It may be summer break, but learning at SUNY Oneonta is certainly not on pause, with 40 students having recently returned from four different faculty-led programs abroad.
Lasting anywhere from 1 to 4 weeks, these short-term, faculty-led programs incorporate coursework, cultural experiences and, many times, elements of service learning. The trips give students the opportunity to learn and earn credit in a completely new setting, often covering unique subject matters not regularly taught on campus.
“Faculty-led programs are wonderful because they allow our students a ‘mini study abroad’, if you will,” said Office of Global Education Director Michelle Lopez. “We’re incredibly happy to be able to offer these life-changing opportunities again after a necessary pause during the pandemic. Faculty-led trips mean invaluable experiential learning for students, something we prioritize at SUNY Oneonta!”
The United Kingdom
For the course “Philosophy of Life and Death,” Dr. Daniel Patrone led 12 of his students on a three-week journey through England, Scotland and Wales from May 24 to June 13.
Beginning in London, the group visited historic sites, galleries, museums, temples, gardens, theatres and more, all the while discussing, exploring and debating the meaning of life, the ethics of euthanasia, the rights of the terminally ill, the possibility of life after death, and more.
The student philosophers’ itinerary allowed them to trace the history of wars, plagues, executions and more, visiting “haunted” sites and having class on the floor of the ruins of a Roman gladiator arena, where they discussed the ethics of spectator violence. They took in cultural treasures in the British Museum, debated whether the Elgin Marbles and Benin Bronzes should be returned to their cultures of origin, and visited Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and Stonehenge. Their research culminated in “an impressively thoughtful and intense debate” on topics covered, Patrone reflected – “This is what deep learning looks like!”
“Studying abroad gave me the opportunity to learn outside of a classroom setting, and I fell in love with it,” said participant Jayleen Regalado, a Biology major with a concentration in nursing. “It helped me retain more information and motivated me for my future studies. … I decided to go without knowing anyone who was going on the trip, and by the last day we were all a big family. … This trip impacted my life in such a colossal way.”
Guatemala
Each year since 2013, Dr. Tracy Allen has taken students to Guatemala for the interdisciplinary course, “Water and the Environment of Guatemala.” The course touches on the geography, geology and environmental science of the region and prepares students to find solutions to contemporary water resources issues in the developing world.
From May 25 to June 7, 10 students took water samples and analyzed water quality data from Lake Atitlán and the surrounding watershed in order to share the results with the community. They also visited Mayan homes to install water filters, sampled city and school wells, and taught school children about water quality. In their free time, they toured Mayan ruins, art galleries and a coffee plantation, and visited an active volcano and sea turtle nesting site and hatchery.
Elizabeth Larli, an Adolescent Education major, said she knew she wanted to go on the trip “from the minute I met Dr. Allen at the Global Education Fair back in September 2022.”
“The thing that this experience drove home was the importance of people, culture and community in everything we do as environmentalists, geographers, educators and humans,” Larli said. “This theme informed my favorite parts: trying and failing to make tortillas with Vicky (the ultimate tortilla maker, multi-lingual translator, and entrepreneur), witnessing sustainability in action at La Porta Hotel, getting to take lake water samples with scholars from Universidad de Valle, teaching fifth graders with our amazing TA Hugo, being welcomed into the homes of the Indigenous folks in Santa Catarina, participating in a Mayan fire ceremony with day-keeper Paula… These experiences are not just meaningful to me but also to my future as an educator—how do you teach about a world you’ve never seen? I am extremely grateful to have had this opportunity this summer!”
Finland
Across the Atlantic Ocean, Dr. Ann Fradkin-Hayslip and eight of her students were busy studying Finland’s educational system, consistently ranked the best in the world, for the eight-day field course “Cross Cultural Comparisons of Educational Systems.”
From May 20 to May 28, the group visited schools in Finland, from pre-K through high school, observing in classrooms and meeting with administrators, teachers and students. They discovered a completely different educational system, one where teachers “are highly revered and respected, on par with doctors” and have “tremendous autonomy,” Fradkin-Hayslip said. In Finland, standardized testing, homework and school buses do not exist, and shoes are not worn inside the school. Instead, students are encouraged to play, walk to school or ride their bike. In addition to their academic courses, students take cooking and carpentry classes that let them learn important life skills.
For Early Childhood & Childhood Education major Marena Kline, the trip – her first time abroad – was “an incredible experience” that motivated her “to learn more about education systems around the world and make positive changes in schools in the United States!”
“As a future educator, it was eye-opening and amazing to get a first-hand look at what goes into Finland having one of the best education systems in the world,” Kline said. “I plan to implement some of the Finnish ways of education into my own classroom, including having many breaks throughout the school day, an early introduction of foreign languages, and a connection to nature.”
Portugal
A little more than 2,000 miles away in Portugal, Assistant Professor of Photography Wesley Bernard and 10 of his students spent from June 9 to June 25 taking photos and touring the country for the course “Documentary Photography.”
Cameras in hand, students traveled to Lisbon and Terceira, using photography to investigate and document vibrant cultural celebrations, the rapidly changing Portuguese culture regarding beef production and sustainable food practices, and global warming’s effect on the country’s coastline.
Along the way, they took in the country’s rich art scene, colorful museums and architecture, and delicious cuisine. Using photos they took, students produced their own small portfolios.
“I have never been out of the country so this was a fantastic experience for me,” said Faith Sykes, an Early Childhood and Childhood Education major who went on the trip. “I absolutely love art and culture, and I was able to experience both. I was in absolute awe to see the sculptures, paintings, and architecture in real life. … This trip sparked my dream of travel, to learn more and see everything.”
