Course description:

In this course we will achieve a practical as well as theoretical familiarity with the Iberian cultures: Spain and Portugal, and with a selection of artistic masterworks defining the two cultures. We will traverse the two countries by rail, experiencing folk life up-close, ancient and modern cultural sights, and museums displaying original artworks by masters we study. These experiences will serve as preparation for completing an in-depth study of an art form or artist in the form of a traditional research paper. The course fundamentally rests upon the arts-aesthetically theoretical notion that observing artworks in their originals, in as close as possible to their original, physical environments, has a profoundly substantial effect upon the understanding that unfolds in academic reasoning.

Our classroom will encompass the traditional classroom/discussion setting (during pre-departure meetings as well as class sessions during travel), intense and experiential hands-on learning in the two foreign cultures, and independent, scholarly activity under the guidance of the instructor.

This course is built around its essential component: 14 days of travel through the Iberian Peninsula. It rests on the premise that active, on-sight exposure to historical artifacts of architecture, art, and contemporary cultural difference, substantially expands a student’s cognitive horizon enabling academic learning to function from a more profound perspective. Thus, the purpose of this course is two-fold: (1) to achieve a basic, practical, cultural competence of understanding of the two Iberian cultures: Spain and Portugal; and (2) to express this understanding theoretically by examining a selected topic in the traditional academic format of a research paper. The particular value of this course lies in the dual purposes being integrally connected through practical experience and theoretical contemplation. E.g., the masterworks of artists studied will be viewed in their originals.

In spring 2004 students will participate in six preparatory meetings completing four simple research assignments aimed at establishing portfolios of information pertaining to the Spanish and Portugese cultures. During summer (June 27-July 12) students will travel the Iberian Peninsula by rail (visiting Madrid, Toledo, Lisbon, Porto, Salamanca) attending main historical and cultural sights, including major museums of art. Upon return students will complete a research paper which will be cultivated during travel.

The four initial research assignments are meant to procure a varied set of information materials in order to provide a broad introduction to cultural matters regarding the two countries. The general aim is to encourage students to continually research the cultures, sights, artists etc. while familiarizing themselves with the substantial materials available on-line. The research and the discussion meetings also serve to establish a sense of group-identity and camaraderie which will be helpful in overcoming potential obstacles of travel.

The travel portion of the class is considered an interactive classroom in which learning takes place on a variety of levels. Commensurate with community service and other out-of-class activities extending the classroom while providing a context for academic learning, and corresponding to the stated goal of the Honors College to expose students to foreign cultures and multicultural sentiment, the solid 14 days of travel in the two foreign countries (a total of 16 days of travel including travel to and from Madrid), must be viewed as an indispensable, first-hand, hands-on, experience of two foreign cultures. Students will be maneuvering busy city streets, experiencing the smells and noise of foreign culture, witnessing actual foreign life as it unfolds in commerce, culture, food, language and religion, up-close and personal. Students will navigate the rail systems by day and night, travel significant distances with locals, and others, enduring common social conditions and communicative situations first hand. In all, provide them with a level of experiential resonance against which they in the future may assess issues pertaining to foreign life, as well as the experience undoubtedly will be of personal developmental value as students learn to navigate foreign environments. Each student will document the travel experience in a substantial journal containing text, photos and memorabilia.

While the previous dimension of the class is practical in nature, the research paper serves to anchor the first-hand experiences within a theoretical context. Students will choose one of five proposed topics, or justify own proposal, in order to generate a substantial research paper according to the Guidelines for Critical Thinking and Writing. The aim of the paper is to demonstrate significant, critical familiarity with the topic within a theoretical, historical and/or cultural context. E.g., what is the importance of Portugese azulejos from a folkloristic or arts-theoretical perspective? What is the religious significance of El Greco’s aesthetics in e.g. The Burial of Count Orgaz in the Church of Santo Tomé in Toledo?

The fourth component of course requirements rests with the exercise of sensible, good “Travelmanship.” During the course of travel I expect participants to (1) travel with the knowledge that their experiences require academic contemplation and formulation, (2) be respectfully and sensibly cognizant of being in a foreign culture whose modes of communicative interaction differ from what the traveler considers “norm,” (3) be sensitive to and supportive of group sentiments and interests, (4) demonstrate a constructive and respectful demeanor towards the overall and daily tour itinerary, and in particular towards the instructor, (5) travel with the up-beat resilient attitude that change or improvisation in regards to itinerary, due to issues of transportation or other, may be necessary, as determined by the instructor, and finally (6) exercise all of the above while having fun. These six components of good Travelmanship constitute a solid foundation for a productive experience.

The instructor will continuously assess each student on these four components of the final grade, and complete a final grade review by the due date for final grades.

The three course/credit options (UH 440, UH 300, UH 499) are a practical necessity given the fairly non-sequential nature of requirements of the Honors College program. Students are generally not at precisely the same point of completion of requirements. Some students interested in the course may have completed e.g. the UH 440 requirement, hence we provide UH 300-credits as one other option. (The 2-credit UH 300 Honors seminars comprise a multitude of different often specialized topics. E.g. a Domain of the Arts topic might easily and naturally be taught under the 300 prefix adjusted to the 2-credit work load.) The UH 499 option exists only for graduating Honors seniors (who by the time of travel will have completed all Honors requirements but wish to end their Honors career (i.e. begin their Honors alumn career) with a substantial experience); non-Honors WSU students who likewise may have completed most or all General Education requirements; or other non-WSU student individuals interested in taking the class (provided available space.)

With the above descriptions it is evident that the act of traveling more than complements, if not redefines, academic experience. A course involving a travel experience cannot be measured by traditional academic classroom standards alone. It is hands-on education, invaluable as a correlate to our traditional sense of the nature of acquiring knowledge.

The learning outcomes are as follows:

Upon successful completion of this class students will competently have demonstrated the ability to

• research on-line materials
• produce a critical research paper
• interact communicatively in a foreign cultural environment
• confidently navigate foreign countries
• live and work cooperatively in a team
• productively transform knowledge into practical experience
• endure the physical and mental rigors of foreign travel

These learning outcomes have been identified in order to integrate fundamental, academic, scholarly activity with the kind of personal confidence that emanates from finding oneself competently handling unusual environments.

For the sake of prudence the itinerary (including lodgings information) and a list of participants will be emailed to the U.S. Embassies in Spain and Portugal prior to departure (June 27).