CapstoneSpain:Culture&Service
August26-September23,Summer2016
Zamora,Spain
UNST421(CRN#)6credits
INSTRUCTOR:LauraMulas
SPANISHPHONE:inSpain684-244-599
(ifyoutrytoreachmefromtheUSAadd001+34)
EMAIL:mulas@pdx.edu
Pre-departuremeetings:
Dates:TBA
Time:TBA
Room:TBA
D2Lwebsite:availableinthesummerof2016.
COURSEDESCRIPTION:
ThiscapstoneisdesignedtoprovideanopportunitytolearnaboutSpanishcultureand
societybymeansofimmersionwithapartnersocialservicebasedorganization(alsonon
profit)inZamora,intheregionofCastillayLeón,Spain.Uponarrivalallinstructionand
communicationwillbe100%inSpanish.YouwilllearnaboutSpanishcultureasyouwork
inteamstohelpleadorganizedandestablishedactivities.Bydoingso,youwillalsogain
awarenessofthespecialneedsofmarginalizedcitizens,specificallytheyoungadultlearner
withlimitedresourcesandeducation.Youwillacquiretheknowledgeandtheskills
necessarytoengagefullywiththeparticipantsandcollaboratewiththeservicesitein
ordertobetterexistingprogramsandhelpcreatenewactivitiesasdirectedbythe
communitypartner.
Thiscapstonecourseis30dayslongwithsomeonlinepre-departurecoursework.This
willbeamixofsynchronousandasynchronousonlinegroupmeetings,discussiongroups
andpreparativereadings.IwillgooveringreatdetailhowtoarrivetoZamora.Course
materialwillincludeasurveyofSpanishhistory,cultureandsocietyasitpertainstothis
capstone.Duringthisonlineportionwewillexplorewhatittakestobeanactiveteam
member,groupdynamics,andwillbegintoplanourfinalprojecttopresenttoourservice
partner.Alongwithgroupdynamicswewillalsodiscussthegood,thebadandtheuglyof
groupworkandhowtoaddressproblemsearlyon.OnceinZamora,thefirstweekwillbe
spentattendingclassthatwillfocusonlanguagedevelopment,Spanishsocietyandcurrent
issues.Therewillbesomeeducationalfieldtripsthatwillcorrespondtoclassroom
discussions.StudentswillbeorientedtoandguidedthroughthecommunityofZamorathe
seconddayofarrival.The2ndand3rdweeksyouwillvolunteerataservice-learningsite
for3hourseachday(afternoonsormornings),eveningsfreeMonday-Friday.Weekends
willgenerallybefree.Therewillbeoptionalorganizedactivitiesofferedeachafternoon
andevening.Youwillalsobepairedwithalocallanguageexchangepartnertopractice
Spanish,teachEnglishandshareculturewhileinZamora.Aninitialmeetingwilltakeplace
thefirstweekinZamoraandthensubsequentmeetingswillbeorganizedbetweenyouand
yourpartner.Itisanticipatedthatyouwillmeetatleast2-3timesperweekforatleast1
hour.Attheendwewillhaveafarewelldinnerinatraditional“bodega”inthenearbytown
of“ElPerdigón”.
EXCURSIONS:
• MoralesdelVino—visittoanartisan,family-runcheesefactory.
• Toro
• PuebladeSanabria&LagodeSanabria
• ArribesdelDuero&MirandodoDouro,Portugal(Kayakingtrip)
SERVICEPARTNER:
Youwillparticipateasmentorsintheprogramcalled“EducacióndeCalle”thatprovide
organizedworkshops,activities,classes,recreationalclubsandorganizedoutings
specificallyforyouthsthatareatrisk.
Ourcommunitypartner,ElCentroMenesianoworkstoprovideadvocacy,support,
outreachprogramsandeducationalcoursesforatriskyouthsbetweentheagesof13-17
yearsofage.Thesestudentshaveeitherdroppedoutofschoolorhaveonlyfinishedthe
obligatoryeducation,whichisequivalenttothe9thgradehereintheUSA.Mostareof
immigrantfamilies(LatinAmerican),gypsycommunityand/oroflowereconomicstatus.
Thecurrenteconomiccrisisandsubsequentpoliticaldiscordarecreatingwidergapsfor
thispopulationfrommainstreamsocietyandthreateningthesemuch-neededservices.The
purposeofthisprogramistohelptheparticipantsintegrateandparticipatemorefullyin
theircommunityandtolearnnewskillsthatcouldencouragethemtocontinuetheir
educationandtoguidethemincareerchoicesthatwouldleadtofutureandstable
employment.Theyalsoprovideactivitiesandworkshopsthathelpbuildself-esteem,work
asateamandotherdailylifeskills.Whileparticipatinginthiscapstoneyouwilllearn
vocabularyandgrammarrelatedtothisservicepriortoandwhileparticipating.Wewill
exploreanddiscusscurrentissuesregardingthispopulation.Theservicesitewillprovide
youwithadetailedorientationtotheactualservicecenter,theorganization,theirmission
andexpectationsforparticipants.
Thewebsitelink:
Menesianos:http://www.menesianoszamora.com
Potentialclassesthatyoucouldassistorleadattheservicesiteinclude:
• Structurededucationalworkshops:pre-laborskills,interviewingskills,English
classes,grammarclassesandotherformativeclasses.
• Teambuildingandothercollaborativetypesofworkshops.
• ArtandCraftclassesthatproduceproductsthattheparticipantcansellduringthe
seasonalfairsthatarecommoninthecommunity.
• Recreationalclassesandoutingsforstressreliefandteambuilding.
• Culturaloutingsinordertolearnmoreabouthistoryandculture.
COURSELEARNINGOUTCOMES:
Bytheendofthiscourseyouwillbeableto
• ExplainthedifferencesbetweenSpanishandUSCultureasaresultofreflection,
examinationandcomparison.(Criticalthinking,varietyofhumanexperience)
• DiscusstheeffectofthecurrentpoliticalandeconomicstateofaffairsonSpanish
societyasaresultofreadings,reflections,organizedclassroomdiscussionsand
serviceatcommunitypartner.(Criticalthinking,socialandethicalresponsibility,
varietyofhumanexperience,communication)
• Possesstheskillstodevelop,prepareandimplementteachingoractivityplansfor
youngadultlearnersinSpanish.(Criticalthinking,socialandethicalresponsibility)
•
•
•
•
UseSpanishvocabularyandgrammarrelatedtotheworkenvironmentand
technologythroughdidacticinstructionandconversationgroupsin
class.(Communication)
StrengthenandexpandyourknowledgeandfluencyoftheSpanishlanguage
throughcommunicationduringservicehourswithcommunitypartnerand
conversationswithalocallanguagepartnerthatwillbeassignedtoeach
student.(Communication)
Collaboratewithstaff,peersandparticipantsattheservicecenterstoidentify,
understandandimplementstrategiesforcommunicationandteachingin
specializedpopulationgroups.(Communication,varietyofhumanexperience,ethical
responsibility)
Articulate,expressandwriteattheAdvancedLow-Midlevelinthefourlanguage
skillsinSpanish,asdefinedbytheAmericanCouncilontheTeachingofForeign
Languages(ACTFL).Formoreinformation,goto
<http://actflproficiencyguidelines2012.org>."(Communication,Criticalthinking)
WRITINGASSIGNMENTS:
ThepurposeofreflectiveandSpanishwritingassignmentsisto
a)helpyouprepareforyourtriptoSpain
b)helpyoureflectonyourexperienceinSpain
c)connectthecourseexperiencestoUniversityStudiesgoals.
1. Thereareafewreadingswiththeduedateslistedonourclasswebsitewillbeduepriorto
arrivalinSpain.
2. OnceinSpainyouwillhaveweeklyreflectivewritingsandgroupdiscussionsthatwillhave
respectiveduedatesalsolistedonourclasssite.
3. AfinalreflectivewritingpaperwillbedueafteryoureturnfromSpain.Thisassignment
willbedueonTBA(generally3weeksafter).Finalpaperswillnotbeacceptedlate.The
finalpaperwillbesubmittedviaourD2Lclasssite.
FINALPRODUCT
TheworkofthisCapstonecoursewillresultinthreeformsoffinalproduct:
1. Capstonestudentswillcontribute30hoursofservicetotheirservicesite.
Potentialoutcomesfromthisservicemayinclude:
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·
·
·
·
·
·
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1:1tutoringincomputerskills
Improvingliteracy
Teachingskillsclasses
LeadingEnglishconversationskills
Teachingartsandcraftsmanshipclasses
Leadingorassistinginteambuildingorcollaborativeactivities.
Leadingorassistinginrecreationalactivities
Assistinginculturalfieldtrips
2. Studentswillcompleteafinalprojectrelatedtothe“EducacióndeCalle”longtermprogramneeds.OurservicepartnerMenesianoswillselectageneral
themeandthePSUCapstonestudentswilldeterminethecoursework,details
andpresentationformoftheproject.Materialsneededtobeincludedforthis
projectbythestudentsare:adetailedoutline,handoutsandactivitiesthatare
interactiveandcommunicative.Thispackageofmaterialwillbegiventothe
programsothattheywillbeabletorepeatitinthefuture.Lastyeartheywere
askedtoprepareandimplementaculturalawarenessclass/workshoprelatedto
American&Portlandculture.PSUstudentscreateda2-dayworkshopwith
presentationandinteractiveculturallyrelevantactivities.
3.Eachstudentwillcomposeafinalsummaryoftheservicethattheyprovidedwith
ourpartnersite.Thiswillincludetheexperiencewiththeservicepartnerandstaff,
whatthestudentslearnedfromthisexperienceandanysuggestionsthatwould
helpimprovetheexperienceforfuturecapstonestudentsandparticipants.
GRADESCALE:
Activeparticipationinpre-departuresessionsandincountryactivities50%
Reflectivewritings,groupworkandfinalproject:25%
Finalwritingassignment:25%
REQUIREDCOURSEMATERIAL:
Books(THESEHAVEALREADYBEENPURCHASEDFORYOU—incudedinprogramfees)
Spain:CultureandSocietyMcGraw-HillCreateTextbook2015
(Multipleauthors/specialeditionforthisCapstone)
CortésMaximiano,GuíadeusosycostumbresdeEspañaEdelsa2012
Articles(allarticleswillbeonourclasswebsite)
TRAVELCONDUCT:
AsrepresentativesofthePSUcommunityandvisitorstoaforeigncountry,weexpectthat
youwillactinarespectfulandsafemannerduringourtravelperiodinSpain.Asagroup,
wewillbrainstormguidelinesforappropriatebehaviorandconsiderwaystoholdeach
otheraccountabletotheseguidelines.Travelconductisconsideredaspartofthe
attendanceandparticipationportionofthegrade.
STUDENTSWITHDISABILITIES
Pleaseseemeifyouhaveadisabilitythatmayrequiresomemodificationtothecourse.I
willworkwithyouandtheDisabilityResourceCentertoarrangeneededsupports.
STUDENTCONDUCT
AproductivelearningenvironmentreliesonouradherencetoPSUCodesofConduct:
http://www.pdx.edu/dos/policies-codes-of-conduct-at-psu.Inparticular,pleasenotethat
plagiarismwillnotbetoleratedinthiscourse.Ifyouarequotingorrelyingheavilyon
another’sworkinyourwrittenassignmentsorclasspresentations,youmustacknowledge
thesourceappropriately.
TECHNOLOGYPOLICY
Pleaseturnofforsilenceyourphonewhenyouentertheclassroom.Ifyouneedtotakean
importantcall,pleasestepoutoftheclassroomtodoso.Ialsoaskthatyourefrainfrom
usingalaptopinclassunlessyouareusingitaspartofagroupworksession.