Columbus State Update, November 1999, Issue 8, Volume 2

By Maria Lassaletta

For a group of college students , the regular Columbus State classroom was transformed into a learning playground on the sunny island of Jamaica. 

The Jamaican educational experience was coordinated by the department of Biological and Physical Sciences. The "hands-on" learning experience was the culmination of a Biology/Natural Science class and was centered mainly around diving assignments and marine science. For eight weeks prior to the educational adventure, the students had been enrolled in Biology 104 at Columbus State's main campus. 

The -Jamaica experience" was a lab class that provided the students with the opportunity to apply what they had learned in the classroom. Instruction in diving was provided, as well as field trips in the ecological region. The students stayed at the lodging facilities at Discovery Bay, Jamaica, and used their state-of-the-art marine science laboratories. Discovery Bay is a premier research center owned by the University of the West Indies. 

"We were very fortunate because we were the first undergraduates to be able to use the research facility," said advisor and lead instructor, Dr. John Francis.  "Research groups from all over the world come to Discovery Bay to study but they are always masters and Ph.D. candidates." 

"I thought the diving was the best part of the trip," said student Lisa Bradley. "I enjoyed collecting specimens such as worms and crabs and then taking them back to the wet labs at Discovery Bay for observation."  Lisa is currently working on her associate of science degree at Columbus State.  She plans to then transfer to Ohio State University, earn a bachelor's in Biology and then go on to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and earn her master's in marine biology. 

Not all students who went on the trip are science majors, but they still agree it was a wonderful educational experience.  "My major will probably be Criminal Justice," said student Matt Hammond. "I learned a lot from the trip. It's one thing to hear the material explained in class but it's great when you're actually in the water learning."  
Learning about Jamaican culture and history were also part of the trip. Instructor John Francis is a native of Jamaica so he knew all the best places to show the students.  This included visiting the home of author Noel Coward, and Elizabeth and Robert Browning's former plantation, Greenwood Estates, plus trips to Dunns River Falls and the Green Grotto caves in Runaway Bay, Jamaica. 

The Columbus State group also went to Maroon Town, a sovereign nation in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. Maroon Town was founded by former slaves who fought the British and established their own nation.  "Maroon Town was a real highlight of the trip," said Lisa. "It was beautiful and learning about the history of the place was fascinating."