Degree Name

MA in International Education

First Advisor

Richard Rodman

Abstract

Robben Island Overnight is a two day, overnight seminar developed for the Semester at Sea (SAS) study abroad program. The proposed program design is to assist students in developing greater levels of historical context, increased cross-cultural interaction, and deeper awareness of social issues while visiting the port of Cape Town in South Africa. The program addresses three aspects of the SAS program in South Africa that require improvement. These include the need to provide more information on the history of apartheid, the need to increase reflection during the port visit as well as after, and the need to provide SAS students with more opportunities to dialogue with South African students.

Theoretical foundations that lend support for this design include Dewey’s theories on experiential education and Kolb’s experiential learning model. The curriculum is based on Kolb’s experiential learning model and utilizes Freire’s concept of problem-posing education as well as Ash and Clayton’s articulate learning model for extra emphasis on reflection. Experiential components of Robben Island Overnight include site visits on Day One and faculty-student dialogue and student-student dialogue on Day Two.

Robben Island Overnight strives to provide SAS participants with opportunities to learn about apartheid in South Africa from experts, faculty, and students. It is designed to provide a forum in which students communicate openly and freely for the purposes of increased understanding and social awareness. The program intends to act as a potential catalyst for future social change and strives to provide participants with the necessary skills and tools for transformation of the individual and society.

Disciplines

African Studies | Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education | Civic and Community Engagement | Community-Based Learning | Curriculum and Social Inquiry | Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Educational Sociology | Inequality and Stratification | International and Comparative Education | Peace and Conflict Studies | Politics and Social Change | Race and Ethnicity | Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies | Sociology of Culture

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