Dixie State Students Given Opportunity to Experience Global Classroom in May

For the second-straight year, Dixie State College of Utah students will have an opportunity to expand their classroom experience on a global scale. Rather than just reading about the visiting the Louvre, or seeing images of the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, the Sistine Chapel, the Colosseum or the Acropolis in text books, DSC students are going to experience these historical treasures first hand, and in turn, taking their understanding of world history and cultures to a new level.

On May 12, 2010, 50 students in Professor Glen Blakley's art class and DSC’s student-body will embark on a 20-day educational adventure on an Education First (EF) Educational Tour to France, England, Italy, Switzerland, and Greece, including a cruise of the Greek Isles. The tour includes stops in London, Paris, Florence, Rome, Pisa, Assisi, Pompeii, Sorrento, Meteora, Delphi, Athens, and the Greek Isles off Patmos, Mykonos, Rhodes, and Kusadasi.  
 
“International education and cultural knowledge is more important than ever before,” said Blakley. “I not only believe in the value EF Educational Tours has on my students academically, but I feel strongly that world travel changes their perspective. It can even influence career direction.”

Blakley noted that this educational trip will be his seventh such trip and is his 16th venture to Europe overall. In preparation for the trip, he has incorporated educational content about the countries his students will be visiting into his curriculum. The resources are provided by PBS as part of a partnership between the organization and EF Educational Tours. Several students of Professor Blakley’s class will complete coursework upon returning from their tour, enabling them to receive College credit.
 
“It is one thing to learn about art, world history and other cultures from a book, but it is a whole different world being there and seeing it first hand,” says Blakley.

There are still slots available for DSC students to sign up for the trip. Interested students may also contact Professor of Art Glen Blakley at 435-652-7795 or blakley@dixie.edu with questions. In addition, registration is now open for students interested in the 2011 EF Tour trip.

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About EF Educational Tours:
For over 40 years, Education First has been providing language education, travel and cultural exchange programs to people of all ages. With hundreds of offices in 49 countries, a staff of over 7,000 employees and 22,000 full- or part-time teachers, the organization is vast, but the mission remains simple: to break down barriers of language, culture and geography. EF’s North American headquarters is in Boston, Massachusetts. All of EF’s North American and International educational tours are accredited. For more information about EF Educational Tours and its accreditation, call 1-800-637-8222, or visit www.eftours.com.