SiS Newsletter - March 2010 - Interview Lounge: M. K. J.
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M. Karen Jogan
Karen Jogan is a professor of undergraduate Spanish and of graduate ESL teacher education at Albright College in Reading Pennsylvania. She especially enjoys working with EFL programs in schools and universities abroad, and she is a frequent presenter for conferences for EFL teachers in Mexico, Peru, and Chile. Albright College students have accompanied her to study, work on research projects, and to tour in Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Peru, and Chile.
Her areas of special interest are integrating technology in foreign language instruction, and assessment of student learning at the course and program levels. She also enjoys learning about and sharing cultural perspectives with her students -- in the US she teaches cultures of Spain and Latin America, and abroad she helps teachers integrate US culture into their instructional programs.
When was the last time you have been to Spain?
The last time I was in Spain was in June 2009 as part of the Eduespana tour of institutions in Madrid and Castilla. Prior to that I was in Spain in 2007 for a long Easter weekend. I visited Madrid and Toledo.
What do you enjoy most about Spain?
I mostly enjoy the people - Spaniards I have as friends for many years, new people I meet in a professional setting, but also people on the street. Spain is especially well known for its friendly and outgoing people, always helpful and eager to share their culture.
What do you think are the advantages of Spain as a destination for American students?
In addition to the world-class hospitality of the Spanish people, Spain offers an unmatched cultural context which immerses students in two thousand years of history, art, literature tradition, music, architecture, while they interact with the Spanish language. Spain is "user-friendly" for US students - anything from metros in Madrid to educational institutions outside of the capital are easily understood by the non-Spaniard.
Could you describe the Study Abroad programs your university has with Spain?
My college has sent students to several different programs in Spain, ranging from summer to semester programs. Our students have studied in Santiago, Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla, Alicante and Valencia. Currently we are organizing a summer study program to Salamanca.
How satisfied are, in general, American students going to Spain?
Our students are always highly satisfied with their programs in Spain! Many have returned again and again, the ultimate expression of student satisfaction. As professors, we are proud that our students have felt successful in their learning experiences abroad and that their positive experiences abroad have prompted them to become lifelong learners of Spanish language and culture.
