The Integration of University Extension, Teaching and Research: The Case of Team-UNA Project at the Brunca Campus, Perez Zeledon, Costa Rica

Abstract

When aiming at attaining a sound relationship between extension, teaching, and research, it is evident that a constant rethinking of integration strategies is mandatory. Team-UNA Project at Brunca Campus, Perez Zeledon, Costa Rica, started in 2010; its purpose was to work with 10th to 12th high school students in an attempt to improve their quality of life through offering English tutoring sessions at no cost. In this way, teaching and extension were partnered. The main objective of this project is to enable the participation of university students from the English Teaching Major as tutors of students from public high schools in the surrounding community. It is with this perspective that this article intends to disseminate the experiences generated by these university students as a basis for strengthening the experiential learning process. For this study, data systematization was made available through the collection of the experiences of the participants through their involvement in focus groups that took place during the development of the project. As a result, we conclude that Team-UNA Project is a catalyst for experiential learning that promotes critical analysis, decision making and problem resolution, which are key elements that underpin the sound integration of university teaching, extension, and research.