From the Classroom to the Community
Community Service Learning (CSL) Initiative Projects
This initiative, created and currently coordinated by Dr. Maria Carbonetti, started as a curriculum reformulation of Conversational Spanish I and II in 2010, launching a version of the courses to include a Community Serving Learning component aimed at increasing students’ communication skills and widening their cultural awareness. Through projects for the local Hispanic community and local organizations related with the Hispanic communities abroad, the model integrates experiential components into the pedagogical approach. The model also considers sustainability by being sustainably conscious. From our classrooms, students work locally for the benefit of the communities here and abroad. In the wider scope of university’s mandate, these community service projects are based on the UBC Community Learning Initiative definition that includes the following three key elements:
- classroom learning
- volunteer work that responds to community-identified priorities
- structured reflection activities that challenge students to make connections between what they are studying and their experiences in the community.
The projects involve two-way direct interaction and co-teaching with clients and agencies that visit our classes to provide between 2 to 4 hours of instructions to our students. Another important goal is to foster dialogue and collaboration between divisions at UBC, alumni, colleagues and students in other courses in the FHIS department. Through the projects that we have established connections with the Department of Geography for concurrent projects and also with the Faculty of Law for checking legal accuracy for the 2014 project. The CBEL office supports and helps with logistics and funding.
The following is a list of our CSL Projects from 2011, as well as a summary of some of the projects:
Project 13 CCDA Informe becarios – Scholarships Report First Semester
Project 10 – 2015-2016: REACH Multicultural Health Center
Creation of an instructional and cook book, ¡Nos encantan los vegetales! (We Love Veggies), for Green Prescription program. (Click on the document cover image below to access the full PDF file.)
Project 9 – 2014-2016: BC Women’s Hospital
Creation of educational booklets on birth options after caesarean, as well as five brochures on different scenarios for birthing. Local partner: BC Women’s Hospital, Best Birth Clinic Power to Push Campaign. Sample of brochures, here. (Click on the document cover image below to access the full PDF file)
Project 8 – 2014-2015: REACH Multicultural Health Centre
Survey of Medical and Dental services for the Multicultural Health Centre. Local partner: REACH Vancouver.
Project 7 – 2014-2015: BC Women’s Hospital
Creation of brochures on early labour symptoms and instructions. Local partner: BC Women’s Hospital.
Project 6 – 2013-2014: Central American Teacher’s Federation, ANDES, CODEV (Nicaragua, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, Salvador)
Subtitling of the videos of the new pedagogy for non-sexist, and non-violent education in schools. Translation of supporting documents, videos and texts for dissemination and for donors and supporters. Local partner: CODEV.
Examples of videos for the Teacher’s Federation of El Salvador on YouTube: Interview with Maria Eugenia Moreno de Arias, Teachers participating in the curriculum training, and Interview with Dora Leticia Ayala de Portillo.
Project 5 – 2013-2014: Kinbrace/United Nations High Commissionaire for Refugees (UNHCR)
Creation of a manual for asylum seekers and refuge claimants for court hearings. E-version can be viewed here. (Click on the document cover image below to access the full PDF file.)
Project 4 – 2012-2013: Café Justicia (Vol. II) (CCDA Guatemala)
Publication of two booklets in English with history, context, and information about the CCDA and Fair Trade Plus café production in Guatemala. Local partner: BCCASA. Guatemalan partner: Comité Campesino del Altiplano. (Click on the document cover image below to access the full PDF file.)
Project 3 – 2012-2013: Café Justicia (Vol. 1) (CCDA Guatemala)
Publication of two booklets in English with history, context, and information about the CCDA and Fair Trade Plus café production in Guatemala. Local partner: BCCASA. Guatemalan partner: Comité Campesino del Altiplano. (Click on the document cover image below to access the full PDF file.)
Project 2 – 2012-13: ¿Cuánto sabemos sobre Canadá? (Vol. 2)
Immigration and culture courses for new immigrants held at Neighbourhood Houses in Vancouver. partner: Little Mountain NH. (Click on the document cover image below to access the full PDF file.)
Project I 2011-12: ¿Cuánto sabemos sobre Canadá? (Vol. 1)
Immigration and culture courses for new immigrants held at Neighbourhood Houses in Vancouver. Partner: Little Mountain NH. (Click on the document cover image below to access the full PDF file.)
