GS 377 Study Abroad in Chile
J-Term 2017-18
Lynchburg College
Dr. Eunice Rojas
Course description: Taught in conjunction with EDUC 377M, Teaching English as a Foreign Language Study Abroad, this course will serve as the Chilean cultural component of the program. The course has a dual focus: 1. Culture-general principles about cultural awareness and adjustment 2. Culture-specific knowledge about different aspects of Chilean (history, geography, language, food, film, art, music, dance, politics, and social movements). The course will explore ways to define and describe culture and equip students to engage in critical reflection in order to understand the cultural basis of our behaviors, which may be hidden or otherwise taken-for-granted. Students will engage in self‐reflective activities based on readings, films, lectures and field-based ethnographic tasks designed to enhance an understanding of cultural values (one’s own and others’).
Throughout our work together, we will examine questions such as:
- How does it feel to be a cultural and linguistic “other”?
- What constitutes culture, and how can we come to understand different cultures?
- What is it like to live in a community in which the “rules” of the culture are unfamiliar?
- How does our own cultural background inform our perceptions?
- What does it mean to be Chilean?
- How does Chile’s history inform its present reality?
- How do Chile’s various art forms reflect some of its social realities?
Course objectives
● Develop an awareness of one’s own cultural identity and values and how one perceives, interprets and reacts to events, as well as how one’s own cultural behaviors might be viewed by outsiders
● Demonstrate an understanding of the cultural adjustment process
● Become knowledgeable about the history, politics, geography, literature, music, educational system, current events, values, cultural behaviors and other cultural aspects of Chile
Texts: There is no textbook for this course. Required readings will be made available to students.
Language of the course: The course will be taught entirely in English, although a section of the course will deal with Chilean Spanish. This information will be entirely accessible in English. Students taking the course for the Spanish major or minor will have some alternate assignments in Spanish and some of the blog posts will be written in Spanish.
Schedule and Format
This course will begin with online pre-departure activities. Learning activities will extend throughout the field experience in Chile where students will write blog entries .
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS:
1) Pre-departure Course Assignments - 30%: In order to learn more about Chilean culture and about cultural development, you will:
• Read and respond to videos (on your blog)
a. Overview of Chilean geography, history, politics, economics and other cultural topics (for these introductory readings you will also complete an open-book quiz on Moodle2)
b. Chilean Slang and Body Language
c. Chilean Food
d. The Geography of Chile
e. Chilean History and Politics
f. Chile's Indigenous Cultures
g. Chilean Film
h. Chilean Music: Violeta Parra, Victor Jara, Ana Tijoux
i. Chilean Art
j. The Dances of Chile
k. Race and Discrimination in Chile
l. Social Protests in Chile
m. Literature Gabriela Mistral, Pablo Neruda, and Roberto Bolaño
2) Reflective Blog (during and after trip) 30%: A journal writing activity is required and will provide you with the opportunity to reflect on daily learning experiences both with regard to our course in particular and your experience in Chile in general. In your blogging, you will draw on your experiences in Chile, including cultural exploration tasks and cultural lectures given by Chileans, as well as your interactions in the community, in the EFL camp and with your host families. During the blogging process you will be practicing and developing your capacity to engage in critical reflection.
3) Cultural Presentation (in Chile) 20%: You will present and lead a discussion on two cultural exploration tasks during class sessions in Chile, designed to help you gather information to explore Chilean life. The presentation will be a “show and tell” in which you and a partner will present what you learned from a scavenger hunt activity. You will be assigned a topic that requires you to engage with the local community through interviews and other exploration activities in order to learn more about Viña del Mar and Chilean culture (e.g., entertainment, religion, media, education, health care, etc.).
4) Cultural discussions 20%: You will participate in class discussions to make connections between what you see and experience in Chile and the pre-departure material that you studied.
Assessment
The following are factors that I consider important to optimal learning in this course and are those that I will consider in evaluating your work for the course in the discussion board entries, your blog, your cultural exploration presentations, and your class discussions.
● Verbal participation in class, sharing of your ideas, attitudes and questions
● Openness to the ideas, cultures, beliefs of others and willingness to accept cultural difference even though aspects of it may not be immediately comprehensible to you
● Your ability to work to complete a task as part of a group
● Your interest in the cultural environments around you
● Your ability to look below the surface and ask questions of yourself and others
● Your understanding of intercultural themes covered in class
● Your willingness to engage in critical reflection about your own culture and its relationship to how you perceive and interact with the world (including how you teach/interact with students)
● Completion of the pre-departure assignments, blog entries, and presentations and the quality of analysis you make and interest you show in noticing and thinking deeply about the cultural experiences you are having
Important Notes:
1. Attendance at all group activities is required unless otherwise noted and unexcused absences will significantly affect your course grade.
2. Assignments not turned in receive 0 points.
3. Except in cases of illness, emergency, or other reasons approved by the instructors, assignments not turned in by the assigned due date will be considered “late.” Late assignments will only be accepted at the discretion of the instructor and may receive significant deductions.
*Attendance is also required for excursions, culture lectures and other cultural activities TBA in Chile.
Pre-Departure Assignments
You should upload entries as Blog Posts by the due dates noted. You are also required to read three or more of your classmates’ entries and post a response within 24 hours of the first post’s due date. Entries should be between 300-350 words; responses will generally be short, although providing substantive feedback. All blog posts should include at least one photo.1. Introductory Blog: Create your own blog, and write your first blog post introducing yourself, giving information about why you signed up for this experience and what your hopes are for this trip. As soon as you have created your blog send me the link so that I can add it to our course blog. Make sure you have it set up so that your classmates can comment on it. Blog Post #1 Due Date: December 17
2. Overview of Chilean geography
Chile is a country with rather unique geography, not only because of its unusual shape. Below is a link to an excerpt from Isabel Allende's memoir entitled My Invented Country where she discusses her impressions of the varied geographic regions of her native Chile. Note: Spanish majors and minors can find this reading in Spanish on Moodle.
Country of Longitudinal Essences
Now, so that you can see a little bit of what Isabel Allende is writing about, here is a 5 minute youtube on Chile's geography:
Chile Land of Geographic Extremes
And here is an 11 minute Geography Now video on Chile's geography:
Geography Now! Chile
Assignment:
Blog Post #2: For this assignment, explain several of the different geographical regions that Isabel Allende describes in "Country of Longitudinal Essences" and what aspects of what she describes you see reflected in the two videos. Finally, indicate which you find most appealing personally and why. Due date 12/18
Open-book quiz: For this topic, you are also required to complete an open-book quiz on Moodle on the Moon Travel reading that is available also on Moodle . Due date 12/18
2. Chilean Slang and Body language
Read the Section on the D.I.E. Model of Intercultural Observation available on or course blog and then view the videos posted in this section. Try to teach your friends or family some of the Chilean Slang or Body language that you learned.
Blog post #3: For this assignment, write a post about your pre-departure feelings. Be sure to include your feelings about traveling to a country where you either do not speak the language or do not speak the language fluently. Include also some reaction to the videos that you viewed on the language of Chile following the D.I.E. Model of Intercultural Observation. Also include a description of how it went when you taught your friends or family Chilean slang and body language. Due date 12/19
3. Chilean Food
View the Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown – Chile episode and 1) the Chorillana video and 2) the video on Chilean wines.
Blog post #4:
For this assignment describe what you found surprising about the food and drinks that you learned about in the videos. Be sure to use the D.I.E. Model of Intercultural Observation. Explain what foods and/or drinks you look forward to trying in Chile and which ones you are fairly certain you will not try and why. Describe where you are willing to venture outside your comfort zone food-wise and where your limits are. Explain what your culturally sensitive reaction would be if your host family offers you a food or drink that you do not feel you can try. Due date 12/19
4. Chilean History and Politics
View the following videos: 1) Daniel Sparler Chilean History Lecture; 2) Colonia Dignidad;
Blog Post #5:
For this assignment react in three separate sections to each of the videos that you watched. Describe and summarize each one separately and then explain what was information that you already knew and what you found surprising, horrifying, interesting, etc. Also ask questions about what you found confusing. Due date 12/20
Open-video Quiz:
For this topic, you are also required to complete an open-video quiz on the Daniel Sparler Lecture on Moodle. Due date 12/20
5. Chile's Indigenous Cultures
View the two videos posted in this section.
Blog Post #6
Research the recent controversy surrounding the Dakota Access Pipeline and compare it to what you have learned about the Mapuche struggle for territorial rights in Chile. Assume your audience knows very little to nothing about either issue so you need to explain them both relatively thoroughly. Due date 12/22
6. Chilean Film
View the film Machuca and the short film "Bear Story". Note: Make sure you have completed the History and Politics assignments before viewing these films.
Blog Post #7:
For this assignment read a review of the movie Machuca and explain if you agree or disagree with it. Note: Each student has to pick a different review. Check the reviews that your fellow students mention before choosing yours. Also note: If you don't know how to find a review just google "review Machuca" and you will find a bunch. Finally note: Rotten Tomatoes does not count. Don’t use it. Due date 12/23
Blog Post #8
Publish a link to "Bear Story" on your blog and write your own review of it. Summarize the plot of the film and what you think it means and how it relates to Chile’s history. Then give your opinion on how effective you believe the film is in achieving its objectives. Note: Make sure you do this assignment after Discussion Board Entry 4 so that you have read a movie review and get some ideas on how to do it. Due date 12/23
7 Chilean Music
View the videos on Violeta Parra and Victor Jara, the wikipedia page on Los Prisioneros, and the Democracy Now article about Ana Tijoux.
Blog Post #9:
For this assignment write about each of the artists in your own words and describe how each of the artists responds to the political and social realities of their time. Then explain about the reasons why you think each of these artists or groups is an essential part of Chilean culture. Ask questions about things you do not understand or are not sure of. Due date 12/24
8 Chilean Art
To learn a little bit about Chilean art read this website about Roberto Matta and
this article about "Art as Protest in 70's Chile" and watch this video about Arpilleras at the Museum of Tolerance.
Then watch this video about a recent example of Chilean protest art and read this article giving more information about that same artistic event.
Finally, watch this video about Chilean street art. Note: the first few seconds are from Viña del Mar. In just a few days you will be there!
Blog Post #10:
Then write a blog post about what you have learned about Chilean art, mentioning specifics from the different articles and videos to discuss ways in which Chilean art reflects the social and political realities of the time in which it is produced. End your blog post with your personal opinion about which type of Chilean art you find most appealing and why. Due date 12/24
9 Traditional Dances of Chile
For this section watch this video showing the cueca, Chile's national dance. Imagine that you are standing on the street in Chile when this dance begins. Reflect on the experience of witnessing this event using the D.I.E. Model of Intercultural Observation (just reflect and don't write anything yet).
Then read this article about Pinochet and the cueca sola, a variation of the cueca that came about during the Pinochet dictatorship.
Blog Post #11
Now armed with more information, write a blog post about the cueca and the cueca sola and their significance to Chilean culture. Recount in your blog post your virtual experience witnessing a cueca dance and write out your D.I.E. reflections on the experience with emphasis on how your thoughts may have evolved upon reading the article. Due Date: 12/26
10 Final Pre-Departure Assignment
Blog Post #12
Post about your last minute thoughts before departure. Include information about your packing list. Include at least one photo of you carrying all your luggage! Make sure that you write this post no earlier than 24 hours before leaving as I want you to take into account the information that you have learned in the pre-departure activities. Due date 12/26
In-Country Assignments - TBA
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