Exploring and Representing Cultural Landscapes with Digital Media in Florence, Italy

Spend two weeks in Florence, Italy, the historic "cradle of Renaissance civilization." Fairfield University offers you the opportunity to earn three graduate credits in education while taking a fascinating course in one of Europe’s most-loved cities.

Faculty

Professor Marsha Alibrandi, Ed.D., is an assistant professor of curriculum and instruction at Fairfield University. Dr. Alibrandi taught social studies for 15 years at Cape Cod Regional Technical High School, where she also conducted archaeological field studies. Dr. Alibrandi has worked to introduce Geographic Information Systems (GIS), into school curricula. In her 2003 book GIS in the Classroom, Dr. Alibrandi reports on teachers and students using GIS for environmental and social issues.

Professor Elizabeth Langran, Ph.D., is an assistant professor and the director of the Educational Technology program in the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions at Fairfield University. She began her teaching career at a Jesuit high school in Washington, D.C., as part of a volunteer teaching corps. Dr. Langran was a university teacher of English as a foreign language for the U.S. Peace Corps in Morocco from 1996 to 1998. She has also served as a teacher and the technology coordinator for The American School in Switzerland (TASIS). While at TASIS, located on the Italian border, she brought numerous groups of students to Tuscany.

Fairfield University, a Jesuit institution, is fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, which accredits schools and colleges in the six New England states.

ED453/MD453: Exploring and Representing Cultural Landscapes with Digital Media
Learn to apply new technologies to learning and teaching cultural geography in Italy! This hands-on experience with educational technology tools such as podcasting, GPS, GIS and digital imagery familiarize you with teaching and learning products for classrooms across disciplines and levels. Collaborate to author new learning media for teaching as you tour the art, architecture, culture, and language of Florence. Daily field trips are the sources of the commentary, imagery and geography that we will map, record, and photograph to construct new learning products. Learn protocols for classroom technology development and implementation in one of the world's most beloved cities.

Program Outline

Saturday, June 28
Depart JFK for Florence

Sunday, June 29
Arrival in Florence; introductory session and welcome banquet

Monday-Friday, June 30-July 4
Monday-Thursday, July 7-10
Classroom lectures
Computer lab media production
Field work in Florence and around Tuscany to collect audio, images, and GPS locations

Thursday, July 10
Evening farewell banquet

Saturday, July 12
Depart Florence for JFK

Planned Excursions

Duomo, Giotto campanile, Palazzo di Medici, San Lorenzo Market, Ponte Vecchio, Uffizi Gallery, Piazza San Marco, Accademia galleries, Fiesole Etruscan Amphitheatre and Archaeological Museum, the Boboli Gardens, and the Church of Sante Croce.

Independent day trips/weekend excursions to Siena, Pisa, Venice, or Rome are possible by train; the Florence train station is centrally located.

Program cost: $3050. Includes:

• tuition for 3 graduate credits
• apartment housing in historic city center
• welcome and farewell banquet
• site visits and entrance fees in Florence
• insurance

Airfare is not included. Seats will be reserved on a group flight from JFK to Florence through STA Travel. You'll purchase your ticket directly from STA (or independently, if you wish). The group flight will depart on June 28 and return on July 12.

For more information and an application:

Tel: (203) 254-4332
E-mail: studyabroadoffice@mail.fairfield.edu
Website: www.fairfield.edu/studyabroad

Above photos courtesy Ed Ross '86, M.A.'89, Fairfield University senior designer, except cover photo by Kristen Girard '09 and back photo by Alison Bart '08.