Collaboration Agreement Between UTN and the University of Osnabruck in Germany

2021 ISSUE #95 JANUARY Collaboration Agreement between UTN And The University Of Osnabruck In Germany

Japan Developing Wooden Satellites To Cut Space Junk

Bloom’s Taxonomy INSIDE COVER PAGE

2 EDITORIAL The UN General Assembly designated 2021 the International Year of Fruits and UTN NEWS Vegetables (IYFV). This month we dedicate 3 Collaboration Agreement between UTN our cover page to this designation. If you And The University Of Osnabruck In have an awesome picture you think could Germany be on the cover of one of The ILE Post 4 UTN Authorities Inaugurated Labs For The editions, send it to [email protected]. So far Use Of The Veterinary Medicine Major several readers have sent amazing pictures 4 Employability Tools Project For Young that we will be sharing with you soon. People With Disabilities If you want to know what is happening in ILE, follow us on FACEBOOK. AROUND THE GLOBE 5 Ancient Mummified Wolf Cub In Canada Photo Creidit: https://pixabay.com Lived 56,000 Years Ago All materials used and produced by The ILE Post are for educational purposes. 5 Japan Developing Wooden Satellites To They can be used and reproduced for educational purposes as long as you credit Cut Space Junk you for the original creation. 6 New UNESCO Report: How to Deploy EduTech in Post-COVID-19 Schools THE ILE ETHOS 7 Let´s Talk About Teaching Online 8 Take The Language That You Already Know And Kick It Up A Notch CONTRIBUTORS ACADEMICS AND MORE Andrés Bejarano Essay Writer 9 Why Classrooms Need To Be More Jenaro Diaz-Ducca English For You Like Sports Fields Clare Goodman Academic Editor 10 VOX POPULI Christian Moya Essay Writer THE STUDENTS’ VOICE Essay Writer 11 Friends: The American Sitcom That Veronica Oguilve Undoubtedly Knows How To Deal With Izabela Sepúlveda News Translator Cultural References POP WORLD 13 Ninjas DID YOU KNOW...? 15 Why Is It Important To Pay Attention To The OzoneLayer? TECHNOLOGY BITS 16 Bloom’s Taxonomy LANGUAGE CORNER 18 The Magic Realism Of Gabriel Garcia Marquez 19 English For You LOUDER THAN WORDS 20 Western Wall, Jerusalem

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1 EDITORIAL Don’t Lose Your Faith by Eric Herrera (ILE Professor)

We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope. -Martin Luther King, Jr. The year 2020 was a year Emotionally speaking, 2020 was a nightmare. like no other. There are not Since quarantines or confinement, either vol- words to describe what peo- untary or mandatory, are one of the preven- ple have felt with everything tive health measures to avoid the disease the pandemic has caused so from spreading, these measures had an im- far. Worse of all, even though pact on mental health. Anxiety, sadness, the vaccine may bring phys- loneliness, stress, and depression are some of ical relief, the emotional and the most common consequences Covid-19 psychological impact of has brought with it. Lamentably, while the Covid-19 will be very difficult cure to this disease is a vaccine, to overcome to overcome. the previously mentioned emotional states is Last year was exhausting, from Covid-19 to not found in a drug. It will take a long time the fiscal deficit, to pandemic restrictions, to to recover from these detrimental impacts of lack of intensive care unit beds, to incompre- COVID-19 and social distancing. hensible political proposals, this massive list Finally, last year was scary. Not only patients does not give people the chance to rest their without enough intensive care units but also head at night without a new worry to think doctors and support staff without the neces- about. sary personal protective equipment needed In addition, the year 2020 was, in many cases, to work properly depicted a reality we are lost. Students lost the main space for socializa- more used to seeing in a horror movie than in tion when schools closed; many people lost real life. Additionally, the daily reports of de- their jobs, and a great number of businesses ceased and infected was the perfect picture went into bankruptcy; because of the health of the apocalypses, panicking people who measures, religious funeral services took woke up every day with less hope. place without the body of their loved one, In brief, although the year 2020 was one most taking away from people their solemn right of us would like to erase from our history, that is to grieve the dead; high-school seniors expe- not possible. In consequence, we need to use rienced how one of the most important, fun, what we learned last year and concentrate and happiest year of their lives magically be- on what we can control, appreciate the few came some kind of tv show in which the only or many chances that we have to share our interaction was throughout a screen. loved ones, and Furthermore, more than anything else 2020 be optimistic was heartbreaking. People saw how a disease that better times born thousands of miles from their own coun- are coming. try killed relatives and friends who, in many cases, had never travelled out of their home- town. Hugging, kissing, playing, dancing, and hanging out with friends was banned. Since these activities were practically not allowed, precious time not seeing family and friends is something that no one will get back. 2 UTN NEWS

Collaboration Agreement between UTN And The University Of Osnabruck In Germany

Translated By Izabela Sepúlveda (ILE Professor)

On December 3rd, 2020, the First Virtual Workshop for the Exchange of Research Experiences was held between the Universidad Técnica Nacional and the University of Osnabruck, Germany, as a space for reciprocity, which is part of the proposal entitled “Biodiversity and Liveli- hoods in the Wider Gulf of Nicoya Region”, presented to the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), which is currently led by the UTN Office of the Vice Pres- ident for Research and Transfer. This first activity was proposed with the aim of sharing research experiences on the subject of biological biodiversity and livelihoods in the Gulf of Nicoya; likewise, to establish professional networks for joint work in this region, within the framework of this German-Costa Ri- es for academic promotion is being given to direct the can alliance. The articulation between both countries, research to a new research platform at the UTN. seeks to implement academic exchange processes Also, it is the first time that this has provided a wide between both universities, for a period of four years range of opportunites for the univiersity to develop ac- through a fund of ¼ million euros approved by the tions that guide training processes, the development of DAAD for the project. new inter and transdisciplinary courses and other col- The virtual Workshop was structured from presentations laborative work activities. by Costa Rican and German researchers, where the This first workshop / meeting was aimed at academic general perspective on environmental and socio-eco- staff and students interested in research from the differ- nomic aspects of the reality of the communities around ent locations of our university. Therefore, it is necessary the Gulf of Nicoya was shown at first; with the participa- to highlight some data related to the activity. tion of researchers from the Pacific and Guanacaste Sixty-six people participated as the audience, of which Campuses, mainly. 44.4% represented women and 55.6% men, coming Then there were presentations with approaches and from all the university campuses, including the CFTPE. It methods, used by researchers from the University of is also important to mention our student participation, Osnabrück, in different settings around the world with since the number of enrollments, 35.4% were students, aspects that included: agricultural systems, education- 56.6% were academic people, and 8.1% were admin- al transformation, biodiversity, effects of governments istrative people. and consumption practices, among others. The activity was developed thanks to the work of a For the first time in the history of the research area of technical team coordinated by the VIT, which made it the Universidad Técnica Nacional, this quality of spac- possible to broadcast live on a double platform (ZOOM and Meet). Likewise, there was a simultaneous interpre- tation by Professor Izabella Sepúlveda Aguilar, from the English as a Foreign Language (ILE) program. Finally, the efforts of the Research and Transfer Depart- ment are highlighted for taking advantage of the information and communication tools that connectivity through the digital world allows, reinventing spaces and proposing internationalization alternatives, which strengthen investigative processes and international cooperation. In the words of Mr. Vice Chancellor, Ing. Guillermo Hur- tado Cam: “This initiative will provide an opportunity in all specialties, to those who have an interest in research, want to get involved and become part of this project.”

3 UTN NEWS

UTN Authorities Inaugurated Labs For The Use Of The Veterinary Medicine Major Translated By Izabela Sepúlveda (ILE Professor) On December 10 th , Emmanuel born with the purpose of covering the González, Chancellor of the UTN, inau- needs of the Veterinary Medicine Major, gurated three laboratories, in the com- being carried out with the University’s pany of the Vice-Chancellor of the UTN; own workforce and with an effective Mr. Eduardo Barrantes, Dean of the and efficient use of existing resources, Headquarters and Mr. Josué Rivera, Di- such as materials, supplies and existing rector of the Veterinary Medicine Major furniture in the university headquarters. with an emphasis on Buiatrics. The purpose of supporting and under- “We are committed to the processes of taking infrastructure work is developed improving the infrastructure and equip- daily in order to strengthen academ- ment so that the academy (teaching, ic development for the benefit of the research and extension) continues to students,” said José Pablo Arguedas, ing in 2021. strengthen. We are grateful for the sup- coordinator of Administrative Manage- In this regard, Josué Rivera Castillo, Di- port of the university and the staff of the ment at the Atenas Campus. rector of the Veterinary Medicine Ma- Atenas Campus for the support provid- In accordance with the requirements, jor, indicated that for the career man- ed. ”said Eduardo Barrantes, Dean of the place has three laboratories that will agement it is an achievement to be the Atenas Campus. be used mainly as a classroom to carry able to have these new facilities, a goal The infrastructure had been used by the out dissection practices and veterinary achieved thanks to the effort and sup- Dairy Cattle Unit and Animal Breeders anatomy, a diagnostic laboratory and port of the colleagues who work at the and was assigned for the condition- clinical analysis, the new veterinary unit campus. “We all made a contribution ing of 170 m², which will be used as a will be used by both undergraduate as to successfully reach the final objec- teaching area, essential for the Veteri- well as graduate students. At this time, tive, which is to improve the conditions nary Medicine Major with emphasis on the purchase of the equipment is be- of the learning process of our students,” Buiatrics. ing done so that it will optimize learning concluded Rivera. “The remodeling of the facilities was and students can use it effectively start-

To read original news in Spanish, goto: https://www.utn.ac.cr/content/autoridades-universitarias-inauguraron%C2%A0laboratorios-para-uso-de-la-carrera-de-medicina

Employability Tools Project For Young People With Disabilities Translated By Izabela Sepúlveda (ILE Professor) The students of the Employability Tools ed how important the experience was not only to my daughter, but to all the for Young People with Disabilities Proj- for her, since before having this prepa- young people from the different cours- ect that takes place at the Atenas ration she had no knowledge of the es so that they have tools for life. ”said Campus successfully completed the subject and discovered her passion for Rodríguez. delivery of the certificates. plants. Mrs. Nixi Miranda Cortés, one of Juan Diego Argüello, coordinator of the Ex- “I loved the course, I would like to con- Carlos’ teachers, stated that: “this rep- tension and Social Action Area at At- tinue learning more and always work resents an enormous privilege. While it is enas Campus stated: “We are very on this because I realized that I love true that he handled a role as a learn- proud to have successfully completed it,” said Ms. Chavarría, who plans to sell er, he demonstrated impressive perfor- this project, it was a great challenge products such as succulents and celery mance in the execution of tasks using since it was the first time we had worked - which she currently has in the produc- Windows system of the company’s sys- with this type of population, but this tion stage - in the short term. tems, for example: the entry of product transformed us all and allowed us to Sandra Rodríguez Murillo, pointed out codes, and topics related to taxation, give a little to these incredible young how significant the knowledge that her entrepreneurship was a brilliant idea, people who go unnoticed in our soci- daughter Fabiola Argüello Rodríguez carried out with a lot of discipline and ety, and also to thank the team that acquired from the course on the Elab- dedication, which is why, as a teacher, was in charge of the project that gave oration of Agricultural Products, espe- it allowed me to observe with an ap- more than their 100%, congratulations”. cially in the baking area, was for her preciative glance the transcendence Each student completed 700 hours of and her family, which was the subject of human capacities. If asked, would training according to the study plan, for on which she developed her final proj- you recommend this person? My an- which eleven of them completed their ect. swer would be a resounding yes. I be- internship and thirty-three more carried “Everything that my daughter learned, lieve that not only he is going to per- out their final Self-Employment project, we hope that it will be the beginning of form very well in his job, but that he will through the presentation of a video. her venture so that she has her own in- also contribute and allow the compa- Margarita Chavarría, a graduate of the come. I am very happy and grateful to ny to grow, as happened in the Office Nurseries and Gardens Course, indicat- the UTN for the opportunity they gave course .” To read original news in Spanish, go to: https://www.utn.ac.cr/content/culminó-con-éxito-proyecto-de-herramientas-de-empleabilidad-para-jóvenes-con-discapacidad 4 AROUND THE GLOBE

Ancient Mummified Wolf Cub In Canada Lived 56,000 Years Ago A wolf cub that was found mummified the cub’s life, from her age and diet to in northern Canada lived at least 56,000 a probable cause of death. years ago, scientists say. The findings, published in the Current Hidden in permafrost for tens of thou- Biology journal, show the cub and her sands of years, the female cub was mother had eaten “aquatic resources”, discovered by a gold miner near Daw- including fish such as salmon. son city in Yukon territory in 2016, BBC By comparing data from the wolf’s DNA reported. and an analysis of her tooth enamel, She has since been named Zhur, mean- they found she was likely to have lived ing wolf, by the local Tr’ondek Hwech’in and died between 56,000 and 57,000 people. years ago. Scientists now say the cub, of which the X-rays of the body, meanwhile, found hide, hair and teeth are intact, is “the she was around six to eight weeks old most complete wolf mummy known”. when she died. “She’s basically 100% intact — all that’s The study noted that while ancient wolf missing are her eyes,” lead author Pro- fossils are relatively common in the Yu- fessor Julie Meachen, a paleontolo- kon or neighboring Alaska, mummies of gist and professor of anatomy at Des larger mammals are rare. and was about 7 weeks old when she Moines University in Iowa, told the Eu- “We think she was in her den and died died, so we feel a bit better knowing the rekAlert! science news website. instantaneously by den collapse,” pro- poor little girl didn’t suffer for too long.” Using a variety of techniques, the team fessor Meachen was quoted as saying. was able to determine many aspects of “Our data showed that she didn’t starve

Information taken from: http://www.irandaily.ir/News/278538.html?catid=3&title=Ancient-mummified-wolf-cub-in-Canada--lived-56-000-years-ago- Image taken from: www.pixabay.com

Japan Developing Wooden Satellites To Cut Space Junk

“We are very concerned with the fact threat of space junk falling to Earth, that all the satellites which re-enter the as more spacecraft and satellites are Earth’s atmosphere burn and create launched. tiny alumina particles which will float in Satellites are increasingly being used the upper atmosphere for many years,” for communication, television, naviga- Takao Doi, a professor at Kyoto Univer- tion and weather forecasting. Space sity and Japanese astronaut, told the experts and researchers have been in- BBC. vestigating different options to remove “Eventually it will affect the environ- and reduce the space junk. ment of the Earth.” There are nearly 6,000 satellites circling “The next stage will be developing the Earth, according to the World Econom- engineering model of the satellite, then ic Forum (WEF). About 60% of them are we will manufacture the flight model,” defunct (space junk). Professor Doi added. Research firm Euroconsult estimates A Japanese company and Kyoto Uni- As an astronaut he visited the Interna- that 990 satellites will be launched ev- versity have joined forces to develop tional Space Station in March 2008. ery year this decade, which means that what they hope will be the world’s first During this mission, he became the first by 2028, there could be 15,000 satellites satellites made out of wood by 2023. person to throw a boomerang in space in orbit. Sumitomo Forestry said it has started re- that had been specifically designed for Elon Musk’s SpaceX has already search on tree growth and the use of use in microgravity. launched more than 900 Starlink satel- wood materials in space, BBC reported. Sumitomo Forestry, part of the Sumito- lites and has plans to deploy thousands The partnership will begin experiment- mo Group, which was founded more more. ing with different types of wood in ex- than 400 years ago, said it would work Space junk travels at an incredibly fast treme environments on Earth. on developing wooden materials highly speed of more than 22,300 mph, so can Space junk is becoming an increasing resistant to temperature changes and have cause considerable damage to problem as more satellites are launched sunlight. any objects it hits. into the atmosphere. The wood it is using is an “R&D secret” In 2006 a tiny piece of space junk collid- Wooden satellites would burn up with- a spokesman for the company told the ed with the International Space Station, out releasing harmful substances into BBC. taking a chip out of the heavily rein- the atmosphere or raining debris on Space junk forced window. the ground when they plunge back to Experts have warned of the increasing Earth.

5 Information taken from: http://www.irandaily.ir/News/278795.html Image taken from: www.pixabay.com AROUND THE GLOBE

New UNESCO Report: How to Deploy EduTech in Post-COVID-19 Schools By Wayan Vota on December 16th, 2020 The COVID-19 digital response has Ensuring that education systems are eq- shown the huge potential of educa- uitable implies that resources are allo- tional technologies to support better cated disproportionately to those who and more extensive education and have most need of them. Put simply, it learning. However, it has also served as usually costs more to educate the poor- a stark reminder that all technologies est and most marginalised, and addi- can be used to create both positive tional resources therefore often need to and negative impacts, and that one of be allocated to such delivery. the main effects of COVID-19 has been Crafting a whole society approach to to increase educational inequities and making such education happen is not marginalization. only a means of sharing resources more EduTech Marginalization efficiently, but it also enhances a stron- Marginalisation is the process through ger sense of community and greater which people are excluded from ac- realisation of the need for continuous cess to resources and opportunities. learning throughout the life-cycle. As One of the most profound and import- a starting point, to deliver equity in the ant ways through which this is main- use of digital technologies in education tained is through differential access to means beginning where it is most difficult. and participation in education systems. draw on the many good examples 2. Enabling access: building resilient in There are seven groups of people who carefully to craft the most appropriate frastructures for education are particularly susceptible to processes uses of relevant digital technologies for Funding national infrastructure initia- of marginalisation: their own social, cultural, political and tives including school connectivity and •Out-of-school youth, economic context. •Learners with disabilities, power supply should never be a cost 4. Ensuring appropriate pedagogies: •Girls and women, placed purely on Ministries of Educa- teaching and learning tion that are already overstretched not •Refugees and displaced persons, One of the overwhelming outcomes of least in paying teachers’ salaries. Rath- •Learners in isolated areas, the COVID-19 pandemic has been the er, they must be a shared responsibility •Ethnic minorities and indigenous realisation that teachers really do mat- across government through the holistic peoples, ter. This has presented a good oppor- approach advocated above. •Learners in informal or irregular tunity for education systems to be re- Nevertheless, it is impossible for learners employment. crafted so that they place excellence to benefit fully from many of the latest It is essential for government leaders to in teaching at their heart. digital technologies unless connectivity deliver effective learning for the most To achieve this, the highest priority must and electricity are available. Moreover, marginalised through the use of digital be placed on relevant in-service and much can also be done by appropriate technologies. Creating a digitally-in- pre-service teacher training that fo- use of old technologies (such as radio formed resilient education system re- cuses on enabling teachers and learn- and TV) in new ways, and it is therefore quires a whole government approach ing facilitators of all kinds to use digital essential for governments to consider that involves many ministries other than technologies to enhance their own what technologies they should best use just the Education Ministry. learning and thereby improve the qual- to ensure that everyone can have ac- Edutech must also begin with a pro- ity of their teaching so that all of their cess to basic learning opportunities. found commitment to the inclusion of pupils and students have better learn- For those for whom digital technologies the poorest and most-marginalised; ing outcomes. digital technologies must be used in are not feasible, governments need to 5. Making wise use of technology: ways that serve their needs and inter- continue to make available alternative security, privacy and data (often paper-based) educational re- ests, and not just those of the rich and COVID-19 has illustrated very clearly sources and content. These recommen- privileged. how increased levels of digital con- dations should be read alongside those nectivity and use during the pandemic New UNESCO ICT4Edu Report pertaining to financing below. have translated into increases in harms. In the new report Education for the most 3. Being context specific: technologies It has also highlighted difficult issues sur- marginalised post-COVID-19, UNESCO and content rounding privacy and the use, or abuse, gives guidance for governments on the There is no one size fits all, universal digi- of personal data. use of digital technologies in education. tal solution, that will deliver appropriate Governments must therefore ensure They find that governments need to fo- global education for everyone. Gov- that the potential harms of using digital cus on five inter-related areas through ernments must understand that context technologies in education and learning which their strategies and implementa- matters, and should resist initiatives by are mitigated, so that their benefits can tion processes should be delivered. companies intent on offering a single be safely and fully achieved, especially 1. A whole society approach: delivering ‘best’ solution. Instead, they should equity in education by the most vulnerable.

Information adapted from: https://www.ictworks.org/unesco-report-edutech-covid%E2%80%9019/#.X_ILOy2xBt9 6 Image taken from: www.pixabay.com THE ILE ETHOS

Let´s Talk About Teaching Online Written by Veronica Oguilve (ILE Professor)

Having faced an unexpected situation this 2020, the COVID19 pandemic, teachers have had to quickly switch from Face to Face Courses (f2f) to online versions and literally hope for the best with the limited preparation and resources they had to take on this challenge. So, I want to personally thank teachers for juggling multiple work-related tasks, supporting their students, and being able to stay sane. I also want to thank students for being so committed, understanding, and patient. This situation caught us off guard, and we all did the best we could. We are all learners here. I want to use the words of Hellen Keller when she says, “alone we can do so little; together we can do so much”. As a community of learners, we can start a reflective dialogue that helps us think about our experiences, good or bad because all of them help us broaden our perspectives and come up with the best conditions for course design and implementation. Course design You can use something simple like backward design and plan what you want your students to accomplish by the end of each week. It consists of identifying the desired results, then determining acceptable evidence, and finally planning learning experiences and instruction (Wiggins & McTighe, 1998). By following this, you are making sure that there is co- herence in your plan. If you want to know more about this planning framework find The Teaching Commons (n.d.) in the references. Assignments and Deadlines Some teachers have the tendency to overload students with a lot of work that later becomes a problem because it is simply not manageable. This is overwhelming for both the teacher and the student. So when you are thinking about creating assignments, the key is to have quality, not quantity. And remember teachers, you are superheroes, but still humans. Do not reach the point of burnout. Remember that students have very unique and sometimes complicated schedules. Not everyone fits the mold. Be- cause of different circumstances, they may even be busier in this Covid19 times. Just imagine a student who used to come to class while their kid was at school, but now, both are at home, so what challenges do you think this may cause for them? When students take online courses, they are the ones who know which time works better for them to complete tasks. So, when you design your courses, do not make daily due dates. It is better to have the due dates on Sunday or even Monday, so they can use the weekend to do the heavy work. Structure and routines When we create online courses, we are expected to carefully design modules and activities that provide structure and direction to our course. It is advisable to have a predictable instructional sequence. Talk about it in Unit 0 to help students understand the nature of the course. This helps students to know what to expect on each day and each week and organize their time better. You could divide the week into three parts. •Tuesday & Wednesday •Thursday & Friday •Saturday, Sunday&Monday •Opening the module/week •Office Hours • Graded Assignments Predictable instructional sequence Predictable instructional sequence Office Hours Teacher presence in an online course is very important. Make sure you show that you are there for students. Provide office hours on Friday to make sure students can ask questions and get clarifications about the work they have to do during the weekend. Record the office hours and share them on the platform. Teacher Presence Online courses may make students feel alone or disconnected from everybody else. So the objective here is not to create a space for learning but a community for learning. Also, have a user-centered approach in which you work together with our students to create a positive learning experience. It may be difficult for students to directly contact you and give you feedback about the course or the activities, if you do not make them feel that their opinion matters. and... As a final recommendation, when you are planning your online course, think about equity and the digital divide. As teachers, we need to ensure that everybody has the conditions for learning. It is a vital part of our job as educators. Please read DuBose, M., & Gorski, P. (n.d.).

References Bowen, Ryan S., (2017). Understanding by Design. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. Retrieved [todaysdate] from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/understanding-by-design/.

DuBose, M., & Gorski, P. (n.d.). Equity Literacy During the COVID19 Crisis. 4. The Teaching Commons (n.d.). Designing Backward.Retrieved January 7, 2021, from https://commons.georgetown.edu/teaching/design/designing_backward/ 7 Wiggins, McTighe, NetLibrary, Inc, & McTighe, Jay. (1998). Understanding by design. Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. THE ILE ETHOS

Take The Language That You Already Know And Kick It Up A Notch Written by Andrés Bejarano (ILE Professor) I remember many years ago, I used to your curiosity. Then, go deeper into the language that watch a cooking show on TV where is being used in those sources and do some further re- the chef used to use the expression search as to how that language can be used in other “Kick it up a notch” quite often while contexts. Say for example, that you want to expand your making his recipes during his shows. I vocabulary and thus improve your fluency while having enjoyed seeing how enthusiastic he conversations with other people. Well, perhaps you need was about cooking. Of course, I am to start paying attention to idiomatic expressions, prov- well aware that he was mainly trying erbs, sayings and even interjections that you can later to add some zest into the show but use on a daily basis which will definitely help you sound one could tell how passionate he was much more eloquent and natural. Make sure; however, about cooking. you learn exactly how to use those expressions and all I do not quite remember the name of the cultural and linguistic regulations that come along the show but I still remember his attitude towards doing with the learning of those new expressions so that you use his best while cooking and that is probably why that par- them at the right time and place in your speech. ticular phrase has stuck in my head until today. It would definitely be counterproductive if you use a This phrase is mostly used to refer to something phrase or an idiomatic expression in the wrong place in that one wants or should do in order to make things more the sentence or in the wrong context or even forgetting interesting and exciting for you and for those who may the exact prepositions that go with it. I do not mean that somehow benefit from what you are learning. Adding a you have to use them perfectly right from the beginning spark into everything we do is what makes our life more in- but paying a little extra attention to how the language teresting and enjoyable. Likewise, I truly believe that one is used can save you from a certain level of embarrass- should apply this kind of ideology at the time of learning ment or even frustration. a new skill. It does not matter what type of skill you are One amusing example that I have about how important trying to learn or even if it is a skill that you already have it is to pay attention to how language is used is from a but you are hoping to take to the next level. Spanish speaking chemistry professor at a college in the For example, if you know how to play a musical instru- USA who used to have a rather unusual recording mes- ment or you love singing, exploring other genres can defi- sage for his answering machine. The recording went nitely increase the excitement along the way and keep something like: Hello this is professor (such and such), I you motivated to do better every time, whether it be that cannot take your call right now, but if you leave a mes- you play professionally or you just enjoy performing alone sage, I will get back at you as soon as I can. I remember, or in front of your family. Cooking, on the other hand, can sometimes I even called him back right away just to hear provide an endless source of enjoyment if you give free that message again and get a kick out of it. rein to your imagination and creativity. I could go on for- Well, the expression this professor used was fairly close to ever giving examples of the different areas of your life what he was trying to say in terms of the phrasing of the that you can make more interesting and exciting by sim- words but very far from what he really meant. Of course, ply kicking it up a notch. he was trying to say: Leave a message and I call you Then, as far as learning a new language or improving back (That is: I´ll get back to you as soon as I can.) but your level is concerned, there are plenty of things that he ended up saying: I will get back at you which means: you can do to make the process more interesting and I will take revenge on you. I know it is hard to believe but enjoyable. For example, discovering those little details trust me, this happens quite often and there is no use to that would keep you intrigued about the nature of the feel bad if it happens to you too. The key is to go into language, analyzing the nuances that make it so unique detail whenever you learn something new that you find and interesting to learn, including those that made you catchy and interesting so that you can use it accurately want to learn it in the first place. and avoid something like that ever happening to you. So, up to this point, you might be wondering what exactly Of course, if it does happen, all you need to do is learn one needs to do in order to stay interested in whatever it the lesson and pick up where you left off. A true learner is is you are learning and while you´re at it, make you more one who never feels that he has done enough. Never be interesting and engaging too. Well, the answer though afraid of stepping out of your comfort zone. relatively simple is not really the kind of one size fits all Use this attitude and this advice in order to find out what type of thing. The main objective, like in any other skill, is suits you best. If you do so, you can be sure you will never to explore and look for ways to embellish your language get bored of learning new things. The secret of all this is both in your formal and informal registers, regardless of that by going further and adding variety into your learn- the level of complexity that you have already reached ing process, you are not only learning something new in the language that you are trying to learn or improve. but you are also discovering how to make it even more Yes! but for God´s sake, how do I do that? Explore what? enjoyable and appealing which would then make you Well, first read and listen to a lot of things that may trigger crave for more. 8 ACADEMICS AND MORE

Why Classrooms Need To Be More Like Sports Fields Before I start, it is very important to point out that I have zero experience in coaching a sports team, have only a mild interest in sport at all. I also have almost no experience in teaching in elementary schools. What I do you have is a fascination with improving the school experience for all learners. The reason it is important to point out my complete lack of experience in these scenarios is because I present this as a serious argument from the unbiased perspective not available to elementary teachers, physical education fanatics, or even sport fans. Genuine learning? My main point here is that sports coaches prepare in- dividuals and teams to go onto the field without the coach. Sports coaches have to teach knowledge and skills based on the idea that coach will not be able to help you in the moment when you are chal- elementary teachers in that the school system does lenged. But unlike school assessments, these moments still expect elementary teachers to focus on strategy will be unpredictable with 100s of possible scenarios and developing the learner to cope with situations. and vast options open to you – you have to be skilled When both my daughters learned to read, they would and knowledgable in a genuine sense, not abstract. frequently have three strategies to try if they ever got Although many school visions for graduates contain stuck on a word. It is only at high school where teach- words such as connected and independent, it is too ing tends to become more formulaic and centred on easy for many high school teachers to fall into the trap the idea that the teacher will get you through this by of designing the learning experience based on the preparing you for what should be a predictable assess- fact that they will be in the room to help and guide ment. In high school it is less a matter of strategy and every step of the learning process, especially when collaboration than it is repairing exact and correct learners are significantly challenged. The common answers. Ironically, this generates a culture of what thought that “I will help them if they get stuck” leads seems like bigger demands on the teacher, leading too many teachers to not design activities for the long to higher stress levels and/or a feeling that they simply term, developing strategy and independence in stu- don’t have time to genuinely care about each indi- dents but for the short term pre-planned assessment. vidual learner’s success. In regards to learning design, it is this habit I hope more No Correct Answer = Better Answers teachers can find a way out of. On a sports field, there is no correct answer. This is why Authentic Experience sports coaches apply their energy into developing the Sports coaches do have an advantage that in most person and the team. If teachers and classrooms be- cases there is a weekly event, the competition, where haved more like coaches and sports teams, we would an authentic moment of challenge is created de- develop our learners more successfully towards what I manding their learners invest all of their energy and assume is the vision your school has for them. absorb all their senses in the moment, testing their in- It’s amazing how so many teachers don’t see sports dividual skills and ability to collaborate for the sake of coaching in the same way as ‘proper teaching.’ Most both themselves and the team. The authenticity of teachers respect sports coaches but don’t think hard these learning moments is generated by their unpre- enough about what they can learn from this ‘other’ dictability and demand for collaboration. The idea of learning environment. It is time for more teachers to building learners towards regular authentic and col- create authentic Learning experiences by making laborative events should be a key focus for teachers them less predictable and more collaborative, know- in their learning / school design. ing this will produce better students far more prepared Develop the Person for the more predictable assessments. It is here though that I would like to share support for 9 Information taken from: https://eduwells.com/2020/10/04/why-classrooms-need-to-be-more-like-sports-fields/ Photo credit: https://pixabay.com 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: What can administrative management do to improve/help teaching management?

It is the obligation of the Teaching management I would say that communication among all cam- administrative manage- Teaching management cannot be disconnected puses is necessary to improve teaching management not only to establish and administrative from teaching perfor- ment. Better communication between professors clear policies but also to management go hand mance. This aspect is and directors would increase uniformity and be open to revise them in hand. Consequently, only achieved if there is standardization in the courses and evaluation. following the advice of the the leadership provid- an organized and well Also, organize activities in which professors get ones who applied them. ed by directors, coor- oriented vision of the together once in a while would also help a lot. In When the administrative dinators, deans, and university established this sense, ideas and efforts are shared to help management understand vice chancellors will and supervised by the other teachers to adapt and apply. this in particular, there is determine the success administrative man- Gerardo Matamoros more of a chance for both of the academic work. agement. parts to work harmonically and avoid conflict. Anonymous Anonymous Eric Herrera

Beyond improving, it is necessary that the I think that the most important thing that the adminis- There is no way to accomplish administration and tration can do is to never forget that the students as well a quality teaching manage- the academic staff uni- as the teachers are a priority in the whole system of the ment if teachers are not deeply fy criteria to achieve university. So, if we ensure that they are provided with committed to their tasks. For the institution’s vision. every thing they need during this process, we can ultimate- this reason, it is important for If this is not achieved, ly contribute with the academic success of the students. All the administrative manage- it is difficult for any this is like a cycle that ensures quality education that the ment to provide everything institution to work students receive which will make the UTN a much more teachers need and motivate harmonically. reputable university. them to do their job. Annonymous Andrés Bejarano Anonymous

Regardless of the nature of teaching and learning (be it distance or face to face), management should be able to keep open channels to receive teachers’ feedback about their needs and their students, as wells as ways to improve the learning conditions and process. In addition, allowing teachers to work as teams or pairs if necessary, can help them coordinate and save efforts in the creation of materials and assessment. Finally, having clear policies for continuous teacher training and academic growth are also advisable. Teaching should not be a lonely experience, and it should be focused on teaching and learning, not on paperwork. 10 Jenaro Diaz-Ducca THE STUDENTS’ VOICE

Friends: The American Sitcom That Undoubtedly Knows How To Deal With Cultural References

By Christian Moya (ILE Student-San Carlos)

Have you ever wondered what makes Friends so special? Have you ever asked yourself why after the first aired episode you still hear references from the sitcom? How did a show from the 90’s manage to keep attracting young audiences after all these years? Although there are people who have never watched the series, they might have listened to somebody, at least once, talking about it. Friends is about a group of six friends (Mónica Geller, Rachel Green, Phoebe Buffay, Ross Geller, Joey Tribbiani, and Chandler Bing) going through the process of what it is like to grow up from life experiences and become an adult. What is interesting about this sitcom is how significant it became for the audience as many viewers can relate to plenty of situations shown in scenes. More than just making people laugh about their portrayal of their characters, Friends gave voice to several cultural aspects highlighting, all over the ten seasons, outstanding contributions such as common English spoken vocabulary for non-native English speakers, the concept of what a real family is, and how to cope with life when you are in your twenties.

If you find yourself sick and tired of having to stick to boring grammar books and long readings to broaden your vocabulary, you can make yourself comfortable at home and watch the TV show Friends. The American sitcom has proven to be one of the favorite pedagogic strategies for learning English vocabulary. Since it is not the traditional way learners are accustomed to learning their metalanguage rules and structures, it makes the process much more engaging. Most of the time, the cast uses up to date native spoken vocabulary. Such lexicon can be of great use as casual talking in your daily com- municative interactions. As stated by Nurain (2020), “Sitcoms, as a corpus, have a remarkable impact on increasing EFL students’ cultural awareness of multi-cultural contexts.” This is a highly recommended opportunity to get familiar with American slang and idioms being used in context as well. The more you try to mimic how each character enunciates what they say and the words they use to do so, the more you can dig into unknown word meanings and even end up improving pronunciation. Friends simply makes the English learning process fun for non-native speakers to practice and learn about their target language.

The popular worldwide known series re-engineers the ideal of what we understand an average family is about. TV shows were used to displaying what a perfect family looks like and telling everyone that family comes first. Nevertheless, Friends broke down those fake social construct patterns to portray there is no such thing as a perfect family circle. Families in reality tend to be messy and unreliable. Lots of people come from dysfunctional homes; parents getting divorced, parents leaving home forever, teenagers getting out of control or leaving home to have a life on their own, etc. Those are some of the circumstances each of the characters face as part of their realness. Thankfully, there is one thing in life that makes problems seem smaller: a friend. Edna Buchanan once said: “Friends are the family we choose for ourselves.” Generally, this is a fact for young people. According to Dillner (2017), “Friend- ships are less judgmental and more likely to be positive.” Teens commonly look for their friends to have a little space where to escape and not to worry about their issues for a while knowing they might not receive support from their family. Friends teaches audiences that no matter how difficult it is what you are going through in life, you will always have someone there for you at the end of the day.

By the time you turn thirty, you must have settled down to be successful in life. At least that is what society expects from people at such an age. Societal trends in adulthood have been strictly marked in many people’s milestones over the years. Arnett (2004) “describes emerging adulthood as the time from the end of adolescence to the young-adult responsibilities of a stable job, marriage and parent- hood.” 11 THE STUDENTS’ VOICE

In contrast, some people choose not to continue with those tendencies and follow their own rhythm. The American TV series displays the panorama of six friends who barely know what the future holds for them. However, it gives them a sense of adventure to discover what really fulfills their internal desires instead of having someone telling them what to do with their lives. The cast highly demon- strates throughout the seasons how the real world works for emerging adults. Grown-ups still suffer from anxiety, they go through toxic romantic relationships, career setbacks, insecurities, and finan- cial instability. In other words, being an adult is not only about reaching all those expectations society demands to fit in its constructs at an established age but also accomplishing what truly matters to you. There is no age to achieve what makes a human successful.

Friends serves as an amiable companion for people to immerse themselves in the United States’ culture and put that knowledge into real-life cultural situations. Every person who sees the sitcom identifies, at certain points, with one or more of the different personalities displayed by the actors and actresses who play each of the characters. It is fascinating to see how a series can cross borders and make audiences connect to it deeply. The TV show has such a powerful influence that lots of people can tell they have learned how to use useful idioms and slang during a conversation such as have a crush on somebody, freak out about something, come out of your shell, etc. They also have been able to recognize some expressions being used in informal written texts without checking the meaning on the internet. Another aspect that makes Friends’ content appealing to new generations is that even though it was filmed twenty-six years ago, there is always something momentous to learn about from those periods of time back then. From Kutulas’ (2018) point of view, “viewers would not just watch the show passively or while channel-surfing but care enough about the characters to pay attention and interact with the show.” As argued, the show managed to discuss topics of interest to reason about like going through a breakup, looking for a job, going on a date, becoming independent, and moving out of a broken home. The popular and timeless American sitcom certainly became a crucial part of fans’ general culture, and it keeps attracting new generations to the fan’s community.

Works cited Dillner, L. (June 12, 2017). Do friends make you happier than family? The Guardian.https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/jun/12/does-family-make-you-hap pier-than-friends

Kutulas, J. (2018), Anatomy of a Hit: Friends and Its Sitcom Legacies. J Pop Cult, 51: 1172-1189. https://doi-org.ezproxy.sibdi.ucr.ac.cr/10.1111/jpcu.12715

Munsey, C. (2006, June). Emerging adults: The in-between age. Monitor on Psychology, 37(7).http://www.apa.org/monitor/jun06/emerging

Nurain, O. (2020). Enhancing EFL Students’ Cultural Awareness through Friends Sitcom. International Journal of Applied Linguistics & English Literature, 9(4), 76. https://www.journals.aiac.org.au/index.php/IJALEL/article/view/6286/4416

Photo Credit licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Friends_actors_montage. jpg 12 POP WORLD Ninjas (county) region (present-day south- torial lord) in the Sengoku period eastern Shiga Prefecture) and Iga around the country actually hired Province region (present-day west- Genin. The Iga school excelled in ern Mie Prefecture). They didn’t individual activities, while the Koga wear “exclusive” costume, but ap- school excelled in group activities. propriately dressed for the situation Origin and transition (in the town, dressed like townspeo- There are several theories about the ple and when they broke into a res- origin of ninja. They formed some idence, dressed like a servant), and groups in regions around Japan. there is a theory that people be- Particularly, groups of ninja which lieved that ninja was wearing black were based in Koga and Iga were costume because ninja in kabuki famous. In these locations, there was described as “invisible pres- were many ninja houses and they ence” like kuroko (stage assistants conducted daily training. Since dressed in black). most territories of Koga and Iga Since they focused on escaping were shoen (manor in medieval Ja- rather than fighting, usually they pan) in the Kamakura period, they didn’t wear heavy kusari-katabira were not controlled by shugo (pro- to be as nimble as possible. While vincial constable) or jito (manager kusari-katabira was drawn simply in and lord of manor), but when the the comic expression, it developed shoen system collapsed in the Sen- a design of character who wear goku period (in Japan), dozens of ji- a mesh shirt. The sword carried on zamurai groups struggled for power. Ninja is a name of individual or the back encumbered their move, It is considered that “Ninjutsu” arose group who served daimyo (Japa- they normally belted a sword on. spontaneously in the condition that nese territorial lord) or feudal lord However, when they crawled under each jizamurai always fought an in- doing intelligence activities and as- floor, they carried a sword on the formation war and a guerrilla war to sassinations from the Kamakura pe- back to move easily in the narrow maintain power. riod to Edo period in Japan. space and used it as a shield. They Legend of the Hattori clan conducted various special train- Ninja was a group who was mainly In 1962, “kamijima-ke bunsho (Doc- ings and had special tools, the tools doing covert operations for a feu- uments of the Kamijima family) are called “Ningu” dal lord. Their position was different and the various (a manuscript copied in the end from that of samurai or ashigaru techniques including art of escap- of the Edo period) “ was found at (common foot soldier). ing are called “Ninjutsu.” an old household in Ueno city. Ac- They are often described as A recent study shows that ninja cording to the document, the third “dressed in solid black”, “wearing was a group of engineers who had son of Gensei UESHIMA who was a kusari-katabira (chain woven pro- abundant knowledge of animals member of the Hattori clan in Iga tective wear) inside and paint their and plants, and chemistry as well as Province was an actor of Sarugaku face with black ink”, “carrying a a group of intelligence agents who (form of theater becoming the ba- sword on the back” or “break into had great physical ability and were sis for Noh), Kanami and his mother the enemy territory under cover strictly disciplined. was a sister of Masashige KUSUNO- of darkness”, but a figure in black Ninja was divided into ranks such as KI. In other words, Kanami was a costume can be seen in the night, Jonin (high-ranking ninja), Chunin nephew of Masashige KUSUNOKI. thus it is considered that their cos- (middle-ranking ninja) and Gen- There is no specific reason, but it is tume was dark blue or persimmon in (low-ranking ninja). In Iga, Jonin called a false family record. Zeami color. Most of the existing costumes were goshi (country samurai) or who was a son of Kanami also said, which are considered to be “ninja jizamurai (local samurai) and as “My ancestor is the Hattori clan.” costume” are persimmon color or landlords, they controlled Genin In Iga Province, three families of Jo- similar colors. There is a theory that it who were kosakunin (tenant farm- nin, the Fujibayashi clan, the Momo- was cheaper to make the costume er). Chunin were kogashira (head chi clan and the Hattori clan con- in persimmon color than in black. of an organizational section) lead- trolled other jizamurai and adopted There is a theory that the ninja ing Genin. In Koga, the highest rank collegial system to form the area costume was made based on the was not Jonin, but Chunin. It is said not controlled by daimyo (Japa- working clothe used in Koga gun that the daimyo (Japanese terri- nese territorial lord) in the Sengoku 13 POP WORLD

Period. They united and fought brought from Kishu Province into gi-onmitsu (shogunate spy). These against invasion from outside, when the same rank with Igamono, oni- theories have no crucial foundation Nobunaga ODA sent Katsutoshi waban is not related to ninja (for and are just works of imagination for TAKIGAWA, a Chikujo Bugyo (mag- details, refer to the section of Oni- now. istrate of building a castle), Katsu- waban). Rinzo MAMIYA, an explorer in the toshiTAKIGAWA, a Chikujo Bugyo When Iemitsu TOKUGAWA ruled, Edo period, was a spy of the sho- (magistrate of building a castle), roju (member of shogun’s council gunate and it may be said that he Katsutoshi TAKIGAWA to control Iga of elders) (Nobutsuna MATSUDAIRA, was a ninja in the broad sense. At Province, they dismissed him, and Tadaaki ABE and Masamori HOT- least his action that he betrayed also eliminated Nobukatsu ODA’s TA) and sobashu (aide of the sho- Kageyasu TAKAHASHI in the Siebold army who invaded in retribution gun) (Masamori NAKANE) forced Incident was criticized from a Con- (the first Tensho Iga War). When the government by the military. As fucian moral standpoint and de- Nobunaga schemed a conspiracy a result, increased ronin (masterless scribed as a typical action of cruel with a part of enemy and invaded samurai) emerged as a social issue ninja. again with a great army, the other and major events (uprisings)such as When Kurofune (the Black Ships) led groups of ninja in Iga Province suf- Shimabara War and Keian Incident by Commodore Matthew PERRY fered catastrophic damage (the (Shosetsu YUI). arrived off the coast of Urawa, the second Tensho Iga War). It is said At the time of Shimabara War and shogunate spy acted for investiga- that Tanba MOMOCHI and other Keian Incident, Masamori NAKANE tion and it was the last activity of so- one hundred ninja fled down to Ne- sent about 20 yoriki (a police ser- called ninja. goro, Kishu Province. geant) to several places around Ninja after the Meiji period Under the feudal system character- and made them investigate details. In Meiji period, the administration istic of the Tokugawa shogunate Also, there is a record that when was transferred to new Meiji Gov- Iga ninja started to be hired by Edo Shimabara War occurred, a squad ernment and Japanese army and bakufu (Japanese feudal govern- of Koga ninja sneaked into Hara-jo navy were created through mod- ment headed by a shogun) be- Castle where rioters barricaded ernization policy, then ninja lost their cause when Ieyasu TOKUGAWA vis- themselves and found the fact that job. It is said that after ninja lost the ited Sakai (present-day Sakai City, rioters’ provisions were running out. scene of their activities, they got Osaka Prefecture) for sightseeing TAIRA no Tadamasa who was de- new jobs such as farmers, police- at the time of Honnoji Incident, they scended from the Taira clan and men, pyrotechnicians with special escorted and helped him to pass the Hattori clan were relatives and skills of using fire, doctors or pharma- through Iga Province. In particular, Nakane was an uncle of Masashige cists with knowledge of medicine. Masanari HATTORI was treated pref- HATTORI (the fourth Hanzo HATTORI) Since the said arrival of Kurofune, erentially and one of the gate of who fell from power because of the the existence of ninja had been for- Edo-jo Castle was named after him involvement in Okubo Nagayasu gotten, but ninja started to be fea- and it still remains as a geograph- Incident. For this reason, the the- tured in novels and period dramas ical name of Tokyo, “Hanzomon”. ory that Nakane was a ninja was from late 1950 and they have come As well as seeking inside information formed. to be recognized among Japanese of territorial lords for the Tokugawa A haikai poet, Basho MATSUO who again. shogunate, they kept peace of the walked across provinces in the Edo Edo-jo castle town as doshin (a po- period was from an area which is lice constable) by handling surveys present-day Iga City, Mie Prefec- near the Edo-jo Castle, guard of ture. Thus, there is a theory that O-oku (the inner halls of Edo Castle Basho MATSUO was actually a ninja where the wife of the Shogun and or a spy and it is used as a subject her servants reside) and manage- of novels and so on. The fact that it ment of vacant residences. Oniwa- is physically difficult for 47 years old ban (the shogunate’s guard of the man to travel tens of kilometers per inner garden) is often considered day as described in his book “the to be same as ninja, but it is a mis- Narrow Road to the Deep North” understanding, actually Yoshimune was used as the basis for the theo- TOKUGAWA, the eighth shogun just ry. An ukiyoe artist, Hokusai KATSU- classified Kusurigomeyaku (the pre- SHIKA who lived in the Edo period is decessor of oniwaban) whom he also considered to have been a ko-

Information adapted from: https://japanese-wiki-corpus.github.io/culture/Ninja%20(professional%20spy%20in%20feudal%20Japan%20highly%20trained%20in%20stealth%20and%20secrecy).html Photo credit: https://pixabay.com 14 DID YOU KNOW...? Why Is It Important To Pay Attention To The OzoneLayer? tract when present at concentrations significantly above natural levels. Symptoms of exposure in- clude:

•itching and watery eyes •sore throats •swelling and congestion of the nasal passages.

At elevated levels, ozone can also: •reduce vegetation growth •damage materials such as rubber, fabric, masonry and paint •reduce visibility.

Air quality standards The recommended air quality Ozone is a colourless, highly reac- normally measured on summer af standards for ozone are: tive gas with a distinctive odour. It is formed naturally by electrical ternoons in areas downwind from •0.10 parts per million (ppm) discharges (for example, light- the sources of ozone precursors for a 1-hour exposure period ning) and in the upper atmo- (nitrogen oxides and VOCs). •0.08ppm for a 4-hour exposure sphere at altitudes of 15–35km. Combustion processes (includ- period. The upper atmosphere ozone lay- ing motor vehicle engines, power er protects the earth from harmful stations or bushfires) are the ma- These standards are designed to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. jor sources of nitrogen oxides and keep ozone concentrations be- The ozone layer reduction rep- VOCs. low the levels that affect sensitive resents a global atmosphere issue. Bushfires generate large quantities members of the population. of the pollutants that form ozone. Photochemical smog In recent years, ozone levels high- At ground level, elevated concen- er than guideline values in South trations of ozone are produced by East Queensland have usually chemical reactions between sun- been associated with bushfires light and certain air pollutants. or burning-off events during calm Given sunlight and suitable weath- weather conditions. Rather than er conditions, nitrogen oxides being dispersed by winds the sta- and volatile organic compounds ble weather conditions allow the (VOCs) can react to form photo- bushfire emissions to build up. chemical oxidants, commonly re- ferred to as photochemical smog, Environmental and of which ozone is the major com- Health Effects of Ozone ponent. At ground level, elevated ozone The reactions that produce pho- concentrations can cause health tochemical oxidants usually occur and environmental problems. during strong sunlight over several Ozone can affect the cardiac hours. Highest concentrations are system and irritate the respiratory 15 Information adapted from: https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/pollution/monitoring/air/air-pollution/pollutants/ozone Photo credit: https://pixabay.com TECHNOLOGY BITS

Bloom’s Taxonomy

by Patricia Armstrong, former Assistant Director, Center for Teaching Background Information In 1956, Benjamin Bloom with collaborators Max Englehart, Edward Furst, Walter Hill, and David Krath- wohl published a framework for categorizing educational goals: Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Familiarly known as Bloom’s Taxonomy, this framework has been applied by generations of K-12 teachers and college instructors in their teaching. The framework elaborated by Bloom and his collaborators consisted of six major categories: Knowl- edge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation. The categories after Knowl- edge were presented as “skills and abilities,” with the understanding that knowledge was the necessary precondition for putting these skills and abilities into practice. While each category contained subcategories, all lying along a continuum from simple to complex and concrete to abstract, the taxonomy is popularly remembered according to the six main categories.

This graphic, released under a Creative Commons attribution license, provides a quick overview of Bloom's taxonomy of the kinds of cognitive processes often asked of students in educational settings. The graphic reflects the 2001 revision of the original Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives. For more on Bloom's taxonomy, see the Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching guide on the subject: cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/. 16 TECHNOLOGY BITS

The Original Taxonomy (1956) Here are the authors’ brief explanations of these main categories in from the appendix of Taxon- omy of Educational Objectives (Handbook One, pp. 201-207): •Knowledge “involves the recall of specifics and universals, the recall of methods and processes, or the recall of a pattern, structure, or setting.” •Comprehension “refers to a type of under standing or apprehension such that the individual knows what is being communicated and can make use of the material or idea being communicated without necessarily relating it to other material or seeing its fullest implications.” •Application refers to the “use of abstractions in particular and concrete situations.” •Analysis represents the “breakdown of a communication into its constituent elements or parts such that the relative hierarchy of ideas is made clear and/or the relations between ideas expressed are made explicit. •Synthesis involves the “putting together of elements and parts so as to form a whole.” •Evaluation engenders “judgments about the value of material and methods for given purposes.”

Why Use Bloom’s Taxonomy? The authors of the revised taxonomy suggest a multi-layered answer to this question, to which the author of this teaching guide has added some clarifying points: •Objectives (learning goals) are important to establish in a pedagogical interchange so that teachers and students alike understand the purpose of that interchange. •Organizing objectives helps to clarify objectives for themselves and for students. •Having an organized set of objectives helps teachers to: “plan and deliver appropriate instruction”; “design valid assessment tasks and strate gies”;and “ensure that instruction and assessment are aligned with the objectives.”

Information takenfrom: https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/ 17 Phot Credit (Bloom’s Taxonomy Tree): https://www.virtuallibrary.info/blooms-taxonomy.html LANGUAGE FOCUS

The Magic Realism Of Gabriel Garcia Marquez By Mark Briggs Borges, the ‘pre-boom’ Argentinian underdevelopment. But writers like Sal - writer was perhaps the first successful man Rushdie, Arundhati Roy, Ben Okri, author to use the genre effectively. The Louis de Bernieres, Toni Morrison would critic Angel Flores was the first to use the not be what they are without the influ- term about the work of Borges, appro- ence of Magical Realism.” priating it from the world of art where it The subversion of what is normal and had been used by German critic Franz promotion of the alternative has also Roh in reference to art in the ‘New Ob- led some to suggest the genre is politi- jectivity’ movement. cal subversive. Given the region’s histo- Magical Realism has been largely at- ry of power, from colonial to dictatorial, tributed to Latin American literature, this could also be another explanation with works from other parts of the world for its development in Latin America. more quickly labelled as fantasy or sci- Marquez explores many themes in his ence fiction. It is separate in style, not as stand out work, from people’s inability escapist. It is as much about the realism to escape time, fuelled by the repeti- as the magical. It isn’t speculative as tion of names for multiple characters, to with science fiction. the circular notion of time; the book’s While in Macondo the inhabitants ac- sense of solitude with no character cept ascension as an occupational finding true love could make the nov- hazard when it comes to the laundry, el depressing, but the magic lifts this to they marvel at ice and don’t take to produce wonder rather than sadness in Gabriel Garcia Marquez is one of the the cinema, convinced they are being the reader. most famous Latin American authors tricked. The book follows the popular narrative of all time. He won the Nobel Prize for Success in Latin America, especially of the Colombian nation and has been Literature in 1982 and is best known for during the 60s has been attributed to widely translated, becoming the best the novels One Hundred Years of Soli- the close relationship the modern and selling work of the author. He began tude and Love in the Time of Cholera. the traditional world still had to each writing the book because he wanted to He has also become synonymous with other at the time in the region. write about the town where his grand- magical realism a style that became On being asked why Europeans didn’t father had lived. popular as part of the Latin American ‘get’ magical realism Marquez himself The quote on the billboard outside the boom in the middle of the last century. said, “This is surely because their ratio- town of Aracataca celebrating its most But what is magical realism and why did nalism prevents them seeing that reali- famous son reads, “I feel Latin Ameri- ‘Gobo’, as he’s affectionately known in ty isn’t limited to the price of tomatoes can from whatever country, but I have the Americas, use it in his writing? and eggs.” never renounced the nostalgia of my Marquez was born in the town of Ara- It’s a view that is shared with Philip homeland: Aracataca, to which I re- cataca in Colombia March 6th, 1927, Swanson, professor of Spanish at Shef- turned one day and discovered that raised as much by his grandparents as field University, “Essentially, the idea is between reality and nostalgia was the his parents. He began studying law at that our perception of reality is deter- raw material for my work.” the University of Cartagena but left to mined by our cultural assumptions. The When people look at Marquez’s work pursue a career in journalism. people of Macondo think nothing of a and see the magic in it, that’s one side He began writing fiction, and following young girl ascending into heaven or a of the coin, perhaps the other lies in the initial success, published One Hundred priest levitating after drinking a cup of more mundane and close to home. Years of Solitude in 1967. It follows seven hot chocolate, but they are amazed generations of the Buendía family in the and bewildered by trains, record play- fictional town of Macondo. The novel is ers, films and false teeth. So, our so- considered a mainstay of magical real- called First-world vision is not the only ism with magical elements interwoven way of understanding the world.” Pro- into seemingly ordinary situations. fessor Lawson told me. There is the ascension into heaven of He continued: “It came to prominence a character as she does the laundry, in Latin America but did go on to be the Colonel who knows when people enormously influential in world literature. are approaching, and the figure of Perhaps it seemed to happen in Latin Melquiades who returns from the dead America first because of the coexis- to live in the Buendia’s attic. tence of modern and indigenous be- Magical realism grew with the boom lief systems or the coexistence of rapid in Latin American literature. Jorge Luis urban development and ongoing rural 18 Information taken from: https://soundsandcolours.com/articles/colombia/the-magic-realism-of-gabriel-garcia-marquez-4638/ Gabriel García Márquez Photo Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Garcia_Marquez_in_liqui_liqui.jpg LANGUAGE FOCUSLANGUAGE CORNER

“English For You CR” Presents, Tearing Down the Myths #1: Speaking like a Native Starting 2021, we want to share with you topics that although many may find polemic, are intended to tear down some common myths regarding the process of learning a second language, in our context, English. As our Myth #1: We’ll discuss today the common misconception that as a learner you could (or even should) speak like a native user of English. This is a myth since it is not based on real evidence as shown on the deceitful advertisement of certain quack online academies. First of all, what do we mean by a “native-like level”? To answer this, let’s use your own example: what makes you a native speaker of Spanish? The ability to use grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and cultural elements (idioms, intonation, colloquial expressions, proxemics, etc) proficiently. They evidence that you belong to a people, nation, or cultural community (normally, the three at the same time). Does it mean that you speak Spanish perfectly? Of course not, because we make common grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation mistakes frequently. Therefore, do English speakers speak English without mistakes? No, obviously. Can you acquire a high-proficien- cy level in English grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation? You may, but only if you work hard enough. Will you sound like a native? No, because this would mean also acquiring the cultural elements we mentioned above. There’s always the possibility of moving to an English-speaking country and eventually assimilate into your host culture, but that’s another story. To summarize, you can be a high-intermediate or even an advanced user of English, without sounding like a native. Thus, don’t worry and do your best effort. Don’t lose motivation and push your limits every day.

Questions, suggestions or comments? Write to us at: [email protected], or at You can listen to our podcast including this section, music in English, and more in: www.EnglishforYouCR.com and www.facebook.com/english.foryoucr handsel

noun [han-suhl]

-a gift or token for good luck or as an expression of good wishes, as at the beginning of the new year or when entering upon a new situation or enterprise.

EXAMPLE: -Every visitor to the house received a handsel. www.dictionary.com 19 LANGUAGE CORNER LOUDER THAN WORDS

Western Wall, Jerusalem

The Western Wall is the holiest places where Jews are permitted to pray. It’s locat- ed in the Jewish Quarter of the UNESCO World Heritage listedOld City of Jerusalem. Also known as the Wailing Wall, the Wall is the western part of the Temple Mount, which is under the jurisdiction of Muslims through Status Quo. It formed part of the expansion project of the Second Temple begun by Herod the Great in 19 BC. Visitors the Western Wall must dress appropriately. No photos are allowed on Satur- days or Jewish holidays. The wall is open 24 hours a day. After passing through a security check, we entered Western Wall Plaza. This open area was controversially created in 1967, just 48 hours after Israel took Jerusalem in the Six-Day War. A small neighborhood known as the Moroccan Quarter stood just four meters (13 feet) from the Wall. The entire neighborhood was bulldozed, leaving 106 Arab families consisting of 650 people without a home. The area for Jewish prayer was en- larged from just 120 square meters

Information taken and adapted from: https://nomadicniko.com/2019/10/11/western-wall/ Photo Credit: https://pixabay.com