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Teachers' Professional Development Programs
HABITATS AND CULTURE OF COSTA RICA
Professional Development Program - 2 week, 2 credit hour
14 days / 13 nights
Programs for 2008 are concentrating on the Rainforest Conservation Camps.
Please check the link on the Home Page for dates.
Habitats and Culture will be offered again in 2009.
Contact us for information.
Course Description:
Habitats and Culture of Costa Rica offers an environmental oveview of present day Costa
Rica that emphasizes the natural history of its diverse landscapes as
well as the language and customs of the people. You as a student,
journey across Costa
Rica’s extraordinary geography: from coral reefs to once-glaciated
peaks of volcanic rock, experiencing cloud forests, lowland
rainforests, and mangrove swamps. Along the way, you will learn about
typical foods, rural schools, and the practices of tropical
agriculture. You will receive instruction in the rudiments of
conversational Spanish, participate in a service project, and
investigate the flora and fauna of different eco-systems. Several days of residence at the remote Campanario field station on the Osa Peninsula anchor the course and provide a setting for conducting brief field investigation. Your goal is to gain an understanding of Costa Rica’s environment within a cultural context.
Course Formats:
Two course formats for credit are offered for the two week course: (1)
Professional Development and (2) Degree Applicable. Academic credit is
given through Lewis and Clark College in Oregon, requiring registration
both with Campanario and with Lewis and Clark College. Should you be
interested in the program without professional development or academic
credit, registration is necessary with Campanario only. Click here for updated costs.
(1) Graduate credit for Professional Development is designed to respond
to the ongoing educational needs of practicing professionals. These
credits are generally not applicable to a degree program but typically
meet licensing requirements and staff development needs. A Credit/No
Credit evaluation will be given.
(2) Degree Applicable graduate credit is offered through the Graduate School of Education at Lewis and Clark College.
This option demands additional work during the course and high
expectations for reading, writing, and presentation of work for
evaluation. A letter grade for the course will be given.
The
14 day session gives 2 semester hours of credit: 1 credit hour in
science education and 1 credit hour in social studies education. Note:
2 semester hours is the equivalent of 3 quarter hours of credit. Write
to us for the course numbers and for instructions how to register.
Participating Organizations:
Proyecto Campanario
Campanario, begun in 1990, is a conservation initiative in the Osa Peninsula
dedicated to protecting what remains of the lowland tropical rain
forests of the region. Campanario is actively involved in sustainable
development efforts in the region and offers environmental education
workshops and courses, to national and international students of all
ages. Campanario will be overseeing the in-country natural history,
research, and cultural components of the course.
Please view the Campanario web site at: www.campanario.org
Lewis and Clark College
Lewis
and Clark Graduate School of Education is offering the course for
academic credit under the approval of Dr. Charles Ault. For many years,
Dr. Ault has offered “Ecoscapes: Costa
Rica”, a similar course leading to a Masters in Education. He is now
happy to offer the benefits of this course to non-degree and non-Lewis
and Clark students through “Habitats and Culture of Costa Rica”.
Please view the Lewis and Clark College web site at: www.lclark.edu
Security and Safety. . .
There
is a first aid kit at the field station, a boat is ready in case of
emergencies, and a cellular phone is available for necessary
communication with the outside world. The water is potable, being
filtered from natural springs, and the dining hall & dormitories
are completely screened. Meals, while not gourmet, are nutritious &
plentiful, with lots of fruits & veggies.
Participants
should be in good health, as this will be a physically rigorous
program. Each participant must have travel insurance, adequate for
remote locations like Campanario. Insurance should cover medical
evacuations, just in case.
How You Sign Up. . .
Write / E-mail / Call us for an application and information on course outline, itinerary, and instructions for obtaining academic credit.
Sign-ups
should be made as early as possible (space is limited) and at least 30
days prior to the trip. We need a 50% deposit to secure your
reservation. The deposit can be made with your trip coordinator (should
there be one), or directly to Campanario. Payment may be made by cash,
travelers’ checks or bank checks made out to Campanario S.A. The remainder is due during orientation in San José and should be paid in cash or in travelers’ checks at that time.
Should
cancellation be necessary, 50% of the deposit can be refunded if you
advise us in writing at least 30 days before the initiation of the
trip. Sorry, we are unable to offer refunds on deposits after that date
because preparations for the camp session will have gone into effect.
Once
you’ve made your reservations, we’ll send you a list of things to pack
and how to get ready for your trip. Please do not hesitate to contact
us with any questions.
Fees: Click here for updated costs. Last Program: Click here to see photos.
Note: Campanario reserves the right to adjust or
cancel portions of any itinerary due to bad weather
or dangerous sea conditions.
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