Study in Mexico brings together U of R students

Posted: April 9, 2015 2:30 p.m.

Education, International Studies and Arts students are taking part in an International Study Tour to Mexico led by Martin Lopez (seated). Photo courtesy of Rae Graham - U of R Photography

The opportunity to mix credit classes with a cultural experience has brought together a group of University of Regina students, mainly from Education, International Studies and Arts

The students are taking part in a three-week international study tour to Mexico. They leave Regina on May 8 and return May 28.

So far, 12 students have signed up for the three-credit class experience -  EFDN 498 - International Study Tour to Mexico. There are spots for three more students to take part. The course is open for students attending any undergraduate program at the U of R

EFDN 498 is a Faculty of Education course intended to enrich and enhance international educational experiences for students. Focusing on significant areas of teacher engagement the course is designed to further the education and preparation of pre-service teachers in a variety of educational settings. EFDN 498 advances the Faculty of Education's mandate towards internationalization in responding to increasing levels of complexity in the educational field.

“Being in education you should never ever turn down the opportunity to see how other teachers and educators operate. So I’m eating up this opportunity,” says Carley Weisbeck who is in her fifth year of her Arts Education degree at the U of R.

The credit classes take place at the University of the Valley of Atemajac Campus in Guadalajara, Mexico’s second-largest city.

Students will participate in 18 hours of academic instruction. The course includes an examination of contemporary Mexican education in comparison with Canadian models.

“I believe we have the responsibility as educators to provide our students with the global education they need to succeed in a highly competitive global economy,” says Martin Lopez, Academic Program Development Consultant at the University of Regina who has planned this trip for the students.

The students will be staying with host families and spend three days travelling along what is referred to as the Mexican Independence Route giving students the opportunity to explore Mexico’s rich history.

“I love travelling so where there’s an opportunity to take a class abroad I jump at it, especially since it is an education course I need to take,” says Mackenzie Raedeke who is enrolled in the K – 5 Education program at the U of R.

Students must pay for the study tour in addition to tuition. To help with expenses, students may apply for a $1,000 travel fund provided through UR International.

“Students who have the opportunity to immerse in a foreign culture usually go back to their home country with a better appreciation of their own culture,” says Lopez. “They also go back with a better understanding of who they are and where they stand in this global village that the world has become.”

If you are interested in being a part of the study tour you are asked to contact Martin Lopez via email: martin.lopez@uregina.ca.