 |
Margaret (Peggy) Cowan
|
| Office Location: | Anderson 307 |
| Office Phone: | 981-8237 |
| Email Address: | peggy.cowan@maryvillecollege.edu |
Welcome to my website! On these pages you can information about the courses I teach in Religion and General Education, my education and professional and service activities, trips to Turkey and to Sicily and Malta for Maryville College students, a trip I took to Israel/Palestine with a group from the Presbyterian Church (USA), my work as Chair of the Core Curriculum, and projects related to issues of Faith and Learning.
Teaching
Teaching is the heart of what I do at Maryville College. I teach courses in General Education and Religion. Follow this link to read about my teaching philosophy and to find information about the courses that I teach. In particular, I have begun to develop extensive resources for my Biblical Studies 130: Old Testament World and Culture course.
Curriculum Vitae
To learn about my education, awards, presentations, and professional and service activities follow this link.
Morocco Travel/Study Experience
Malta-Sicily Trip
In January 2002, a group of eleven students and four faculty and friends of the college traveled to Malta and Sicily. The trip was a January experiential course designed to enable students to develop an appreciation for the rich history of these Mediterranean islands by visiting ancient Greek and Roman ruins, ancient Christian and Byzantine sites, and important Arab and Norman sites and to meet the people and experience the culture of modern Malta and Sicily and gain an understanding of the rich heritage and modern realities that shape current issues in this area. For more information and pictures, follow this link.
Turkey Trip
In January 2001, a group of thirteen students and five faculty and friends of the college traveled to Turkey. The trip was a January experiential course designed to enable students to develop an appreciation for the rich history of western Turkey by visiting ancient Greek and Roman ruins, early Jewish sites, ancient Christian and Byzantine sites, and important Islamic and Ottoman sites and to meet the people and experience the culture of modern Turkey and gain an understanding of the rich heritage and modern realities that shape current issues in this area. For more information and pictures, follow this link.
Jerusalem Trip
In July 1996 I traveled with a group from the Presbyterian Church (USA) to Israel/Palestine/Jordan. Titled "Living Stones," the trip was an opportunity to see sites that are holy to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, meet people from these traditions and different political perspectives, and explore contemporary issues. To learn more about this trip and to view pictures of some of the places we visited, follow this link.
Maryville Curriculum
As Chair of the Core Curriculum, I am involved in teaching general education courses and working closely with other faculty to ensure the continuing quality and integrity of the Maryville Curriculum. Because Maryville College is a liberal arts college, the institution is committed to providing the best possible education to prepare our students for a fulfilling life, not only in their careers but also as productive members of society and whole human beings. We have adopted educational goals that reflect our understanding of what it means to be an educated person in the 21st century. Those goals are addressed in a set of courses that are planned with careful attention to their place in the overall design. One way of thinking about General Education is to see that these are the courses that are important enough for everyone to take them.
For more information about the Maryville Curriculum, our General Education program, click on Maryville College Statement of Purpose, Educational Goals, or Maryville Curriculum to go to the catalog.
Faith and Learning
Issues of faith and learning are important to many teachers at a church-related college. They are particularly relevant in the teaching of religion. As a college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA), Maryville College is part of a tradition with a long history of emphasis on higher education and openness to critical inquiry that views faith and learning as complementary, not competing dimensions of human life. Because of my interest in the intersection of faith and learning, I have been involved in two national projects: The Rhodes Consultations on the Future of the Church Related College and the Consultation on the Vocation of the Presbyterian Teacher.