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As a final project in the class, students were required to complete a self-portrait and some questions in their online survey about the design and construction of their project. Students presented these projects in class, and were required to explain the use of color, line, shape,texture, and the ways in which they integrated materials from the unit on Art as Self-Expression. Although the presentations in the class were quite successful, the level of analysis in the online surveys was disappointing. Therefore, in the spring semester 2000, I modified this assignment to require a formal, typewritten essay.

Prior to completing this project, students had studied various views of the self in psychology (Freud and Jung) and their application to literature (Rilke), Asian views of the self, and the self-portrait in art. In the course survey, several students remarked on the helpful nature of the active learning units in this class. According to the surveys, the active learning modules were one of the main differences students perceived between this course and their more traditional courses, and also one of the main features they identified with an interdisciplinary course. For further information on their remarks on active learning, see my reflection on the fall 1999.

Among the best projects for this unit were those made by student 18 and student 21. Student 33 produced a very elaborate project with detailed explication, but did not atempt to integrate many materials we studied and primarily played upon the Rilke "faces" text that we read. Student 32 had a very original and creative design, but failed to comment in detail on the survey. This student was actually a very creative, inquisitive thinker whose written work often failed to demonstrate traits evident in classroom discussions. Student 11 also produced a wonderful applied project but likewise failed to comment in detail on the survey. This student did, however, attempt to integrate some ideas from the Rilke text.

To explore the students' projects, click on the links below.

Self-Portrait Assignment

Student 1

Student 2

Student 3

Student 4 unavailable

Student 5

Student 6

Student 7 unavailable

Student 8

Student 9

Student 10