My teaching philosophy focuses on stimulating a learning process where students perceive the subject matter to be directly related to their future careers. To achieve that, I include community-based projects in some of my classes. I also include hands-on tutorials and assignments that allow undergraduate and graduate students to connect their knowledge to scenarios that depict real situations.
Undergraduate Classes
CRP 4320 – Community Planning Studio
The Community Planning Studio is a hands-on, practical course where students collaborate with Iowa communities to address local planning challenges. In Spring 2024, students partnered with the City of Urbandale to develop the Sustainable Urbandale Action Plan (SUAP)–a comprehensive strategy to enhance sustainability, resilience, and equity. Through community engagement, data analysis, and policy recommendations, students played a key role in shaping local sustainability efforts, demonstrating how planning can create meaningful change.
Graduate and Mixed Classes
CRP 532 – Community Planning Studio
ISU Catalog Description: Comprehension and analysis of various geographic contexts pertinent to community planning and the use of planning theory, tools and techniques in an applied setting. Process of making a community plan: historical patterns, current conditions and strategies for planning.
CRP 4520/5520 – Geographic Data Management and Planning Analysis
ISU Catalog Description: Extensive coverage of geo-relational database concept and design, GIS database creation and maintenance, geographic data manipulation and analysis. GIS output generation and geographic data presentation. Laboratory emphasizes practical applications and uses of GIS.
CRP 4600/5600 – Social Justice and Planning
ISU Catalog Description: Investigation of the topic of social justice as it relates to the challenge of planning more socially just urban societies, emphasizing the importance of social justice issues to planning in a globalized world. Includes a range of issues and case studies of local social justice initiatives, both US and global. Students will complete individual service learning projects as part of the course requirement.
CRP 5640 – Introduction to Analytical Methods for Planning
ISU Catalog Description: Applications of analytical methods in planning with emphasis on the collection, description, analysis, presentation, and interpretation of planning data. Introduction to descriptive statistics. Sources of planning information and data including primary and secondary data types and sources. Demographic analysis, population projection techniques for planning at local and regional levels.
CRP 5950 – Seminar in GIS Applications and Research
ISU Catalog Description: Discussion and demonstration of current GIS applications and research in multiple disciplines. Offered on a satisfactory-fail basis only.
Mônica A. Haddad 