Program Name: La Clase Mágica at Orange Place

Location: Orange Place Apartments Learning Center, 1500 Orange Place, Escondido, CA 92025

Principal Investigator(s): Professor Olga Vasquez, Department of Communication, UC San Diego

Program Website: http://lcm.ucsd.edu/LaClaseMagica/Home.html

Contact: Yolanda Lima, Program Director

Site Description:

• La Clase Mágica-Orange Place is situated in the Learning Center of the Orange Place apartment complex in Escondido. This site supplements the educational services of the center by targeting elementary-school aged children who currently attend the Homework Assistance Program and the adults who attend ESL classes at the center. The goal of the project is to work collaboratively on computer-based and hands-on literacy and skill building activities to help children and their parents prepare socially and academically for engaging in the schooling process and to provide a continuity of experience between children and their parents. Undergraduates participate by enrolling in the Communication 115 and 116, and/or Human Development 115 and 135, a series of theory and practicum courses in the Department of Communication and the Human Development Program.

Courses:

• Communication 116 and Human Development 135: Practicum in Child Development

Participants (based on 2005-06 data):

• Approximately 25 K-8th grade students per academic year
• 100% Latino
• 50% male, 40% female
• 100% ELLs
• Approximately 10 undergraduates per academic year

Collaborators:

• Bravo Foundation
• Community Housing of North San Diego County
• Center for Academic and Social Advancement (CASA)
• UC San Diego Department of Communication and Human Development Program
• UC San Diego Center for Research in Educational Equity, Assessment, and Teaching Excellence (CREATE)

Goals:

• Increase participants’ basic English and Spanish language literacy and critical thinking;
• Increase technology literacy through computer-based multi-media storytelling;
• Increase participants’ knowledge and improve attitudes and aspirations toward higher learning for participating youth;
• Increase participants' love for learning and ability to communicate in educational and professional settings;
• Improve the quality of graduate and undergraduate education by connecting academic coursework to practicum field experience;
• Encourage undergraduates to explore the possibility of a teaching career in urban, low-income communities.

Activities:

• Collaborative learning activities using a wide array of educational software, hands-on materials, and board games which promote the development of literacy knowledge and skills;
• Daily online (email) communication and letter-writing activities;
• Homework assistance and mentoring from undergraduate participants.

Evaluation:

• University of California Student Academic Preparation and Educational Partnerships (SAPEP) Annual Performance Report
• UC Links Reading Assessment
• Survey of undergraduate interest in pursuing graduate or professional school studies
• Analysis of participants' activity records, and staff and undergraduate field notes to examine educational progress over time

Research Focus:

• Sociocultural approach to language issues and English language learning.
• Mediation of learning by material culture
• Impact of the social framing of program activities on literacy (specifically vocabulary) development