Program Website: http://lcm.ucsd.edu/LaClaseMagica/Home.html
Principal Investigator(s):
- Professor Olga Vasquez, Department of Communication,
UC San Diego
- Professor John Valdez Multicultural Studies,
Palomar Community College
Contact: Maria Choplin, Program
Director
Site Description:
- The TACKLE program located at the San Pasqual
Educational Center in Valley Center is an adaptation
of the Solana Beach La Clase Mágica program. TACKLE
is designed culturally and linguistically to serve
learners exclusively from the San Pasqual Bands
of Kumeyaay (Mission) Indians. The site operates
two days a week in collaboration with the Even
Start Program on the reservation. The program utilizes
web-based tutoring and mentoring with undergraduate
students from Palomar College and UC San Diego.
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 at UC San Diego. This program
is an ongoing collaboration between faculty and
students at Palomar College and UC San Diego.
Courses:
Participants (based on 2005-06
data):
- Approximately 20 K-4th grade students per academic
year
- 75% American Indian, 10% Latino, 10% White
- 75% male, 25% female
- 0% ELLs
- Approximately 5 undergraduates per academic year
Collaborators:
- Even Start Program
- American Indian Tribal Council
- Tribal Digital Village Project & Hewlett-Packard
Digital Village Project
- 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
- Introduce participants’ to the Kummeyay
language
- 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
- Teacher evaluations
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
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