UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State's Jason Laine, associate teaching professor in the College of the Liberal Arts, has been recognized for his excellence in education abroad curriculum design by the Forum on Education Abroad. Laine received this award for his undergraduate course, "Italian Language and Culture for Embedded Experiences Abroad,” which uses a co-requisite model with an upper-level biology course, giving opportunities for STEM students to engage with language and humanities students to engage with the sciences.

The innovative approach helps students to leverage a short time abroad over spring break, preparing them to understand the history and basic language skills necessary to complement their biology coursework and science-based site visits. The corresponding co-requisite course on “Cadavers, Culture and Science” was created by Laine’s colleagues in the Eberly College of Science, John Waters, teaching professor of biology, and Joel Waters, education abroad coordinator.

Laine describes the course as a space where students “learn about key Italian social and cultural issues including immigration, gender and diversity, cultural intelligence/sensitivity and ethical, sustainable travel.”

Students are challenged to consider their positionality in a journal writing activity that includes pre-departure, abroad and post-travel reflections. This allows them to track their own development towards academic and personal objectives. The intended audience for these tasks is future employers: students are challenged to tell their story and to think about how they can describe their experience abroad in a distinctive and meaningful way.

The development of the course has also led to an exchange program with the University of Bologna (UNIBO) and Professor Maria Luisa Genova of the Medical Sciences faculty. Genova led a group of UNIBO students on a visit from Penn State in February to engage in a series of experiences in classrooms and laboratories to further their medical education. They also joined conversations in Italian language classrooms and with a new Multilingual and Intercultural Communication course.

“Professor Laine’s course is a tremendous example of an interdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning,” said Kate Manni, director of Education Abroad at Penn State Global. “We applaud Professor Laine for his efforts and are grateful for his commitment to academic excellence in education abroad.”

Laine accepted the award at the in-person Forum Conference in Seattle on Friday, March 24.

“The curriculum design award from the Forum on Education Abroad is a welcome recognition of the importance of preparing for an abroad experience,” said Laine, who has been leading students to Italy since 2004.

The Forum's Award for Excellence in Curriculum Design honors faculty who develop and implement innovative and effective education abroad curricula. The award recognizes outstanding efforts of faculty who are committed to the Standards of Good Practice for Education Abroad, and it is the education abroad field's only award presented to an individual or group of individuals for excellence in the design of an education abroad course.

“I am inspired by the curiosity and mindfulness of the many students I have traveled with, and I am committed to these transformational experiences as a key contribution to the betterment of the world,” Laine said. “I hope to continue to export this course model across disciplines connecting all our abroad-minded students to the necessary linguistic, cultural and personal preparation to make the most of their experiences.”