During summer 2005 I was privileged to be a Fellow at the NEH Summer Institute, Southeast Asia: Indigenous Cultures and Outside Influences, co-directed by Professors Barbara and Leonard Andaya. The Institute—designed to examine how over a period of more than two thousand years Southeast Asian
societies have succeeded in selecting and adapting outside influences in the
dynamic process of culture contact—was hosted by the Asian Studies Development Program (ASDP) at the East-West Center.
The desired outcome of the Institute was for each Fellow to develop a curriculum project to facilitate deepening the role of comparative cultural studies through the infusion of
Southeast Asian materials into their teaching. My curriculum project provides a Web-based Geographic Information Systems (GIS) module on SEA to help improve student's geographic knowledge of the region and to engage faculty and students in specific map activities that will help increase students’ comprehension of maps as tools for comprehending the human drama.
Delivering Web-based information can be a static process without teaching tips that encourage students to process the information presented. The GIS module Exploring Southeast Asia includes a host page, curriculum guide, and map exercises.
Additional project site items include a list of participating Fellows, Visiting Scholar's presentations, a link to the host East-West Center Website, and Photo Albums of Institute activities.
