In her article on experiential
learning strategies Lori Pompa writes about the
importance of providing students with opportunities “to interact with the world
around them through guided hands-on experience and then reflect upon it”
(“Service-Learning as Crucible,” in: Michigan
Journal of Community Service Learning, Fall 2002). I realize aspects of
this objective with the interview assignment in my Islam class. It requires
students to interview someone who identifies him/herself as a Muslim and to
write about the person’s understanding of what it means to be a Muslim for
him/her. We spend time before the actual
interviews in class discussing interview strategies. Upon completion students
evaluate their experiences in class in the context of what I state as a core
objective in my course description: “A major aim of this course is to provide a window into
how Muslims, in varying socio-historical contexts, view themselves.”
The description of the assignment (including the consent form) as well
as examples of student writings are attached.