The 5 C’s and Life-Long Learning

AMOUNT: $14,920 US

PROJECT LEADERS: Renee Fenn and Cinthia Carrazco Soto

INSTITUTIONS: Imperial Valley College and Centro de Ensenanza Tecnica y Superior (CETYS) Universidad

This project was designed to develop cross-cultural competencies of U.S. and Mexican faculty and students so that they could function more effectively in a learner-led environment. Instructional approaches of faculty on both sides of the border were adjusted to fit the learning styles of this border population. Retention and program completion rates for students at Imperial Valley College (IVC) in California and Centro de Enseñanza Técnica y Superior (CETYS) in Baja California were improved by adjusting curriculum delivery. Several faculty members and students from both institutions participated in cross-border classroom observations, pre-observation and post-observation meetings, and exchange of research materials and first-hand experiences/impressions. The role of culture in teaching and learning styles and strategies were examined in order to effect positive change in faculty and student performance. U.S. and Mexican faculty members and students developed workshops/seminars from their findings in order to provide cross-cultural, in-service training on a broader scale in both border communities for teachers, students, administrators, and support staff in schools and for trainers, employees, and managers at work sites. A continuum for life-long learning was achieved through conscious integration of culture into the learning environment which will, impact the way classes are conducted, the types of competencies gained, and the manner in which border-related challenges are met.