Day of Common Learning 2008: Theme of Beauty

The Day of Common Learning is a campus in-service day during which faculty, staff and students have the opportunity to participate together in a learning community outside of traditional classrooms.

Keynote Address: Beauty, Love, Justice, and Worship Professor Emeritus of Yale Divinity School Nicholas Wolterstorff explores the base commonality between issues of beauty, love, justice, and worship. October 15, 2008. (33:29) [Audio] [Video]

The Psychology of Physical Beauty: Characteristics, Consequences, and Costs Associate Professor of Psychology Margaret Marshall discusses the characteristics of physical beauty, the social consequences of physical beauty, and the psychological costs of the modern obsession with physical beauty. October 15, 2008. (38:54) [Audio] [Video]

Beauty and the Beasts: How Our Ideas About Appearance Affect the Way We Relate to God’s Creatures Professor of Geography Kathleen Braden challenges how our ideas about appearance affect the way we relate to environmental conservation. October 15, 2008. (29:29) [Audio]

Dr. Seuss and the Poetics of Beauty: Why the Grinch, Sneetches, and Lorax Matter Today Associate Professor of Christian Ministry Jeff Keuss highlights Dr. Seuss' aesthetics influence for many children and how these images address deep questions of belief and realism. October 15, 2008. (47:28) [Audio]

Beauty and the Bible Instructor of Biblical Studies Sara Koenig and Professor of Christian Scriptures Rob Wall explore images of physical beauty in the biblical narrative and a theory of aesthetic guidelines in the formation of the New Testament canon. October 15, 2008. (41:56) [Audio]

Beast…and The Beauty Communications Specialist Jeffrey Overstreet explores the attraction between the beast and the beauty as found in fairy tales, poetry, science, and modern stories and the redemption found therein. October 15, 2008. (54:50) [Audio] [Video]

Leading Beautifully: Practicing the Art of Leadership SPU Faculty Margaret Diddams, Joey Collins, Robert McKenna, and Paul Yost facilitate envision beautiful leadership as an unfolding, interdependent partnership by which leaders co-create the future with the people they lead. October 15, 2008. (51:41) [Audio] [Video]

Curriculum Design

SPU Professor of Education Andrew Lumpe addresses the theoretical and practical issues of curriculum design, including philosophies of curriculum, curricular goals and objectives, alternate conceptions and designs of curriculum, process and content possibilities, planning with respect to scope and sequence, and the role of educators in the selection and development of curriculum materials.

Social Forces - Discusses the relationship between social forces and school curriculum. October 8, 2008. (8:09)

Curriculum Design Processes - Addresses the curriculum alignment processes, including horizontal and vertical, pacing guides, and the role of textbooks. October 13, 2008. (9:53)

Curriculum and Instruction - Examines the relationships between what is taught and the instructional methods used. Examines the role of recent school reform efforts including the reading and math wars. October 17, 2008. (7:44)

The Good News about Fall Prevention

The Good News about Fall Prevention SPU graduating nursing students produced a video about four important areas in which senior citizens can make changes that will greatly reduce their risk of falling. May 30, 2008. (10:03)

The Nature of Cities

The Nature of Cities Professor Ron Boyce explores from multidisciplinary perspectives the character and content of cities from their origin to present pattern. Special emphasis is placed on the city theme in scripture. Topics include attitudes about cities over time, the spread of civilizations in history, the changing economic base of cities, and selected contemporary land-use and urban planning problems.