This Summer, the Auburn Abroad offices launched a new study abroad program in Rome.
Deborah Weiss, Auburn Abroad program coordinator and director, said the Rome program was a test run of a new approach to study abroad.
“The purpose of [this program] is core classes in both liberal arts and sciences, and to give students a taste of being abroad,” Weiss said. “One of our goals is to really encourage students to go ahead and take their core hours--get themselves out of college faster."
Weiss said the change is location is what makes the program different.
"But this way, for example, instead of taking an amphitheater class here in an auditorium, you’re taking it in a palace," Weiss said. "Instead of discussing global politics in a classroom, you’re doing it over coffee.”
Jill Crystal, global politics professor, said the program offers four classes, and each student enrolled chooses to take two.
“In a way, study abroad, while it has all kinds of advantages on its own, is an excellent way to incorporate active learning into the classroom, and not only do you incorporate it into the classroom, but the classroom is the entire city and beyond," Crystal said.
The program also offers students and professors many opportunities to break away from the traditional classroom environment, Crystal said.
“We went to a mosque, and while we were waiting on our tour, I taught my class about the history of Islam,” Crystal said. “We went on a food tour-that was excellent."
Crystal said the learning environment evolved during her time in Rome.
"We did meet up as a classroom four times a week, but we did so many excursions that it quickly became clear that we were going to have to hinge the program around that," Crystal said. "For my coursework, that’s easier, because global politics really translates into just about everything we see in everyday life.”
She enjoyed having her apartment near several historial sites, Crystal said.
“We lived near a residential area, so we had many opportunities to see people walking their pets and things like that; just getting a sense of how Italians lead their lives," Crystal said.
Weiss said the success of the Rome core curriculum program may bring new changes and ideas to the Auburn Abroad offices in the near future.
“We’re going to start much earlier next year--May 15 through June 15,” Weiss said. “So students can potentially finish their study abroad program early in the summer and still have the time to consider doing more summer courses back at home-they can double-dip, in a way.”
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