Ecuadorian Culture & Systems of Education

This two week teaching practicum is hosted by the Andean Center for Latin American Studies (ACLAS) in Quito, Ecuador. ACLAS arranges home-stays, cultural events and trips, and provides classes. Pacific faculty accompany students on the trip. Quito is a beautiful city of culture, tradition, development, and contrast. Seamlessly combining history and the modern age, Quito provides a cosmopolitan atmosphere where a number of races, cultures, myths, and legends are united to create a rich identity. Quito is a UNESCO’s World Heritage Site and the equator runs right through the city.

EDUC 371/678 Seminar in Education: Ecuadorian Culture and Systems of Education (2 credits)

An introductory course intended to prepare students to take part in the study abroad program in Quito, Ecuador. Familiarize students with key concepts of Ecuadorian culture and educational systems; topics include Ecuadorian culture, food, people, history, politics, current events, school system(s), and ESOL strategies. Once in Ecuador, students will be able to add to their knowledge base through teaching in schools in Ecuador (EDUC 372). This course will also review/provide all pre-departure paperwork and procedures for study abroad (passport, visa, inoculations, etc.) Prerequisite: Instructor consent (at least one course of college level Spanish strongly recommended) for Education majors, MAT students, and CSD students; SPAN-202 with minimum grade C- or placement for Spanish minors.

EDUC 372/679 The Ecuadorian Experience: Language, Culture, and Education (2 Credits)

This 2-week travel course immerses students in the language, culture, and educational system of Ecuador. It also exposes students to elements of pre-Colombian cultures in Ecuador that are still important today (religion, food, health care). Students will observe and teach in elementary/middle schools in Quito, Ecuador and will participate in workshops that focus on a variety of regional indigenous cultural expressions. Students will also attend daily class sessions on literature and culture as well as lessons to increase their Spanish proficiency (e.g. listening comprehension, corrective phonetics, grammatical structure, guided and free conversation and writing). Taught in Spanish with some English. This course will be taught through the Andean Center for Latin American Studies in Quito, Ecuador. Educational excursions to local historical, cultural, and development sites complement students' class work. Excursions include, but are not limited to: Overnight trip to Otavalo (indigenous market-Friday & Saturday) and service learning: MINGA in Nuevos Horizontes School (possible activities: painting, minor repairs, alongside the students of the school). Prerequisite: EDUC 371 and Instructor consent (at least one course of college level Spanish strongly recommended) for Education majors, MAT students, and CSD students; SPAN-202 with minimum grade C- or placement for Spanish minors.

Get a better sense of this trip from the Pacific students who went on it:

 

Contact Us

Anita Zijdemans-Boudreau | Professor of Education & Director, School of Learning and Teaching, Forest Grove
503-352-3186 | zijdemans@pacificu.edu

Marcus Welsh | Assistant Professor
503-352-1568 | welshme@pacificu.edu