The Unknown Tijuana
Uncovering Hidden Treasures
Hernan Manuel Garcia is determined to achieve his ultimate goal of becoming
an instructor in higher education and to being able to share with his students
the wonders of Latin American alternative literature. In particular, he would
like to introduce students to the literature of Baja California.
Hernan was born in Los Angeles, but moved with his family to Tijuana where
he completed elementary and middle school. Later, at SDSU he obtained a B.
A. in Spanish and an M.A. in Latin American studies.
Currently, he is finishing his second master’s degree in Latin American
literature with a concentration in Mexican literature and culture. It is the
experience of living in Tijuana though that fuels his passion to learn about
the rich cultural life of this border city and to share this knowledge with
others.
Examples of Student Learning Outcomes for Spanish 504 Baja Literature
Become proficient in the oral and written production of the Spanish Language.
The goals for the production of one research article of 3,000 to 4,000 words for graduates and 1,750-2,500 for undergraduates.
- Formulate an hypothesis.
- Create a thematic outline.
- Create an annotated bibliography.
- Give a formal oral presentation of the article following the guidelines given in the rubric that accompanies the syllabus.
- Participate in peer evaluation of the oral presentation.
- With guidance from the instructor and working as a class select several students' research to represent the course in regional, national and international academic conferences.
Evaluate cultural factors that have influenced development of Baja California Literature.
- Identify ten main factors that have influenced development of Baja California Literature.
- Analyze two in depth by researching and reading.
- Find literary expressions that illustrate these factors.
- Select one literary generation, research it and articulate in writing and an oral report the relationships between cultural factors and literary production.
What is Baja Literature About?
Presently working on his thesis, Hernan registered for this innovative literature course because SDSU is the only institution of higher education, in the US and Mexico, that provides such a course.
Hernan intends is to introduce others to the
Tijuana that few know. It isn't the Tijuana of nightclubs or vice, but
a city brimming with poets and writers that represent the unique experience
of life in this border culture. It is a city in search of its own identity
among the conflicting values of nationalism, regional expression, nostalgia
and modernization.
Hernan’s main objective is to concentrate on alternative modes of Baja literature (gay, science fiction, rock, etc.) and to attain with it a Baja California “consciousness.”
What Hernan Needed to Know
The pinnacle of this class came as an invitation from the International Book Fair to represent the course by presenting a research paper.
Hernan needed to formulate a hypothesis, a thematic outline and an annotated bibliography. He developed his paper by analyzing the cultural phenomena present in both Californias. The border nation that prevails in the course texts is where Hernan finds his topic for research.
He credits this course with helping him attain the personal and academic confidence he needed to orally present his paper in front of an international forum of scholars, many of whom he maintains contact and collaborates in other literary projects with.
Opening the Door to Language and Culture: LARC
In order to closely examine the literature of the border, Hernan made extensive use of the Language Acquisition Resource Center's services. LARC's goal is to develop and support the teaching and learning of foreign languages through research, technology, and publications. Particular attention is paid to less commonly taught languages, cross-cultural issues, language skills assessment, and teacher training. LARC'S Digital Media Archive provides authentic materials for authentic learning.
LARC's proximity to the border and SDSU faculty expertise in borderlands and Baja literature create a rich, interdisciplinary project fostering the development of advanced to superior level literacy skills--particularly important to heritage language learners and functional bilinguals who have "lost" their ability to read and write in Spanish.
The "Baja Literature Project: Every Land is a Borderland" provides Spanish instructors and students with authentic resources for language acquisition activities and intercultural understanding. The materials aid interdisciplinary topics and courses on border culture, economics, history and sociology, as well as distance education courses that use extensive online authentic resources. Students improve their critical thinking skills and are encouraged to explore language at all registers.
Evaluating SPAN 504 student achievement
- The research paper will be the main tool for determining goal attainment. This paper is the culmination of a well developed hypothesis and thematic outline. Hernan stated that "by comparing and contrasting several of the class reading assignments, he was able to synthesize several cultural perspectives pertaining to Mexican Literature and formulate a hypothesis"
- Hernan added "Referencing the MLA Handbook of Style made the job of creating a bibliography an easier task."
Evaluating the SPAN 504 Course
- SPAN 504 is a new course developed to appeal to undergraduate students interested in Latin Literature, particularly those who wish to discover new perspectives of border cultural milieu.
Click here for more information about the Spanish Department.