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Conference Theme - Embracing Contradictions
| Conference Dates - March 26 - 29, 2009
| Annual Conference 2009!
| | Theme | Strands | Honors Issues Forum | Contacts | Information & Fees | Draft Schedule |
We invite members to submit theme-related proposals in the following areas: in the Arts and Humanities; in Business and Technology; in Education; in the Natural and Applied Sciences; and in the Social Sciences. We additionally invite proposals for Poster Presentations and Round Table Discussions.
Short formal presentations by one or more presenters that touch on conference themes. Papers should be planned for 10-12 minute presentations to allow time for discussion. Papers should not be read, but summarized to highlight the key issues the paper examines.
This strand seeks proposals focusing on the idea of contradictions as embraced by the multidisciplinary approaches of the Arts and Humanities. Proposers may wish to consider the tension between established traditions and writers and artists who pursue radical departures from such traditions.
The following questions suggest some of the issues proposers might consider under this strand:
- How have the arts and humanities responded to world events with oppositions? Can we argue, for example, that great art emerges from ferocious debate? How have unresolved works (or events) shaken more traditional disciplinary approaches?
- In what ways do political contradictions compel or embrace artistic contradictions?
- What causes, in terms of social or artistic concerns, produce contradictions in artistic styles or content?
- What, if anything, can we learn from contradictions? How do contradictions in one region of the world inform or impact other areas of the globe?
- Evaluate a figure in the arts and humanities: what contradictions does he/she embody? In what ways do her/his works embrace contradictions?
The above questions are intended to suggest a range of issues, themes and subjects that students may explore. The examples, however, are not exhaustive - presenters should feel free to propose (and embrace) other contradictory definitions and traditions in the arts and humanities.
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Business is commonly seen as a field of unresolved and endless conflict. In contrast, technology is commonly understood as a means to solve problems. Both, however, are fields where enormous conflicting forces need to be harnessed by creative minds who seek to understand, to control and to manage the world. This thread will discuss challenges and issue in economics, finance, design, and technology.
Our host city of Annapolis reflects deep changes in American industry over the centuries - a town built on slavery and tobacco is now a service center with a thriving industry based on government and tourism. Its narrow streets and quaint old houses seem maladapted to our globalized economy, yet is thrives by celebrating its quirkiness. Presenters should ask themselves how they find solutions to problems, how they link the past to the present, and how conflicting forces in business, technology or design lead to destruction or innovation.
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The entire downtown of Annapolis is a national historic land. St. John’s College traces its origins back to King Williams School founded in 1696, the site of Revolutionary and Civil War encampments. It continues a long tradition of liberal arts education with the present "Great Books" curriculum. Also, Annapolis is the home of the 338-acre United States Naval Academy.
The argument continues that many teachers are not strong in the disciplines in which they teach. Should those teaching in secondary schools earn a degree in the discipline first- English, math, science, and history - then get teacher certification? Should schools of education require 3-year programs in the major and the fourth year to focus on teacher education?
The United States continues the push to hire only certified (licensed) teachers for its public schools. Yet the shortage of such qualified public school teachers forces school districts across the nation to hire provisional teachers (unlicensed). Some states hire teachers from outside the United States to get "qualified" teachers. Should states hire only fully certified teachers? Should states continue the practice of hiring provisional teachers to meet the teacher shortage? Can provisional teachers provide a quality education for the Nation’s students? Should the United States hire teachers from foreign countries rather than hire provisional teachers?
As some of the nation’s public school students continue to score low on reading tests, the debate about how to teach reading in elementary school continues. Are students better readers today than 20 years ago? What is the best way to teach reading - using phonics or whole language?
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Surely science and technology are all about solving contradictions - except, of course, when they create them. In science we move towards certainty in some respects, but create uncertainty and controversy as research advances. Objective consensus is the child of a complex and all-too human process of investigation. In a similar way, technology offers solutions to problems, but when implemented, begins to create new problems that hadn't even been imagined. Share your discoveries and reflections, your methodological acumen and imaginative insights into the natural world. Contributions related to the conference theme of "embracing contradictions," as well as original research projects in all branches of natural and applied science are welcome.
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This strand seeks proposals focusing on contradictions and resolutions in different communities, as examined by the interdisciplinary approaches of the Social Sciences.
The following questions suggest some of the issues proposers might consider under this strand.
- How have notions of religious freedom changed over time, and how is the right to religious freedom relevant in our current age?
- How do communities respond to contradictions and conflict? Consider responses that you consider surprising or unexpected.
- How can communities operate as havens for people who hold unpopular or illegal opinions, faiths, or worldviews? How do some societies benefit from tolerating dissenters?
- How do economic contradictions define our 21st century world and what comparisons can we draw to other eras or places?
- How do communities define themselves - ideologically, culturally, geographically - at moments of social and cultural change?
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This is a great place to showcase student research in all disciplines. (Poster presentations may be non-theme-related.)Posters should be prepared on a trifold board, or a similar self-supporting framework that can rest on the tables that will be provided by the hotel. Posters will be presented on Sunday morning.
Roundtables are designed to provide students working at different schools and in different disciplines an opportunity to discuss shared topics and concerns. Students submitting round table presentations should be aware of the following guidelines:
- Students should expect to present a short (5 minute) summary of their own work and then spend most of the time at the table in discussion.
- No more than two students should submit the same proposal. (If students have worked in larger groups and all wish to submit, they should submit separate proposals emphasizing different aspects of their joint work. These smaller groups will then be placed at different tables.)
- Moderators will run discussion at each table. Students should be prepared to respond flexibly to the moderator’s questions and to share discussion time with other students at the table.
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