Dr. Carolyn J. Taylor | University of Wyoming | ctaylor@uwyo

1. The Wyoming-Bolivia Partnership: Project Citizen as a Vehicle for Cross-Cultural Interdisciplinary Collaboration between Teacher Education Programs Dr. Carolyn J. Taylor | University of Wyoming | ctaylor@uwyo.edu Presentation at the Idaho Association of Teachers of Languages and Cultures Conference Boise, ID ♦ October 2, 2009

2. Purpose… • This presentation examines the collaboration among members of the Wyoming-Bolivia Partnership through Project Citizen. Project Citizen promotes education for democratic citizenship and teaches middle and secondary-level students to monitor and influence public policy. This session highlights Wyoming Spanish language and Bolivian ESL pre-service teachers' collaboration in exploring their own, as well as middle and secondary students' civic dispositions in meaningful, linguistically-rich socio-cultural contexts.

3. Presentation Overview • MOA among partners in Wyoming & Bolivia • Bolivian Context • Project Citizen • Project Citizen Projects • Pre-Service Teacher Exchanges

4. Memorandum of Agreement • Signed in November 2008 in Laramie, Wyoming, the MOA established a partnershipamong: • Wyoming/Bolivia Partnership (under the auspices of Wyoming Partnership for Civic Education); • University of Wyoming College of Education; • Instituto Normal Superior Simón Bolivar; and • Educadores para la Democracia.

5. MOA Highlights: Four Primary Goals • to enhance multi-disciplinary collaboration in the preparation of pre-service teachers; • to support the Spanish and English language proficiency and cultural knowledge of Bolivian and Wyoming student and faculty participants; • to promote and examine the civic engagement of educators in the context of Project Citizen and service learning projects; and • to contribute to the research agendas of Wyoming and Bolivian faculty members, and in-service teachers affiliated with Educators for Democracy and Project Citizen.

6. Benefits of participation for UW modern languages secondary education students Opportunities Benefits Enhance Spanish language proficiency (OPI & WPT) Experience Bolivian culture first-hand gaining deep insights into its 3Ps Connect with/befriend Bolivian pre- and in-service teachers Integrate Project Citizen into their teaching practices Connect their future secondary students with Bolivian peers • Home stays with Bolivian families • Teaching internships and service learning projects in Bolivian schools • Completing coursework at a Bolivian teachers’ college

7. ACTFL Foreign Language Standards • International experiences foster deep first-hand knowledge of other cultures and promote second language proficiency.

8. Situating Bolivia

9. Evo Morales, President of Bolivia Elected 2005 ♦ Socialist Party

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13. What is Project Citizen? • Education for democratic citizenship • Teaches students to monitor and influence public policy • Interdisciplinary instructional program for adolescents • Focuses on state and local government • Applies learning to real world issues • Uses cooperative learning • Serves as a model performance assessment

14. Project Citizen Goals The primary goal of Project Citizen is to develop in students a commitment to active citizenship by • Giving them knowledge and skills required of citizenship • Allowing them to practice citizenship • Letting them experience the importance of citizen participation

15. Project Citizen and the Policymaking Process • Project Citizen is intended as a “hands-on” description of what comes out of the political process. It’s not particularly neat, but it is an approach to explaining how political life really works.

16. Portfolio and Documentation Binder • Explanation of the problem • Evaluation of alternative policies • Presentation of proposed policy • Presentation of an action plan

17. Example: Project Citizen in Bolivian Schools • Participate as active citizens by proposing public policy • Develop research, critical thinking, and decision-making skills • Achieve and explain a conceptual understanding of issues affecting their community • Construct and exercise knowledge about what legislation already exists or is needed

18. Project Citizen Projects Students present their Project Citizen proposal. Students performed a mime to convey the central issue of their Project Citizen Project: The impact of alcoholism and domestic violence on families.

19. Project Citizen Research & Resources Center for Civic Education Websites http://www.civiced.org/ http://www.civiced.org/index.php?page=research_evaluation

20. Pre-Service Teacher Exchanges • Spring 2007 • Franz QuispeTola & Ingrid Tambo Chambi • ESL K-12 pre-service teachers • Instituto Normal Superior Simón Bolivar ♦ La Paz, Bolivia • March 2009 • Rebecca Brazzale & Brian Brisko • Spanish 7-12 and ESL pre-service teachers • University of Wyoming ♦ Laramie, WY • April 2009 • Viviana Mariel Barra Soto & JhovanaMamani Cruz • ESL K-12 pre-service teachers • Instituto Normal Superior Simón Bolivar ♦ La Paz, Bolivia

21. Franz, Jhovana, Rebecca, Mariel & Ingrid

22. Pre-service Teacher ExchangesFranz & Ingrid Sharing Bolivian music and dances with UW Lab School students (Laramie, WY) Discussing Project Citizen with students at CY Junior High (Casper, WY)

23. Pre-Service Teacher Exchanges: Rebecca & Brian Visiting Instituto Normal Superior Simón Bolivar Visiting the ruins at Tiwanaku

24. Pre-Service Teacher Exchanges: Mariel & Jhovana

25. 13th Annual Shepard Symposium for Social Justice ♦ UW Campus, Laramie, WY All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. - Article 1, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948, United Nations General Assembly Concluding SSSJ remarks: Our theme this year, “Greet the dawn, not the setting sun: shining light on human rights”, encourages all of us to reflect on our rights as people on this earth. We also may wonder about who has these rights and how do we protect each other's rights with “a spirit of brotherhood.” When thinking about human rights, I amreminded of the saying “with rights come responsibilities.” What are our responsibilities to ensure that all have human rights? We hope your time at the symposium is reflective and renewing. It is a time to reengage your pursuit of social justice and to shine light on inequity and injustice.

26. Presentation at the 2009 shepard symposium for social justice “Student Voices Considering Human Rights: Students Speak out on Community Justice and Vigilantism in Bolivia” University of Wyoming Student Presenters: Rebecca Brazzale Brian Brisko Instituto Normal Superior Simón Bolivar Presenters: JhovanaRozsiMamani Cruz Viviana Mariel Barra Soto with support from Franz QuispeTola and Ingrid Tambo Chambi

29. Selected Collaborative Research among UW Faculty in Project Citizen Contexts • Medina-Jerez, W., Taylor, C. & Bryant, C. Examining Social Issues through the Eyes of Bolivian Children: Project Citizen’s Role in Empowering Bolivian Youth to Find their Voice. [Submitted to Interamerican Journal of Education for Democracy (IJED)]. • Medina-Jerez, W., Bryant, C. & Taylor, C. The Implementation of Project Citizen in Bolivian Schools: Perspectives from Three Teacher Educators. [Submitted to the International Journal of Progressive Education]. • Bryant, C., Taylor, C., Medina-Jerez, W., Mealla, A., Kean, R., & Collins, T. (2008). The Wyoming-Bolivian Partnership: Understanding Civic Education through a Civitas Latin America Exchange. Paper presented at the International Assembly of the 88th National Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference, Houston, TX, November 14-16, 2008. • Bryant, C., Mealla, A., Taylor, C., & Medina-Jerez, W. (2009). Using Project Citizen in Cross-cultural Pre-service Teacher Exchanges. Paper presented at the 13th World Congress on Civic Education, Cape Town, South Africa, May 27 – June 1, 2009.

30. Questions…Comments…Insights

31. Promoting civic engagement and language proficiency in culturally authentic learning Contexts

32. PPT Presentation accessible at: www.wflta.org …for attending and participating in today’s session.

33. Contact Information Dr. Carolyn Taylor Modern Languages Secondary Education ctaylor@uwyo.edu 307.766. 6854 Dr. Carol Bryant Social Studies Secondary Education bryantcj@uwyo.edu 307.766. 6320 Dr. William Medina-Jerez Science Secondary Education wmedinaj@uwyo.edu 307.766. 5521

34. Resources https://www.cia.gov/ibrary/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bl.html