Swat Prof's Blog

interesteddad
Wed, 18 May 2005 22:50:02 +0000

To get a glimpse of why Swarthmore students enjoy their classes so much, take a look at a blog entry this week from History Prof. Tim Burke.

Trope Trove, or Colonial Fairy Tales | Easily Distracted;

He’s outlining an approach he plans to take for the major research paper in next semester’s “Image of Africa” course.

My unscientific sample indicates Swatties find his proposed assignment pretty interesting, at least if e-mail discussions three months before the course starts is any indication.

I think it’s great that a professor puts so much creativity into an assignment that forces students to think about an issue on many levels. The reality, the perception, how the perception came about, etc.

The thing I really like is that these students, for the rest of their lives, will never be able to accept a “pop culture stereotype” again without at least pondering for a moment if it is true or not. Now, THAT is what a liberal arts education is all about.