NATO summit sparks unique lesson plans

“Not all learning should take place in the classroom. Indeed, most should not,” political science professor Patrick Callahan said, referring to the upcoming NATO Summit.

The Chicago-hosted event caused some professors to change their game plan by incorporating assignments and discussions that relate to NATO. Those who are integrating the summit into their lesson plans said it’s a unique opportunity and one that few students are able to take advantage of during their academic careers.

Mike Reilley, journalism instructor and founder of the award-winning online media source The Red Line Project, worked hard to incorporate NATO coverage into his classes.

"Part of the College of Communication's mission is to make Chicago a classroom for our students,” Reilley said.

Speaking about the advantage of having the NATO summit in the city, he explained that “logistically, it puts us in the middle of everything.”

Margaret Ramirez, also a journalism instructor, took full advantage of those logistics. Her news reporting class will cover a speech by Executive Director of the Chicago-based NATO Host Committee, Lori Healey, April 19.

Healey will be providing background information on NATO and detailing the events planned for representatives, as well as the community of Chicago. Luckily, said Ramirez, all 16 of her students have been allowed to attend the speech.

Ramirez saw the events as a chance to “do something more realistic” with her class. “This will benefit students in a journalistic aspect while also teaching them more about current events,” she said.

Many of the instructors that are assigning students to cover the events are aware of the possible hassles and risks involved. Obtaining credentials and staying safe are both important aspects to address.

Reilley said that he has given his students “media badges,” while other instructors and classes are still waiting to receive credentials to certain events.

Regarding safety, Reilley has distributed handouts detailing how to handle themselves while covering practically inevitable conflicts between the police and protesters.

“We're also planning to have some university officials talk to them about these issues,” he said. “Safety is always a priority, and we'll need to be patient with transportation delays, security checkpoints, etc.”

Incorporating the summit into the classroom will not stop at the end of spring quarter. Professor Callahan explained that his fall quarter class will see more of an impact by the summit on the focus of assignments and discussion.

Callahan teaches an ‘International Chicago’ Discover class that will reflect on the summit in regards to Chicago’s “global-oriented strategy for economic development.” By the fall, the class will also be able to discuss how good or bad publicity from the event could, respectively, enhance or degrade the city’s “global standing.”

The summit is sure to cause a bit of chaos in the city, and DePaul has already seen an initial impact.

Reilley admitted that “it will be a challenge to produce the site the weekend of the summits, as our Loop campus newsroom is closed.” He maintained, however, that “with all of the mobile reporting tools and laptops, we'll make it work.”

Whether or not the chaos will be worthwhile remains a debate. Callahan is cautious about taking sides, saying that whether the learning opportunities will outweigh the hassle “remains to be seen.” Reilley, on the other hand, claimed it will absolutely be worth it.

"This is a rare chance for us to cover a major news event in our city,” he said. “I spent much of last summer and winter break planning this out. And it was time well spent."