Special projects allow students to extend,
connect, or deepen their liberal arts learning in unique ways. The Special
Projects category includes:
• projects that apply different ways of knowing
(e.g., oral, verbal, tactile, imaginative, rational, intuitive, artistic,
scientific);
• projects that bring together the methods,
insights, concerns, or subject matters of different disciplines;
• projects that entail non-traditional ways of
approaching a topic;
• projects that are in the spirit of engaged
learning but do not properly fit in the other Odyssey categories.
Proposals for special projects must include an explanation of how a
particular project meets one of the descriptions above.
Although the projects belonging to this
category will differ widely, a special project must entail at least 30 hours of
work on the part of each student involved. Proposals must include an estimate
of the amount of time to be spent on the project, and records of time spent
must be kept throughout the project’s duration.
The outcome of a special project does not
need to be a “product” per se, but proposals must indicate the anticipated
outcomes of the project. Projects must incorporate a component that will allow
students to reflect on their experience in writing and conversation. Proposals
must indicate what form this reflective component will take.
Examples of experiential learning
activities that might fulfill this category:
INDIVIDUALIZED ACADEMIC EXPERIENCES. This
category includes independent studies, internships, and optional additions to
existing courses (modules) that by themselves do not meet Odyssey criteria. Such
projects must offer students the opportunity to explore unique,
interdisciplinary, or non-traditional ways of learning through experiential
activities.
CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. Special projects
that involve students in engaged learning in unique, non-traditional or
interdisciplinary ways and that are undertaken outside the normal context of classes,
independent studies or internships may fulfill this category.
COURSES. Any course that allows students,
through experiential means, to extend, connect, or deepen their liberal arts
learning in unique ways and that does not precisely fit any of the other
Odyssey categories could be a candidate for coding under this category. Such
courses must include at least 30 hours of engaged activities as well as an
opportunity for reflection on the experience.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE SP CATEGORY
Supervisors for the SP category may be
members of the Hendrix faculty or administrative staff.
In your proposal explain carefully how
your project fits one or more of the following criteria:
Does it involve different ways of knowing?
Is it interdisciplinary?
Does it enlist a non-traditional approach
to a topic?
Does it exemplify some kind of engaged
learning not represented in the other Odyssey categories?
Also explain what will count as a
completed and successful project. For example, will there be a tangible final
product? Will there be a public presentation to the campus community or other
relevant audiences?