UC Santa Barbara’s Community Based Literacies (CBL) Programs, headed up by Department of Education Assistant Professor Diana Arya, has released its first newsletter, in English and Spanish, and has announced all its work has gone virtual in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In general, community literacy involves the development of literacy and learning skills for any individual or group of individuals outside of the formal education system. It favors a collective approach to learning that occurs in the context of home and community.
Specifically with UCSB’s CBL, community literacy means many faculty members, 25 graduate student coordinators, and over 150 undergraduate instructors and program assistants work with partnering organizations like Girls Inc. and others to create resources and programs for South Coast children and families.
“Our live sessions like the ‘Nature Near You’ session are focused on fun, bonding, creativity, and exploring the natural world around us,” Arya writes in the newsletter. “With the support of our philanthropic community and from UC’s Office of the President, we are fortunate to continue our work. In every issue, we will have an invitation for readers to share their ideas and interests with us!”
Two programs highlighted in the newsletter are “Nature Near You: Hosted by Estefanía Pihen” and “The Virtual REEF.” “Nature Near You” is an opportunity to explore the beautiful outdoor spaces that we can find near our homes, without the need to embark on a long journey. Through this online activity Pihen takes participants on a hike on the mountains that she calls her backyard. Participants include students not only from Santa Barbara and Goleta, but also from Costa Rica.
“The Virtual REEF” will be hosted by Scott Simon, Director of the UCSB Teaching Aquarium, The Research Experience & Education Facility (REEF), and a native Santa Barbaran. This program will give participants the opportunity to sing-a-long with the Days of The REEF, each day exploring different ocean related topics—Submersible Sunday!, Mollusc Monday!, Temperate Tuesday!, Ocean World Wednesday (OWW)!, Tropical Thursday!, Fishy Friday!, and Shell-fie Saturday.