2014 Senegal Fulbright Hays GPA Grant
Senegalese Curriculum Development for Georgia
Fulbright-Hays GPA, United States DOE. Proposed by The Georgia Institute of Technology.
Dr. Michael Wiedorn, Project Director,
Dr. Donna Whiting, Associate Director for Teacher Education Partnerships at GA Tech CEISMC, Program Manager in Dakar,
and Dr. Christophe Ippolito, Program Manager in Atlanta
Abstract:
Senegalese Curriculum Development for Georgia is a four-week group project that would bring two Georgia Tech faculty members, one Georgia Tech student and future teacher, and ten Atlanta public high school teachers to the West African Research Center (WARC) in Dakar, Senegal. There they would study the Wolof language and Senegalese culture, neither of which is available for study in the Atlanta area, a city hosting the country’s second-largest Senegalese population. The project’s central objectives are curriculum development at the high school and university level, in addition to creating exchanges and collaborations among educators and their surrounding communities in Senegal and Atlanta.
This project would use utilize the resources of the Georgia Intern Fellowships for Teachers (GIFT) program for pre-departure and follow-up programs as well as the connections already in place thanks to School of Modern Languages study abroad programs and Georgia Tech’s relationship with Atlanta Public Schools, and MSIs in particular. Teachers would study Wolof, an LCLT, and be immersed in Senegalese culture both in classroom study and in with their host families. Upon their return they would implement their knowledge both in their own classrooms and in those of their colleagues. Africa-related curricula at Georgia Tech as well would be redeveloped, and potential for teaching other LCLTs in the School of Modern Languages would be furthered, as the School’s chair and Dean have illustrated.
Disclaimer: This information is preliminary and tentative. The final program will be sent by email and is subject to changes. Changes will be announced by email. Please do not hesitate to contact Michael Wiedorn and Chris Ippolito:
Michael Wiedorn michael.wiedorn@modlangs.gatech.edu
Christophe Ippolito christophe.ippolito@modlangs.gatech.edu
Program Dates
June 2 (Monday) [departure ATL 05/31/14]- July 2 (departure Dakar).
Arrival
Pick up at the airport: Bring your passport and yellow fever vaccination certificate.
Tentative Schedule TBA
Courses List and Description TBA
Health
The CDC recommends a variety of vaccinations for travel anywhere on the African continent. Recommendations for Senegal are at: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/senegal.htm . The Yellow Fever vaccine, however, will be mandatory for the program, as some airlines require passengers to show proof of vaccination before boarding. This vaccine will be done at the participants’ expense, and participants will be responsible for procuring an “international certificate of vaccination or prophylaxis,” in both PDF and hard-copy form. A PDF copy of this certificate will have to be given to both directors by March 15, 2012. Only participants who have complied with this requirement will be accepted by the program. More on this subject at the GT Spring 2012 mandatory meeting for program.
Anti-malarial medication is also mandatory unless participants have written official exemption from their doctor or from the Health Center.
WARC: address and phone number
West African Research Center (WARC)
Rue E x Léon G. Damas, Fann Résidence
PO Box: 5456, Dakar Fann, Senegal
Tel:(221) 33 865 22 77 / Fax: (221) 33 824 20 58
(This is the general number, someone will always be there during the day.)
Ask for Mariane YADE, Programs and Public Relations Officer
Website: www.warccroa.org
WARC: presentation
All Georgia Tech coursework will be based at WARC. The West African Research Center (WARC) is the overseas research center for The West African Research Association (WARA). It is located in Dakar, Senegal. WARC is a center for academic exchange between American and West African scholars that encourages research on the region of West Africa. Currently, Dr.Ousmane Sene is serving as the Director of WARC. He is also a Professor of African Literature at Cheikh Anta DIOP University and at the same time the coordinator of various student exchange university programs, all based at the Center. The center offers a number of commodities to these different study abroad programs such as a library, various research units and foundations located at the center, a computer room, Wifi access, A/C, a restaurant, a conference room and several smaller classrooms. The Center was founded in 1993. WARC offers courses in English and/or French including African Literature, Country Analysis, International Development, Education, Public Health, Environment, Micro business, Wolof, Gender and Development, Political Systems & Conflicts Resolution, Islam, Urban Sociology, Music and Dance, Senegalese Politics, Senegalese Hip- Hop music, and other courses.
Language preparation
Participants will be offered a course in Wolof, the most widely-spoken local language aside from French in Dakar. Courses on Africa and cultural studies will also be offered.