Education, Hurricanes, and Bananas: Studying Abroad in Honduras

The College of Education Honduras Study Abroad program has been sending students to Honduras for a 17-day investigation of Honduran history, educational systems, and social justice in education since 2003. Honduras is a Central American country with a long history of exploitation, political conflict, and environmental disasters. The country began with a swift and brutal colonization by the Spanish, which left the indigenous people persecuted and massacred. In 1998, Honduras experienced a devastating hurricane that decimated many buildings and infrastructure. Large-scale farming operations run by foreign investors has resulted in political turmoil and a struggling working class. However, Honduras has a dynamic and vocal activist community that has been developed through decades of political challenges. The education system of Honduras reflects its history. Those who have been exploited and left behind through corrupt politics and censorship are those whose children are relegated to the underfunded, barely regulated rural schools. While in Honduras, students observe and teach in three different types of schools that showcase different levels of opportunity throughout the Honduras education system; interact with community members; and visit cultural sites such as Mayan ruins in order to receive a holistic view of Honduras and its past, present, and future

A Note From the Editor

This piece is a letter from Daphne Fauber, the editor of this issue of Ideas. In the letter, the editor introduces the work of Dr. Paschalis Gkoupidenis as well as the moment in time in which his Visiting Scholars talk occurs

Investigating Influences on Intercultural Sensitivity Through Undergraduate and Graduate Students’ Reflections on Identities

Due to a shifting global environment and unique personal circumstances, traditional in-person learning experiences that foster cross-cultural interactions and learning, including study abroad programs, have become unavailable to many. In light of this issue, we investigated how a virtual cross-cultural course, such as Global Social Justice in Education (GSJE), could allow undergraduate and graduate students to explore their cultural identities and enhance their intercultural sensitivity. Data for this study was collected via three distinct GSJE reflections completed by a single cohort of 11 Purdue graduate and undergraduate students who interacted with international participants. Purdue participant reflections were analyzed and coded for descriptors using an emergent identity framework created for this study. Textual evidence was then gathered from participant reflections and was used to inform which cultural identities participants reflected on most often in the context of GSJE and how exploration of cultural identities enabled participants to develop their intercultural sensitivity. Overall, the findings of this study suggest that GSJE enabled undergraduate and graduate students to draw personal connections between themselves and diverse others, address personal bias, and gain awareness of diverse perspectives

Library STEAM Kits: Developing Circulatable Curriculum for Community STEAM Learning

Public libraries serve as repositories for a movement described as cultivation of the Library of Things. In the wake of COVID-19, the West Lafayette Public Library enhanced its existing Library of Things collection through the creation of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) kits. Since 2017, the West Lafayette Public Library has held regular free STEAM programs for the community; those programs were put on hold during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, which concurred with a library renovation. These kits provide the community with the ability to learn STEAM concepts at home engaging, hands-on activities that may otherwise be cost-prohibitive. Through this program, the West Lafayette Public Library facilitates accessible STEAM education activities for those of all ages without direct librarian supervision. Since the library’s reopening, the program has only expanded. Generally, feedback on the program has been positive; however, more diverse offerings as well as robust advertising may be necessary for wider community impact. The STEAM kits were made with the assistance of student employees and volunteers whose expertise was essential to the success of the program. Likewise, the program was significantly strengthened by community partnerships with local organizations that shared similar goals. The purpose of this essay is to inform other education professionals about the process required to facilitate a STEAM kit program as well as the successes and difficulties the authors faced along the way

SEA-PHAGES Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience for Creating a Biotechnology Workforce Development Pipeline

Purdue University has been a member of the SEA-PHAGES (Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science) program since 2011. This program, created in conjunction with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), facilitates undergraduate curriculum for the authentic discovery of novel bacteriophages within the classroom. Since joining the program, undergraduates at Purdue have harnessed wet lab and bioinformatics principles to contribute over 200 previously uncharacterized bacteriophages and 25 novel genomes to the wider scientific literature. The SEA-PHAGES classes at Purdue have resulted in tangible professional deliverables for students through conference presentations and publications. Student outcomes also include transferable skills such as knowledge of aseptic technique, the nature of science, and genomic annotation which positions the classes as ideal platforms for workforce development for the biotechnology industry