Course reflection paper

The readings that we went over in class

“Protestant” Buddhism and Mindfulness Meditation
● “When Mindfulness is Therapy: Ethical Qualms, Historical Perspectives”, (pg 621-631) – iCollege
● “Complementary and Alternative Medicine in America’s ‘Two Buddhisms’”, Paul David Numrich,
(pg 344-357) – iCollege
Due by Sunday, April 5
✓ Choice Project due via Individual EduBlog sites

April 6 – April 12
Ayurveda and Americanized Hinduism
● “Asian Medicine in America: The Ayurvedic Case”. Reddy, S (pg 97-120) – iCollege
Due by Sunday, April 12
✓ Group Discussion Notes #5 due via iCollege groups

April 13 – April 19
Yoga and the Healing Marketplace
● Selling Yoga: Chapter 2: “From Counterculture to Counterculture” (pg 20-41) – iCollege
● Selling Yoga: Chapter 3: “Continuity with Consumer Culture” (pg 42-72) – iCollege
April 20 – April 26
Indigenous Healing and Neoshamanism
● “The New Age Sweat Lodge”, William M. Clements, (pg 143-162) – iCollege
● “Native American Medicine: The Implications of History and the Embodiment of Culture”, Wendy
M. K. Peters, Julli M. Green, and Pilar E. Gauthier (pg 172-195) – iCollege
● “Of Seeds and Shamans: The Appropriations of the Scientific and Technical Knowledge of
Indigenous and Local Communities” (pg 1-34) – iCollege

assignment instructions

In lieu of a second project, students will write a three (3) page paper (about 750 words)
exploring course themes, new perspectives gleaned, and general reflections from the course
experience.

OBJECTIVES
1. Identify the main themes of the course,
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the readings, themes, and course concepts,
3. Articulate informed opinions about the ideas discussed in the course, and
4. Consider how views have changed (or not) over the course of the semester.

CONTENT
The course reflection paper should include the following:
● Introduce the course
○ Summarize the material covered in the course
○ Explain how the course was conducted
○ Include specific reasons you decided to take the course and your general
expectations.
● Identify course themes
○ Define theories and main concepts about the development, history, and themes
of our exploration of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the United
States.
○ Articulate understandings of the readings, in your own words
○ Cite readings (MLA format), integrate quotations where appropriate
● Reflect
○ Articulate informed opinions about the course content
○ Connect themes to personal, family, or cultural experience
○ Consider how the material affected your current and potential future approaches
to the biomedical system, complementary and alternative medicine healing
systems, and integrative medicine.

● Concise conclusion

CITATIONS
● Cite your sources whenever a sentence uses a quotation or paraphrase ( MLA In-Text
Citations)
● Include a Works Cited page at the end of your paper (MLA Works Cited)
● Research outside of assigned readings not required

DIRECTIONS FOR SUBMISSION
First, create a page on your EduBlog and title it “Course Reflection Paper”. Make sure
the page is visible and accessible on your EduBlog landing page.
Next, post your written content directly into the page.
Finally, attach a PDF file of your written document at the bottom of the page.

Process Suggestions:
– Gather course materials
– Review your reflection journal posts (and posts from other students that you
found insightful), the notes from your group discussion conversations, and the
weekly announcement summaries and reading prompts.

– Brainstorm
– Jot down some of the readings and topics that most engaged you – the ones that
really resonated with your personal experience, evoked passionate responses,
connected to other course themes you’ve taken, excited you, made you mad or
upset.
– Why do these readings / topics stand out to you?
– Identify
– What are the themes that you notice emerge again and again?
– Why are these themes important and relevant to your understanding of CAM?
– Which readings are connected to these themes?
– Are there any concise quotes that illustrate these points?
– Reflect
– What did you expect to learn from this class?
– What themes or readings resonated with your personal experience?
– What was something unexpected that you learned?
– What was the most valuable thing you learned?
– How have your views on CAM changed?

General Suggestions:
– Narrow focus, strong analysis
– Don’t try to cover topics from every week – Identify two or three main themes and
explore how these themes emerge over the course of the semester

– Write, Introduce, Conclude
– Write the body of your reflection paper (themes and reflections) before you write
the introduction. Finish with a quick, concise conclusion.

– Academic tone
– The paper should have a more academic and polished tone than your reflection
journals, but you can still use first-person pronouns ( I / me / my