CONARE in Favor of a Progressive Tax Reform

2018 ISSUE #68 JULY CONARE In Favor Of A Progressive Tax Reform

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A Policy For Lonely Hearts

T Lilliput INSIDE COVER PAGE

In this July issue, we are going to 2 EDITORIAL learn a little bit about Lilliput, an UTN NEWS ingenious satire in which Jonathan 3 CONARE In Favor Of A Progressive Tax Swift is critical of the notion that Reform humans are the measure of all things. 4 Accreditation Of Three Bachelor’s If you have an awesome picture Degree Programs At UTN you think could be the cover of one 4 Workshop On Equality In Higher of The ILE Post editions, send it to Education [email protected]. So far several readers have sent amazing pictures WORLD NEWS that we will be sharing with you soon. 5 Stonehenge Builders Used Pythagoras’ If you want to know what is happening Theorem in ILE, follow us in FACEBOOK. 5 The American Empire Preps For A US Space Force Photo credit: https://pixabay.com All materials used and produced by The ILE Post are for educational purposes. They can be used 6 A Policy For Lonely Hearts and reproduced for educational purposes as long as you credit you for the original creation. THE ILE ETHOS 7 There Is Always A First Time For Everything 8 How Social Media And Human Nature Have Spawned Hoaxes And Hate- Mongering ACADEMICS AND MORE 10 From Pedagogy To Communagogy And CONTRIBUTORS Everything In Between Andrés Bejarano Article Writer 11 VOX POPULI Mariano Chaves Article Writer THE ATTIC Jenaro Díaz English For You 12 Our Friend Yerika Tatiana González Article Writer 13 Our Teacher Eric POP WORLD Clare Goodman Academic Editor 14 What Makes Reality TV So Compelling Michelle Monge Article Writer For So Many People? VISITING LANDMARKS Ingrid Murcia Article Writer 15 St. Louis, Missouri DISCOVERING TECHNOLOGY 16 LinkedIn LANGUAGE CORNER 18 Lilliput 19 English For You Presents LOUDER THAN WORDS 20 Kilauea Volcano

https://www.facebook.com/TheILEPost?fref=ts 1 EDITORIAL It is time For All To Pull Our Weight by Eric Herrera (ILE Professor) Even though the idea is that ed- can be more than imaginable), assessment prepa- ucation makes the headlines for ration, professional development time (it can be positive reasons, most of the time attending a seminar or studying at home now that only the negative news is pub- there are plenty of resources to learn from). All this lished. On June 21st, UTN professors can change a full-time job of 40 hours into one of lamentably read a terrible head- 60 or more hours. Furthermore, materials such as line in La Extra newspaper: “UTN computers, printers, paper, internet access, and a Chancellor Accuses Professors of place to plan and do most of the work is not pro- Pirating Hours.” vided by the institution. In this publication, the Chancellor pointed out c) There is no evaluation that includes the needs, some teachers were against the guideline 115 difficulty and characteristics of the course.- Pro to strengthen academic management through fessors are evaluated, but they do not have the monitoring or an evaluation system for compli- chance to evaluate university courses that could ance to the academic workday. However, the be used by the administration to implement im- other side of the story, what professors think and provements. In other words, nobody knows what feel about several policies is not told. the professors’ needs are. UTN professor would like the general public to Are there unproductive professors at UTN? Yes, of know that: course, there are: they exist in every profession. a) There is lack of clear documentation and com- Nevertheless, at UTN, they are the exception, not munication channels to support university pro- the rule. grams and purchase of equipment. In order to UTN professors were very surprised and disappoint- convince people that something is needed, the ed that UTN Chancellor Marcelo Prieto would give department in charge must prepare the neces- such a misguided comment using his perception sary documentation based on domestic studies of what UTN professors do. On June 22nd, he sent that show its importance. So far, UTN professors an e-mail apologizing for the comment and trying constantly receive instructions about many things, to explain several observations about the publica- but these instructions and regulation are rarely actions; however, the damage is done. This publica- companied with the necessary support material tion not only discouraged professors but also weak- that illustrates their usefulness. In addition, since ened the institution’s reputation, created a bigger most of these instructions are unilateral, and reg- division between administration and professors, ulations are rarely accompanied with the neces- and a gloomy working atmosphere. UTN professors sary support, there are no clear and fluent chan- invite the chancellor and all UTN authorities, who nels to comment on the pros and cons of these doubt the complexity of academic work, to talk implementations. to professors and find out what their real concerns b) Some UTN administrators underestimate teach- are, and how we as a community can change this ing effort. It is very easy to pass judgment on what situation; deep inside, our objective is the same: professors do when you are not a professor, or to make UTN you have not taught for a long time. If a profes- one of the sor teaches a four credit hour class, it may appear best univer- that he/she is only working 4 hours/week. How- sities in Cos- ever, developing and updating course material ta Rica. takes time, especially in rapidly-changing fields, plus there are many office hours spent on grading assignments (depending on the course, this time

2 UTN NEWS

CONARE In Favor Of A Progressive Tax Reform The fiscal situation of Costa Rica requires collaboration, work, and solidarity-based support from all segments of society. The academic, social, guild, eco- nomical and political spheres that contribute to social equity, economic stability and sustain- able development must work together to find a progressive tax reform proposal which nei- ther affects the most vulnerable for fiscal reforms. idential House and Ministry of sectors of the population nor In Progress Foreign Affairs and Religious Af- diminishes social welfare of the At the end of May, the Alvara- fairs. This measure will generate country. do administration presented a an impact of ¢99.6 million. The National Council of Universi- package of government spend- Although insufficient, this set of ty Presidents (CONARE) supports ing containment measures. This measures will generate savings the adoption of a progressive document included some mea- in the budget of ¢4,141.6 mil- tax reform capable of fighting sures related to the 2018 bud- lion.” tax evasion and one in which get, such as: It is therefore that CONARE en- will increase new resources to • The advertising budget will be courages social groups, politi- finance the government. reduced by 30%, with the ex- cians, and citizens to assume Background ception of the Costa Rican Tour- with full responsibility and with it Costa Rica’s fiscal deficit grew ism Institute. An impact of ¢173.5 dialogue and critical scrutiny to to 6.2% of GDP in 2017 due to million is estimated in the 2018 make the decisions Costa Rica structural spending pressures budget. needs to face this crucial time unaccompanied by revenue • Travel and per diem spending for the future of our country. increases. The outgoing Solis ad- abroad will be reduced by 30%. ministration enacted tax admin- With the exception of the Minis- istration measures but was un- try of Foreign Trade, the Ministry able to advance bigger reforms of Foreign Affairs and Religious needed for greater fiscal im- Affairs and the Costa Rican Tour- provement. A fragmented con- ism Institute. This measure will gress and disagreement over generate an impact of ¢173.2 the sequencing and relative million. weight of tax hikes versus spend- • Spending on protocols and so- ing cuts have hindered progress, cial activities will be reduced by despite recognition across the 50%. With the exception of Pres- political spectrum on the need Information about the event taken from: https://pixabay.com UTN NEWS

Accreditation Of Three Bachelor’s Degree Programs At UTN On June 29th, UTN submitted all the information re- quested by National Council for Accreditation of Higher Education of Costa Rica (SINAES) as well as the payment of corresponding registration fees to begin the process of accreditation of three Bach- elor’s degree programs. The first three programs UTN will submit for this accreditation are: Human Resources Management, Engineering in Informa- tion Technology, and Software Engineering. After this, there will be a process of external evaluation by peer experts appointed by SINAES. The accreditation is for four years in which each program carries out continuous improvement actions, so that after this period they can be accredited one more time. is qualified. Employers often require evi Accreditation is a voluntary activity initiated by the dence that applicants have received a institution that requires a rigorous self-evaluation degree from an accredited school or and an independent, objective appraisal of the program. overall educational quality by peers. Accredita- •it involves staff, faculty, students, graduates, tion emphasizes quality assurance and a commit- and advisory boards in institutional ment to continuous quality enhancement. Some evaluation and planning. of the reasons why accreditation is important are: •it creates goals for institutional self-improve •it helps determine if an institution meets or ment. exceeds minimum standards of quality. Recognition by SINAES affirms that standards and •it helps students determine acceptable processes of accrediting organizations are consis- institutions for enrollment. tantly imporivng quaility and accountability that •it helps employers determine the validity of meet SINAES estalished expectations. . programs of study and whether a graduate Workshop On Equality In Higher Education With the participation of students from UTN, UNA, UCR, TEC, and UNED, on June 13th and 14th, UTN held a workshop on Validation of the Thematic Agenda about Equality in Higher Education. Even though the guarantee of access to and enjoyment of education on an equal basis with others and without discrimination is protected under various international human rights treaties, this guarantee is sometimes difficult to achieve. The role in which higher education plays, both in the lives of individual students and in society as a whole, means that the impact of any inequalities within this sector can be wide-reaching. In fact, education systems can be a force for social mo- bility but they also reproduce and reinforce social divides. The objective of this activity was to promote the exchange of ideas and discussion on different topics related to equality in higher education as well as to help build partnerships with working 4 WORLDNEWS

Stonehenge Builders Used Pythagoras’ Theorem

A new book, Megalith, has re-ex- tions, dating from 2750BC, there lies amined the ancient geometry of a rectangle of four Sarsen stones Neolithic monuments and con- which when split in half diagonal- cluded they were constructed by ly forms a perfect Pythagorean sophisticated astronomers who un- 5:12:13 triangle. derstood lengthy lunar, solar and The eight lines which radiate from eclipse cycles and built huge stone the rectangle and triangles also calendars using complex geometry perfectly align to important dates in One contributor, megalithic expert the Neolithic calendar, such as the Robin Heath has even proposed summer and winter solstices and were also once surrounded by that there exists a great Pythagore- spring and autumn equinoxes. 56 wooden posts or stones which an triangle in the British landscape Pythagorean triangles have also could be used for predicting eclips- linking Stonehenge, the site from been found at Avebury, the inner es as well as showing the position which the Preseli bluestones were ring of the Druid Temple in Inverness, of the Sun and the Moon and the cut in Wales, and Lundy Island, an Castlerigg in Keswick, Cumbria, Bar- lunar phases. important prehistoric site. brook, in Derbyshire, Borrowston Rig, And the bluestone horseshoe in Pythagoras’ discovery that the sum on the Scottish borders, and Daviot the center is thought to contain 19 of the areas of two squares on the ‘B’, in Aberdeenshire. stones to represent the number of sides of a triangle will add up to the Consequently, many stone ‘circle’ years it takes for the Sun and Moon area of a square on hypotenuse were not fully circular but have ge- metonic cycle to go full circle and has been used for millennia to help ometry derived from Pythagorean reset. builders attain perfect right-angles. triangles often in whole numbers of The authors believe that much of The new book, published on June Megalithic yards (2.72 feet) which the knowledge was lost following 25th to coincide with today’s sum- were probably laid out using ropes the rise of Christianity in Britain. mer solstice, shows how within one and pegs. of Stonehenge’s earliest incarna- The huge stones of Stonehenge

Information taken from: https://jpralves.net/post/2018/06/21/stonehenge-builders-used-pythagoras-theorem-2000-years-before-greek-philosopher-was-born-say-experts.html#.WzJxpi3SGHt Image taken from: https://pixabay.com The American Empire Preps For A US Space Force By Renee Parsons At a meeting of the newly-revived and contested” cosmos that prom- half of other countries on the planet National Space Council, President ises to keep the MIC fat and happy; and commercial space endeavors Donald Trump announced the at the same time make space safe which might someday launch a sat- Space Policy Directive: National for the up-and-coming commercial ellite up into the wild, blue yonder, Space Traffic Management (STM) space industry (CSI), the Directive the Directive proposes to establish Policy and ordered the Department suggests an overly-ambitious mis- operational criteria with the as- of Defense to establish a Space sion of broad, wide-ranging goals sumption that all players will accept Force as a sixth branch of the US with no time schedule or funding. the Empire’s dominance and hap- military – although creating a ‘sepa- Specifically, the Directive provides pily follow their every command. rate but equal’ Space Corps would a role for the DOD “to protect and On the edge of human conscious- need Congressional authorization. defend US space assets and inter- ness lies a more subtle, less obvious Under the guise of a ‘space junk di- ests’ and I am still trying to wrap my presence than the usual political rective’ to clean up a “congested mind around how the Director of adversaries as the US continues to National Intelligence will provide a lay specious claim to ownership of Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Outer Space. Since the Roswell of ‘knowledge and characteriza- crash in 1947, the US has maintained tion of space objects.” Further ex- a committed disinformation cam- pounding on the US role in outer paign to withhold truth from a dis- space, Trump added “..our destiny, empowered citizenry – a truth that beyond the Earth, is not only a mat- would empower those who have ter of national identity, but a matter been blind to the government’s of national security. We must have deception and a truth that would American dominance in space.” challenge the carefully crafted, fa- As the US presumes to act on be- miliar world we call reality.

5 Information taken from: https://www.greanvillepost.com/2018/06/26/the-american-empire-preps-for-a-us-space-force/ Image taken from: https://pixabay.com WORLDNEWS

A Policy For Lonely Hearts by Joseph Sorestad The UK’s appointment of a Minister for Loneliness has sent a clear mes- sage: social isolation is a problem big enough for its own file. It’s a no- ble sentiment, as isolation is a problem shared by many. The question, however, is how can bureaucracy provide a social service in which success is tied to intimacy? And how can the government make use of artificial intelligence and -tech nology, arguably a double-edged sword, in addressing isolation? On January 17th, UK Prime Minister Theresa May created a new minister position: the Minister for Loneli- ness, now filled by Tracey Crouch. This move came in the wake of the recommendations put forward by live on their own or live in a retire- miss the potential of a Minister for the Jo Cox Commission on Lone- ment home with infrequent visits Loneliness out of hand? Absolutely liness. Jo Cox, 41, was a Labor MP from friends and relatives. These not. There are numerous charities th who was murdered on June 16 , people, after all, are among the dedicated to reducing senior lone- 2016 by right-wing extremist Thomas most vulnerable to the health ef- liness – “Contact the Elderly” in the Mair. Mair, a socially isolated man fects that sustained isolation pro- UK is a recent success story. Gov- himself, was fixated on the idea duces. But younger people also ernment can financially support or- that Cox was a “collaborator” in experience loneliness as the van- ganizations such as these. We also a grand scheme to overrun Britain guard of a busy, materialistic life- shouldn’t short-sell the potential of through mass immigration. style saturated with social media. technology. Julia Bainbridge, the Upon announcing the appoint- There’s another issue that needs to creator of “The Lonely Hour” pod- ment, Prime Minister May said in a be addressed. We’re increasingly cast, reported that callers to her press release: “I want to confront this compensating for our lack of hu- program express relief about their challenge for our society and for all man touch in our lives with technol- ability to share their feelings of isola- of us to take action to address the ogy. A growing number of seniors tion in a safe and open forum. loneliness endured by the elderly, are using smart speakers such as Ultimately, the success of a lone- by carers, by those who have lost Amazon Echo for companionship. liness policy depends on its clarity loved ones – people with no one to Younger people have “Huggle”, and simplicity. Policies aimed at talk to or share their thoughts and the app that arranges one on one addressing loneliness must have a experiences with.” meet-ups between people based clearly defined target so that - poli Beyond a reasonable doubt, soon common interests and places to cymakers know exactly whose lone- cial isolation is becoming a public hang out. If you live in Japan, you liness they will measure in follow-up health crisis in developed countries. can buy “Gatebox”, the smart hub studies. Second, policymakers must Sustained periods without interac- that projects an interactive idol to identify the root cause of loneliness tion with others shortens our lives keep lonely salary men compa- for this target, as its nature may be by as much as 15 cigarettes a day. ny. To boot, long periods of social economic, cultural or more closely Loneliness is also associated with media exposure enhance our per- related to technology. There’s po- higher risk for cardiovascular dis- ceived loneliness and sensations of tential for a Minister for Loneliness to ease, dementia and anxiety, and envy, rather than our sense of con- have a positive impact, but there’s there is now a burgeoning theory nection. The question remains as to also a risk for a program coming that stress from loneliness hampers whether these technologies can from this file to become entan- our bodies’ immune response. In combat isolation, or if they are sim- gled by its own mandate. Canada Britain, 9 million people report often ply crutches that miss the underly- should keep a close eye on poten- or always feeling lonely. ing social factors that contribute to tial solutions in the UK that could The most obvious target of the new isolation. make a difference here. UK minister’s file isseniors who either All this considered, should we disinformation and images taken from: https://ppgreview.ca/2018/02/08/a-policy-for-lonely-hearts/ Image taken from: https://pixabay.com 6 THE ILE ETHOS

There Is Always A First Time For Everything By Andrés Bejarano (ILE Professor)

This year a group major in this university. only thing is that some of the of English teach- The interesting twist and thus a teachers reported a tendency ers had the op- challenge in itself was that the in many of the students for not portunity and course had to include some taking advantage of this tool as the challenge grammatical and phonetical much as they should have. to be part of the aspects of the language, but Bottom line, for the most part, assigned staff for the emphasis was to reinforce we were able to cover the the metacogni- the learning techniques that the language skills and the soft tive and leveling students were acquiring in the skills that the course intended. courses at the UTN. This was one metacognitive courses. How- Nonetheless, the impact that of the initiatives of the commit- ever these techniques also had those courses had on the stu- tee for academic success in this to be applicable to language dents of the freshman year is university. The overall experi- learning for all of the remain- still not clear. Some people be- ence was good, but the effec- ing time that they would spend lieve that an intensive introduc- tiveness of the two courses and studying specific majors. tory course only for the month the acceptance of the student Moreover, the course had the of January and then getting population still remains to be peculiarity of being assessed straight into the major would seen. by using a formative approach have been more productive. The process was long and many and not the traditional, stan- In addition, those soft skills that innovations were implemented dard summative evaluation. both the leveling and the meta- to the syllabi. The main objec- This contributed to the overall cognitive courses seek to pro- tive of both the metacognitive purpose of teaching the individ- vide the students with could be and the leveling courses was uals to be responsible for their integrated within the entire cur- to furnish the students with the own learning. ricula all throughout the major. necessary tools that would al- The fact that they did not have Some students even viewed low them to become more au- to take any of the traditional ex- these courses as not very useful tonomous learners. ams helped them channel their nor productive; however, do- More specifically, the leveling energies in learning the lan- ing something for the very first course for the English language guage, and discovering what time is a golden opportunity to had to undergo a long process was the best way for them to determine whether a proposal of logistics from the creation learn it rather than studying for was a good idea or not. and design of the course sylla- a grade. They developed a The only problem is that one bus to the training of the staff love for learning in itself to the needs to be humble enough to in order to help them become point that many of the ones I be able to admit it if something familiar with the major objec- had in my two groups made the doesn’t work out as planned or tives of the course, and how voluntary choice of attending if there are ideas that maybe these goals were intended to the extra hour of class given by better than the ones we came be reached. the two students who carried up with. The course was basically aimed out their professional practicum Many learning experiences at giving some fundamentals with me. take place through the trial er- of language learning strate- Furthermore, this course includ- ror process, and there needs gies and studying techniques ed an online platform on line to be a willingness to accept to those students who had ap- where the students had the the errors made in order for the plied for majors at UTN in which chance to view videos, listen learning to actually take place. English was a requirement as to specific audios, go over the Let’s keep in mind that learning well as those who registered material covered during the is not only finding out how to do in the ILE program which is the week and do some exercis- things but also about how not to English as a Foreign Language es to check their progress. The do things. 7 THE ILE ETHOS

How Social Media And Human Nature Have Spawned Hoaxes And Hate-Mongering By Rlyn Snodgrass, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University The internet held the promise of ity that prevails when appeals to emotions and an interconnected global village personal beliefs, rather than hard evidence, are that facilitated cooperation and more powerful in forming political opinions. dialogue through authentic infor- There is now a burgeoning “cottage industry” mation sharing. But the interaction of websites that invent fake stories. Analysis by- between our inherent human ten- Buzzfeed of the recent US election pointed to the dencies and social media plat- prevalence of fake and hyper-partisan content forms has produced an epidem- on Facebook pages and websites. ic of misinformation, hoaxes and The attraction to this fake news isn’t surprising. Re- hate-mongering that threatens this vision. search suggests that the public is also more likely Social media is increasingly influencing the way to indulge in conspiracy theorising during periods we consume news. Research by the Reuters In- of insecurity and discontent. stitute for the Study of Journalism in 26 countries shows that more than half of those sampled use Threat to Democracy social media as a news source. Analysts and politicians warn of a “digital virus” This trend comes at a cost as social media is not of falsehoods spread by conspiracy theorists known for its accuracy, or the advancement of and trolls that entrench polarised politics. These challenging and diverse perspectives. Filter bub- threaten democracy. bles, created through personalised and algorith- With the rising tide of populism we have seen mic news feeds, reinforce this. popular mistrust, and even rejection, of the po- Unrestricted access to information is a corner- litical establishment and mainstream media. In stone of a vibrant democracy. But if this informa- a climate of “us vs them” researchers find that tion is inaccurate, biased or falsified, the funda- people, especially conspiracists, are attracted to mental freedom of informed choice is denied. alternative news sources. They are motivated by In essence government accountability, social the desire to avoid the perceived manipulation justice and equality are severely compromised. by mainstream media and become susceptible Thus social media, as the most effective purvey- to fake news. or of fake news and conspiracies, poses a serious In Africa, conspiracy making occurs across the threat to democracy. political divide. It is used by regimes to entrench power, or by the opposition to erode it. Rise of Fake News Zimbabwe is a prime example. Conspiracy the- In the wake of political upheavals – the US pres- ories have been part of 92-year-old Robert Mug- idential race and Brexit are good examples – abe’s presidency in the almost 37 years of his rule. there has been a surge in fake news, conspiracies He has muzzled the country’s media and railed and pseudoscience discourses on social media against Western powers for conspiring to unseat platforms. him and destroy the economy. Conspiracies In South Africa 2016 was an annus horribilis for the about plots to assassinate him abound. governing African National Congress (ANC) and In South Africa conspiracy theories proliferate President Jacob Zuma. A pervasive conspiracist from the constant crises around embattled Zuma narrative about a sinister “third force” meddling in and the ANC. A constant refrain has been that the nation’s affairs hogged the headlines. Fight- the media conspire with third parties to discredit ing for his political life, Zuma blamed Western in- the ANC and mislead the public. telligence for allegedly stirring up criticism of him. These and other events have seen “post-truth” Conspiracy theories: emerge as the Oxford Dictionary international narratives on steroids word of 2016. The term refers to the irrational- Stories and storytelling are an inextricable part of

8 THE ILE ETHOS

human consciousness. It is lic good. as a news source – without the through stories that we interpret The danger of such narratives fact-checking and the editorial the world, imagine other pos- is exemplified by the bizarre US filters of responsible journalism – sibilities and adopt other per- “Pizzagate” saga. A gunman is a growing trend. spectives. fired an assault weapon in a It would seem logical that a In this way humans are hard- pizza shop acting on fabricated “digital virus” of insidious mis- wired for conspiracy stories that social media claims that it was truths and half-truths created contradict official accounts of the site of a child sex abuse ring by the use of technology would, events or factual evidence. As that involved Hillary Clinton. and should, be cured by tech- such conspiracists are not un- Research shows that narratives nology. Some technological hinged or paranoid. They “cut have powerful traction online correctives have in fact pre- across gender, age, race, in- when they feed into a conspir- sented themselves. Facebook, come, political affiliation, -ed atorial worldview that affirms for example, has announced it ucational level and occupa- a rejection of official explana- will use fact-checking services tional status”. No individual or tions. Such stories consciously, to flag fake stories as “disput- group is immune from conspir- or unconsciously, induce emo- ed”. atorial thinking. And if a group tional contagion – communal But technology cannot be the believes one conspiracy, it is emotions of hate, anger and panacea when the intense and likely to believe others. fear – that are further amplified. overwhelming social media Conspiracy theories – described space presents a perilous mis- as “narrative on steroids” – offer Why technology can’t save match with our innate human enticing clickbait opportunities us from ourselves capacities and tendencies. This for the human brain on social Is the post-truth climate and human-digital interface makes media platforms. The typical the concomitant surge in false- social media the most effec- fictitious plot describes the sin- hoods and conspiracy theories tive and dangerous enabler of ister machinations of powerful a spasm in history, or does it re- human irrationality, distorted groups or organisations that flect a seismic political shift? The perceptions, and conspiratorial work in secret against the pub- jury is still out. But social media thinking ever invented.

Article taken from: http://lessonbucket.com/news-and-comment/social-media-human-nature-spawned-hoaxes-hate-mongering/ Pictures taken from: https://pixabay.com 9 ACADEMICS AND MORE From Pedagogy To Communagogy And Everything In Between by Christy Tucker (Instructional Designer) There was once only one “agogy” and now there by which men and women deal critically and cre- are many. Most educators are intimately familiar atively with reality and discover how to participate with pedagogy – the art and science of educat- in the transformation of their world.” ing and teaching children. Some are also familiar Andragogy with andragogy – the art and science of educating Andragogy – to lead the man – was originally used and teaching adults. Recently a few more agogies by Alexander Kapp and then further developed have surfaced so I thought it was high time to ex- by Malcolm Knowles and it focuses on the art and plore some of these new and emerging ideas. We’ll practice of teaching adults. It’s based on the prem- start with the already familiar just to warm up. ise that: Pedagogy •Adults need to know why they need to Pedagogy literally means, “to lead the child”. Re- learn something, member Piaget, Brunner, Vygotsky, oh my! Yes, •Adults need to learn experientially, these were the leading thinkers and doers in defin- •Adults approach learning as problem-solving, ing and popularizing the art, science and profes- •Adults learn best when the topic is of sion of teaching children. Bloom’s Taxonomy devel- immediate value. oped as a way to actualize pedagogic principles Many educators, including Knowles, now believe and learning theory by scaffold learning up the lad- that learning, and therefore teaching practices, ex- der of recognizing, recalling, analyzing, reflecting, ist on a continuum from pedagogy to andragogy applying, evaluating and creating. Pedagogy is where pedagogy is more teacher-directed and an- not a learning theory. It is an approach to teaching. dragogy is self-directed. There are a variety or pedagogical approaches Heutagogy that have developed to support a similar variety of Heutagogy is the study of self-determined learning. learning theories and teaching philosophies. I know, Thank Stewart Hase and Chris Kenyon for the term. nothing is simple! This agogy puts learners at the very center of learning and is especially well suited to online learning environments and life-long learning practice. Like all the agogies, only the term is new. I suspect this is how people learned prior to the advent of formal education. Communagogy Ok, I made that up, just now. However, if we have a term to define the art and science of teaching or better stated, facilitating learning for children, adults, peers and societies shouldn’t we have one for community learning? Community learning is different from Peeragogy in that in a community, like a school community or within the non-profit housing sector, the diversity Critical Pedagogy can be such that co-learners may not be peers. It Critical pedagogy is concerned with democracy also differs from Social Pedagogy in that it is not a and freedom from oppression through conscious- completely open group. Community learning could ness raising. include youth, parents, teachers, business people, Paulo Friere, considered by most to be the father of service end-users, government representatives, Critical Pedagogy, says, “Education either functions etc., who have local knowledge and investment as an instrument that is used to facilitate the inte- in one particular thing. Communagogy might be gration of the younger generation in to the logic of the art and science of facilitating learning within a the present system and bring about conformity to it, stakeholder group – a group bounded by a com- or it becomes ‘the practice of freedom’ the means mon interest. Perhaps this is what we can call the study of Communities and Networks of Practice. Article taken from: http://jamiebillingham.com/tag/heutagogy/ Pictures taken from: https://pixabay.com 10 VOX POPULI

The UTN community includes professors, administrative staff and students. Each individual has something to say about everything. In this section, we give the university community the opportunity to express what they feel about different school, country and world issues that in one or another way affect or impact our lives, feelings and opinions. This month we asked students: If you could give a speech to the entire world, what would you say?

Do not take life for Life always gets We need to pay Let’s try to make a difference. If granted. We do not worse before it gets attention to you have the chance to do some- know how much time better. Set your goals time. People thing for someone, do it. We we have left, so try to and dream about usually spend see horrible crimes around the make sure you always them. When you a lot of time in world, and what we basically do make the most out of achieve them and their jobs, and about it is to comment on it. every single moment become successful, they do not take and every single you will enjoy that time to share Carlos M.C. opportunity. feeling in an inexpli- with family and cable way. friends, and to Jose Rojas enjoy life. Maickol B.M. Marilyn Leitón

There is a big problem with garbage. It is too sad We spend most of the time complaining about to see tons of debris and Do not worry about everything, but how you ever asked yourself garbage floating in rivers physical appearance. what can you do to help others? The main and oceans. The worst People need to learn problem we have as a society is that we are too thing is that people know that the way a person selfish. We think the world is ours, but in fact that is not correct, but looks does not define we are part of the world. Next time you decide they continue doing it. We who he or she is.. to criticize someone, think about what your must do something to stop actions say about you. polluting the world. Christopher Venegas Diana Villalobos Flora Herrera

Money is not as important as it seems to be. Some people are living to work instead of working to live. The more money some people make, the more they want. Money cannot buy happiness and does not always make you feel good. Wendolyn Quirós

11 THE ATTIC

Our Friend Yerika

By Michelle Monge and Mariano Chaves (ILE Student)

It is seven o’clock in the morning, and there is no one else but Yerika waiting outside the class- room. Sitting on a bench, she patiently waits for the rest of her classmates to arrive. She turns to see where her classmates will come from, but she knows that it is still too early. Scrolling through Instagram, her phone’s led screen illuminates her tan complexion causing a nostalgic effect on her face. You might think she is sort of distant and lonesome if you look at her with a naked eye. However, there are several aspects that make her be an alluring, joyous, and enthralling girl.

She is a petite girl with long wavy red dyed-hair, which lies long and loose over her shoulders. It obscures the open back of her black blouse, yet it allows glimpses of a sun- kissed skin, the result of spending countless hours on the beaches of Guanacaste. Some people say she looks like a model, but when you get to know her, you will discover much more than that. Her heavy-lidded, brown eyes irradiate that kind of joyfulness that is not common to find nowa- days. Her square face sits atop her shoulders with a broad smile decorating it. She has the ability to make life fun again.

Yerika can make you laugh by just being herself, always joking. She is definitely someone you can have fun with. When she laughs, all her body gets involved, slapping her hands up and down almost involuntarily. Sometimes, you might even see sweat drops running down her rosy cheeks. Occasionally, it would take several minutes for her to stop and tell you what she found comical. That is what makes her approachable and pleasant to be with. She loves talking with her friends and listens carefully to their problems and interjects pieces of advice that might be helpful. A quality that I find more fascinating about her is that she keeps trying. Things can get hard and burdensome, yet she will go on and try her best.

She is that hilarious and crazy classmate that makes impressions of the latest singers. You will find Yerika singing out loud or filming herself singing and posting it on Snapchat. She has a wide taste in music. It goes from rap and pop to old classics. Just as her musical taste is intriguing, so is her fashion sense. She would always wear her most fashionable clothes, making sure they match perfectly. I guess that makes her a fashionista or a slave to fashion. In addition to her love for fashion, she has another passion which is photography. She loves taking selfies and pictures of her surroundings and countless adventures.

As expressed, Yerika might seem a little serious and distant when you first meet her, yet later you discover a whole different girl. Someone who not only is good- looking but also friendly, persistent, and funny. A person that can make you forget about your troubles and trivialities with laughter. That is the kind of person we all need in our lives.

12 THE ATTIC

Our Teacher Eric

By Ingrid Murcia and Tatiana González (ILE Student)

AT UTN, there are different kinds of professors. Some of them are rigorous; some other hyperactive, and a few boring. In the end, it is important to have classes with them because you learn the best things from each of them. There are some particular strengths seen in a good professor, either, in his or her physical demeanor, personality, or lastly in the things she or he does. That is why Eric is a top-grade professor at Universidad Tecnica Nacional.

Firstly, I have had classes with Eric for about three years now. Consequently, I can say, Eric has a hysterical chiseled, thin face as much as his compas- sionate crinkly brown eyes. However, his eyes come with these randomly suggestions to the class, where a student can easily predict if his/her answer is wrong or right, just by looking at him. In addition to that, Eric has a salt and pepper fuzzy hair which is buzzed on both sides, this aspect improves his “I am a teacher appearance” and makes him look as a sort of an expe- rienced professor. Even though Eric looks like he is in his forties, he usually wears casual clothes, jeans and t-shirt, which gives the impression he is a simple and humble person.

In addition to his appearance, certain characteristics in personality are vital in a professor. One of Eric’s is his temper; the way in which he gives his classes is outstanding. Regarding his expressions, tone of voice and body language in front of the class, he is respectful with the students. Moreover, he is ingenious at each method he applies into the class because his classes have an original touch of him to them. All of the time, the class receives feedback and Eric’s help. For instance, if the whole class does not understand something related to grammar, he would try to support the class in the best way possible until students get it.

Finally, I believe that actions are louder than words; I like when Eric gives the class pieces of advice. For me, this attitude shows how much he cares about for his students. In addition, he is very inclusive, in terms of teaching. Eric wants everybody to participate in class, and most of the time he achieves it. This aspect demonstrates how good he handles his class. One final aspect about Eric’s classes is his tests; they are the most hardcore of all tests, for he wants everybody to give his/her best.

Now days, it is difficult to find a good professor, but just by focusing on specific strengths some specific characteristics a student can notice which teacher can help him/her in the best way. Therefore, I consider my professor Eric one of the best of all the professors at UTN.

13 POP WORLD

What Makes Reality TV So Compelling For So Many People?

By Andrew MacLaren naments of Ritual), at least) real people. This bridges •we like certain elements of that the gap for the viewers between reality to be exaggerated or aspiring to be like the stylised stylised (Spectacle), and ‘characters’ on the shows and •we rely on stereotyping and cul- how acceptable it is to try to fulfil tural hallmarks to help us under- the aspiration. In practice it simply stand the environment (Transfor- seems more achievable because mative Performances). people may think you were mad to aspire to live your life like James Some fascinating things emerge Bond because he is a fictional to demonstrate what structured character and he exists in an aug- There are countless examples reality TV says about society to- mented reality, but we allow the of reality TV, but the epitome of day, why we enjoy watching it so trick to be played on us when we structured reality TV is of course, much, and why their stars become see Kim Kardashian on TV know- Keeping Up With The Kardashians. so famous, so quickly. Structured ing that she is not a fictional char- This genre is an intriguing hybrid of reality TV is successful because acter and therefore assume that dramatization and real life. We all we know that the cast is broadly in the augmented reality we see know that the scenes are script- control of the storylines, but con- represented on TV is in fact real ed or at least ‘directed’ in order sumption of the events portrayed and something that is possible to to create a deliberate dramatic is not restricted to watching the aspire towards. narrative. We also know that the TV shows. We can get an intimate events portrayed are to some ex- and vivid experience by engag- tent based on what is really going ing with these people on social on in the stars’ lives. So we have media and seeing them discussed bought-in to the paradox, we play in gossip columns outside the lim- along because it wouldn’t be as itations of the actual show. This entertaining if we had to wait for social media interaction in prac- the action to actually happen tice takes the place of voting. (the problem with Big Brother) but Competitions like Big Brother and we also wouldn’t find it as com- X-Factor are successful based on pelling if we knew it was fiction the audience’s ability to influence (like with soap operas). Thus, struc- the outcomes of the participants tured reality suits us rather well as through voting, structured reality an audience. TV takes this one stage further by Three theories were constructed embedding the sensation of vot- The really neat trick the producers into a framework that presents the ing within the normal rhythms of play is that because they have idea of reality TV stars as precon- social activity for the consuming this rich resource from which they ceived, designed and packaged public: the more popular they are can choose the next direction products. The three theories: Tour- on social media, the more famous they will take, all they need to do naments of Ritual, Spectacle, they become. is steer the ‘drama’ in the direc- and Transformative Performances What really sets the genre apart tion we, the public, want it to go combine to tell us that is how the stylised, exaggerated in. And hey presto! We feel like we and idealistic world portrayed on get exactly what we want and we •we have an interest in the com- TV is dragged into reality by the adore the next big reality TV star petitive aspect of reality TV (Tour- stars being accessible (digitally until their appeal has worn off.

Information taken from: https://www.jmmnews.com/makes-reality-tv-compelling-many-people/ 14 Photo credit: https://pixabay.com VISITING LANDMARKS

St. Louis, Missouriart lovers the chance to experience 24 sculptures by some of modern art’s great masters; and everyone an award-winning garden in the midst of the city where you can relax and beat the heat. Sleep St. Louis does have the host of usual Marriott, Hilton, Holiday Inn and similar chains. Check out chain websites for exact locations throughout the metropolitan region. One great thing U.S. Free tour, with free beer samples about the city is an abundance of The Gateway City of St. Louis is the for those 21+, of one of the world’s hotel rooms, convention and meet- epitome of the modern Midwestern largest breweries and bottling fac- ing space, and amenities for trav- metropolis. Missouri’s second-largest tories, housed in beautiful red-brick elers. Since the city has a low cost city is vibrant but laid-back, popu- buildings. The Clydesdale horses and of living, even for the Midwest, you lous but navigable, historic but still their historic truck and stables are might find even the most expensive relevant. The city’s planners have one of the biggest attractions on hotels relatively affordable. created an aesthetically beauti- the tour, as are the brew house and ful city, with plenty of green space packaging facility. Eat amidst buildings both old and new, Forest Park Try St. Louis original foods: Barbequed pork steaks framed by the majestic Mississippi One of the nation’s largest city parks, • , St. Lou- and Missouri rivers. And capping it with 1,293 acres, is open to the pub- all is the world’s tallest man-made lic for golf, tennis, baseball, bicycling, monument, the beautiful and iconic boating, fishing, handball, ice skating, Gateway Arch. in-line skating, jogging, cricket, rugby and more. The park is also home to the St. Louis Science Center, the art museum, the zoo, and a history museum, all with free admission. Forest Park is really at the heart of St. Louis. It was also the site of the 1904 Louisi- ana Purchase World’s Fair, which lays claim to serving the first hot dogs, hamburgers, and ice cream cones. is-style — Boston Butt sliced into St. Louis Union Station steaks, basted with Maull’s Barbecue This 110-year-old National Historic sauce •Gooey butter cake Landmark has been restored and re- — a type of St. Louis is a city of culture and surpris- developed as a dynamic mixed-use coffee cake with a bottom layer of ingly inexpensive. Among American project that includes shopping, din- buttery yellow cake and a top layer cities, only Washington, D.C., has ing and entertainment. of either egg and cream cheese, or more free attractions for tourists and Riverboat Cruises butter and sugar •Toasted ravioli residents alike. Hotels, restaurants, Take a cruise down the Mississippi — breaded, then and even parking garages avoid the River on the Tom Sawyer or Becky deep fried, these small meat, cheese, premium pricing common in other Thatcher riverboats. The boats have or veggie stuffed pasta pockets re- big cities. Although often overlooked, paddle-wheels (for display only) and flect local Italian influence; a favorite St. Louis can be an affordable, edu- a narrator with guide you around the bar food in St. Louis •Slinger cational, and fun family getaway. industrial buildings on the Mississippi — a large plate full of hash waterfront. browns piled over with two eggs and Attractions a hamburger patty (or other meat) Anheuser-Busch Brewery Citygarden Citygarden gives kids fountains to and then covered with chili and The place where all Anheuser-Busch cheese; a popular ultra-heavy diner beers are made for the mid-west play in and sculptures they can related to (Pinocchio, big heads, etc.); food 15 Information taken from: https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/St._Louis Photo credit: https://pixabay.com DISCOVERING TECHNOLOGY

LinkedIn LinkedIn is a social network designed for busi- also contact professionals in your field directly, nesses and work professionals. Individuals can as long as they also have profiles. This gives you create profiles that act as CVs, and connect with an edge over traditional job applications, as you contacts who can endorse their skills. Companies don’t have to play phone tag or set up a time and can create their own pages to advertise to poten- place to meet for an interview. tial partners, and post job openings that users can apply for. History LinkedIn was founded in Mountain View, Califor- How does LinkedIn work? nia at the end of 2002 in California by Reid Hoff- When you sign up for LinkedIn, you create an on- man, along with professionals from technolo- line profile with relevant information about your gy companies such as PayPal. The website itself professional life. This can include your work, vol- was launched in May of 2003, and reached one unteer, or other worthwhile experiences; your million users by mid-2004. They have also made skills, and your interests. Acting like a virtual re- many impressive acquisitions during its existence, sume, your profile helps you connect with col- including popular websites like Lynda.com. In a leagues and professionals in your field. The idea $26 billion dollar deal, Microsoft acquired Linke- is that by presenting yourself on LinkedIn, you will dIn at the end of 2016, a year in which LinkedIn have more opportunities to connect with people made $960 million in revenue. who can help you with advancing your career. LinkedIn is currently the world’s largest network You can also apply for jobs on LinkedIn, or post of professionals, with over 467 million members them if you want to use LinkedIn for recruiting for worldwide. It is so popular simply because it works. your own company. You can search for jobs with- Millions of people use the site every day to search in various business fields, and often apply for a for work, and many of them do actually land jobs. job you want directly through LinkedIn. You can By directly connecting you to professionals in your field, the platform gives you an edge over those still utilizing traditional job searching methods. In 2008, LinkedIn launched a mobile app for their service. This means that you can take it with you on the go, and always keep up to date on job opportunities and make connections!

16 DISCOVERING TECHNOLOGY

Why use LinkedIn? 1. Put your work experience in front of people looking for it. At its most basic, having a profile on LinkedIn is like having an online version of your resume. This gets you exposure to many more potential employers than distributing resumes by hand. Some of the most influential businesspeople in the world, such as Microsoft founder Bill Gates, have profiles.

2. Establish and expand your professional network. Connect with people you know, either profession- ally or personally. They might point you towards a job you’d like, or ‘introduce’ you to professionals in your field of work. You can do the same for on LinkedIn, so there are plenty to choose from them, too! if you’re looking to get into the workforce. Or, if you’re already running a business and are looking 3. Show off your credentials. for fresh talent, you can post a job yourself! You can be as detailed as you want about your qualifications and skills. Your connections can 5. Advertise your company to potential partners. also endorse your listed skills, and you can do the By the same token, many famous companies same for them. Your abilities look a lot more im- around the world have company pages on Linke- pressive to potential employers if you have peo- dIn. They are eager to show themselves off and ple to vouch for them! maybe even hire some new employees.

6. Get advice from industry veterans. Join groups of people with similar jobs or skills, and have discussions with them about professional matters that you care about. You might get advice on how to take your career to the next level, or find a new job that’s perfect for you!

7. News from the working world, at your fingertips. The website has a feature called “LinkedIn Pulse,” which has thousands of articles from industry professionals and successful figures such as Bill Gates, Barack Obama, and Dr. Deepak Chopra. Keep up to date with the latest business and workforce news, either from your contacts or from LinkedIn 4. Hiring happens here. itself through LinkedIn Pulse. Companies both big and small post job listings

Information taken from: https://techboomers.com/t/what-is-linkedin Images taken from: https://pixabay.com 17 LANGUAGE CORNER

Lilliput home from there. The Land of the Houyhnhnms In his final adventure Gulliver is the captain of a mutinous ship. He is abandoned on an island by his crew and left to die. He comes across a wild looking man we later learn are called Yahoos (a word that his since entered the vernacular because of GT). He meets the ruling race of the island, the Houyhnhnms. Houyhnhnms are horses who have developed a language and community that rules Lilliput is the setting of Gulliver’s liver on another voyage. His ship is over the mindless Yahoos. Gulliver is Travels, afictional satire by Jonathan forced to land during a storm and swept up in the ideology of the hors- Swift written in 1726. Gulliver wonders off. He returns to es and wishes that he could be one of The novel follows main character see his shipmates sailing away from them. The Houyhnhnms decide that Lemuel Gulliver and his journey to a 72-foot giant. He flees inland but is Gulliver is a taint on their society four countries.The four countries soon spotted by a giant who places and he is exiled. He is unwillingly are Lilliput, a land of little people, Gulliver in his coat pocket similarly taken by a Portuguese ship and re- Brobdingnag, a land of big people, to how he used to carry Lilliputians. turns home to England. Laputa, a land of intelligent but use- He is taken care of by a farmers To learn more about the story of less people, and Houyhnhnm, a land daughter but is displayed as a novel- Gulliver’s Travels, go to: of horses.Swift wrote the novel for ty of sorts. The queen of Brobding- adults to show that some people and nag hears of his show and takes an governments were wrong. The story interest in him. The queen takes him Gulliver’s Travels was intended to make them change. as a pet. During his time with the Lilliput queen he is amazed by the level of Gulliver’s first voyage gone awry finds ignorance the giants live in. Ironical- him in the nation of Lilliput where ly, it becomes obvious to the reader the people are one-twelfth the size than Gulliver is the truly ignorant of normal humans. They happen one and that he is simply captivated upon a sleeping Gulliver and he be- by his own ethos. During a trip to the comes their willing prisoner. After ocean, Gulliver’s box is seized by a gaining their trust, Gulliver is freed seagull and is dropped into the sea. and begins life in the tiny land. He Gulliver is soon found by some sail- aids them in their constant war (over ors and returns home. egg cracking) against the similarly Laputa tiny nation of Belfuscu and becomes Gulliver’s ship is attacked and ma- a national hero. However, opinion rooned by pirates on a small island. of him sours when he uses his urine Gulliver is rescued by the floating to save the queen and palace from a island of Laputa. It’s inhabitants are fire. He is sentenced to being blind- incredibly intelligent and cultured ed for this offense. He escapes to Bel- but lack common sense. They con- fuscu where he finds a boat and sails duct wild experiments with little home. thought to their practical value. He Brobdingnag joins a trader who then takes him Some time passes and we find Gul- to Japan with him. Gulliver returns

Information taken from: http://mslinder.wikispaces.com/Gulliver%27s+Travels Images on top taken from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/1000photosofnewyorkcity/5550295701/in/photostream/ 18 Image on bottom taken from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CC_No_16_Gullivers_Travels.jpg LANGUAGE CORNERLANGUAGE CORNER

“English For You CR” presents, Past Modals

We are familiar with the modals could, should and would to express possibility, advice or conditionals, for example. In the past, however, they have different meaning and uses. In all cases, we use the auxiliary “have” and the past participle of the verb:

•John is late. He could have got lost. (speculation in the past) •I could have gone with her, but I decided to stay home. (past possibility)

With should, we say,

•It’s raining, I should have brought and umbrella. (a good idea that I didn’t put into practice) •The package was sent a month ago. It should have arrived by now. (deduction about a past event)

Finally, would can express

•I would have gone with you if I hadn’t been so busy. (past or third conditional) •She would have returned the wallet she found, but the owner never came back. (a hypothetical situation in the past).

You can listen to our podcast including this section, music in English, news, and more in: http://www.EnglishforYouCR.com and www.facebook.com/english.foryoucr

backstairs

-secret, underhanded, or scandalous

EXAMPLE: He would never believe it; it was a nasty piece of backstairs gossip!. www.dictionary.com

19 LANGUAGE CORNER LOUDER THAN WORDS

Kilauea Volcano

The thing everyone really wants to see on the Big Island of Hawaii is lava flowing into the sea. Two lava flows “reached the ocean along the southeast Puna coast overnight,” on Hawaii’s Big Island, the US Geological Survey, which monitors volcanoes and earthquakes worldwide. When the hot lava flow hits the water it produces acid fumes known as “laze” – lava and haze. Kilauea is the world’s most active volcano and one of five on Hawaii’s Big Island. It started erupting on May 3rd, prompting about 2,000 people to flee from their mountainside homes. Scientists believe the volcanic activity may be a precursor to a major eruption similar to the one that shook the island in the mid-1920s. But they say they expect no loss of life given that the most exposed residential areas have been evacuated and the region where the volcano is located – on the southeastern part of the island – is lightly populated. Authorities have warned residents to stay away from the evacuated neighborhoods, warn- ing that toxic sulfur dioxide seeping out of nearly two dozen fissures could prove deadly.

Information taken from: http://www.iran-daily.com/News/215454.html Photo credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/slworking/4189253507/in/photostream/ 20