The Automobile and Society
A New Elective
In an effort to develop and teach courses that appeal to a wide
range of students and provide them with a well developed perspective
on crucial aspects of American culture, Dr. Robin Schutt of the
college's Humanities/Social Sciences Department has designed The
Automobile and Society, a course run as a "Special Topics
in Humanities" selection. The course covers the wide impact
that automobiles have had on individuals, industry, landscape,
the environment, and culture, and in turn, also covers the way
that these variables have shaped the automobile.
Specific subject areas for the course include
assembly line history, United Auto Workers union development,
highway concepts, and suburban growth. The course also includes
segments on the environment and the impact of the car on women.
Students, in addition to taking two exams in the course, are also
required to complete a project based on their choice from a list
of possible topics ranging from recall issues, to Hollywood and
car culture, to the popularity of auto racing as a sport.
The course has been positively received by both
faculty and students. Instructors in the Automotive Department
have shared course materials with Robin as well as smart-classroom
space at the Access Road campus. Student enrollment for the course
is high; in fact, the course is oversubscribed. Perhaps most exciting
is the diverse population of students taking the course. Approximately
fifty percent of the students are Automotive Technology majors,
while the remainder of students are from various majors around
campus providing a wide range of views on automotive industry
and culture.
Because the course is in its infancy, Robin foresees
changes and constant upgrades to it if she again has the opportunity
to teach it. For now, however, the students seem to be taking
a great interest in learning about a piece of technology that
impacts virtually every American.
Dr. Robin Schutt
