Linking Classes"Project- Information and Links Beginning in September 1998 , five College of the Canyons faculty began a project to create shared learning opportunitiesand sessions for selected classes. This project, supported bythe Fund for Instructional Improvement and the College of theCanyons, sought to improve the quality of instruction in theseclasses by providing the students multiple perspectives on thecourse material and by providing students in the separate classesthe opportunity to interact with one another. In order to achievethese goals, the faculty participants developed shared curriculumand were trained in the use of instructional technology that theycould use to provide for student interaction and communication.One of the exciting features of this project has been the creationof class sessions and resources which will be available over theweb allowing students to go into greater depth and research onthe material, access additional lectures, and to participate ingroup discussions with students from other classes. Our initialoffering of these classes will take place during Fall 1999. Faculty Participants, Course Information When, if ever, would it be ethically acceptable to torture another human being? This issue will bebe considered by students of Floyd Moos' English 101 classand Michael McMahan's Intro. To Philosophy class. Studentsi n this pairing of classes will explore different moral frameworks and theories, take part in online debate sessions, and learn critical reasoning and writing skills useful for expressing their views and ideas.   Students in Donna Davidson's Intro. to Cinema class will explore deeper meanings of the popular recent film, the Truman Show, together with students in Michael McMahan's Intro. To Philosophy course. Students will explore and study themes in the film about freedom and control,the nature of evil, the causes of ignorance, as well as study parallels to the classic essay by Plato of the Allegory ofthe Cave.   Students will study Latin American history and culture in the linking of the Cinema120 class of Donna Davidson to Claudia Acosta's Latin American Literature classs .This pair of linked classes will use online resources, study aids,and discussions for its study of several critically acclaimed and popular Latin America films. I Issues of ethics and the environment and how the procedures ofscience are relevant to ethical frameworks are themes explored in the linked classes of Elizabeth Russo ( Environmental Biology)and Michael McMahan(Ethics). Students in these classes will utilize several online sessions to gain insight into controversial issues about the relationship between science and ethics and ethical issues of importance concerning the enviroment. Links to Project Webpages and Resources English 090 (Floyd Moos) ------ Philosophy 101 (Michael McMahan) Cinema 120 (Donna Davidson-Symonds)------ Philosophy 101 (MichaelMcMahan) Cinema 120 (Donna Davidson-Symonds) -------Spanish 240( Claudia Acosta) Biology 130 EnvironmentalBiology (Elizabeth Russo)------Philosophy 210 Ethics Faculty Guide- This is an online resource and reference guide forfaculty concerning the Linking Classes Project.If you're interestedin combining sessions with another class or using online toolsto help enhance or suppllement your classes, you should find someuseful material here.Click here Last modified 7-19-99 . Michael McMahan