Global Awareness 201: Costa Rica
Spring 2008
Professor Lilia C. Harvey
BSC 302e, x6272
Course Objectives
Bienvenidas a nuestra aventura Costarricense! This course serves as a companion two-credit seminar to GA 200. We will discuss topics related to all things Costa Rican as well as engage in some necessary pre-trip planning and preparation. The principal outcome of this course will be an electronic portfolio that educates others about a specific Costa Rican topic of interest. The e-portfolio will serve as a repository of individual knowledge and reflection throughout the course and beyond our visit to Costa Rica. There are no required texts for this course, as we will draw information from the texts required for GA 200.
Course Assignments and Policies
The final grade for the course will be comprised of the following components:
50%: creation of an e-portfolio for the course
15%: presentation of the e-portfolio to the class
15%: cultural sensitivity, team player and ASC ambassador while in Costa Rica*
10%: class attendance
10%: post-trip reflection piece posting to e-portfolio*
*These course components will be evaluated post completion of the GA 201 course
E-portfolio
Every student in the course will create an e-portfolio that will be used to educate the student and others in the course about a Costa Rican topic of interest. The principal topic for the e-portfolio will be the same topic selected by the student for the oral presentation in GA 200. Training for the development of the portfolios will occur during class time and students will make postings at regular intervals throughout the semester. Items should be posted to the portfolio by the dates specified in the syllabus below. Late postings will be subject to a late penalty of three-points per day, including weekends and holidays. Detailed guidelines about the evaluation criteria to be used for the e-portfolios will be posted on Blackboard.
Presentation of the e-portfolio
The e-portfolio will be presented to course participants at the end of the semester during a 10-minute presentation. Detailed guidelines on presentation content and evaluation criteria will be posted on Blackboard.
Class attendance
All students are expected to be active participants in the course. The preparation of e-portfolios will require technical training from ITS personnel and attendance during those sessions is critical. Only one absence will be allowed during the semester, and any absence(s) beyond that will contribute to a percentage (0.83%) deduction in grade per missed class.
Post-trip reflection article
A final posting to the e-portfolio will occur after our travel to Costa Rica. The goal of this two-page article is to reflect on the student’s experiences in the host country. An expected component of this reflection piece is a discussion of the impact of international travel on the student’s understanding of the topic highlighted by the e-portfolio. Students are encouraged to consider submitting their articles for publication in Abroad View, the global education magazine for students. Sample copies of Abroad View will be distributed in class, and one lecture will be dedicated to a presentation on “Writing About Travel” by Dr. Christine Cozzens.
The reflection piece must be submitted in electronic format to me () by Monday, June 16, 2008. Articles submitted after the due date will be subject to a late penalty of three-points per day, including weekends and holidays. The assignment will not be accepted two weeks past the due date.
Cultural sensitivity, team player and ASC ambassador while in Costa Rica
Travel to another country will present challenges to us as individuals and members of a tour group. We will each experience different levels and types of discomfort at varying times throughout the trip. For this reason, we must be especially cognizant of our behavior and show respect to our fellow travelers and hosts in Costa Rica. This awareness and respect will be demonstrated in the following ways:
timely adherence to tour schedules, making sure to meet the group at all designated places and times
adherence to schedules and “house rules” set by host families and/or guides
open-mindedness and tolerance
respect for the environment and adherence to safety regulations while traveling throughout forests, volcanoes and beaches
using common sense at all times
Disruptions in travel due to tardiness and irresponsible behavior will result in deductions to this component of the course grade.
Grades will be assigned according to the following scale:
95-100 A 87-89 B+ 77-79 C+ 67-69 D+ < 60 F
90-94 A- 84-86 B 74-76 C 64-66 D
80-83 B- 70-73 C- 60-63 D-
Course Topics Schedule
18-Jan / Intro to course; presentation by Dr. Jennifer Lund
25-Jan / e-portfolio training session I
set-up e-portfolio: insert images, insert text, and make links—bring your reflection piece from assigned reading on 1/21 in GA-200 ( in electronic format) to class for posting
1-Feb / e-portfolio training session II
Second reflection piece (your choice from work completed to date in GA-200) posted to e-portfolio
8-Feb / Article: Moral Ambiguity of Study Abroad (posted on BB)
Image posted to e-portfolio by this date
15-Feb / e-portfolio training session III
Three links posted to e-portfolio by this date
22-Feb / Writing About Travel:
Professor C. Cozzens
29-Feb / Selected readings from Abroad View;
Additional posting of your choice made to e-portfolio
7-Mar / No class: Spring break
14-Mar / e-portfolio training session IV
Editing, reflections on postings made to date; final technical tweaking of portfolios
21-Mar / No class: Easter break
28-Mar / e-portfolio class presentations
4-Apr / e-portfolio class presentations
11-Apr / e-portfolio class presentations
18-Apr / Travel logistics and cross-cultural communication; Dr. Jennifer Lund
25-Apr / e-portfolio class presentations;
course wrap-up and final trip details