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The Summer Teacher's Institute: Contemporary Africa

by Khalid El-Hassan

The ASRC held another successful teacher institute from June 9th to June 20th on the theme "The Contemporary Africa: Challenges, Realities and Renaissance." It was inaugurated by Hodgie Bricke, Assistant Dean, Graduate School & Int'l Programs, John Janzen, Director, ASRC, and Khalid El-Hassan, Institute Director.

The main objective of the institute was to apply a multidisciplinary approach of training techniques to enhance the teaching and understanding of contemporary Africa. It included presentations, panels, demonstrations, museum illustrations, hands-on library searches, and interactive discussions with African Studies faculty specializing in African art, history, culture, education, geography, health, economy, media, and religion. About 16 teachers, educators at different levels, and KU graduate students participated in the workshop. They were coming from Kansan City, Lawrence, Baldwin, Topeka, and Chanute, Kansas.

The 2003 Institute brought together leading Africanist faculty at KU who provided the attendees with an overview of Africa's past, present, and future. It also provided training on using videos, arts, museum resources for understanding and teaching contemporary Africa. The program included three major elements: the introductory part, the core element, and the training/demonstration.

1. Introductory Presentations on Contemporary Africa:

  • Contemporary Africa: The Historical context .
  • Ethnicity of Contemporary Africa: Learning about African People at the Museum of Anthropology.
  • Overview of Contemporary Africa: the Human Geography
  • Values and Traditional Religions of African People.
  • Socio-economic Status of Contemporary Africa.

2. Core Elements on Contemporary Africa:

  • Methodological Approaches to the Teaching of Africa.
  • Media and Stereotype of African People.
  • The Contemporary Politics and Democratization in Africa.
  • The Music of Africa and Africa in the Diaspora.
  • Health, Disease, and Culture: an African Case Study..
  • Languages & Culture of African Peoples.
  • Teaching Africa through Fine Arts and Textiles.
  • Gender and the Situation of African Women.)
  • Sudan: The Hidden Holocaust.
  • Human Rights and Social Equity in the Postcolonial Africa.
  • Films and Theatre of Contemporary Africa.
  • Teaching Africa: Some Selected Works of African Novelist.

3. Training and Demonstrations:

  • Library Resources and Africa Online: Searching the Web for Curricular Materials and Teaching resources.
  • Training on Using Videos for Teaching Africa.
  • Religion and Identity of the Swahili People in Kenya.
  • The Kingdom of the Nile: Video and Discussion.
  • African Music and Dance: Presentation and Demonstration.

Participants had a visit and special learning sessions at Nelson -Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City with Curator Joyce Youmans. They also visited the Kansas City Animal Zoo and its educational teaching resources with educators Ollie Bogdon and Dianne Schmidt. During the Institute the participants prepared individual/group teaching modules and research projects. Faculties were on hand for consultation in specific subject areas. The teaching modules and research topics were presented under the supervision of Africanist faculty in the final day of the program. The institute ended with an evening of African food and music at the Lawrence Public Library. Earlier faculty and students were invited to bring dishes of African cuisine that could be situated within the Institute's curriculum. Some of the dishes were given a cultural historical interpretation just prior to being "feasted upon." The participants with their guests and Africanist community at KU enjoyed a beautiful African evening with drums and dance of the Kansas City-based music group Djembe Kaan.

The summer institute has always had great reviews from participants. This year's evaluations were especially encouraging. When the participants realized that, the ASRC is not funded and the teacher's summer institute will not be sponsored by the Federal Department of Education they wrote a letter to the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences asking for an alternative support to the ASRC and its outreach activities. They said in this letter, "we would like to express our appreciation to Africanist faculty and staff at the University of Kansas for organizing this year's valuable workshop on African studies. This Institute has been an extremely positive experience for all of us exposing us to many facets of African life. This newfound appreciation of Africa would not be possible without the African Studies Resource Center at the University of Kansas. The African Studies Resource Center has provided an opportunity for educators, students, and local activists to increase their general awareness of the continent of Africa and to give us the knowledge necessary to share this awareness with other Kansans. The United States government has recently recognized Africa's growing importance in terms of foreign policy, global security, world health, and international trade. The Summer Institutes, including those of past years, have emphasized this importance and served to create a base of informed citizens. We will return to our homes-including Chanute, Topeka, Baldwin, Kansas City, and Lawrence-and spread this knowledge to students and fellow citizens in our communities. The Institute participants would not have the opportunity to be exposed to scholars of this caliber without the efforts of the Resource Center and its staff members. This Summer Institute has been an extraordinary learning experience for all participants. Without financial funding from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, future educators, students, and community members might not have the opportunity to increase their knowledge of Africa. In today's interconnected world it is essential that the University of Kansas provide opportunities like the Summer Institute for Teachers. We encourage you to support the African Studies Resource Center so that it can continue to provide opportunities like the Summer Institute for Teachers."


Robin Goff, Director of the Light Center at Baldwin was one of the participants. She wrote a separate letter in support of ASRC summer program, she said " I had the privilege of attending this summer's teacher Institute, The Contemporary Africa: Challenges, Realities and Renaissance. It proved to be a most worthwhile educational experience for me. I am embarking on a project in South Africa and so was needing an overview of the continent that was both current and informative. My expectations were more than met and I learned a great deal. I also was impressed with the high caliber of presenters and the wide range of information included. I fear that I was quite ignorant about many aspects of the continent of Africa and now at least feel that I have the basic understanding of many areas. It is my hope that this valuable program will continue to be offered for our community's teachers. It is a wonderful resource and connects many people with the people and places to gain further knowledge. Thanks to the staff of the KU African Studies Resource Center for a very informative and enjoyable offering." Paul Duff, KU graduate student, believes Africa is a continent that is truly misunderstood and misinterpreted, yet one has to admit that it is of no surprise for much the American public to have negative connotations of the continent when the only media coverage is of violence, famine, and AIDS. He further said, "The African teaching institute that I attended this summer gave me a fantastic introduction to the many complexities of the continent that I had overlooked and misunderstood." Brenda Kelly, teacher from Topeka High School, has been teaching for more than thirty years. One of her research and teaching interest is the influence of West African oral tradition on Southern African American culture. Ms Kelly believes that she had been fully involved in the teacher's workshop that she attended this summer and she enjoyed every minute of it. She believes the workshop is the most educative experience that she has ever had. Ann Neff, International Students Coordinator at Neosho County Community College in Chanute, KS said she has been in Kansas for almost 35 years and attending this summer workshop has been the most engaging Kansas experience she ever had. Corissa Culp, a teacher from Blue Valley West High School in Overland Park, Kansas, wrote, "This was an incredible experience. I learned so much and I will continue to learn more about Africa and its huge diversity of people and cultures. Thank you for putting together such a fascinating two week experience."