Teaching

Course Convenor

Islam, Media and Conflict (1st year), 2008-2010
I was a Guest Lecturer in this course in 2008-9 and in 2010, I became the Course Convenor. This subject is run by Griffith University, the University of Western Sydney and the University of Melbourne as part of the National Centre of Excellence for Islamic Studies, Australia. It is designed to give students a detailed understanding of the relationships between Islam and the West and to relate this to contemporary media practices. It includes topics such as Media Studies and Media Analysis techniques, Orientalism, Reporting War and Conflict, Media in the Muslim World.

Great Empires of Islamic Civilization (2nd year), 2009-2010
This subject is run by Griffith University, the University of Western Sydney and the University of Melbourne as part of the National Centre of Excellence for Islamic Studies, Australia. It is designed to equip students with a detailed understanding of the great empires of Islamic civilization. It includes lectures on topics such as the foundation of Islam, the spread of the Umayyad and Abbasid empires and discussions of other empires such as those of the Fatimids, Seljuks, Almoravids and Ottomans.

2009 Course Evaluation:

Overall rating of 6.01/7
Overall, how stimulating and interesting did you find this course? Rating 6.69/7
How effective was this course in encouraging participation of all students regardless of their sex, race, age, sexual preference, social or cultural background? Rating 6.63/7
How effective were the lectures in this course in providing you with the opportunity for questions and discussion? Rating 6.5/7

2009 Student Feedback:

“The in-class debates and input from students was great. This made for more enjoyable lectures that you looked forward to attending rather than just a 3 hour recitation of facts.”
“Informative and open lectures allowing and guiding all discussion points put forward... Overall, a very educational and interesting class providing insights into Islamic history. Enjoyed the free environment to ask question and make comments.”
“Well structured course, the way it was divided up was easy to follow (chronologically). Readings were not overly extensive and were interesting and relevant... Excellent course which I have recommended to others.”

Culture, Media and Society (2nd year and Masters), 2005-2008
This subject examines the relationship between culture, media and society through the consideration of a number of sites and instances of cultural/media production. Specifically, it stresses the ideological role of the media and critiques its ability to disseminate various discourses which, in turn, influence the wider culture and society. It includes models such as The Propaganda Model, Orientalism, Postmodernism, Deconstruction and Ideology.

2008 Course Evaluation:

Overall rating of 5.91/7
How effective were the teaching staff in contributing to a positive learning environment in this course? Rating 6.77/7
Overall, how stimulating and interesting did you find this course? 6.54/7
How effective were the tutorials/seminars in this course in providing you with the opportunity for questions and discussion? 6.5/7

2008 Student Feedback:

“Group tasks and discussions in class were interesting and fun at the same time. Created a good environment to learn in.”
“I think Ben is a great tutor and convenor. He has a great teaching method which is unobtrusive and makes it interesting, It was a pleasure to be in this course.”
“Fabulous lectures very well prepared and structured with a lot of examples. Excellent supportive materials (slides, links, presentations from peers). Also, tutorials were very good and interesting…I think you are an excellent teacher, Ben. I really enjoyed the class.”

2007 Course Evaluation:

Overall rating of 5.73/7
How effective were the teaching staff in contributing to a positive learning environment in this course? Rating 6.25/7
How effective were the tutorials/seminars in this course in providing you with the opportunity for questions and discussion? 6.09/7
How relevant was the content of this course to what you were expected to learn? 5.98/7

2007 Student Feedback:

“I really enjoyed your course, I honestly learned more in this course than in any other course I have ever taken, not just about Culture, Media and Society and Australia, but about my own country as well. Awesome course and awesome professor.”
“The way in which the lectures and tutes were conducted were good because of Ben’s enthusiasm and the way he informed us about the different topics. Was very interesting and imaginative.”
“I enjoyed this course, it has opened my mind to the issues in this world that are often overlooked. This has helped in bringing a new perspective.”

2006 Course Evaluation:

Overall rating of 5.58/7
To what extent were all the course components* integrated? (*eg: learning objectives, topics, teaching process, and assessment.) Rating 5.89/7
How relevant was the content of this course to what you were expected to learn? Rating 5.83/7
How effectively did the teaching methods used in this course work together to help you to learn? 5.83/7

2006 Student Feedback:

“The lectures were interesting – interesting and important and relevant throughout the semester. Tutorials were comfortable and free expression of opinion was appreciated and encouraged. This is an excellent course. There are many things I learned and the teaching of it was excellent too. Very clear, all relevant and help is offered with understanding. It is also good because it is challenging, and a sense of its importance is conveyed by the teacher.”
“Bens communication skills were excellent, he was easy to understand and humorous. Always creates interest in topics.”
“The content is wonderful and very interesting. Keep challenging people’s values and mindsets in regard to the world they live in.”

2005 Course Evaluation:

Overall rating of 5.81/7
How effective was this lecturer/tutor in treating all students fairly regardless of their sex, race, age, sexual preference, social or cultural background? Rating 6.5/7
How effective was this lecturer/tutor in maintaining a class environment in which you felt comfortable participating? Rating 6.1/7
How effective was this lecturer/tutor in organising and presenting course material in a coherent, logical and well ordered way? 6.1/7

2005 Student Feedback:

“The presentation of the lectures where excellent, with the PowerPoint summarising the content followed by a simplified explanation of the topic by Ben. Hands-on activities in the tutes turned the issues into real life useable topics.”
“In class discussion was fantastic, there was a range of ideas and everyone could have a say. Because of the various backgrounds and cultures within our class, it enabled more engagement with the text and each other.”
“Overall this was my favourite subject, one because of the interesting content but two, because of the tutes and the laid back approach to which they are taught.”

Undergruate Supervision

Advanced Islamic Studies (3rd year), 2010
This course enables students to expand their knowledge of a specific topic concerning an Islamic or Muslim issue. It aims to develop the necessary skills for post-graduate studies, including working with a supervisor, conducting research independently, and preparing presentations and publications to academic standards. I currently supervise the following student:

Adam Brown - Shia Islam and Democracy in Iraq since 2003

Guest Lecturer

Islam and the Making of Europe (1st year), 2009-2010
This subject is run by Griffith University, the University of Western Sydney and the University of Melbourne as part of the National Centre of Excellence for Islamic Studies, Australia. It is designed to equip students with a detailed understanding of the historical relationships between Islam and Europe and the seminal role that the former played in the development of the latter. I give lectures on the topics:

Islam in Europe: First Encounters
Islamic Presence and European Responses: Reconquista and Crusades
The Ottoman Empire and Early Modern Europe

Understanding Islam (1st year), 2009-2010
This subject is run by Griffith University, the University of Western Sydney and the University of Melbourne as part of the National Centre of Excellence for Islamic Studies, Australia. It is designed to equip students with a detailed understanding of the Islam, including details of the anthropology and the sociology of Islam and Middle Eastern societies. I give lectures on the topics:

Islam and Gender Studies
Islam and Anthropology
Orientalism and Islam

Lecturer / Tutor

Popular Music and Cultural Theory (Honors), 2008
This subject is run by Griffith University's Queensland Conservatorium of Music and aims to provide an introduction to the major theories and methods of cultural studies and related disciplines as they pertain to popular music. It is designed to equip students with the theoretical frameworks necessary for the development of their Honours dissertation. I taught the following units:

Ideology, Hegemony, Discourse and Popular Music
Orientalism and World Music
Post-Colonialism and African Rhythms
Poplar Music and Popular Identities

Communication Practise (1st year), 2006-2007
This course serves as an introduction to the world of communication. The tutorials involve two separate units: the public speaking module and the TV studio module. The lectures and content of the course involve an introduction to the basics of communication / media theory. To do this, the subject covers a number of key areas including:

Practical skills workshops
Public speaking and TV studio exercises
Basic communication / media studies theory
An emphasis on the media industry and its myriad sites and genres

New Communications Technologies (1st year), 2005
This subject traces the ways in which humankind has thought about communication from the time of the Ancient Greeks. It moves from the classical era right through to investigate new information and communication technologies, their role in today’s society and the wide ranging debates surrounding the emergence of ‘new media’. This subject includes content such as the Birth of the Computer/ The History of the Internet, Cyber-democracy and the Digital Divide, The Pearly Gates of Cyberspace – Utopia, Dystopia, Technotopia.

2005 Course Evaluation:

Overall rating of 5.93/7
How effective was this lecturer/tutor in treating all students fairly regardless of sex, race, age, sexual preference, social or cultural background? 6.5/7
How effective was this lecturer/tutor in demonstrating the set class activities? 6.3/7
How effective was this lecturer/tutor in being well organised and prepared for class? 6.2/7

2005 Student Feedback:

“Ben Isakhan is a new breed of teacher. He is young, cool, dedicated. Even when he gets old, his dedication and unyielding effort to teach students will only increase. He doesn’t give up on kids.”
“Ben is very organised and easy to understand. His laid back and approachable manner make the class feel as if they can speak their minds, ask questions etc. Ben also goes out of his way to give help when needed.”
“Ben is always willing to help. I was very impressed with Ben’s teaching method, it was open and encouraged learning, which in turn prompted me to want to come and enjoy the tutorials.”

Mass Media: Issues and Controversies (1st year), 2005
This course serves as an introduction to the production and consumption of the mass media. Firstly, it surveys the various forms and sites of the contemporary mass media – from the newspaper to the mobile phone. Beyond this, it raises various issues and questions relating to the power of the mass media as a ‘gate keeper’, its ability to create ‘moral panic’ or engender stereotypes via propaganda etc. To do this, the subject covers a number of key areas including the media and communications in Australia today, News and Politics, Media analysis techniques, Deviancy amplification and moral panics.

2005 Course Evaluation:

Overall rating of 5.98/7
How effective was this lecturer/tutor in treating all students fairly regardless of their sex, race, age, sexual preference, social or cultural background? Rating 6.68/7
How effective was this lecturer/tutor in stimulating interaction within the group? 6.35/7
Overall, how did you rate the teaching of this lecturer in this course? 6.26/7

2005 Student Feedback:

“Ben asks thought provoking questions and encourages us to think carefully about an issue and formulate our own opinions. He doesn’t immediately spoon feed us an answer – but provides guidance for us to come to the correct answer on our own.”
“While my other tutors seem to be rather blasé and disinterested in the content and the students, you’ve engaged us by being engaged in your job and us and our opinions.”
“I like it how Ben creates a friendly classroom environment and makes everyone feel comfortable. I also like it how, when it comes to class activities, Ben puts class members into groups – makes it easier for the shy ones.”

Cultural Perspectives I & II (1st year), 1999
Cultural Perspectives I & II are introductory Cultural Studies subjects, designed to lay the foundations of critical theory and analysis that students need for further study. It moves through the whole gamut of cultural theory, providing the tools for students to ‘deconstruct’ the discourses that are embedded in much of the world around them and that have therefore influenced their own ideological journey. This subject covered areas such as:

Marxist theory/ Psychoanalytic Theory
Semiotics/ Literary Theory
Post-colonialism/ Post-structuralism
Modernism/ Postmodernism
Feminism and Gender Theory

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