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Dr. O'Donnell

The International Epicure project was one of the best projects for spring 1999 because it involved several different divisions at Fullerton College and different groups of students. Everyone used their different skills to participate in this project. I interviewed Dr. Cathy Collopy-O' Donnell to give me information about this project. According to Dr. O'Donnell at first "The project included the foreign language, American English and international business departments." In 1998, these faculty members wrote a grant known as "Virtual Connections: International Office" and received funding from the Fullerton College Staff Development Committee to develop various activities involving students and faculty from these departments. The idea for a "International Epicure" was first proposed by the Virtual Connection's team as a "cross-disciplinary integrated project that would simulate the actual steps involved in the creation of a restaurant: for planning the restaurant space and design to developing the restaurant’s international theme; from researching the kind of dishes to be offered from French, Italian and Japanese food." In this project computer web design students created the web site, the foreign language students translated menus among other things and English as a second language students wrote reports on the group - to name just a few of those involved in this project. There were so many different advantages of doing this project.

First of all, this project was a big advantage to students because they were using their different skills that they were focusing on in their classrooms. It was like a project based on realistic job skills for them, and they were trying to use their best skills. For example, the English as a second language composition class students worked hard to write reports about this project. Most students did not know how to write reports, but after writing for this project, they will have more experience to write reports. Another of the skills they learned was gathering all the information about the project so they could write a good report. This included sending email questions to many of the project's participants and reading their responses in order to gather enough information to write these reports. So, they were actually using the skills they were being taught in class.

Second of all, it was a big advantage for students because so many different students and faculty worked together in this project. After working together in this project, students got experience to work with different people. Students got the chance to interview other students, and they got to know how other students were working on this project by having to contact each other. They were also dependent on each other in order to finish their own projects. For example, the computer students depended on all the participants to give them their half of the project so that they in turn could build them in to their web pages they were designing. Therefore, the completed web page was group effort which gave the students valuable experience for team projects.

In conclusion, I would say that this project was a big help to all participating students in their futures. It not only increased their skills, but also gave them more experience to work on these kinds of projects. Overall this was a good project for students and faculty. Dr. O'Donnell and the other faculty had a great idea.

The International Epicure assignment was an assignment for students in the foreign languages, graphic arts, architecture, art, web design, international business, and the English as a second language classes. Each of the students in those classes had different jobs in the completion for this project.

My job as an ESL student was to interview Dr. Yamaguchi, one of the greatest instructors in the business department. He is not only working as an instructor, but he is also the technology preparatory director, who is in charge of School-to-Career programs at Fullerton College. He also works with local high schools to develop career tracks that a high school student can follow through Fullerton College and on to a job.

Dr. Yamaguchi is responsible to see that the college does curriculum in combining vocational and academic skills into one class work, to bring work place skills into the classroom and to bring strong academics into the vocational education classes. According to Dr. Yamaguchi, "This project is a model program because vocational teachers are being combined with transfer classes like foreign languages, ESL, and fine arts. This project is useful because the idea can be used at other colleges and schools as a way to integrate the vocational and academic classes together on one project."

The project was not only helpful for the students at Fullerton College, but also helped him as an instructor to improve his teaching skills because of the integration which made the class more real for the students. The students were more interested in the class content, and were happier and learned more from the assignment. Team work was also required among students and the instructors, plus the use of technology in order to communicate amongst themselves. "It will definitely improve the student communication skills, and will develop leadership skills." said Dr. Yamaguchi.

In conclusion of this interview, Dr. Yamaguchi didn't think the assignment was hard in principle but it was very hard to do. However, it involved coordination and communication skills. He believed that not only the students were enjoying the assignment but also the instructors. He noticed that it could have been hard for the instructors to try something new to improve their teaching because most instructors are set in their ways and doing something new is uncertain, unfamiliar, and unwelcome. This project is a testimony that new endeavors can be done.

Yamaguchi, Robert. "The Virtual Restaurant/International Restaurant." Email to the author 30 April 1999.

Information About This Project

Dr. O'Donnell