Random Acts of Knowledge

The disciplines of communication and theater education are facing new challenges in the post-COVID classroom.  Factors ranging from the impact of remote learning to the introduction of AI technology are creating some new wrinkles for teachers.

The Illinois Communication and Theatre Association, comprised of speech, communications, and theater educators, will tackle these topics and others at their annual conference, which is held in 2023 on the campus of Heartland Community College.

View the transcript here.

Students learn key skills in the liberal arts and social sciences classes that are required for most 2-year degree programs.  Yet, many students seeking degrees in technical trades and specialized fields don't immediately see how a 100-level course in English or Communications benefits their future.

Dr. Wayne Bass at Heartland Community College discusses efforts to create themed humanities courses that connect with students seeking degrees specialized fields.

View the transcript here.

The 2020 U.S. general election saw some of the largest voter turnout numbers in decades.  Yet, even with this bump in turnout, voter participation in the U.S. trails 30 other democratic countries.

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge strives to empower colleges and universities to cultivate nonpartisan student democratic engagement and to foster a vision of a more inclusive and engaged democracy.

ALL IN Executive Director Dr. Jennifer Domagal-Goldman discusses why it is important to engage college students in civic activities, and how students are making an impact with their efforts.

View the transcript here.

The Heartland Academy for Learning Opportunities program (HALO) is designed to bridge the educational gap for students aged 18 to 28 with intellectual or developmental disabilities. The program teaches students life skills, technology proficiency, and also fosters social development. 

Kori Folkerts, Associate Director of Student Access and Accommodation Services at Heartland Community College discusses how the HALO program offers these students a college experience.

View the transcript here.

The documentary film ‘With This Breath I Fly’ tells the story of two women imprisoned for what the state of Afghanistan determined were moral crimes.  

The creation of the film was funded by the European Union.  But once officials with the EU saw the footage, they tried to shelve the film and stop the filmmakers from completing the project.

Co-Director Sam French discusses the harrowing stories of the two women profiled in the documentary and also the battle to reclaim the project from funders who wanted to shudder the project for political reasons.

View the transcript here.

In an age of social media, 24-hour cable news, and constant online battles about what is real or "fake" news, it is harder than ever to know what outlets to trust.

With so much information available, and the debates of a network's responsibility for responsible reporting recently entering the courtroom, having the tools to evaluate media are becoming ever-more essential.

Heartland Community College professor of communication and new media Karla Huffman discusses the subject of news literacy.

View the transcript here.

Woodcut art is the oldest form of printmaking.

Peoria-based printmaker Cathie Crawford discusses her process of making woodcut prints and the inspiration behind some of her work.

Crawford's work is featured in the exhibit "The Floating World" running through May 11, 2023, at the Joe McCauley Gallery located at Heartland Community College.

View the transcript here.

The United States leads the world in incarcerating people. 

Although only 10 percent of the prison population is made up of women, since 1980 the rate of growth for female imprisonment has been twice as high as that of men. 

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, over half of imprisoned women in state prisons have a child under the age of 19.

Dyanna Winchester, an advocate for women impacted by legal system, and an ambassador for the Illinois Prison Project discusses her experiences with incarceration and how they affected her children and her role as a mother.

She will be a panel speaker at the seminar “Changing the Narrative on Incarceration” held at Heartland Community College on April 27, 2023.

View the transcript here.

Traditional Japanese ironwork, flower arranging, and a traditional tea ceremony bring far East perspective to the Midwest with an event held at Heartland Community College.

Heartland Community College faculty Zach Petrea and Sanae Ferrier are organizers of the Heartland Japanese Cultural Festival held in April of 2023.  They discuss the strong interest in Japanese culture among Heartland students and how traditional ironwork combines both humanities and technical education.

View the transcript here.

There are over 400 species of bees in Illinois. But changes in climate and the impact humans have had on the ecosystem is having an effect on pollinating creatures such as bees.

Beekeeper and naturalist Patti Koranda discusses the differences between types of bees, how bees are affected by an absence of pollinating plants, and takes us inside the world of a beehive.

View the transcript here.