Beth Huffman and William Selm, School of Engineering and Technology
Principal Investigator: Beth Huffman, lecturer, Department of Engineering and Technology, School of Engineering and Technology
Co-principal Investigator: William Selm, professor, Department of Engineering and Technology, School of Engineering and Technology
Project Title: Virtual Multi-Sensory Immersion in Architectural History Curriculum
Funding Level: $2,500
Abstract:
It is often said that smell is mostly closely related to memory. For one who has traveled to the city of Florence, Italy, and has smelled the savory aromas of true Italian pizza, he knows that scent is an experience not quickly forgotten. To visit the Scottish Rite Cathedral in Indianapolis and hear the tower bells, or to wrap ones arms around the columns of a prudently designed historical structure, one will not quickly forget the sensation of the architecture encountered. Architectural landmarks and historic cities are rich in multisensory experiences, and the curriculum surrounding such relics should echo this experience. Architectural history is a sensual subject matter that awakens the eyes and the ears. This grant is being requested to develop architectural history curriculum in the Engineering Technology Department that reflects this sensory experience. Through the inclusion of online, multimedia teaching and site visits to architectural landmarks either locally or abroad in Italy, this curriculum development seeks to engage the students through the five senses. This enhancement will require faculty time to develop an online, multisensory curriculum in a comprehensive and varied format. The faculty members will work together to develop local and global site visits that will engage the five senses. Included in the course work will be the requirement to engage all five senses throughout the duration of the semester in order to further connect with, and remember, architectural history.