FORWARD
 
 
Advancing the Humanities Through Technology is an important project that responds to the dynamic and explosive impact of new technologies in higher education. Conventional wisdom had assumed that new developments in technology were geared for the technical fields, such as engineering or business. But this project grew out of the conviction that important and innovative work was being conducted by faculty in the humanities and that, in fact, on many campuses, humanists were driving the new technology vehicles of faculty and curriculum development. This project is a testament to the validity of this conviction.

The humanities faculty who participated in this project have developed web sites and course materials that have changed their courses and their departments; and at several sites, the impact has reached larger college constituencies. In these cases humanities faculty serve as leaders for curriculum development and new pedagogical approaches. Where faculty have successfully married traditional humanities content with new technologies they may be said to chip away at lessening the divide between C. P. Snow's "two cultures." The teams that participated in this project made significant steps in "advancing the humanities" and will undoubtedly continue to be at the center of the dialogue that leads to effective curricular and pedagogical innovations.

The Community College Humanities Association recognizes and thanks the National Endowment for the Humanities for its generous support. The vision and dedication of Dr. Judith Jeffrey Howard, Senior Program Officer, has sustained and guided all successful aspects of this project. The leadership of Dr. William Ferris, chairman, successfully carried the Endowment into uncharted technology waters and encouraged bold and visionary projects. We are indebted to their efforts.

 
David Berry,
Community College Humanities Association
 
 

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