Description

In November 2011, approximately 20 education majors will be selected to participate in a unique summer study abroad program based in Carpi, Italy, a town of approximately 60,000 in Northern Italy near Bologna.

Program participants will be placed in a classroom to work mornings with teachers and children in an Italian preschool, elementary, middle, or high school. Each participant will stay with and become a part of an Italian host family. This program provides a deep and memorable cross-cultural experience that exposes participants to Italian culture and to an education system well known for innovative approaches.

The study abroad program is primarily field-based in classrooms during the mornings with individual and small-group assignments and projects for the participants to guide and facilitate. There will be group activities many afternoons during the program including tours of special schools of interest and visits to cultural sites. Participants also will have time for travel with families and limited small group travel to nearby cities such as Bologna and Modena. Independent travel after the conclusion of the program is encouraged to see places any distance further than 2 hours by train from Carpi. Arrangements will also be made for group trips to Florence one weekend and to Venice another weekend with free time for independent exploration. A traditional highlight is the final party at the Villa Delfini near Carpi for all participants, their teachers, and host families.

Participants will attend six two-hour sessions of non-credit Italian language instruction in the Spring semester. That instruction will focus on functional communication in families, classrooms, and everyday situations. However, in most cases at least one member of a host family will speak some English and some students will work with an English language teacher in classrooms (English is a required subject in most Northern Italian schools beginning in preschool).

Highlights

Courses Offered

C&T 649/749, An International Teaching Experience, 3 credits
Accommodations

Lodging and most meals are provided by volunteer host families. Families are carefully selected and matched to participants' needs and interests by the Victoria Language Centre, a local organization in Carpi. This is Victoria Language Centre's eleventh year working specifically with this program. Many families have previously hosted American students.
Eligibility

Open to KU education majors in good academic standing. Prior knowledge of Italian is not necessary. A personal interview will be conducted after the written applications have been reviewed. Students must commit to prepare for the study abroad program during the Spring 2011 semester (twice monthly group meetings, six sessions of Italian language classes, and completion of several assignments).
Credit

Three hours of undergraduate or graduate-level credit are granted by the University of Kansas upon successful completion of the program.
Faculty

Barbara A. Bradley, Ph.D. will be in her eleventh year of planning and coordinating this study abroad program in Carpi.

Diane Nielsen, Ph.D. will be in her second year of planning and coordinating this study abroad program in Carpi.

Degree Level

Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Subject Areas

• Education

Cost in US$:

Experience Required

yes

Eligibility Open to KU education majors in good academic standing. Prior knowledge of Italian is not necessary. A personal interview will be conducted after the written applications have been reviewed. Students must commit to prepare for the study abroad program during the Spring 2011 semester (twice monthly group meetings, six sessions of Italian language classes, and completion of several assignments).

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Home-stays

Participants Travel

Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work

Independently or in Groups

Scholarships are Available

Financial Aid KU students who qualify for summer financial aid in the form of Stafford and/or other loans, Pell or SEOG Grants, and scholarships may apply the aid to the cost of a Study Abroad Program. Limited KU Study Abroad supplemental scholarships are available to KU degree seeking students. Applications available online. The scholarship application deadline is March 1 for summer programs. Non-KU students should check into the financial resources available to them at their home institutions. Application and Registration Procedures You must contact Barbara Bradley (contact information below) for an application. You must also complete the online Registration through this website by clicking the Apply Now button listed above or below.

Application Process Involves

• Essay
• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Transcript

University of Kansas's Mission Statement

The university is dedicated to preparing its students for lives of learning and for the challenges educated citizens will encounter in an increasingly complex and diverse global community. Over 100 programs of international study and cooperative research are available for KU students and faculty at sites throughout the world. The university offers teaching and research that draw upon and contribute to the most advanced developments throughout the United States and the rest of the world. At the same time, KU's extensive international ties support economic development in Kansas.