| Description |
Visiting Professor Ahmed Makhoukh of Universit Moulay Ismal in Meknes, Morocco and Mark Dressman of UIUC, along with their students Siham El Abdi, Nathan Weatherup, and Adam Babock, will present preliminary findings based on data collected during live video conferences and other activities conducted at UMI. These conferences were part of a research project investigating the use of computer technologies to promote trans-national and interfaith dialogue within postsecondary educational settings. The ongoing analysis suggests that stereotypes of each others cultures and religious beliefs and positions are less rigid and more amenable to change than we expected and that discussions focusing on shared written and visual texts (films and television programs) provide a powerful context for such dialogue. However, our data also point to a need for sustained engagement and to challenges presented by the current limits of technology and differences in communicative practices. |
