The Department of Educational Foundations, University of Saskatchewan, is offering its EDFDT 854.3/454.3 International Education Study Tour class to Cuba during Term 1 of Summer Session 1999. Although the exact dates for the tour will not be posted until tour arrangements have been completed, it is likely to take place between July 2-22.
For forty years since its revolution in 1959, Cuba has offered a socialist model of development broadly supported by the Cuban people. The government offers health-care services that guarantee one doctor for every 240 persons, the highest ratio of doctors per population in Latin America. The country boasts that 94.5% of children ages 12 to 14 are in school, 98% of those who graduate from grade nine continue in school, and 74% of teachers in elementary schools and 94% in junior high schools have degrees. Cuba also claims the highest concentration of scientific personnel per capita of any country in Central America. Its distinctive cultural development offers perspectives in music, dance, and the arts that are independent of the pervasive global monoculture. Faced by the dramatic decline of the Soviet presence in Cuba and confronted by the American economic blockade, Cubans have been forced to innovate across their economy. For example, they have promoted organic agriculture because of a lack of fuels and chemicals. The Canadian government, non-government organizations (NGOs) and many businesses have fostered supportive relationships with Cuba.
In this class, students will study Cuban development, ecological and education related issues within a broad context of culture, politics, and society. Using a participatory approach, it will offer a range of environmental, work, ecological, and cultural experiences, tours, and visits as well as presentations by representatives from government organisations, research institutes, cooperatives, NGOs, and educational institutes.
Spanish: While translations will be provided wherever possible, Spanish will be used extensively to encourage its acquisition. Spanish 115 is highly recommended and will be available at Intersession.
Assignments: Students will be expected to do assigned readings and write a six-page preliminary proposal/study on some topic before leaving for presentation on the tour, keep a journal of the tour (parts of which will be used to construct a collective journal on their return) and prepare a final research paper.
Instructor: The course instructor is Professor Robert Regnier who led a study tour to Costa Rica in 1996
He is a professor in the Department of Educational Foundations who is currently teaching EDFDT 898.3 Ecological Praxis: Education for Regeneration and EDFDT 435.3 Educational Thought and Values: Critical Perspectives.
Costs: The estimated cost for the tour is $3,500 plus tuition. These cost include airfare, land travel, lodging, board, and fees (parks, tours, museums, lectures, guest presentations), translation, administration, and accompaniment.
Application: To enrol in this class, students must fill out an application form which will be available from the department office. Enrolment is limited to 12 students.
Students from other Canadian universities may arrange for this course to be credited toward their degrees. For more information, please contact:
Robert Regnier,
TEL: (306) 966-7520
FAX: (306) 966-7549
regnier@sask.usask.ca.