Cohort July 2023: Faculty of Arts – Sara Ann Knutson, Jason Izadi, Laila Shaheen
Project background
The Abbasids: History, Heritage, and Memory, was taught for the first time in 2022W Term 2. The course decentres Europe in engaging the Middle Eastern past and attracts diverse students and contains challenging content on race, immigration, decolonization, globalization, and cultural heritage that must be redesigned in order to offer the appropriate structural support for multicultural, multidisciplinary student learning.
Project details
Our SaP-driven course redesign is based on the partnership of the instructor and two former students in the course as we apply our respective learning-, disciplinary-, and cultural expertise to help refine the course, empower future student-driven learning, and foster diversity and inclusivity. Our SaP work focuses on three goals:
- Cultivating a diverse learning community. HIST 353 appeals to students from diverse positionalities, learning styles, and disciplinary backgrounds. This course provides a space for students who culturally identify with the Middle East to feel seen at UBC and for students who do not culturally identify with the region to become more curious and invested in decolonizing efforts and problematizing harmful biases.
- Centering student research in the learning experience. We aim to transform the cumulative assignment by designing a collaborative, open-access resource that includes indexed primary and secondary sources and activities that support student engagement of primary sources.
- Engaging public and interdisciplinary perspectives. Our team will diversify class readings and podcasts that appeal to a wider range of disciplinary backgrounds. The team will also create activities that encourage stakeholder analysis and diverse community values.
Testimonials
I strongly believe in the mission of recognizing students as intellectual equals with their own respective expertise. Being a part of this partnership with Jason and Laila has been one of the most rewarding and meaningful experiences I have had so far as a new faculty member at UBC. Our partnership has given me unexpected clarity and feedback about aspects of my teaching and course design and it has been an absolute joy to grow as a teacher and mentor in partnership with Jason and Laila.
— Sara Ann Knuston
In our SaP partnership, I have learned the nuances of creating effective surveys, the complex steps that go into creating an effective syllabus and the process of finding and evaluating relevant sources to enhance the student experience. The personal connection this collaboration allowed me to cultivate with Dr. Knutson and Jason is also invaluable. I find myself constantly learning about myself and them in our meetings. The three of us are at different stages in our lives and come to the partnership with unique positionalities that transform our discussions from simply technical procedures to eye-opening conversations that help me both locate myself in relation to them.
— Laila Shaheen
I highly value the opportunity of this SaP partnership to have my voice heard and to actively contribute to the future course. Feeling valued and recognized when my ideas are discussed and incorporated into the project reinforces understandings of education as a dynamic, two-way process where students play an integral role in shaping their learning journey. SaP work exemplifies how transformational shifts in education can lead to better outcomes for all involved, showcasing the transformative potential of collaborative approaches. This work has inspired me to take active steps towards dismantling power structures in higher education and fostering a more equitable and inclusive learning environment where all voices are not just heard but valued and celebrated.
— Jason Izadi