A Discussion with Alberto Solórzano, Architect and Professor, Central American University, Managua, Nicaragua
With: Alberto Solórzano Berkley Center Profile
July 22, 2014
Background: As part of the Education and Social
Justice Project, in July 2014 undergraduate student Gianna Maita interviewed
Alberto Solórzano, architect and professor at Central American University (Universidad Centroamericana, UCA). In this interview, he discusses his responsibilities to the Social Service (Servicio Social) program at UCA and
the service-learning class that he teaches. As
part of UCA's architecture curriculum, students take three
service-learning courses called the "Popular Habitat Module," "Urban Planning," and
the "Urban Space Module." One of their main objectives is for senior students to
understand the housing issues that affect Nicaragua through both the study
of theories, laws, programs, and projects and through interaction with Nicaraguans who live in conditions of risk around the country. In 2011,
students carried out joint activities with A Roof for My Country (now TECHO)
Nicaragua.
Can you describe your responsibilities in the Servicio Social program?
All of my responsibilities in academics are for the course [I teach] that has to do with the branch of theory and critical history of architecture with virtual classes. This is fundamental for the major, along with construction [concepts]. Within the faculty, they assigned me to be in charge of Servicio Social for the major...everything has to do with volunteering, Servicio Social, culture, and religion.
… The university, when it decided to implement the social service program, began by appointing a coordinator; so within the university there was one representative from each faculty. My job is to plan with the other five majors in this faculty... At the beginning, the coordinators of each major choose the courses that are connected to social service. I accompany them in this initial process and then give them to the coordinator and accompany the coordinator…[These responsibilities include] helping the professors make initial plans for the classes, going with them on visits, accompanying them in their own classes when they explain the program to the students, and being at the final reception for the projects.
Can you describe a typical day in the classroom for a service-learning class? [Professor Solórzano teaches three service-learning courses: "Popular Dwelling Module," "Urban Planning," and "Urban Spaces Module."]
For example, in the "Popular Dwelling Module" we do something called "classrooms beyond the chalkboard." … In the classroom, we invited women that have worked with TECHO and had the experience of improving their homes. They shared what their experience with the work was like, as women who had chosen that housing: what the process was like, how they applied, what it was like to have volunteers in the house, what they had done to be leaders in their barrios, what they had done to improve their conditions. In the class…there was a discussion between the students and the people from the barrio. This made for a more dynamic class.
All of my responsibilities in academics are for the course [I teach] that has to do with the branch of theory and critical history of architecture with virtual classes. This is fundamental for the major, along with construction [concepts]. Within the faculty, they assigned me to be in charge of Servicio Social for the major...everything has to do with volunteering, Servicio Social, culture, and religion.
… The university, when it decided to implement the social service program, began by appointing a coordinator; so within the university there was one representative from each faculty. My job is to plan with the other five majors in this faculty... At the beginning, the coordinators of each major choose the courses that are connected to social service. I accompany them in this initial process and then give them to the coordinator and accompany the coordinator…[These responsibilities include] helping the professors make initial plans for the classes, going with them on visits, accompanying them in their own classes when they explain the program to the students, and being at the final reception for the projects.
Can you describe a typical day in the classroom for a service-learning class? [Professor Solórzano teaches three service-learning courses: "Popular Dwelling Module," "Urban Planning," and "Urban Spaces Module."]
For example, in the "Popular Dwelling Module" we do something called "classrooms beyond the chalkboard." … In the classroom, we invited women that have worked with TECHO and had the experience of improving their homes. They shared what their experience with the work was like, as women who had chosen that housing: what the process was like, how they applied, what it was like to have volunteers in the house, what they had done to be leaders in their barrios, what they had done to improve their conditions. In the class…there was a discussion between the students and the people from the barrio. This made for a more dynamic class.
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