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Date |
Presenter |
Title |
| | 5/8/2008 | CHSS | CET Faculty Workshop III on Englsih Language Dificulties (copied directly from the e-mail) |
| | Comments: | "The results of a survey focusing on student and teacher perceptions of learning in English at UAEU. A teacher and student panel briefly responded to the results of the survey. Very little new information was shared and it appeared that the CHSS, remarkably, had paid little attention to this issue in the past. Other departments, namely, UGRU, were and are well aware of the difficulties faced by both students and teachers and it was a bit depressing to hear that little of that information has yet to be absorbed by the CHSS. Overall, not time very well spent." |
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| | 4/28/2008 | Dr. Phillip Silver (Dean of the Faculty of Fine and Performing Arts at York University) | Contemporary Stage Design in Canada |
| | Comments: | Easily one of the most riveting presentations I’ve attended at the Zayed Center. A rather circuitous introduction to a breathtaking display of stage designs and wardrobe. I literally felt like a full sponge after the presentation. So much to see and think about with regards to stage production and design. An awesome display. |
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| | 4/23/2008 | Nawal H. | Gender in Language |
| | Comments: | A very well organized if not ambitious presentation by a former student at a locally organized student conference. The speaker covered a great deal of ground but, overall, I enjoyed the presentation and picked up a few things regarding gender in language that I'd either forgotten or never really thought about. |
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| | 4/14/2008 | Dr. Ali Shehadeh | Whose Culture and Whose Rules in the L2 Classroom? |
| | Comments: | A basic if not remedial discussion as to the benefits and/or pitfalls of including or not including L1 culture in the L2 classroom. Essentially, better performing students indicated that they were more receptive to including L2 culture in the process of language instruction while lower achieving students were more resistant to the overt inclusion of culture instruction in the classroom. Middle ground was suggested. |
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| | 3/25/2008 | Professor Marc Shell | Three Challenges from the Humanities |
| | Comments: | Lecture focused on the importance of nationhood, language and economy. There was a thread uniting the topic areas but was, at times, difficult to follow. The Q&A session afterwards enlightened me somewhat as to what, more precisely, the conections were but I remain somewhat uncertain about the entire presentation. The lecture could have been much more beneficial had Professor Shell known more about the UAE and UAEU (I'm not sure he was supposed to have this information, it just would have made things a bit more relevant.) |
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| | 3/17/2008 | Dr. Fadwa Mahmoud Gad | Louise Erdrich: A Fiction of Healing |
| | Comments: | Very enjoyable summary of Erdrich's three primary novels and discussion as to the role of healing in them. Interesting Q&A session, particularly the motivation behind Dr. Fadwa's interest in Erdrich's work. Presentation convinced me to pick up the books discussed first chance I get. |
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| | 2/25/2008 | Professor Manfred Malzahn | Foresight in Hindsight: Notes on German Past and Future |
| | Comments: | After a long hiatus, the lecture series at the Zayed Center for Heritage and History seems to have kicked off again. Tonight, Professor Malzahn offered an insightful presentation on Germany, both East, West, and the doubles each seemed to create within their own nations. Comparisons of items such as coins and stamps were used to illustrate both the competition the nations seemed to be in and also to illustrate the cultural similarity (even sameness) each nation had to the other. The role of Russia and the United States in encouraging Germany to re-arm was also explored as were opportunities missed to forge a united, demilitarised nation. |
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| | 5/28/2007 | Dr. Robert Reid and (trans) Dr. Abdulkariim Gabal | Stories of the Sky God: The Spider’s Web of Fiction and Drama |
| | Comments: | Introduction and reading (in Arabic) of the first chapter in this latest release. Q&A session followed with an interesting description of some of the sources for the various chapters. |
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| | 3/27/2007 | Dr. Dennis Leavens and Dr. Ali J. Al-Allaq | The Poetic evening |
| | Comments: | This was not necessarily professional development- more of an evening listening to two poets following, what, to me, were widely different traditions. Contrasting the styles and imagery used was educational but, as is often the case, many of the poems stirred deeper reflection of a more personal nature. A very enjoyable evening though I hope the venue is changed next time. I had to guess what many of the words were. Mrs. Wisal Al-Allaq appeared to do an excellent job in translating. |
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| | 3/26/2007 | Prof. Ronald Perlwitz: Paris-Sorbonne University-Abu-Dhabi | The Genesis of the Idea of Europe in the early 19th Century |
| | Comments: | One of the more intriguing lectures yet that, either by accident or design I¡¯m not sure, had a solid relationship with aspects a previous speaker, Dr. Dabbagh, raised in his lecture. German Romanticism, characterized as pre-dating English and French ideas of Romanticism, was held as a forerunner to visions of a unified Europe. The idea of a ¡°soulless¡± EU was counterbalanced by a vision of a much more religious, perhaps spiritual, thinking held by 19th century German Romanticists. A question I was left with at the conclusion is when Europeans first began to identify themselves as ¡°European¡±, either as second to their nations or otherwise. Again, this lecture clearly deserves a great deal of consideration. |
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| | 3/5/2007 | Prof. Manfred Malzahn | Imagined Histories: The Novels of Walter Scott |
| | Comments: | An entertaining and informative look not only at the novels of Scott but also the social context within which he was writing. Visuals of Scott monuments and possessions were provided as well. Of particular interest was the view that Scott avoided openly stirring up English/Scottish rivalries and attempted to build bridges between the two. |
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| | 3/1/2007 | Suzanne Heaton | Logical Connectors in Native and Non-native Texts: What are connectors and how are they used? |
| | Comments: | Excellect look into corpus research and defining an organizational structure for an extensive research project. Presented findings (to date) suggested many language learning/teaching texts may not present connectors as they appear in realia. Well presented. |
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| | 2/19/2007 | Professor Abdulla Al Dabbagh | Scope and Highlights of Literary Orientalism |
| | Comments: | Insightful and thought-provoking argument as to the Oriental contributions to Western Literature, particularly the introduction of the concept of courtly love and, in progression, Romanticism. A comparison made between the inclusion of black Americans in 19th century American novels and Orientals in Renaissance drama raised questions, for me, about the way in which the ¡°other¡± was characterized. A stimulating address that covered a great deal of ground. |
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| | 12/18/2006 | Professor James Mirrione | Theatre in Education (TIE): A Practical Demonstration |
| | Comments: | An informative and entertaining look at some practical applications of TIE in the classroom, particularly with regard to introducing and commenting on social and political issues. |
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| | 11/28/2006 | Professor Manfred Malzahn | The Steamer and the Raft: Charlie Marlow and Huck Finn |
| | Comments: | An interesting comparison which focused on deflating claims that either book was entirely pro or anti racism or colonialism. |
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| | 11/15/2006 | Dr. Leon Holtzhausen | Teaching Across Cultural Barriers: A Recipe for Student Success |
| | Comments: | Based solely on analysis of comments from student focus groups, the presentation made some suggestions addressing how instructors and students might be more culturally sensitive in the classroom. The discussion following focused a good deal on the role English plays in determining the success or failure of students at UAEU. An interesting element to the discussion was the recognition non-language teaching faculty gave to the need to continually instruct students in language as well as content specific areas. An insightful and well presented seminar. |
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| | 11/13/2006 | Professor Abdulla Al Dabbagh | Power and the Radical Arab Intellectual: Three Case Studies |
| | Comments: | Interesting and informative paper raising, for me, questions about the affect the evolution into intellectual has on forming identity and creating tension between the intellectual and the political. My thinking was that change seemed endemic to intellectualism. Perhaps this characteristic of intellectualism was a source for conflict. |
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Edward Chaffin
Co-Chair: TESOL Arabia 2002 Conference Technology Village