"Very satisfied - at least 9 out of 10 for effort and results."
"Very satisfied overall. The 1-month timeframe was ideal. Ready to go home yet had a chance for Italian immersion."
"Very high."
"Very high. Wonderful experience - nice balance of structured and unstructured time."
"On the whole I was very satisfied - the programme fulfilled its mandate and delivered as promised."
"Very fulfilling; fabulous, actually."
"I was very pleased with the program. It met all my expectations. The events which were fitted in but not necessarily part of the original curriculum were very well woven into the fabric of the course."
"Considering cost constraints the programme was very satisfactory."
"Very high."
"Excellent. The apartment was very good; much better than I anticipated, in an excellent location for touring Florence fast. [Local art historian and adjunct lecturer] Peter [Poral] made history seem alive. The whole experience was positive. Also very glad we went to Rome - it was special."
Asked if they thought the program provided a useful educational experience, participants responded as follows:
"Absolutely - so much more enriching in real life than in lecture or
slides - integrates the learning rather than being purely an academic approach."
"Definitely. Even in the cheesy PREVIEW magazine I just read,
there were comparisons between Donatello's 'David' and Michelangelo's 'David'
in reference to John Wayne's body language! 'Things' just have a greater
significance! Learned a ton: the art project intimidating but useful for
pushing the creative juices. Very supportive environment. Art is fun! The
seminars lacked a bit of zest due to our overtired brains and stuffy studio."
"Yes."
"On every level - academically enriching, personally challenging. Architecture just isn't comparable - a 5" x 4" photo just doesn't do places like the Cathedral in Siena justice (AND THAT'S A PALE WORD!)."
"Yes - I have some concept of [the] Italian Renaissance as it applies in Florence."
"Yes, but education has many facets. Florence was great for an 'introduction' to cultural education, pretty good at giving a 'Liberal Studies' style education but not, overall, academically challenging. (NB: I wrote this before coming home to work on the writing and art portfolios.)"
"I decided before I left home that the major purpose of the trip was educational, and that most of the events - extra travelling etc. - would keep this priority in mind. But one needs to find ways of getting away from everything. and opportunity was provided for that. I found the trip very educational."
"Absolutely. It provides a culmination of all the reading and lectures in classes. Makes it all real. To me [as a companion] reading the books required for the course sparked an interest in visiting the sites and art gave them reality."
"Very much so, although, at times, I found the sheer volume of information coming at me almost overwhelming. Still, it was a wonderful learning experience."
Yes. Figures that were only shadowy historical dates became real people and what had only been 2-D pictures became a real part of my life. Rome was an added delight - I still feel awe and excitement to stand where others stood and look where they looked, but one or two thousand years later."
The final question asked if participants would recommend the program to others:
"Definitely: an experiential learning opportunity is far superior to 2-dimensional classroom work."
"Definitely. A grasp on how much money people would really need for meals, coffee, excursions etc. would be helpful. I have recommended it to other 'audit' students - art lovers."
"Absolutely! It has been a marvellous total immersion in Renaissance Italy. The setting and content were absolutely suited to each other - brilliant curriculum design and superb instructors. What could be better?"
"In a minute!"
"Yes: as long as they were motivated to learn, prepared to use some initiative and move on their own."
"Absolutely. Whatever the drawbacks may have been (and financially continue to be), May was a month of Florence and Rome and Italy and travel and learning and getting to know people and places and experiencing life out of the rut and beyond the expected and known. DO IT!"
"I would recommend the program to anyone seriously interested in learning more about the Italian Renaissance. For those of us who just finished third year, we were excellently prepared, course-wise. Others were not so much, and it showed. It's not the best course for a neophyte. The Italian public transportation system - bus and train - is excellent."
"Yes. Even from the periphery [participating as a companion] the smattering of knowledge one picks up through the educational system is vastly improved by visiting and seeing the 'real thing'."
"Absolutely. In fact, I would love the opportunity to do another trip myself. Perhaps to another place to study a different era."
"Yes. Florence is a wonderful city to experience and the educational component enriches and enhances the experience. They will come back richer in everything except money!"