reactions and phenomena.

A recent new component involves inquiry based learning, as you will conduct an environmental study of some local streams and lakes by collecting and analyzing samples using different spectroscopic techniques. Other experiments include titration of citric acid in fruit juice, chemical reactions of inorganic compounds, paper and column chromatography of food coloring, analysis of artificial blood, the study of dyes through the making of tie dye T-shirts, creating a fresco and several others. The laboratory will introduce you to recording and graphing data and to using proper techniques in the laboratory.

Textbook
The Cartoon Guide to Chemistry, handouts and laboratory manual.

Instructor
Dr. Dana Delaware, Professor of Chemistry, Truman State University. B.A., Marist College; Ph.D., Purdue University, Postdoctoral Fellow University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana.

Italian Language and Culture

This course introduces students to the first-semester college Italian and the rich cultural heritage of Italy. Students will develop skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing in Italy via the “immersion method.” Every morning session will be conducted entirely in Italian: the teacher, preceptors, and students may not use English and they must communicate entirely in Italian. By the end of the three-week session, this intensive approach to language learning would allow students to interact in Italy.

Afternoon sessions of this class will be conducted in English and devoted to Italian culture. Among other topics, students will learn about the origins of Italian film and theater, Italian art, and the history of Italy from the Middle Ages to the present. Two class sessions (Saturdays) will be dedicated to the history of Italian cuisine and students will learn to prepare multi-course Italian meals.

Textbooks
Uno: Corso Comunicativo Di Italiano, Italian/English-English/Italian Dictionary and a course packet.

Instructor
Dr. Marie Orton, Associate Professor of Italian, Truman State University. B.A., Brigham Young University; M.A., University of Chicago; Ph.D., University of Chicago.

Lying with Statistics: Spotting Suspicious Data

You may sometimes read an article full of dramatic numbers and think “I had no idea things were that bad!” Chances are they probably aren’t. During this course we will look at many different examples of suspicious research and discuss how to recognize faulty statistics and fall in love with the useful ones.

Statistics is a method used for making good decisions. It branches away from the field of mathematics in that your aim is no longer to show something is true; rather you gather evidence to show something might be true. It is a key element in the modern use of the scientific method. Using the scientific method, we will explore controversial problems, make our own claims, collect data, and see what conclusions we reach.

A variety of activities will be employed in this course to help you learn about statistics and test claims. If you are a fan of the T.V. show NUMB3RS, for example, students will adapt an exercise in forensic science from the show to help determine the height of a criminal suspect. If you like M&M’s®, students will get a chance to test a claim on the distribution of the colors and enjoy snacking on them afterward.

Textbooks
Statistics for People Who Think They Hate Statistics, 2^nd ed, Excel Edition; Stat Spotting: A Field Guide to Indentifying Dubious Data

Instructor
Jason Shaw, Assistant Professor of Statistics. B.A., Iowa State University; M.S., Ph.D., Indiana University.

Scoops, Blogs, and Tweets: Packaging
News for Eyes, Ears, and Fingers!

The course will introduce students to the dynamic world of journalism, including the basics of reporting and writing news stories for print, online, and/or web-related media that includes text and visual elements. The course is a mix of readings, classroom discussion, and learning by doing. Students will publish their work via the Truman Media Network (TMN) including media licensed to Truman State University and subscribers who participate via Facebook.

Students will be introduced to the basics of interviewing sources (from local citizens to elected local/state officials), looking for and processing information (collected from a variety of sources, including research databases), brainstorming story ideas, drafting news stories, collaborating with editors, creating links between types of media, and an introduction to page layout/web design that envisions how stories will look with integrated visual elements. Students will also be introduced to the laws and ethics that impact journalists, including the First Amendment and “shield” laws that are designed to protect reporters while working on controversial issues of public interest.

Students who own digital cameras are encouraged to bring these to the Academy.

Field trips will be scheduled and may include: a local Kirksville media outlet and a trip to Jefferson City, Missouri, to interact with press secretaries who work for state officials.

Enrollment limited to 20 students. Course fee for supplies and field trips $75.00.

Textbook
A course pack will be provided by the instructor.

Instructor
Marilyn Yaquinto, Assistant Professor of Communication, Truman State University. B.A., The University of Michigan; M.A., The University of Michigan; Ph.D., Bowling Green State University.

The Art and Science of Computer Programming

Do you enjoy tinkering with and using computers, but want to know how they really work? Do you enjoy using the programs that other people have written, but want to know how to write programs yourself? This course is an introduction to the art and science of programming, using the Java programming language. For the first week you will learn the basics of "speaking" in Java and write many simple programs. During the second week you will build your vocabulary and learn to do more elaborate things with your programs. During the last week you and your fellow class members will apply your skills to a tournament exercise, programming virtual Java robots that battle in real time on screen. The course also includes an introduction to the GNU/Linux environment which is used as the development platform. As an added bonus, this course serves as an excellent introduction to the Computer Science AP course, which also uses Java as the vehicle language.

Textbook - How to Think Like a Computer Scientist (Java Edition) course pack.

Instructor
Donald Bindner, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, Truman State University. B.S., Northeast Missouri State University; Ph.D., University of Georgia.

The Horse

For thousands of years, horses have served humans as a source of meat and milk, as beasts of burden, as vehicles of mobility, and as tools of war. In this course we will consider reasons or explanations for the domestication of the horse and the resultant long-lived association of horse and human. Most of our focus in addressing this subject will lie in the science of the horse, by which we will investigate the unique, anatomic, physiologic, and behavioral characteristics of the horse. It is these characteristics that allowed the horse to be adapted to the uses to which humans have put it. Also, this course includes discussions of current problems facing the equine industry.

A strong secondary emphasis of this course will be on riding by providing students with multiple opportunities to ride horses in a supervised setting. The riding component will be used to reinforce principles of equine behavior, anatomical and physiological discussions, and to illustrate the side-by-side development of technology (saddles, bits, bridles, etc.) which was required for the adoption and spread of horse use by and between various cultures. Additionally students will be taught basic equitation for both english and western riding.

The course will be taught using lecture-laboratory methods with ample opportunities for hands-on activities. Study of a whole-horse skeleton will be used to reinforce the consideration of anatomy, and observation of live horses at the nearby 400-acre University Farm will be used to reinforce discussions of horse behavior and herd dynamics. Video clips and movies will be used to investigate the cultural aspects of horses in 20th-century American culture.

Enrollment limited to 20 students.

Textbook
The Nature of Horses

Instructor
Emily Costello, Lecturer in Equine Science, Horsemanship Instructor, and Equestrian Team coach, Truman State University. B.S., Biology, Truman State University.

The Human Laboratory

The human body is the most amazing machine on the planet. It is a complex arrangement of interdependent systems that is powerful, adaptive…and is made to move. Through examining the systems of the human body and how they interact with the environment you will explore the wonder of movement. As part of this experience you will learn from laboratory activities in anatomy (a visit to the cadaver lab), biomechanics (how muscles move the skeletal system to produce particular movements), motor behavior (how the brain and muscles work together to produce movement, exercise physiology (how your body utilizes the foods you eat to produce energy) and nutrition (what foods your body need for health). Many of these labs activities require physical exertion so be ready to move. Finally, you will be able to create and conduct a research project on an aspect of human movement you find interesting!

Textbook
Body: An Amazing Tour Of Human Anatomy and a course pack developed by the instructor.

Instructor
Evonne Bird, Instructor in Health and Exercise Sciences, Truman State University. B.S., Eastern Montana College; M.S., Texas Tech University.

Theatre: Onstage or Off

This course introduces the many facets of theatre from basic acting techniques to theatrical designs. We will explore principles in the art of acting, engaging students in a variety of valuable pursuits of practical application to every other study in life: cooperative discipline and trust, freeing the imagination, “inhabiting” great ideas, appreciating alternative views, gaining confidence in public communication, and, most importantly, greater physical, vocal, and personal self-awareness. Our work will include reading and discussion in theory and technique from Stanislovski and more recent masters but will emphasize active workshop learning through extended series of improvisations, physical and vocal imitations and character analysis. In addition, students will research the many design elements needed to produce a play; scenery, lighting, costumes and make-up. The best way to learn and understand what it takes to do theatre is by doing! So, not only will you study theatre, you will be involved in a full-scale production with scenery, lights, sound, costumes and make-up performed onstage to your peers!

Enrollment limited to 18 students.

Supplies - Make-up Kit (The Truman Bookstore will have this available for purchase with the textbooks.)

Textbook - No textbook required.

Instructor
Ronald M. Rybkowski, Professor of Theatre, Truman State University. B.A., Whittier College; M.F.A., California State University, Fullerton.

Session II
July 10-31, 2010

Advocacy and Debate: Argument,
Critical Thinking, and Persuasion

In a culture with an active political life and fascination with the court system, argumentation has become a way of life, with debate occurring in settings from the halls of Congress to evening news talk shows, to popular sports programming. While most people may not engage in competitive academic debate in high school or college, as consumers of media and participants in an increasingly adversarial culture, learning the critical principles and practices of argumentation provides a basis for informed involvement in the world around us.

This course utilizes a perspective rooted in debate as a mode of critical thinking and public involvement to study the processes of argumentation and persuasion in various interpersonal, political, and academic settings. Students will begin by engaging models of argumentation rooted in the classical rhetoric of the Greek and Romans and evolving through contemporary discourses about political ideology. As a complement to this discussion of argument theories, students will employ the model of competitive academic debate as a means to practice the ideas they learn. Students will engage in several parliamentary and Lincoln-Douglas debates (popular in high school and college debate competitions) to test their skills in competition with classmates. Finally, lessons learned in both settings will be utilized as a framework from which to engage political discourses and persuasive popular media campaigns.

Textbook - Thank You for Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion.

Instructor
Kristopher Stroup, Assistant Professor of Communication, Truman State University. B.S., Truman State University; M.A., ABD, Ohio University.

Elementary Latin: The Words
and Ways of the Ancient Romans

Students with no previous experience with Latin will complete nearly an entire semester of college-level Latin. By the end of the three-week session, students will not only possess a fundamental knowledge of the Latin language, they will also have increased and strengthened their knowledge of English grammar and vocabulary. Students will find that the study of Latin is a great introduction to the challenge of acquiring a second (or even a third) language.

Much of our time in class will be devoted to reading passages of elementary Latin. Our textbook follows the activities of Quintus and his sister Horatia, young people who lived in a village outside of Rome two thousand years ago. As we follow their activities at home and in school, on the farm and in the village, students will gradually acquire a working knowledge of vocabulary and grammar.

Our appreciation of the Latin language will be enhanced by our study of the important cultural achievements of the ancient Italians. We will examine their art, science, literature, legends, religion, and mythology. We will attempt to bring much of this to life today, through poetry readings, a production of a play (in Latin!), a trip to an outdoor market, rendering modern versions of ancient pottery art, and a Roman feast. As we discover connections between ourselves and these people who lived two millennia ago, we will gain insight on ourselves, on our past, present and future.

Textbooks
Oxford Latin Course: Part I. 2^nd ed.

Instructor
Alex Tetlak, Instructor in Classics, Truman State University. B.A., Kenyon College; M.A., The Ohio State University.

Ethnomusicology: Music in the Real World

Why do people need music? Why does it have appeal and power in all cultures? Is it possible for music to influence people’s actions? In 2009, as in ancient times, social, geographical, and political conditions--as well as spiritual concerns--shape each society’s music. The field of ethnomusicology includes the comparative study of the world’s music, examining its meaning and use in different cultures.

We begin this course with a “soundscape tour” of the Truman campus, listening for the many types of music that define our own, twenty-first-century American experience. These include: entertainment (pop-culture music); artistic or intellectual expression (classical music); group cohesion/motivation (national songs, marches, or protest/political music); and background/manipulation (film and television scores; Muzak Corporation music). Activities include a trip to a local radio station, as well as several demonstrations by professional musicians.

Then, we use various media to “visit” different parts of the world, doing research to answer the question, “Why do all cultures carefully preserve their ‘significant’ music?” As part of the answer, we will compare the music of oral tradition to that preserved by notation. And, to better understand the impact of written music, students will be introduced to the rudiments of Western music theory, as well as forms from the East. Finally, we will consider the contributions of musical performers to society. In addition to the classroom performances by guest musicians, class members who wish to share their musical training will be invited to do so. A special field trip to view a professional musical performance will underscore--even in this electronic age--the relevance and appeal of “live” music.

Textbook - Music in Our World.

Instructor
Shirley McKamie, Lecturer in Music History, Truman State University. B.M., University of North Texas; M.A., Truman State University.

Genealogy: The Quest for Origins

In this course, we work through the concept of genealogy – the systematic study of how things got to be the way they are, where they came from, what forces converged to produce the world we know. In order to structure this inquiry, to make it concrete and personal, each student will produce a carefully researched family and local history, with heavy emphasis on web-resources. The necessary premium subscription to ancestry.com will be available at a reduced rate. Students will learn how their specific ancestors lived – what the locales were like, what working- and family life consisted of, the joys and sorrows of the place and time. But we will also inquire into how genealogy is a central principle in the understanding of artistic movements, languages, biological diversity, even morals. We will learn to evaluate oral tradition, historical documents, images, secondary accounts and other sources of information, and how to reason and articulate our way to a coherent and defensible account.

Class will be held in a computer-equipped classroom, with frequent work as well in the library. Students will be asked to purchase or bring with them a modest list of supplies, including computer disks and/or flash-drive, aka thumb drive, aka USB storage device, note cards, poster board and colored pencils or markers.

Special course fee
Students will need to purchase a special, reduced-rate subscription to an online genealogical database (estimated cost $50.00, though negotiations are underway to reduce this fee); registration will be by credit card, online, and instructions for parents will be given out before the class begins.

Textbook
No textbook required.

Instructor
Adam Davis, Professor of English, Truman State University. B.A., M.A., University of Michigan; Ph.D., University of Missouri-Columbia.

Historian as Detective

This course will introduce students to what historians do and will give students the opportunity to practice the historian’s craft. Students will learn to analyze primary sources, conduct interviews, and detect bias and point of view. In addition, students will have a chance to debate issues that historians debate, from the true authorship of the Declaration of Independence to the necessity and morality of the United States using atomic bombs against Japan during World War II. As a group project, the class will work together to collectively study the life and times of Harry S. Truman (World War I, the 1920s, the Great Depression, World War II, the Cold War). Research will be conducted via the Internet and with the resources in the campus library. A special component of the course will be an overnight trip to historic Independence and Kansas City, Missouri where we will utilize the archives at the Harry S. Truman Presidential Museum and Library. The class will be a hands-on experience with history and will give students the chance to participate in lively discussions, debates and role-plays. A highlight will be a historical simulation that will be held in the “White House Decision Center” at the Truman Museum, where rooms have been recreated to resemble the White House and add authenticity to the experience. Students will find that the field of history is not dry and dusty, but rather a lively and challenging discipline.

Special fee for the overnight field trip is $120.00.

Textbook
After the Fact: The Art of Historical Detection.

Instructor
Jason McDonald, Temporary Assistant Professor of History, Truman State University. B.A., University of Southampton; Ph.D., University of Southampton.

Kaleidoscope: A Multi Faceted
Approach To Art And Design

The word Kaleidoscope is derived from the Greek and suggests a method through which one sees beautiful forms. Most people are familiar with the term in reference to a toy that enables a child to constantly see changing patterns and objects--a kaleidoscope of colors. Like the Kaleidoscope, this class will explore fundamental principles of art and design from multiple viewpoints. Since Truman State University is a public liberal arts university, this JBA class reflects the mission of our institution. The investigation of art and design through a variety of different media and ideas will enable students to apply art and design concepts by making interdisciplinary connections. The relationships between such disciplines as mathematics and psychology will expand the student’s approach toward creativity and problem solving. Each student will begin the class with an introduction to basic design elements and principles and gradually expand their approach to art and design through various processes found in the making of two and three-dimensional art. Students will work with inks, paint, foam board, computers, and non-traditional materials. The goal of the class is to introduce the student to two and three-dimensional art and design in new and exciting ways.

Enrollment limited to 20 students.

Course fee for class supplies and materials is $100.00.

Textbook
Principles of Color Design.

Instructor
James Pauls, Professor of Art, Truman State University. M.F.A., Northern Illinois University; M.A., School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Old English: Beowulf and the Heroic Age of Britain

In this course, students will learn the fundamentals of Old English--the ancestor of Modern English, spoken between the 5th and 11th centuries. Students with no previous experience with Old English will be able, by the end of the three-week session, to begin preliminary translations of central Old English texts, including the mythic tale Beowulf. Students’ understanding of modern English grammar and vocabulary will be heightened by their exposure to the historical development of the language.

Roughly half of the course time will be devoted to language study; additionally, students will become familiar with Heroic Age Britain and life during the early years of the English nation—from which springs some of our culture’s most celebrated tales of adventure and glory and the material for a number of Hollywood films. The arts, literature and scripts of the Anglo-Saxon peoples will be introduced. We will bring much of this to life through performing a dramatization of Beowulf, learning the fundamentals of Insular calligraphy, and composing classical Anglo-Saxon riddles as well as small-group projects that can include the production of dioramas, learning Anglo-Saxon cuisine, and producing runic documents.

Students interested in JRR Tolkien and the Lord of the Rings trilogy are particularly encouraged to consider this course: Tolkien was first a scholar of the Anglo-Saxons; nearly all of the themes in his fiction are directly derived from the world of Old English literature.

The study of the language and culture that was the beginning of England and the English allows us more deeply and fully to understand our own shared Anglo-American culture and language, and thereby ourselves.

Textbook
A course pack developed by the instructor will be offered.

Instructor
Christine Harker, Associate Professor of English, Truman State University. B.A., M.A., University of Victoria; Ph.D., University of California.

Psychology & the Media: Reality Explored

First and foremost, this course presents overviews of the many and varied areas psychologists investigate. Through the science of psychology we examine brain functions, human development, motivation and emotion, stress and health, psychological disorders and their treatment, social issues, and many other processes and events involving the most interesting of Earth's creatures, human beings.

As we scientifically explore human behavior and thought, we also spend time investigating the way those activities get portrayed in the media. We are media oriented; we can't get away from it. Daily we receive communications about human behavior and thought–on TV, in movies, through newspapers, billboards, and radio, and now over the Internet, which raises two important questions. First, do media representations accurately depict human activities? Second, what consequences does exposure to these portrayals afford our daily lives, our thinking, and our emotional responses? Throughout the course we encounter movies, advertising, and other media that provide students the opportunity to examine, from a research-based orientation, the plethora of information–and misinformation–that media afford us. The goals of such endeavors are to facilitate more effective evaluation of media and to foster more critical assessment of all types of information.

During the class students regularly participate in activities, demonstrations, and discussions that promote understanding of human behavior and thought in interactive social and physical environments. For example, students simulate transmission of messages across neural pathways–in an intact brain and when the hemispheres lack communication with each other. Students become eyewitnesses to events to better understand eyewitness testimony in court, they take an IQ test and explore its ramifications, and they briefly experience the world in different "moccasins." Through journaling, students make concrete connections between their personal experience and the psychological principles and processes we study. Students also hone their presentational, speaking, and even acting skills. Finally, across multiple field trips students assume the role of psychologist as we venture out into the natural habitat of the amazing species we study. An example is our trip to a forensic psychiatric unit where students get to meet with clients and put a face to mental illness. In these various ways students come to better understand how and why humans think, feel, and act as they do and how those processes impact and are affected by our social and physical environments, with particular emphasis on media interaction.

Textbook - Introductory Psychology (CD only).

Instructor
Judith Misale, Professor of Psychology, Truman State University. B.A., California State University, Northridge; M.A., Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara.

The Writer's Craft

Emily Dickinson says the experience of a good poem is like having the top of your head come off. The haiku master Basho says it’s like being alive twice. We all have a favorite book or poem, a piece of writing that has moved us to new ways of thinking, feeling, or living in the world. One of the best ways to appreciate such moving writing is to let it move us toward creating our own poems, stories, and essays. In this course we will consider the possibilities and challenges of imaginative writing. We will explore the creative process, from generating ideas to shaping and revising, and we’ll seek to share our work with others—reading, performing, and publishing our collective and individual efforts. You will find out how your own writing process operates by learning how other writers work. Francine Prose says that literature “sets up a series of rules that the writer is instructed to observe, [and] reading will show how these rules have been ignored in the past and the happy outcomes.” We’ll spend our time recklessly learning and ignoring all the rules, remembering the poet John Ashbery’s advice to writers: “Let us leave the obedience school!” In addition to reading, writing, and work shopping, we’ll get out of the classroom to write with our feet, about the world, not as we’ve seen it on TV, but as we really find it, including both on-campus and off-campus explorations. Students who complete this course will grow as poets and storytellers, but also in their broader ability to communicate vividly, as they learn to think about audience and adapt expression to the reactions it provokes.

Textbook
No textbook required.

Instructor
James D’Agostino, Professor in English, Truman State University. B.A., Loyola University of Chicago; M.F.A., Indiana University; Ph.D., Western Michigan University.

What Bugs You: Insects and Human Affairs

Insects are not simply six-legged horrors, they are fascinating animals that comprise nearly 90% of all species on earth. In this class students will become familiar with the biological features that characterize insects and learn how to collect and identify the major insect orders. Students will learn about many of the ways in which insects have impacted human affairs in both beneficial and harmful ways. Harmful aspects of insects include disease transmission, damage to livestock, crops and indigenous plants. As regards beneficial aspects, did you know that about a third of our diet (not just honey) is as a result of pollination, that insects help to solve murder mysteries (forensic entomology), that insects keep things clean by eating up dung and carrion, that insects and their products are used for medicinal purposes, making clothes and that in many countries, people even eat insects?

The format of the course will be varied and will include laboratory and outdoor activities along with lecture presentations, group work and research projects, insect artwork and assigned readings. If you are willing, you might even get to indulge in some entomophagy (eating insects). By the end of the course, students should have a basic knowledge of the structure and function of insects, completed a professional insect collection representative of local insect diversity and gained a meaningful understanding of how insects have and continue to impact human affairs.

Course fees for lab supplies and materials is $60.00.

Textbook
A Field Guide to the Insects.

Instructor
Laura Fielden, Associate Professor of Biology, Truman State University. B.S., Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa; Ph.D., University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa; Postdoctoral Fellow University of Utah, Salt lake City.

What Courses Will be Offered at JBA in 2010?

What Class Should I Take?