Study abroad trip takes K-12 teachers along ancient trade route

September 11, 2024

The Silk Road, an ancient trade route that linked the Western world with the Middle East & Asia, has seen many changes over the centuries, but part of it is still in use today.

“The premodern Silk Road connected the Mediterranean world with East Asia,” DSU Professor David Kenley explained. “Travelers carried trade goods, seeds, ideas, religions, pathogens, and myriad other items that shape our modern world.”

Kenley led a unique modern-day trek along the Silk Road as part of a program for K-12 teachers from across the United States. The trip was funded by the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia (NCTA).

“Once teachers have first-hand experience in a foreign country, they teach about that country with more authority and, just as importantly, with more enthusiasm,” Kenley said.

Participants delved into the rich history and culture of Central Asia. This region has been a crossroads of civilizations, from the ancient Eastern Iranians and Persians to the Turks, Mongols, Chinese, and Russians. The program highlighted the region’s significant contribution to global cultural, economic, religious, and political ideas.

The journey also provided insights into the modern manifestations of the Silk Road, particularly the Belt and Road Initiative.

“The ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ is Beijing’s attempt to build railroads, ports, airports, and other infrastructure around the world that will allow China to expand trade and exert so-called ‘soft-power’ globally,” Kenley said.

The program provided tours of historical sites and unique homestays in traditional yurt accommodations with mountain and desert scenery.

As a part of their participation, the teachers who attended are now constructing new teaching units based on their experiences, bringing the lessons of the Silk Road and its modern manifestations to classrooms across the United States.

“I love leading these types of study programs and watching students discover new parts of the world,” Kenley said. “Even though I have traveled to many of these regions many times, seeing them through  my students who are experiencing this for the first time brings back the same level of excitement and enthusiasm for me.”