A Virtual Immersion Experience
in Nashville, TN
Elena Olazagasti-Segovia
Vanderbilt University
Center for Teaching - 14 November 2011
Rationale
 Teaching/learning styles can and must be enhanced
and updated whenever possible
 Experiential learning results in a more personal,
deeper, and long-lasting knowledge
 People learn a foreign language to speak with nativespeakers
Matching resources and needs
 VU students need to practice their language skills
 Community partners need bilingual services
How did I get started?
 Faculty Seminar (Corporation for National and
Community Service) – 2000
 Re-designed an existing course
 Spanish 202 – every semester since 2001
 Designed 2 new courses –
 Spanish 243 – every Spring since 2002
 Spanish 294 – Spring 2008
Spanish for Oral Communication
(202)
 SLA; intermediate level; majors/minors
 Goals
 Achieve advanced oral proficiency
 Improve listening comprehension
 Increase cultural awareness
 Movies, tv news, web-based assignments
 Oral evaluations, research paper
Service-Learning Component
 20 hours (2 hours every week)
 Critical reflection activities
 2 roundtables
 Research paper
 Exit interview
 Reflection paper
Latino/a Immigration Experience
(243)
 Content-based course, advanced level
 Elective course: literature track
 4 immigrant experiences: Mexican-American,
Puerto Rican, Cuban-American, DominicanAmerican
 Literary readings, movies, and documentaries
 2 exams, 2 research papers, journal, reflection
paper
Service-Learning Component
 20 hours (2 hours every week)
 Critical reflection activities
 3 roundtables
 Detailed journal
 2 research papers
 Reflection paper
General Guidelines
 Students know during pre-registration [YES]
 Welcome/Warning e-mail
 Organizational meeting
 Task-oriented students = challenging, relevant, and
meaningful tasks
Community Needs
 Education
 Tutoring
 ELL classes
 Mentoring
 Cultural exchange
 Translation and interpretation
Community Partners -Education
 Pencil Foundation
 Nashville Adult Literacy Council
 Conexión Américas
 The Bridge & Rosetta Stone (at St. Edward’s)
 Hermanitas
 Project S.H.A.R.E. (Haywood Elementary School)
 Caring for Children (DCS)
 Hispanic Salvation Army
Community Partners (cont.)
 St. Luke’s Community House ELL Program
 Books from Birth
 Catholic Charities (ELL & Plaza Comunitaria)
 Croft Middle School
 McMurray Middle School
 Overton High School
 Glencliff High School
Community Partners Translation/Interpretation
 Siloam Family Health Center
 St. Thomas Clinic
 VU Midwifery Clinic
 VU Children’s Hospital (Clinic; Developmental




Screening)
Catholic Charities
Correctional Work Center
Nashville Pro Bono Program
Caring for Children
Community Partners
(cont.)
 The YWCA (at the shelter)
 Room in the Inn
 The Campus for Human Development
 Woodbine Community Center
Challenges
 Logistics = transportation
 Safety
 Driving to and from the sites
 Location
 Academic issues = integrating the service into the class


Relevant and meaningful tasks
Time to make connections = “the hyphen in servicelearning” (J. Eyler)
Securing placements =
relevant and meaningful tasks
 Site coordinator
 Achievement scores
 Referrals from teachers
 Requests from parents
 Interview prospective tutees
 Survey locations
 Call the parents
 Parents and tutors’ meeting
 Expect to be on call 24/7!!
Outcomes - VU students
 Class participation (quantity and quality)
 Self-awareness of the process of SLA
 Application of communication strategies to
negotiate meaning
 Real “sink or swim” immersion experience
 “Cultural learning” (William Tierney: “the
development of, and engagement in dialogues of
support and understanding across differences”)
Outcomes
 Personal growth: confidence and self-esteem; sense of
co-accountability; problem-solving skills; bonding
with fellow classmates
 Career-changing experience
 Study-abroad options
Outcomes - Partners
 Academic level:
 grades and attitude
 long-term goals
 social behavior
 Non-academic level:
 new braces; glasses
 visit to an audiologist
 set up computer equipment
 cultural exchange (VU games ~ quinceañera)
202 - Comments
 Engaging, helpful, excellent
 Amazing, amazing, amazing!
 Essential, life-changing, demanding
 Interesting, wonderful, different
 Rewarding, helpful, incredible
 Hands on, fulfilling, time-consuming
 Exciting, rewarding, challenging
 Enlightening, exciting, fun!
 Integral, eye-opening, fascinating
More comments - 202
 Eye-opening, useful and rewarding
 Gratifying, unique, impactful
 Engaging, thought-provoking, challenging/
uncomfortable (in a good way, stretching the limits of
your comfort zone in Spanish)
243 - Comments
 Practical, applicable, eye-opening
 Eye-opening, unforgettable, meaningful
 Edifying, life-changing, cool
 Memorable, important, fun
 Eye-opening, time-consuming, worth it
 Rewarding, helpful, time-consuming
 Enlightening, enriching, beneficial
 Hands-on, necessary, reverse-stereotypes
More comments - 243
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







Amazing, helpful, a treasure!
Long, helpful in giving human perspective, enriching
Eye-opening, time worthy, fulfilling
Enlightening, sometimes discouraging, rewarding
Enriching, enlightening, essential
Necessary, transformative, fun
Integral. Enlightening. Necessary.
Integrative, grounding, motivational
Enlightening, engaging, fulfilling
Letter Bingo – Haywood ES
One-on-one Tutorials - HES
Reading Comprehension - HES
After-school Homework
Program - HES
ELL Adult Evening Classes - HES
Special Presentation
Teenage Pregnancies
Mentoring
McMurray MS
End-of-the-semester Celebration
McMMS
End-of-the-semester Celebration
McMMS
Tutors and Tutees
Tutors and Tutees