Engaging Crisis: Immersive, Interdisciplinary Learning in Mathematics and Rhetoric

Abstract

This paper describes an interdisciplinary activity that crosses over between Mathematics and Rhetoric. The professors who created this activity both sought activelearning opportunities for their students, a sense of realism-even urgency-in what can otherwise be perceived as abstract material, and a meaningful liberal arts experience. Evidence of the power of this experience is seen in the media coverage, both from our college and from the Portland Press Herald newspaper. Both courses described in this paper are at the elective level, taken by majors or minors in their respective disciplines. Students have moderate to extensive backgrounds in their subject areas. However, adapted versions of our activity could involve students at more introductory levels.