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Educational Initiatives

The IAUNRC seeks to increase awareness of Inner Asia and Uralic peoples through outreach activities targeted to a variety of audiences. A major component of this effort is owrking with K-12 teachers in Indiana and acorss the United States to integrate our region into every level of the school curriculum. Below is a short summary of some of the services and programs we offer. A printable brochure is also available for download.

Please call or email us to arrange a presentation or to obtain more information about our resources.

• Resources for Educators
  IAUNRC provides teachers with resource guides, audio and video recordings, slide programs, and other materials designed to help bring Inner Asian and Uralic studies into the curriculum. Besides its growing resource library, the Center offers tailored assistance to teachers who need materials or information dealing with Central Eurasia. IAUNRC has also begun a three-year curriculum development project which will result in classroom-ready units on Central Asia, the Baltics, and Tibet and Mongolia.
  
  
• Academic Exchanges and Linkages
  IAUNRC helps foster and support academic exchange and linkage programs with the countries of Central Eurasia. In addition, each year IU hosts many students and scholars from those areas and works to identify and provide opportunities for IU students and faculty to study and conduct research abroad.
  
  
• Conferences and Workshops
  IAUNRC hosts and cosponsors a variety of professional conferences and workshops throughout the year, including workshops that provide secondary and post-secondary teachers with timely information on Central Eurasia as well as ideas on how to introduce that material into their classrooms. The Center also supports language pedagogy workshops and the International Studies Institute, which provides high school teachers and students from across the country the opportunity to explore international issues during a residential workshop in the summer.
  
  

  Workshops: 2007 - 2008

  Geography and History of the World Workshops

  In conjunction with other area studies centers at Indiana University, the Inner Asian & Uralic National Resource Center conducts workshops to assist Indiana high school teachers with integrating course content consistent with Indiana's 2006 standards for the mandatory Geography and History of the World course.
  
  Coordinated by Indiana University’s Center for Social Studies and International Education (CSSIE) these workshops are offered in collaboration with four other IU area studies centers:

  • African Studies Program
  • Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies
  • East Asian Studies Center
  • Russian and East European Institute

  The workshops are free to participating teachers and materials in support of each presentation are made available free of charge. A curriculum specialist is also on hand to provide advice on translating workshop content into course modules.

  Interested teachers are eligible for funds to hire a substitute teacher for the day of the workshop.

  To attend a workshop in your area, contact:

  Jane Henson, Associate Director, IU Center for Social Studies and International Education (henson@indiana.edu) or call (812) 855-3838 / (800) 266-3815

  2007 Workshops:
  “Exploration, Conquest, Imperialism, and Post-Colonialism” (Standard 4)

  • Tuesday, April 24, 2007 in Jasper, IN
  • Wednesday, June 13, 2007 in Charlestown, IN
  • Wednesday, October 10, 2007 in Charlestown, IN
  • Thursday, November 8, 2007 in Evansville, IN
  • Tuesday, December 4, 2007 in Greencastle, IN

  2008 Workshops:
  “States, Nations, and Nation-States” (Standard 10)

  • February 4: Central Indiana Education Service Center, Indianapolis.
  • February 29: National Council for the Social Studies/Great Lakes Regional Social Studies Conference, Indianapolis (“Exploration, Conquest, Imperialism, and Post-Colonialism” [Standard 4])
  • March 6: East Central Education Service Center, Connorsville, Indiana
  • April 24: Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation.

• Distance Education
  Through the International Studies for Indiana Schools (ISIS) program, IAUNRC develops interactive video programs on Central Eurasian topics for schools participating in Indiana's Vision Athena project. Each semester the Center develops programs based on the particular needs of the audience. IAUNRC is also exploring the development of courses and programs that would link Indiana University with other universities in the United States and the countries of Central Eurasia.
  
• Library Resources
  Indiana University houses outstanding print and electronic resources for Inner Asian and Uralic studies. The main library holds 100,000 volumes on Central Eurasia, including the largest Tibetan and Estonian collections of any American university. IU's other specialized collections contain another 35,000 items relevant to the Center's area. The Center continues to build its collections, while also making them more accessible to patrons across the country.
  
• Speakers and Presentations
  IAUNRC provides speakers free of charge to schools and other audiences through IU's popular Global Speakers Service. These presentations provide a valuable opportunity to interact with faculty, graduate students, and international students on virtually any topic relevant to Central Eurasia