  The 2015 STARTALK STUDENT PROGRAM, Building Competency in Hindi and Urdu through Global Project- Based Learning, offered by the School of Global Education & Innovation at Kean University, is a three-week standards- driven blended language learning program designed for secondary/ early post-secondary heritage language learners who wish to gain higher levels of language/culture proficiency through the study of Hindi/ Urdu in real world content and in contemporary learning environments. Onsite/online learning experiences focus on using Hindi/ Urdu to gain knowledge and cultural perspectivesabout The Role of Humanitarian Organizations in Addressing Global Issues in India and Pakistan, the 2015 program theme. To that end,STARTALK students engage in daily cross- cultural interactions with students from partner schools, The Mayoor School in Ajmer, India and the Happy Home School in Karachi, Pakistan, using videoconferencing/Web-based applications. Together, heritage and native students gather, analyze, synthesize and weigh information in Hindi and Urdu about the program theme from a variety of sources, including those of invited speakers, taking into account varying perspectives. As such, the role of humanitarian organizations in addressing global issues serves as the context for developing increasing linguistic, cultural and global competencies throughout the program. Specific issues include education equity and global health challenges in India/Pakistan. The final project consists of the development of a variety of products selected by students that are designed for use by an NGO of personal student preference. Student products will be linked to NGOs in India and Pakistan whose mission is dedicated to addressing one of the targeted global issues at the local, regional, national and international levels. Upon completing the program, students will be able to document gains in proficiency through the NYU Proficiency Test and earn high school / college credits. All students will also be able to earn an additional credit (1-credit) for successful completion of academic requirements in the 2015 Kean STARTALK Program. Subsequent to the summer program, students will have the opportunity to enroll in the STARTALK / Kean Extended Online Hindi/Urdu Learning Program, to enroll in Kean University Hindi or Urdu courses and/or to serve as student teaching assistants in the 2016 program. The 2015 TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM, Introduction to Global Project-Based Learning for Teaching World Languages, is designed as a 1.5 credit- bearing graduate course that focuses on preparing Hindi and Urdu teachers to integrate global and cross- disciplinary content into the development of standards- based language curriculum while leveraging the use of digital technologies to provide on going opportunities for virtual cross- cultural interactions with partner schools in India and Pakistan. The syllabus includes the foundational theroetical knowledge and pedagogical strategies required to enable teachers to develp increased student langage proficiency and intercultural / global competence by using language purposely to investigate the worls, recognize others' perspectives, communicate idead and collaborate in cros cultural environments in order to engage in global problem solving and innovation. The program targets 10 teachers of Hindi / Urdu who have previously particitpated in STARTALK Student and / or Teacher Programs in New Jersey or in other states and 10 teachers admitted into the new Kean MA Program in Hindi / Urdu language Pedagogy. |
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