Poster: Learning Outside the Box: Student Fieldwork and Research on Latino Immigrants in Oklahoma City
Conference Thread
An introduction to the roots of TL learning theory and contemporary conceptualizations of TL
Engaging students to openly discuss and make personal connections with politically sensitive issues such as immigration can be challenging. Our goal is to show how a STLR supported project can enhance and better prepare students to learn from and engage with people from other backgrounds. The project focuses on Latino immigrants within the Oklahoma City area to gain a first-hand understanding of what role immigrants play in the city and how they see themselves in the city. Methods for the research include literature review and fieldwork. STLR support allows students to experience culture, politics, and academia outside of the classroom.
This poster presents the benefits of one-on-one field research, mentoring, and critical self-reflection to students that is not available in a traditional classroom setting where the instructor to student ratio is often 1 to 25 at UCO. Comparisons between literature research (first part of the project) and fieldwork research (second part of the research) will be made to demonstrate the value of moving beyond the classroom through active on-the-ground learning strategies.