2006 Selection
SJSU Campus Reading Program
Examples of How SJSU Faculty Have Used the Campus Reading Program Book in Their Courses
2005 Selection
Business 161B - Organizational Theory, Design and Change; taught by Dominie Garcia in 2008
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As a choice of one of their projects, students could read Water for Elephants and analyze a circus from an organizational perspective - click here.
Biology 4 - Professions of Biology (1 unit); taught by Sally Veregge in 2005 and 2006
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In Fall 2005, students were required to read Nickel and Dimed and attend a discussion group or the play (most attended the play).
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In Fall 2006, students were required to read The Kite Runner and attend one of the reading program events.
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The books were discussed in class.
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The course emphasizes the importance of reading in order to improve writing skills and to prepare the students for such exams as the Medical College Admissions Test. The professor also notes that professional schools want students who are well read and well informed about what is going on in the world, and not just student who are good in science.
Business 162 - International and Comparative Management; taught by Carol Reade in 2005 and 2006
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Students were required to read Nickel and Dimed and use it in a term paper assignment. The objective of the paper was to provide upper-division Management and International Business students with an opportunity to apply their knowledge of international management principles to a key concern identified by the United nation's Global Compact, namely, the impact of globalization on labor. Students were asked to do a comparative study of the US and another country, taking into consideration the perspective of the worker, the manager, and the corporation.
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For Fall 2006, students used The Kite Runner for a research and essay assignment..
Health Professions 135 - Health Issues in a Multicultural Society; taught by Caroline Fee
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This is an SJSU Studies Area S course.
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The Kite Runner is on the greensheet as required reading
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Assignment - Reflective Essay: "After reading the book, choose one Afghani cultural value, belief, or attitude (for example, morals, proper behavior, roles of women and men, social distinction, racism, religion, or another) that is portrayed by one of the characters. Briefly describe who and how this was expressed in the book. Now, compare this to your own cultural view and include specific discussion of similarities and differences. The essay should be no longer than 2 typed pages. Be prepared to discuss your essay in class."
SOCI 057 - Community Involvement and Personal Growth; taught by Michael Fallon in Fall 2006
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Essay on The Kite Runner: Psychosocial Development across the Lifespan. Upon completion of the “Campus Reading 2006 Book – The Kite Runner by Kahled Hosseini”, mindful of course learning objectives #1-2 to understand the
physiological, psychological, and social/cultural influences on your well-being; and recognize the interrelation of these factors on your development across the lifespan; and having reviewed Erikson’s Psychosocial Model of Development…compose an analytic/application paper in which you interrelate the Age/Stage – Life Task vs Failure – Character Outcomes over the lifespan of the main character, Amir. That is, what factors (life tasks or failures) occurred at critical times (ages/stages) in Amir’s life that determined the outcome of his character?
ADV 091 Introduction to Advertising; taught by Lilly Buchwitz in Fall 2006
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The setting, or “market,” is richly described in terms of its language, customs, traditions, food, and climate, and the societal personality of Afghans is revealed through the narrator’s encounters with other characters.
All advertising is based on symbols and metaphors that resonate with the target market. Your assignment is to create an advertisement for any product, real or fictitious, to be marketed to Afghan consumers in the 1970s. The message and style of your ad must be based on the details of Afghan culture at that time, as described in the book. Use symbols and metaphors that would be recognized by that audience at that time.
You are free to use any medium, and any form for your ad. You may use words, pictures, video, sound, or any combination. Your finished advertisement, however, must “speak for itself,” in other words, no written explanation is to accompany it. For your ad to be successful it must communicate a message that I, as someone who has read the book, will understand. Your ad must “speak” to me as a member of the target audience.
I recommend that as you read the book you mark it up and take notes about Afghan words and other cultural details that you learn. Pay attention to those details. Something as small and seemingly insignificant as the fact that Jalalabad was a popular vacation spot at the time could be used a the basis for an ad.
MCOM 72 Media and Society; taught by Lilly Buchwitz in Fall 2006
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All forms of mass media can be, and surely have been, used as propaganda. It could be argued that this novel is a form of propaganda, designed to change our post-9/11 society’s opinions about
Write a 1,000 word essay arguing a pro or con position on the topic of The Kite Runner as propaganda. Your essay’s thesis is up to you to choose, however it must be on that topic. Some questions to consider, as you develop your thesis: Is the book propaganda? If you believe it is, is it “good” propaganda, or “bad” propaganda? What groups might appropriate the novel for their own purposes? Did the book change your opinion about
MUSE/Area E - "Only connect:" Kayaking for the Whole of You; taught by Shirley Reekie in Fall 2005
Students were required to read Nickel and Dimed. It was used in class discussions to help with eloquence and discussions on specific topics such as the differences getting a college degree makes to job expectations, salary, range of choices, etc. Students also contrasted what is meant to "master" a skill with what it took to work at the typical N&D-like job.
MUSE/Business 12D - Save the Earth!; taught by Annette Nellen in Fall 2006
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Students are required to have read the book.
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Students are required to attend two MUSE workshops, one campus event and one Kite Runner event and write a reflective paper on each.
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The two environmental problems examined in the class with an emphasis on the U.S. will also be examined in terms of the severity of the problem in some other countries and the approach that country is using to resolve the issue. One of the countries to be used for comparison is Afghanistan.
MUSE - 3 classes joined together for Kite Runner discussion in Fall 2006; Debra David, Richard Keady & Emily Wughalter
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This activity brought three MUSE classes together from various GE areas and topical areas to begin building community and having difficult dialogues. Attached is the activity used with the group. CL 117 was used which allowed a great deal of flexibility in structure and made it easy for students to move around and dialogue. Students started in groups of 3 and then combined into groups of 6 for further discussion before becoming one large group.
