Liana Horovits has been an educator at UH Maui College for sixteen years. I had the pleasure of taking her excellent online History 152 course this semester. I was highly impressed by her execution of this asynchronous class, I felt engaged and excited about history! What’s more is Mrs. Horovitz is proposing a two-week long, study abroad trip to Italy with EF College Tours in May of 2022! This is a trip open to anyone and not just college students. Recently, Mrs. Horovitz shared with me her philosophies as an educator, and what students can look forward to in the upcoming trip. Keep reading to learn more.
Mrs. Horovitz is an active community member, a part of a Halau, and a mother. She grew up on Maui and first attended UH Maui College when she was just out of high school.
“I didn’t know what I wanted to do and it was a great place to sort of get started. And so, I have a real love for the college and I feel quite blessed that I get to be here as a faculty after starting off as a student.” She went on to earn a bachelors of history degree in Colorado Springs then later studied abroad as an undergraduate. She earned an art history degree focused on the arts of London and Florence and that’s when she first developed a love of history and travel.
“To have the privilege of being immersed in other countries and cultures has really helped me solidify my own values and outlook on life. As somebody who grew up on Maui, the ability to incorporate my experiences and stories and see how it’s reflected across the world as a global story and not something that happened just independently, has developed my love to teach and spread these ideas with other people. My first exposure to EF College Tours was when a professor offered the chance to go to Western Europe to study World War I and World War II battle sites” Mrs. Horovitz recalls feeling ‘hooked’ on the all inclusive, thematic opportunity to travel with purpose.
“After I got my masters degree I really wanted to bring this program to Maui College. In 2017, I organized a short term study abroad trip to Japan. My second EF College Tour was to Greece and Italy in 2019. EF College Tours provides an embedded tour guide who is fluent in the language and culture, and native to the places we are visiting. They know these places intimately and you end up having a very rich cultural experience. It brings me a lot of joy to bring my students to a place that was so transformative for myself as a student.”
Teaching Philosophy
Liana Horovitz has a multifaceted teaching philosophy and is eager to equip students with a wealth of knowledge and skills for success but the core of her philosophy is that learning should be a social experience.
“If we only learn in our own bubble we don’t have the experience of knowing if information has been critically thought through or the understanding that how we look at the world is very different than how other people look at the world. Our lives should be about learning and engaging. We can’t care about each other in our community unless we get to know each other.” Mrs. Horovitz is purposeful in tasking students in her class to engage with each other via the discussion and Wiki tools in Laulima or by using other online tools she suggests. Each week her lessons are organized and jam packed with extras like study tips and strategies. She really sets students up for success and paves the way by giving them access to tools that can help them with their inquiry process. Her love for travel and history will make yours come alive and keep you engaged.
Liana’s Travel Tips
“Pack lightly, but leave space to pack an open mind.” Since this is going to be her fourth time doing a study abroad tour group, Mrs. Horovitz shared with me some of her top travel tips. First, students can plan ahead to be able to afford the trip by enrolling in one of the flexible payment plans offered. She says students should do research to know how to prioritize time while traveling and that preparing before you go grants a fuller experience. That students should try to learn the basics in the language, cultural tips, and do’s and don’ts of a place in order to remain a ‘Traveler’ and not an ‘Ugly Tourist’. Learning the expectations of yourself as a visitor and giving back to a place instead of just taking from it are important travel values for Mrs. Horovitz.
Final Words
Mrs. Horovitz is determined to share her love of travel and history with students. She’s a lively educator who believes that success is if you leave her sixteen week class with more curiosity about the world, than you had when you came in. I can vouch that I am a more competent student overall as a result of Mrs. Horovitz method and approach to education. She instills a foundation within students that they can take with them on their educational journeys and beyond.
For more detailed information about The Study Abroad College Tour Of Italy in May 2022, email Mrs. Horovitz at liana@hawaii.edu.
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Precise and informative
