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Division of International Affairs
Education Abroad

Successful Stories

ITA 2310 Intermediate Italian I

ITA 2320 Intermediate Italian II

Summer 2020 

Instructor: Dr. Moira DiMauro-Jackson

These courses incorporated several international opportunities. In addition to watching videos and completed projects related to Italy, students had live chats with a survivor of Fascism and  World War II. They also connected with Croce Rossa Italiana - Comitato di Ardea (Italian Red Cross, Rome, Italy) and Associazione Isola di Santa Croce, Firenze (Florence, Italy).

 

Student testimonials

  • "This summer was the first time that I was taught so intently on another country.  I learned not just about the Italian culture, but also a lot of their history which is partially why their culture is the way it is.  I feel like this class has helped give me a better view of not just Italy, but the world.  I hope that I can look at places and people not with stereotypes in mind, but with the knowledge that a culture runs so much deeper than just the way someone talks or dresses.  This class has helped me open my eyes to a broader perception of the world and I am so grateful for this experience even though it was not what I was expecting it to be."
  • "Through the eyes of an Italian: In taking this class, I have learned much more than I thought I would not only about the Italian language but also the people and cultures. I have learned how to look at the world with (somewhat) the eyes of an Italian. Barzini’s book has given much background into the beliefs and mores of Italian culture. While I wish we had been able to be in Italy at this time, I feel like I got as much Italian socialization as I could have while being on zoom. I definitely am able to see why Italians think, or act the ways they do, in addition to why major historical events happened."
  • "In memory of a great semester and the best COVID-19 Summer experience I could’ve had, my last blog is filled with the beautiful surprise my professor left us. The views that Italy promises us when it opens up again and we are able to study abroad. Even though most of my time was spent on my laptop, my heart and mind were immersed into the air, land, and seas that make up this beautiful country. There are not enough words to describe how much I learned and was able to see throughout this course."

CI 3332 Foundations of Bilingual and ESL Education

CI4360 Methods and Materials for Teaching ESL in the Content

Summer 2020

Instructor: Dr. Minda Lopez

Texas State students were partnered with someone from another country who was learning English. The international partners were from the following countries: Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Cabo Verde, Chile, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Kiribati, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Peru, Philippines, and Sierra Leone. 


As part of the service learning project in these courses, students would create a book about their own lives, and share it with their partner (as a way to introduce themselves).  They were to meet virtually with their partner for about 4 hours over 4 weeks that they scheduled on their own with their partner.  They were to get to know each other and create a product together such as:  a video, scrapbook, recipe book, etc. with the intent of sharing cultural information while also learning/teaching English. 

 

Student testimonials

  • "This experience has taught me how to prepare for uncomfortable situations that I will experience as a teacher. It has taught me that being prepared for these situations makes it less stressful and easier to work through. This experience also taught me to expand outside of my comfort zone to learn about others and their cultures and how to interact and explore cultures other than my own."
  • "I feel that younger generations are tough and fight for change, I want to help and give my students the tools to be able to effectively fight for themselves and their future. This experience has shown me the beauty in cultural differences and gave me new appreciation for those trying to better themselves within their community!"
  • "This experience helped me grow to understand that some cultures are very different but they also have similarities and that its important to expand knowledge about other places to have a better understanding of what others may experiences in their lives compared to my own." 
  • "This experience helped me see the world in a different light. Before this experience I had never interacted with someone from Brazil and it was awesome to completely submerged myself into the experience with both of the cultures I had the chance to interact with. More importantly learn about their culture and get to gain more friends on the other side of the world." 
  • "There are different languages, different people, but at the end of the day, we all want the same thing, to reach our ultimate goal. This experience has taught me that everyone has a dream they wish to accomplish. I now understand that learning about other countries is exciting, learning values and traditions from other countries will help me become a better teacher, but an even better student."