2005-2006 Cycle
What is ISLS?
A Three-Semester Program of Study in
General Education
ISLS is an adventure in the world of
ideas. It is a program for college students to explore the interrelationship of
various fields of learning, a program of reading, writing, discussion, and
independent inquiry leading to knowledge.
The organizing principle of Interdisciplinary Studies in
Letters & Science is at once daring and sensible: The ISLS student is
responsible for her or his own education. This responsibility includes a
commitment to learning, an involvement in ideas, and a desire for personal
growth. The program extends to each student the opportunity to become educated
through studying relevant materials, considering the perspectives of a diverse
community of students, and experiencing tutorial instruction in an intellectual
climate where good books, exciting ideas and critical inquiry are valued.
ISLS is an approach to undergraduate education as old as
Socrates and as new as computer technology. The three-semester curriculum covers
many of the general education requirements for graduation from Chabot College
and for transfer to a four-year college or university. Students receive 12 to 13
units of credit per semester, totaling 36-40 units over the entire program.
Completion of this program fulfills many lower division general education
requirements in five disciplines: humanities, English, social sciences, physical
sciences, and biological sciences. The course of study emphasizes the
interrelation of ideas in all five subject areas in such a way that each
semester forms an integral unit of study, and three semesters constitute a
sequential development of ideas, skills and understanding. The ISLS classes,
with an enrollment of 120 students, make up a program lasting the entire three
semesters. Students should commit themselves to the full program.
The ISLS instructors consider themselves co-learners as well
as tutors. Instruction is carried on in four ways: (1) four one-and-one-half
hour sessions, led by one or more of the tutors, make up six hours a week of
group lecture-discussion in which all students and tutors participate; (2) six
additional hours each week in small group discussions where each of the tutors
continues the examination of the ideas introduced in large group; (3) private
tutorials in which a student and tutor meet individually; and, (4) weekly
colloquia (ISLS 9) with guest speakers to explore topical concepts and ideas in
a different way. After the first semester, each student has a different tutor
every half-semester and a random mix of other students for small group
discussion. Attendance at both the large-group lecture and small-group
discussion sessions is required, as is attendance at at least half of the
colloquium sessions (ISLS 9).
The heart of the instructional method is careful analysis of
primary source material in each subject area. Students read the works of authors
such as Shakespeare, Darwin, and Marx rather than books about them. Students
discover they can master challenging works through the methods of dialogue,
close examination of the text, and structural analysis. Students are required to
write a full-length analytical paper on each text. The students' writing should
convey independent discoveries derived from an intimate association with the
work, rather than responses to what others have said or written about it. We
expect essays to be original work, based on primary sources.
The success of Interdisciplinary Studies in Letters and
Science lies in three essential elements:
- Community:
membership in a group of inquirers to share intellectual growth and
enthusiasm.
- Intellectual Challenge:
a chance to investigate the most fundamental and exciting works in five
academic disciplines, and some of the creative thinking that has significantly
affected human civilization.
- Personalized Instruction:
the opportunity to develop skills and understanding under the close
supervision of tutors who have the time and freedom to instruct each student.
What Materials are Studied in the Program?
Works chosen from five academic areas are studied in depth each semester by
all students. The tutor from each discipline is responsible for coordinating
and enriching instruction from the text; secondary sources or background material
are seldom required. Works studied are selected from primary documents of the
world's political, social, scientific and cultural heritage. Although changes
occur from one program to the next, students will analyze works such as those
on the reading list. Precise lists will be given to the students each semester.
Feel free to see past course calendars and reading lists or check out the reading
list for the current and following semesters.
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The Instructor Team
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How ISLS Works
Discussion is the heart of the ISLS day. Study is undertaken
in modules rather than in a sequence of concurrent courses. Students and
instructors meet at 9:00 AM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings
for 1½ hours in a large lecture hall, where one instructor directs the study of
a work in his or her field for a two or three week period. Class often begins
with students sharing their responses to the assigned reading and continues with
analysis of the text. After a short break, students and instructors reassemble
at 10:30 in small discussion groups where a more intensive study of the work is
pursued. The formal part of an ISLS day usually concludes at noon.
The typical instructional day varies to suit the material
under study. For example, discussion of writing assignments or student papers
may occur in the small group. Tutors may present art slides or an analysis of
poetry; a guest speaker may be invited. Scheduled trips to attend theater and
special exhibits, and to visit museums or planetariums may also be scheduled.
ISLS students receive credit for laboratory experience.
Laboratory sessions will be available at varying times to accommodate student
schedules. Students must plan their schedules to include one required lab
class as part of the ISLS program. The choice of lab time is made in class
within ISLS and not at the registration desk.
Students need to remember that
studying any one work using this modular plan is the equivalent of not one but four courses. This requires the energy and time demanded
by four courses: at least three hours of study for each hour in class and 18
hours overall each week. Therefore, no more than one other course outside ISLS
should be taken during the semester.
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Colloquium
The
Colloquium (ISLS 9) is scheduled as one two-hour session each Tuesday from 1:00
to 2:50 p.m. Colloquium is a 1-unit requirement that enriches the ISLS
experience. Students, tutors and at times guest speakers pursue interests such
as music, architecture, art, mathematics or poetry and discuss current events,
using the methods of analysis developed in the program. Topics reflect
developing student interests and abilities.
Who Should Enroll
ISLS is designed for the following individuals:
- Two-year college students who want a solid foundation in education for
the A.A. degree.
- Transfer students who desire a broad base in several disciplines before
continuing studies in an area of academic specialization.
- Liberal arts or humanities majors who desire an introduction in depth to
the roots of our culture.
There is no typical student in the ISLS program, nor is there a test to identify
such a student. The potentially successful student enjoys reading, whether it
be material assigned in class or of personal interest, and finds ideas exciting
but may be dissatisfied with regular classroom programs. He or she asks probing
questions and experiences a sense of wonder about the universe and the creations
of the human mind. Such a student values learning with a friendly group of students
and teachers in an informal environment. The student may or may not have chosen
a major but plans to complete most of the general education requirements in
this program before specializing.
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Student Responsibilities
- The student must volunteer for the program. The student
must take the English placement test and be interviewed by one of the
ISLS instructors.
- The student must attend all large and small group discussions,
conferences and laboratories and have a final conference with the tutor
at the end of each
semester.
- The student must prepare the readings in depth. Since this skill may
be new to many students, each must have the determination to invest many
hours of serious study without the traditional motivations of quizzes and
grades. At least three hours of study are necessary for each hour in the
classroom.
- The
student is expected to analyze each work assigned and to prepare, organize
and write a complete paper on some aspect of that work. The student may
be asked to discuss the paper in a private conference with the tutor and
in
most cases to make revisions. Students may be asked to read and evaluate
papers by others in their tutorial group.
- The student should be prepared to commit
three semesters to this program. However, students who find it necessary
to leave the program prior to its completion
or who, in the judgment of the faculty, are not able to benefit from
this program, may re-enter the regular college courses at certain points
in the
curriculum.
- The student who wants an A.A. degree must take additional courses
outside the ISLS program in the areas of physical education, health,
mathematics and
social science. Physical education may be taken at the same time as ISLS,
but most additional requirements should be completed before or after the
ISLS program.
- The student must arrange outside employment schedules to conform to
ISLS
class requirements and the time necessary to prepare for those classes.
Grading
In
ISLS the emphasis is on learning rather than on competition for grades. Grades
are assigned based on the success of individual papers and overall contribution
to the program. Attendance is required and timely submission of all essay drafts
and revisions is factored into the grade. Final grades are determined
collaboratively by the tutor team. The student transcript will reflect grades in
particular courses, such as English 1A or History 1, which correspond to the
course of study in a particular semester. Students doing poor work will be
encouraged to drop with a “W� rather than to incur the penalty of 12 or 13
units with “D� or “F� grades.
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Obtaining an A.A. Degree
Thirty-seven semester units in general education are accumulated upon completion
of ISLS 1A, 1B and 1C. One unit per semester, a total of three units, is earned
by enrollment in ISLS 9, the colloquium. ISLS students who want to obtain an A.A.
degree must take a few additional courses. Students should consult the College
Catalog, the counseling fliers and the ISLS counselor to plan the additional
courses required for graduation.
Transferring to a Four-Year College
All credits earned in ISLS are transferable to all campuses
of the University of California and the California State University systems,
as well as most private universities and colleges. Specific additional course
work in mathematics, speech, foreign language, and/or the student's major may
be required. Students should consult the ISLS counselor for further information.
ISLS provides a valuable background for majors in humanities, history and literature
and for professions such as teaching and law. Because it explores the philosophy
of science, the program is a prelude to study in the sciences or mathematics.
An ISLS student who intends to major in the physical or biological sciences
will not be able to complete lower division requirements within the two year
period during the ISLS program. Similarly, students interested in nursing, business
and other two-year programs cannot finish their studies during the ISLS program.
However, many students have opted to delay enrolling in such programs in order
to enjoy the benefits of ISLS.
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Financial Assistance
College-wide financial assistance programs are available to all students.
An ISLS fund may provide money for textbooks. Students may apply by inquiry
to a tutor after entering the program.
How This Program Enables You to Become a Better Writer
Writing is integral to all college work. The process that
begins in the large discussion group and continues intensively in the small
discussion group is completed when the student writes an analytical paper on a
particular aspect of the work. These papers, along with other written and oral
assignments, become a tangible record of progress in the student's ability to
read, think and write effectively.
Although intuitive responses to the artist's creation are
valuable, the student is encouraged to discover the underlying order which binds
the work together. An ISLS paper presents evidence of the student's insights,
which also convey the student's intellectual understanding of the work.
Each semester, students write at least five analytical
papers. Tutors work with discussion groups on preparation and revision. Students
share papers in small groups, after which the tutor reads each paper and makes
comments, raises questions and evaluates the organization and presentation of
ideas. Papers are not given letter grades. Students are invited to confer with
their tutors about papers, which may undergo several revisions.
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Does this program sound just right for you?
To apply for an ISLS interview, or for more information, fill out our online
registration interest form, or contact an ISLS
tutor or counselor on-campus. Enrollment is limited to 120 students.
