SHAPE Shorts Podcast

We have a very special guest today, Dr. Henry Sayre from Oregon State University. We're talking all about his many publications and various topics in art history, including performance art, how technology has changed art, the democratization of art in the digital world, and so much more!

Henry's works include Writing About Art (1989); A World of Art (1994);  Cave Paintings to Picasso: The Inside Scoop on 50 Art Masterpieces (2005); The Humanities: Culture, Continuity, & Change (2007); Discovering the Humanities (2009); and his recent work on Manet.

*Now offering workshops! Learn more at https://www.shapeshiftedu.com

*Don't forget to leave a 5-star rating and written review!

Tony and Stu are again joined by Kim Scott, Professor Emeritus in History from Montana State University, to discuss various aspects of writing and research. They begin by discussing the phrase "letter quality" and how writing styles are unique to each individual and the importance of being able to decipher others writing.

They then move on to explore the benefits of using index cards for research organization. The importance of tactile reinforcement to learning is also discussed, emphasizing how physical index cards can help students retain information better. 

They all find it necessary to educate students on historical writing methods to bring them up to speed with the power of the past. They feel that there is a significance in discovering and nurturing unique writing voices. 

What you'll hear in this episode:

[5:25] Exploring the phrase “letter quality”.

[11:00] Unique writing styles to each individual.

[16:20] Organizing your research using index cards.

[21:50] The importance of tactile reinforcement to learning.

[24:45] The importance of bringing students up to speed with the power of the past.

*Now offering workshops! Learn more at www.shapeshiftedu.com

*Don't forget to leave a 5-star rating and written review!

Tony and Stu recognize the diminishing curiosity and creativity in modern times and discuss the importance of using tools effectively, including digital tools. They highlight the need to teach students how to use tools and provide them with sources and references, but they are there to help them construct their own knowledge. 

They also touch on the potential misapplication of tools and the importance of critical thinking and analysis while using these tools. Overall, this discussion emphasizes the positive potential of tools in education and encourages their responsible use.

*Now offering workshops! Learn more at www.shapeshiftedu.com

*Don't forget to leave a 5-star rating and written review!

Tony and Stu are joined by Kim Scott, Professor Emeritus in History from Montana State University, to discuss his thoughts on the all-digital library at Vermont State University. As former graduate students who extensively used libraries, they discuss how the unique ambiance and environment of physical libraries can influence the way people interact with information. 

The conversation delves into the challenges of replicating the serendipitous search for information in a virtual form, as well as the consequences of the loss of library comportment in digital resources. They also explore the limitations of online resources and the books that cannot be found online. 

This episode discusses a unique perspective on the digitization of resources and the potential impact on learning, discovery, and students' educations.

What you'll hear in this episode:

[3:40] The all-digital library at Vermont State University.

[6:20] Libraries have an ambiance and environment to a library.

[10:10] Tony, Stu, and Kim's experiences as graduate students and doing a lot of research at the library.

[11:45] The idea of replicating the serendipitous search for information in a virtual form is lacking.

[15:30] The loss of library comportment in digital resources.

[18:10] With a lack of library ambiance, lack of library comportment, what are the consequences of the information taken in?

[21:30]What about the books you can’t find online?

*Now offering workshops! Learn more at www.shapeshiftedu.com

*Don't forget to leave a 5-star rating and written review!

Tony and Stu are discussing their recent attendance at a community college humanities association meeting in Cleveland, Ohio. The topic of integrating science into humanities was a hot topic at the meeting, and Tony and Stu were surprised to find that their talk on the subject was extremely well-received. 

Other discussions at the meeting included the importance of classics in different cultures and the history of medical practice, the arbitrary nature of divisions between science, mythology, and alchemy, and whether ancient works like Homer should be considered historical. 

Overall, the meeting sparked fascinating discussions about the intersection of different fields of study and the role of classics in our understanding of human nature.

Tony and Stu are sharing their takeaways from the conference on the episode today.

*Now offering workshops! Learn more at www.shapeshiftedu.com

*Don't forget to leave a 5-star rating and written review!

Tony and Stu are diving into creativity and curiosity today. They reflect back on their time as teachers and how different environments and topics changed how students expressed creativity and curiosity. 

They will also look back on a few examples from history including Einstein and Bohr, the causes of World War One, and Gödel's incompleteness theorem to explore how creativity and curiosity impacted these events and the current interpretation of these events.

Now offering workshops! Learn more at www.shapeshiftedu.com

Don't forget to leave a 5-star rating and written review!

Tony, Stew, and Heatherlee are discussing the use of GIS in wildlife conservation and the importance of considering the cultural and historical context of the environment. GIS, a powerful tool for analyzing and visualizing information, can be used in many ways such as making maps with data that is collected in the field.

Tony, Stew, and Heatherlee also emphasize the importance of understanding the cultural impact of certain things and how it informs their decisions today. The term mythology is used to refer to the idea of mapping out not just physical reality but also the cultural impact of certain things. This highlights the interdisciplinary nature of their work, as it relates to both STEM and Humanities.

The use of GIS in wildlife conservation is a STEM-related field, while the importance of considering cultural and historical context falls under the Humanities. This connection between STEM and Humanities is important in understanding and addressing the complex issues surrounding wildlife conservation.

*Now offering workshops! Learn more at www.shapeshiftedu.com

*Don't forget to leave a 5-star rating and written review!

Tony, Stew, and Heatherlee are discussing her research on urban trees and ecosystems in relation to wildlife conservation, which is a tie to both STEM and the Humanities. Her research focuses on the impact of urbanization on ecosystems, and the role of bats as pollinators and insectivores. She also discusses the importance of preserving the Sonoran Desert as it is known and experienced by humans, as it contains both deeply historical and cultural ties.

This field of wildlife conservation is not just about science, but also about understanding the cultural and historical context of the environment and how it relates to human desires. This connection between STEM and Humanities is important in understanding and addressing the complex issues surrounding wildlife conservation.

*Now offering workshops! Learn more at www.shapeshiftedu.com

*Don't forget to leave a 5-star rating and written review!

Standardized testing is an often discussed topic in academia. It seems that the common perception is that it is not the ideal measure of a person's intelligence and the likelihood of success, however, there has to be something in place to measure students' progress and this is the current metric.

Tony shares his thoughts on this with Carter today and they discuss the positives and negatives that they see with the current format.

*Now offering workshops! Learn more at www.shapeshiftedu.com

*Don't forget to leave a 5-star rating and written review!

Tony, Stew, and Heatherlee are discussing the inception of SHAPE (science, humanities, art, philosophy, and education) and how it relates to the integration of different subjects in education. They believe that traditional ways of separating subjects can be detrimental to learning and understanding. They suggest that integrating art and humanities into STEM subjects like science, technology, engineering, and math, can lead to a deeper understanding and increased curiosity and creativity in students. They also believe that the humanities play a significant role in creating curiosity and creativity that the sciences have lost in some ways. The goal of SHAPE is to create students who are more curious, interested, and motivated to learn.

*Now offering workshops! Learn more at www.shapeshiftedu.com

*Don't forget to leave a 5-star rating and written review!