2004 FPG Summer Project #00195

Last Modified: Mar 24, 2004

Name	College	Department or Division
John Ellis	Scottsdale Community College	Foreign Languages
Employee ID	E-mail Address	Work Phone
xxxxxxxx	john.ellis@sccmail.maricopa.edu	(480) 423-6414
Project
Title		Location
Educational Travel through Peru and Bolivia		Peru, Bolivia
Group Application
This is not a group project

Project Dates and Amounts
	Summer I view timeline details	Summer II view timeline details
Timeline Dates	May 26 - Jun 22, 2004	(none)
Hours	133	0
Wages	$2,956.59	$0.00
Registration Fees	0.00	0.00
Subtotals	$2,956.59	$0.00
Total Proposal Amount		$2,956.59

Details
Abstract Write a concise overview with descriptive information about your project (location, time span, etc.) not to exceed 120 words. To take advantage of spelling and word count tools, you can compose this in a blank Word document, copy the text, and paste it in below (all formatting will be reset to normal text).
My Summer Project is to make an educational trip through Peru and Bolivia from May 26 to June 22 in order to experience in person some of the cultures and places I cover in my Spanish 101, 102, 201, 202 and 235 courses as well as to practice the language I teach in an immersion environment.
Purpose Explain your purpose in depth and include relevancy and components of the project. Include a statement of goals and objectives. This is what you want to do and why.
Culture is an integral component of our foreign language curriculum because the development of cultural knowledge and sensibility about the target language is essential to effective teaching and learning. I plan to spend close to 4 weeks in Peru and Bolivia learning firsthand about their people, culture and history. During my trip I will 1) explore archeological, historical and cultural sites, and shop at various market places, 2) visit museums, religious centers, and communities, 3) spend time in national reserves and parks, and 3) interact with the local populace. At these diverse sites, I intend to take numerous photographs, record several hours of digital video, and acquire academic materials and cultural artifacts that I will be able to incorporate into my classes and share with my colleagues in the Spanish Department at SCC.
Professional Growth Your own professional growth is a large part of your project. Your professional growth is important to you, your students, and possibly other colleagues. How will this project affect you professionally? What skills will you learn? What environment will you be working in, and how will it influence your teaching or other responsibilities?
Spanish is spoken as a main language in 21 countries and territories. As a foreign language teacher it is essential to maintain fluency in the language and to appreciate the cultures where the language is spoken as well as the significant historical moments that helped shape them. My experiences have shaped me personally and professionally: I grew up in Ecuador, I have visited Colombia and Panama and, at my own expense, traveled extensively through Mexico and Spain. This Summer Project will allow me to increase my knowledge of two more countries: Peru and Bolivia. During my trip, I will be able to practice my Spanish by staying in non-tourist hostals, eating where the locals eat, haggling in the markets and shops, and traveling by bus and train. By visiting archeological, cultural and historical sites as well as museums, religious centers and public spaces, I will gain experiential knowledge to supplement and enhance my theoretical understanding of significant cultural sites--such as Machu Picchu, Nazca, Tiahuanaco and Lake Titicaca--and current ways of living that are often covered in our Spanish textbooks and in student presentations.
Benefits
Select the primary area of benefit:	Benefits for students
What benefit is this project to the group checked above? What new information, ideas, attitudes, skills, appreciation, etc. will you bring back?
When I discuss the culture and history of specific countries with students, I find that I am able to articulate my thoughts, hold their attention, and stimulate their minds better when presenting on countries with which I have actual experience. This is obvious from the longer time we spend on these countries and the number of follow-up, related and tangential questions that students ask. The trip will allow me to photograph and video-record extensively, purchase books, pamphlets and brochures that are otherwise unavailable, and bring back currency, artifacts and sound recordings to share with my students as well as my colleagues. The trip will revitalize my interest in the language and cultures that I teach and make me a more engaging teacher. Lastly, it will sharpen my Spanish skills to the benefit of my students.