The Connect Program - Pilot Module at ENSIMAG

This module is run through the Science and Culture module – a total of 18 students from the 3 classes can apply. Please note it is not necessary for Soliya students to attend Science & Culture classes


What is Soliya?

Soliya is a program of video conferencing between students in Middle Eastern universities and those like you in the West. It was started in Washington D.C. at Georgetown University in 2003 in response to rising tensions between the Middle East and the West.
Its key prinicple is that the mistrust and suspicion that exists between the East and West can be brought down by cross cultural communication; that is, by simply talking to one another. In doing so students realize that they share more in commonalities than differences, and through this the 'other' is rehumanized.
Soliya has spread to numerous universities throughout the States and Europe and received recognition from the United Nations. This module represents a pilot and the first time it has been tried in France.


How it works – On-line discussion groups

A total of 18 students are required. Each student will enroll, and after giving the Soliya administrators your times of availability you will be placed in an on-line discussion group made up of students from various countries. Every effort is made so that you are not placed together with your Grenoble classmates.

Each discussion group is led by a facilitator. Facilitators have been selected by Soliya and undergone and 18 hour training course.These people are usually post-graduate students in conflict resolution and fluent in both English and Arabic.

Each session will last 2 hours and is conducted once a week. They will be carried out in the language lab (D023) from Monday to Thursday. Five computers will be equipped with webcams and loaded with Soliya software. Staff will make sure you are given access to the lab outside usual lab times so that you can complete your weekly Soliya sessions.


Required readings

To give yourself background knowledge about the roots of the conflict between East and West, please go to the Soliya website and read through the articles contained in the 'Explore' section. Do this before your start your first on-line discussions.


Assignments

There are two assignments. The first assignment is an individual video editing project. Each student is given raw video news footage of a news event. Video is provided by news agencies Al Jazeera and AP (Associated Press). Using a video editing software programme, the student's task is to produce an unbiased 3-5 minute video clip and present it to their discussion group.
The second asssignment is an essay on a subject of your choice done in pairs. The essays are submitted for publication in the magazine Presswatch. Around 20 % of the articles are published.

Assessment

2 x Assignments: 50%
On-line participation: 50%

Your English teacher grades both assignments and assesses your performance. Your teacher will receive weekly emails about your performance in the virtual classroom, and this will constitute your participation mark. They will also sit in on one of your sessions to see how things are going. You will also meet with you English teacher periodically to air your concerns and your feelings about the project. Remember this is the pilot program and your feedback is essential to know whether the project will be continued into 2008/9.


Who should become a Soliya student?

Students must be serious, hard working and be willing to make a committment. You will need to have good level of English, like meeting people from different cultures and interested in, or at least curious about Middle Eastern affairs.


More Information

Soliya has a very good web site which you should consult to know more. The program also featured recently on CNN's Inside the Middle East which you can watch on-line from their site.
http://www.soliya.net/?q=home


Schedules

Please note the calendar will be changed to fit the your schedule and that of your classmates. Soliya has a copy of the Telecom and Ensimag 2A calendars and timetables and will do their best to make sure the session fit in with your schedules.


SOLIYA CALENDAR: Spring 2008

Weeks of February 4th & 11th
On-line activity: Students begin the registration process, signing up for their dialogue group times and providing information for their student website.
Universities will hold their online student orientation sessions this week. In these sessions Soliya staff will “meet” with students at each school online, answering questions about the program and giving them a chance to practice using the online dialogue interface.
Technology: Final Technology tests. Soliya works with technical staff to ensure that the technology is fully functional.

Week of February 18th
On-line activity: Students complete the registration process by February 20th
Universities that have not already done so will hold their online student orientation sessions this week.

Week of February 25th
On-line activity: Students assigned to their dialogue group and meeting time, and given access to their group’s website-- Students will be sent this information via email, and professors will be provided with a summary.
The remaining universities will hold their online student orientation sessions (described above)
Technology: Raw footage will be available for download on each campus for distribution on to local computers. Students will be alerted as to the location of the footage.

Week of March 3rd
FIRST WEEK OF THE DIALOGUE PROCESS
On-line activity: Week 1 of the online dialogue. Topics that will be discussed:
Introduction to group members and the online dialogue process
Introduction to Identity and Culture: Students participate in activities that enable them to explore identity issues and share cultural information
Identification of topics that students want to discuss
Technology: Students have access to the raw footage for the video projects.

Week of March 10th
On-line activity: Week 2 of the online dialogue. Topics that will be discussed:
What is the root of the problem?
What is the “West”? The “Arab World?” The “Muslim World?”
After defining (or problematizing) these terms, students outline what their community understands to be the root of the conflict between the “West” and the “Arab & Muslim World.”
Discussion will be based upon the highly recommended readings for this week
Assignment:
Initial final project proposal due— students will present 1) which final project they’d like to do and 2) what topics they are interested in. They will share these ideas with their group, and it will help them to select a partner.
Video Project: Students should start going through the articles/ links on developments in over the last several years Gaza to get the background necessary.

Week of March 17th
On-line activity: Week 3 of the online dialogue. Topics that will be discussed:
Culture & Background: students will engage in activities enabling them to get to know one another and one another’s backgrounds better.
Investigating nature of the relationship: Foreign Policy.
Assignments:
Video Project: Students should start going through the footage list, and watching the footage.

Week of March 24th
On-line activity: Week 4 of the online dialogue. Topics that will be discussed:
Investigating the nature of the relationship: Immigration & Integration
Discussion will be based upon the highly recommended readings for this week
Assignment:
Video Project: Students should-
Finish watching the footage
Watch the tutorials
Begin assembling the clips you want to use
Students will jointly submit a more extensive outline of the contents of their joint project based on their discussions with their partners.

Week of March 31st
On-line activity: Week 5 of the online dialogue. Topics that will be discussed:
Investigating the roots of the problem: “Terrorism”
Assignment:
Video Project: Students should-
Create the rough cut for their feature package
Write the script for their voice-over narration
Complete their video

Week of April 7th
On-line activity: Week 6 of the online dialogue. Topics that will be discussed:
Investigating the nature of the relationship: Media
Discussion of the video projects
Assignment: Video project is due.

Week of April 14th
On-line activity: Week 7 of the online dialogue. Topics that will be discussed:
Investigating the nature of the relationship: The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Discussion will be based upon the highly recommended readings for this week

Week of April 21st
On-line activity: Week 8 of the online dialogue. Topics that will be discussed:
Investigating the nature of the relationship: Religion & Governance


Week of April 28th
On-line activity: Week 9 of the online dialogue program.
Role Reversal Exercise: Students take on the role of the “other” and discuss the most contested issues they addressed during the semester
Working for change: Group members formulate ideas as to what they can do individually and as a group to promote improved “Western”-“Arab & Muslim World” relations
Students present their joint projects
Assignment: Joint Projects Due.


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