NOTE: You must register with both the Instituto Mexico Americano de Cultura through our web site, AND through Professor Tash to be eligible to receive college credit while studying at the Institute Mexico Americano de Cultura.

HUM 291: Spanish Language Through Experiential Activities
5-10 quarter hour credits
5 credits: $300 in addition to IMAC course fees
10 credits: $550 in addition to IMAC course fees

Course Overview:
For a student enrolling for 5 quarter credits (3 semester credits), students must participate for at least 20 hours per week in a combination of group classes and private tutoring or cultural activities, for a minimum of 45 hours total. You can reach 20 hours per week by taking 15 hours of courses and the 5 optional conversation practice sessions per week, or by combining 15 hours of classes with at least 5 hours of cultural activities per week.

For students enrolling for 10 quarter credits (6 semester credits), students must participate for at least 20 hours per week in a combination of group classes and private tutoring or cultural activities, for a minimum of 90 hours total. You can reach 20 hours per week by taking 15 hours of courses and the 5 optional conversation practice sessions per week, or by combining 15 hours of classes with at least 5 hours of cultural activities per week.

In addition to the enrollment requirements stated above, students are required to complete the following. Students will be expected to complete all requirements upon their return home, and have 170 days total to complete all requirements.

Daily Portfolio (400 points):
Students must maintain a daily portfolio during the travel/study period. Use it to keep brief narratives of your daily instructional experiences. It should contain notes on places visited, interviews, daily lessons, new vocabulary, oral language activities, student observations of different and unique cultural traits, etc.

Mini-Ethnography (600 points):
Students are also required to submit a mini-ethnography. This project will give you a chance to conduct research directly on the area, people, culture, historic sites, political system, art, music, society, history, education, foreign relations, geography, scientific research, leisure-time activities, etc. of Cancun, the Yucatan Peninsula, or Mexico.

Language Verification (300 points):
Instituto Mexico Americano de Cultura will provide you with written evidence documenting at least 20 formal/informal hours of language instruction per 5 days of travel for humanities/language enhancement - 45 hours total. You may also be required to show photocopies of airline and/or lodging receipts.

Critical Thinking Papers (250 points each):
Students are required to analyze two articles from a scholarly journal on a topic related to any aspect of your humanities/language study experience. Internet sites may also be used.

Additional Course Requirements for 10-Credit Option:

1. Three additional critical thinking papers and/or Internet sites must be researched.
2. Evidence supporting an additional 45 hours of language enhancement study must be provided.
3. The Daily Portfolio must be expanded to include the additional travel/study research project.

This program is designed to provide classroom enrichment opportunities and staff development possibilities to U.S. educators who undertake foreign travel (such as studying Spanish at the Instituto Mexico Americano de Cultura).

It offers the participants an opportunity to learn outside the classroom and to take advantage of materials and locations which are available only through travel. Participants will be expected to describe how they will use the material developed or apply the knowledge gained.

This program is open to teachers, librarians, administrators, private school personnel, and other interested persons who work with children. Programs are offered through one of the University of California campuses.

Academic courses are designed for clientele, most of whom already hold academic degrees - many of them advanced - and are directed toward the dual purpose of providing opportunity for advancement in professional status and dissemination of results of current research and development centering on innovations in the educational field.

The courses are planned to meet the needs of school districts and to satisfy credential requirements established by the California State legislature and the California State Board of Education. Students who complete these courses do have to fulfill specified requirements, examination, and receive grades.

Participants are cautioned that many schools do not accept such credit toward master's and doctorate degrees. Anyone pursuing such credit should request approval for credit from the appropriate institution prior to enrolling in this program. Students are advised to seek approval from their school district to count these credits for tuition reimbursement or columnar compensation prior to enrolling in this program.

ED X342.66 A, B - Expanding Your Classroom Through Travel Study:
Culture and Language Participants can learn about a country's culture, customs and language, and the interrelationship of each through foreign travel (available for 6 quarter units - 3 units per quarter). Travel Study is open to teachers, librarians, administrators, private-school personnel, and other interested persons who work with children.

Course Requirements:

Non-classroom personnel:
Other assignments will be arranged for those who are not classroom teachers. Examples would be study reports, development of a library resource file, report on a special conference, etc.

Credit:
Professional postgraduate education course credit (quarter units) may be earned through the Travel Study Program during any quarter of the year. Participants must enroll for a minimum 3, maximum 6 quarter units (lifetime) under the following conditions:

a. minimum of 3 quarter units at any one time = 15 days of travel or more
b. the course may be repeated once for up to a maximum of 6 quarter units under the following conditions:

Students are advised to seek approval from their school district prior to enrolling in this program to count these credits for tuition reimbursement or columnar compensation.

QUARTER DATES

Summer 6/1-8/15
Winter 12/1-2/28
Fall 8/16-11/30
Spring 3/1-5/31

Each quarter unit of credit converts to 2/3 of a semester unit; e.g., 3 quarter units equal 2 semester units, 5 quarter units equal 3-1/3 semester units, etc.

COST
$225 for a minimum of 2 quarter units per quarter; $275 for 3 quarter units per quarter; $325 for 4 quarter units per quarter; $375 for a maximum of 5 quarter units per quarter. These costs are in addition to the normal course fees at the Institute Mexico Americano de Cultura.

GRADES
Grading will be based on letter grades. A Pass/No-Pass (P/NP) grade may be requested at time of enrollment. Grades will be based on successful completion of student responsibilities with emphasis on completeness, originality, use of educationally sound principles, critical thinking skills, cooperative learning examples, and applicability of lesson plans for curriculum integration.

The following must be submitted to the instructor within 5 days before the school quarter ends or within one year of the date of enrollment: (1) One copy of daily log and lesson plans. (2) Copies of travel documents that confirm length of travel (photocopy stamped passport, airline ticket, lodging receipts, a postcard mailed by you to your home address from some city on your travel itinerary). Student has one year to change an incomplete grade; this is to provide for educators conducting travel/study projects during a year long sabbatical leave.

TRANSCRIPTS Grade reports will be mailed to participants.

For further information on the program, contact the instructor: