WINONA STATE UNIVERSITY
PROPOSAL FOR UNIVERSITY STUDIES COURSES
Department Social WorkDate 15 March, 2011
SOCW360Experiencing Mexican Cultures3
Course No.Course NameCredits
This proposal is for a(n)X Undergraduate Course
Applies to: X Major______Minor
_____ Required_____ Required
X Elective_____ Elective
University Studies (A course may be approved to satisfy only one set of outcomes.):
Course Requirements:
Basic Skills:Arts & Science Core:Unity and Diversity:
_____ 1. College Reading and Writing_____ 1. Humanities_____ 1. Critical Analysis
_____ 2. Oral Communication_____ 2. Natural Science _____ 2. Science and Social Policy
_____ 3. Mathematics_____ 3. Social ScienceX 3. a. Global Perspectives
_____ 4. Physical Development & Wellness_____ 4. Fine & Performing Arts_____ b. Multicultural Perspectives
_____ 4. a. Contemporary Citizenship
_____ b. Democratic Institutions
Flagged Courses:_____ 1. Writing
_____ 2. Oral Communication
_____ 3. a. Mathematics/Statistics
_____ b. Critical Analysis
Prerequisites: None.
Provide the following information (attach materials to this proposal):
Please see “Directions for the Department” on previous page for material to be submitted.
Attach a University Studies Approval Form.
Department Contact Person for this Proposal:
Arlen
Name (please print)Phonee-mail address
[Revised 9-05]
WINONA STATE UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY STUDIES APPROVAL FORM
Routing form for University Studies Course approval. Course SOCW360
Department Recommendation_____ Approved_____ Disapproved______
Department Chair Datee-mail address
Dean’s Recommendation_____ Approved_____ Disapproved*
______
Dean of College Date
*In the case of a dean’s recommendation to disapprove a proposal, a written rationale for the recommendation to disapprove shall be provided to the University Studies Subcommittee.
USS Recommendation_____ Approved_____ Disapproved_____ No recommendation
______
University Studies Director Date
A2C2 Recommendation_____ Approved_____ Disapproved
______
Chair of A2C2 Date
Faculty Senate Recommendation_____ Approved_____ Disapproved
______
President of Faculty Senate Date
Academic Vice President Recommendation_____ Approved_____ Disapproved
______
Academic Vice President Date
Decision of President_____ Approved_____ Disapproved
______
President Date
Please forward to Registrar.
Registrar ______Please notify department chair via e-mail that curricular change has been recorded.
Date entered
[Revised 9-07]
University Studies Course Approval
Department or Program: Social Work
Course Number: 360
Semester Hours: 3
Frequency of Offering: Every Year
Course Title: Experiencing Mexican Cultures
Catalog Description: 360 - Experiencing Mexican Cultures (3 S.H.)
This course uses a comparative historical approach and experiential learning to provide students an intimate understanding of Mexican cultures and cultural diversity and the ability to critically apply acquired knowledge to life in their home communities. Co-requisite: SOCW 361. May be repeated for credit.
This is an existing course previously approved by A2C2: Yes
This is a new course proposal: No
Department Contact Person: Dr. Arlen Carey, Faculty, Social Work Department
University Studies Approval is requested in: Unity and Diversity: Global Perspectives
Attachments: The syllabus explains the learning and requirements for students enrolled in the course. It also links the course objectives and activities with those objectives from the global perspectives category of Unity and Diversity courses. The syllabus includes descriptions of designed learning experiences related to the global perspectives objectives. Additionally, a sub-section of the assignments section of the syllabus briefly explains how these assignments will be used as parts of the course.
The following explains how this course will meet the Global Perspectives objectives:
Global Perspectives
The purpose of the Global Perspectives requirement in University Studies is to improve students' understanding of the growing inter-relatedness of nations, people, and the environment, and to enhance students' ability to apply a comparative perspective to cross-cultural social, economic, political, spiritual and environmental experiences. Courses that fulfill the global perspectives requirement must address at least two of the following outcomes:
These courses must include requirements and learning activities that promote students' abilities to:
- understand the role of the world citizen and the responsibility world citizens share for their common global future.
Mexicans sometimes observe that the relationship between their country and the US is akin to a the relationship between a mouse and an elephant sharing a bed—the elephant does not need to be attentive to or even aware of the mouse, but the mouse has to vigilantly watch, anticipate, and respond to the actions of the elephant. As an illustration of this point, allow me to share an experience from this course when it was offered in Summer, 2008. The class was visiting a large orphanage, and a young man who had recently left the orphanage for college served as our guide. He asked us what we thought of (candidate) Obama; not one of my students knew who the president of Mexico was when the our first pre-departure class met. By the time that 2008 course concluded, students had learned about the major Mexican political parties and the highly contested 2006 Mexican presidential election, they engaged in a number of discussions about migration policies with various Mexicans and staff at the US Embassy, and had experienced different vantages of Mexican life through homestays with urban families and rural, indigenous ones. A primary aim of this course is to help students better understand, appreciate, assess, and successfully function in the interconnectedness of various societies and cultures.
- describe and analyze social, economic, political, spiritual or environmental elements that influence the relations between living beings and their environments or between societies.
Students are primed to describe and analyze cultural dimensions of Mexico through a pre-departure reading assignment about life in Mexico, migration causes and consequences on both sides of the border, and lives of Mexican migrants in the US. For similar end, students prepare and share a brief research project on a Mexican cultural topic before we leave. While we are in Mexico, we have daily group processing sessions (and individual learning check-in at least every 2-3 days) during which we connect our own cultures with the reading and research project and with our direct exposure to a variety of Mexican cultures. This exposure includes presentations by and conversations with indigenous shaman, Catholic nuns, bilingual teachers, Mexican social work students, social service providers, traditional healers, Mexican government officials, and the families and communities with whom we live.
- Identify and analyze specific global issues, illustrating the social, economic, political, spiritual, or environmental differences that may affect their resolution.
As noted above, this course invariably includes a focus on migration issues. Also, we explore issues pertaining to NAFTA, social stratification, and expanding globalization (e.g., how is it that indigenous villages without running water have internet cafes and plentiful cell phones—and what are the implications of the answers to this question?).
SYLLABUS: Mexico Travel Study Program (inclusive of both courses)
Courses:SOCW360, “Experiencing Mexican Cultures” (3 cr.)
SOCW361, “Mexican Social Services” (3 cr.)
Facilitator:Arlen Carey, Ph.D., , 507-289-0385, ########### Mexican cell)
NOTE: The two courses that comprise the travel study are intertwined, therefore information for both courses are included in this one syllabus. Most information in this document pertains to both courses. Information specific to SOCW360 will be designated by a superscripted 1 (e.g., 1); information specific to SOCW361 will be designated by a superscripted 2 (e.g., 2).
This is a University Studies Program course and meets the requirements of the Global Perspectives section of Unity and Diversity category. As such this course has the following goals, learning opportunities, and objectives.
University Studies Program (Global Perspectives) outcomes.
1. The promotion of your ability to understand the responsibilities world citizens share for their common global future;
2. The promotion of your ability to describe and analyze social, economic, political, spiritual, or environmental elements that influence the relations between living beings and their environments or between societies; and/or
3. The promotion of your ability to identify and analyze specific global issues illustrating the social, economic, political, spiritual, or environmental differences that may affect their resolution.
GROUP LEARNING GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, AND OBJECTIVES
As life becomes more “global” and our communities experience increasing cultural diversity, it is incumbent upon those desiring to practice effective citizenship, social work, and other professions to persistently engage in the pursuit of enhanced cultural competencies. Below are the learning goals for all Mexico travel study program participants:
Goal I.to better understand Mexican cultures and society
Goal II.to better understand the breadth of cultural diversity
Goal III.to better understand the roles of culture in the lives of individuals
Goal IV.to better understand the cultural diversity’s impacts on social inequality, social policy, and social programs
Goal V.to gain an understanding of special social service needs of people of Mexican origin;
Goal VI.to gain an understanding of social service program design and delivery models that may be especially effective with people of Mexican origin
Goal VII.to better understand the importance of enhancing cultural competencies for their professional practices
These learning goals as well as USP Global Perspectives objectives will be pursued through participants’ immersion in several Mexican cultures and coordinated experiential learning opportunities. Participants will spend 19 days in South Central Mexico during which they will:
- participate in a one-week homestay with a middle-class Mexican family;
- participate in a homestay with a rural, indigenous family;
- improve their Spanish-language abilities through an immersion-education program;
- experience and explore life in four distinct Mexican communities;
- visit and learn about historical and present-day sites of significance to Mexico’s diverse cultures;
- participate in common, daily activities of Mexicans;
- tour various formal and informal social service institutions and discuss the institutions’ operations with those directly involved with operations;
- interact with various individuals and social programs aimed addressing the challenges and celebrating the strengths of cultural diversity within Mexico;
- examine and discuss Mexico-US relations with Mexicans;
- socially engage with Mexicans of various socio-economic and cultural stati in public settings as well as in Mexicans’ homes;
- learn about salient Mexican social issues through direct observation/experience and through discussing these issues with key individuals and members of various cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.
Through these and related experiential learning activities, participants are expected to meet the shared learning objectives listed below.
1.Participants will be able to describe major themes of the historical development of today's Mexican society and most common cultures.1(linked to USP “Global Perspectives” objectives 1, 2, & 3)
2.Participants will understand and be able to list and describe the major roles of the most common cultural groups within Mexican society. 1(linked to USP “Global Perspectives” objective 3)
3.Participants will be able to compare and contrast at least three major cultural groups within Mexico. 1(linked to USP “Global Perspectives” objective 2)
4.Participants will be able to compare and contrast at least three major cultural groups within Mexico with common cultural groups in the US. 1(linked to USP “Global Perspectives” objectives 1, 2, & 3)
5.Participants will be able to discuss the impact of Mexican culture and cultural diversity on the experiences and weltanschauung of Mexican residents. 1(linked to USP “Global Perspectives” objective 2)
6.Participants will be able to discuss the impact of Mexican culture and cultural diversity on the experiences and weltanschauung of Mexican-origin migrants to the US. 1,2(linked to USP “Global Perspectives” objectives 2 & 3)
7.Participants will be able to discuss the impact of culture and cultural diversity on the experiences and weltanschauung of Mexican-Americans. 1,2(linked to USP “Global Perspectives” objectives 2 & 3)
8.Participants will be able to describe various dimensions of social inequality within Mexico. 1.2(linked to USP “Global Perspectives”objectives 1, 2, & 3)
9.Participants will be able to describe several major social policy issues confronting Mexicans and the impacts of these policy issues on the lives of Mexicans. 2(linked to USP “Global Perspectives” objectives 1, 2, & 3)
10.Participants will be able to describe various social service provision systems within Mexico. 2(linked to USP “Global Perspectives” objectives 2 & 3)
11.Participants will be able to compare and contrast Mexican mainstream and indigenous social service provision systems. 1,2(linked to USP “Global Perspectives” objectives 2 & 3)
12.Participants will be able to identify elements of Mexican social service systems that may benefit their professional practice in the US. 2(linked to USP “Global Perspectives” objectives 1, 2, & 3)
13.Participants will be able to describe impacts of US-Mexico relations on the lives—especially social service needs--of Mexicans. 2(linked to USP “Global Perspectives” objectives 1, 2, & 3)
14.Participants will be able to well-articulate the importance of continuously pursuing enhanced cultural competencies in the personal and professional endeavors. 1,2(linked to USP “Global Perspectives” objectives 1, 2, & 3)
A participant’s successful meeting of these objectives will be evident in her/his learning portfolio and other coursework. Connections between the course objectives and USP “Global Perspectives” objectives are noted above.
INDIVIDUALIZED LEARNING PLAN
This travel study program offers many activities and learning opportunities related to the shared goals and objectives noted just above. In applying to this program, each student will possess some personal interests in/reasons for participation in the program. To help one meet these interests and reasons for participating, each participant is assigned the task of specifying an individualized learning plan. Each participant’s plan should articulate several learning/experiential goals of special personal/professional importance. The goals should be followed by steps that the participant can pursue to reach their goals. Finally, the plan should contain a number of objectives the fulfillment of which will demonstrate success in meeting a participant’s own goals. (Feel free to follow a format similar to that used in the “Shared Learning Objectives” section just above.) Each participant should bring a draft of their individualized learning plan to the second pre-departure meeting . Dr. Carey will review these and provide feedback. One’s final individualized learning plan should be submitted to Dr. Carey prior to departure. (One individualized learning plan is sufficient for both courses as long as it contains objectives for each course.)
PRE-DEPARTURE BACKGROUND LEARNING
The more familiar one is with the places, people, and experiences one will encounter during the program, the more one will gain from these encounters. Therefore, each participant has been encouraged to pursue independent, informal learning about Mexico prior to departure. I will provide participants with a number of “current events” articles from the popular press in the weeks preceding departure. Several orientation articles are provided on our travel study’s website; participants are required to read them. Participants also may wish to read Crossing Over: A Mexican Family on the Migrant Trail by Ruben Martinez; this book will provide some valuable pre-departure insights into Mexican culture and family systems. Participants will be assigned to read portions of the book, A Brief History of Mexico (2007 edition) by Lynn V. Foster, and then will share brief written reports of their assigned reading with one another.
In addition, each participant will research an assigned topic pertaining to the program and prepare an overview of one’s assigned topic to share with the other participants. The brief reports should be prepared in MS Word and submitted via D2L by June 01 so that they may be compiled in our final program travel guide.
Students are responsible for attending the Program’s three pre-departure preparation meetings.
JOURNALING AND OTHER PROCESSING
A key tenet of experiential learning philosophy is that learning is derived not just from experiencing, but from processing experiences. That is, thought, reflection, discussion, and integration with other knowledge are necessary to distill the full learning potential of experiences and to nurture the potential into sustained, transforming knowledge. As our itinerary indicates, we will be exposed to countless unique experiences. Each participant’s investments of time, effort, and dollars into this program indicate a strong desire to learn, and, undoubtedly, each participant will engage in a great deal of unstructured processing of experiences towards the end of learning.
Three more-structured processing endeavors are required of program participants. First, we will have meetings each day to highlight upcoming learning opportunities and to process completed and/or ongoing learning experiences. Second, each participant is expected to compile a journal of daily, personal processing of learning experiences. Each day’s journal entry should reflect salient and subtler aspects of the day’s experiences, personal reactions to the experiences, and reflections on the connections between the experiences and the shared and individualized learning objectives. (One journal is sufficient for both courses as long as it contains material pertaining to each to both courses.) Third, at the program’s conclusion, each participant will compile a learning portfolio; more information on this portfolio will be presented in the next section.
LEARNING PORTFOLIO
At the conclusion of our travels, each participant is responsible for creating their own learning portfolio. One’s learning portfolio should reflect the learning product of one’s participation in the program; that is, it should illustrate/demonstrate connections between program experiences and the shared and individual learning objectives. Journal entries, photos, other mementos, content from discussions/conversations, and the like should comprise much of the portfolio.
The learning portfolio should address three major aims:
- Materials should be presented (and be supplemented as needed) so as to demonstrate fulfillment of the learning objectives.
- Additionally, the portfolio assemblage will provide the participant with an opportunity to process the totality of program experiences.
- The portfolio should provide you with a lasting, tangible record of your experiences and learning.
Participants are encouraged to be creative in the construction of your portfolio; there is no pre-set format. A rough draft of the learning portfolio should be presented to/discussed with Dr. Carey before departing the Mexico City airport at the completion of travel. The final product is due at our post-return meeting. Please submit an electronic version (e.g., MS Word or Powerpoint document, website) of the portfolio (via e-mail). If the format of the portfolio does not allow easy presentation in an electronic format, please coordinate other arrangements to submit/present it to Dr. Carey. (One learning portfolio is sufficient for both courses as long as it pertains to both courses.)