Vírgenes de América - La Patrona de Costa Rica "La Negrita"

Vírgenes de América

En América Latina el culto a la virgen María está presente en cada uno de los 21 países de la región, tanto así que inclusive cada país tiene su propia versión de la virgen. El marianismo es todo un culto de adoración a María madre de Dios y se le atribuyen poderes superiores que tienen la capacidad de ayudar e interceder, además de dar fortaleza a todo aquel que se lo pida. La virgen María está representada como una mujer pura, humilde, bondadosa, capaz de hacer grandes sacrificios y de una fortaleza infinita. Todavía hoy se educa a las mujeres latinoamericanas bajo la idea que es bueno parecerse a la virgen María.

Tres destinos y tres versiones de LA VIRGEN
1. Virgen de los Ángeles, la "Negrita"- Patrona de Costa Rica
2. Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe - Patrona de las Américas
3. Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre - Patrona de Cuba

Virgen de los Ángeles, la "Negrita"- Patrona de Costa Rica

Declarada patrona de los católicos de Costa Rica y protectora de los católicos de las Américas por el papa Juan Pablo II. La Fiesta de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles se celebra en Costa Rica cada 2 de Agosto en conmemoración del hallazgo en 1635 de una pequeña estatua de la Virgen María con su hijo.

Leen la leyenda y aprenden más

Este es una foto que yo saqué cuando estaba en Costa Rica. Esta niña estaba lavando su bebe mientras que yo llené mi botella con el agua bendecida. El arroyo de agua apareció con la virgen muchos años pasados.

¡Pienso que esta niña era muy linda!

¡Pura vida!

Mini Lesson on The Sagrada Familia, Barcelona Spain

Teaching about culture!

I'm currently teaching my Spanish II students about their travel vocabulary and we're talking about Barcelona, Spain. One of the topics we've talked about is the famous architect Antonio Gaudi - this video is about "La Sagrada Familia" Gaudi's masterpiece which has been under construction for three centries.

This is a video about "the collapse of the Sagrada Familia" but its a video that was created to help gain support for people to complain about the government approving the construction of an under-ground train system, which would run right under the Sagrada Familia.

I could show my students this video and use it to spark a class discussion and even possibly have them write a e-mails supporting this organization.

They could find more information about this cause and the Sagrada Familia at: sossagradafamilia.org

ePals Global Collaboration

ePals is a collaborative global community and learning network. It is a protected, project-based learning network that connects with classrooms in over 200 countries and territories. "ePals makes it easy o connect learners locally, nationally or internationally." There are four major features that ePals offers: ePals Learning Space, ePals Global Community, ePals School Mail, and In2Books. 1) ePals Learning Space: A safe virtual workspace for K-12 communication, collaboration and learning, and to store school work and documents online. There is an educator workspace that includes web 2.0 tools like: blogs, wikis, forums, digital lockers and much more! 2) ePals Global Community: This is the world's largest network of K-12 classrooms from over 200 countries and territories. Its free access to collaborative projects, join discussions in community forums and to search thousands of classroom profiles to engage with others in authentic exchanges. 3) ePals School Mail: An e-mail community designed with SchoolSafe technology and that is embedded student learning support. A cloud-based solution so districts will save a substantial amount of resources annually. 4) In2Books: An e-mentoring program for students that matches students with adult pen-pals, who read the same books. It is a place that is teacher-monitored, for students to exchange e-mails with their pen-pals and ask questions that will help further develop their understanding and opinions about a text they are reading in or out of the classroom. ePals has a lot of valuable resources which are a safe and effective ways teachers can teach their students valuable educational lessons as well as appropriate social media skills. I would have my students use their Spanish to communicate with classrooms from the Hispanic-Speaking world. They will be able to develop valuable cultural knowledge. They could ask foreigners various questions to reinforce their knowledge of topics we discuss in class: daily routines, traveling, lifestyle, sports and wellness, shopping, etc. Then my students could share the results from their research and collaborative communication with their peers and community.

Casa Batallo - Barcelona, Spain

Casa Batllo by vgm8383 Attribution-NonCommercial License

This is a great image I could use with my Spanish II students.

We are currently talking about their travel unit and concentrating on Barcelona, Spain. I've already introduced them to Antonio Gaudi and he was the mastermind behind Casa Batallo. I could show them this image and have them write down any words they'd use to describe the picture and then if they liked the design or not. I could then show them other pictures of the house (inside, outside, roof, etc.) and have them make additional observations.

Next, I could show them a famous house from U.S. history and culture like the white house or traditional home and have them compare and contrast the two using a Venn Diagram.

Finally, I could have them have a class discussion where they will have to express their opinions and observations.

A learner today s like a Scrolling Social News [Media] Ticker

A learner today is like a... Scrolling Social News [Media] Ticker.

"George Siemens’ learning theory of Connectivism is often cited by educators who are using the Internet for purposes of teaching and learning. He and Stephen Downes share a new perspective on learning in today’s world" (Maryanne Burgos, Ph.D., 2011).

"Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age" by George Siemens

http://www.itdl.org/Journal/Jan_05/article01.htm

I recently read an interesting article by George Siemens regarding Connectivism and how it effects modern learners. Within his article George Siemens defines learning, the half-life of knowledge, behaviorism and cognitivism, among other things to express the effects of technology on theories of learning.


"The 'half-life of knowledge' is the time span from when knowledge is gained to when it becomes obsolete. Half of what is known today was not known 10 years ago. The amount of knowledge in the world has doubled in the past 10 years and is doubling every 18 months according to the American Society of Training and Documentation (ASTD). To combat the shrinking half-life of knowledge, organizations have been forced to develop new methods of deploying instruction."


As mentioned in previous posts, I believe educators need to implement technology into the curriculum and educate students on how it can be a valuable tool to gain and share knowledge and a rapid pace. I agree with Mr. Siemens, "formal education no longer comprises the majority of our learning. Learning now occurs in a varety of ways - through communies of practice, personal neworks, and through completion of work-related tasks."

Mr. Siemens includes various quotes throughout his article from Driscoll, including Driscoll's concise definition of learning: "a persisting change in human performance potential...[which] must come about as a result of the learner's experience and interaction with the world." I agree with Siemens that Driscoll's definition includes aspects of various theories on learning - behaviorism, cogitivism, and constructivism. Learning is a constantly changing state developed and impacted by the experiences and interactions that a learner is presented. Learners are more likely to retain knowledge if they are able to create a personal connection or if it is something that is meaningful to them. Technology presents educators with a valuable tool inwhich we are able to create more meaningful lessons and through which students are able to express their personal opinions and reflections on global affairs.

George Siemens Video "The Impact of Social Media on Learning" (3:18 minutes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grI_h88vs3g&feature=PlayList&p=3E43054A8703F57A&index=3

I believe a learner today is like a Scrolling Social News [Media] Ticker because learning is and always should be a continual process, lasting for a lifetime. As seen on news channels around the world important updates are connstantly made to the news tickers on the bottom of the television screen. What was new news a few minutes, hours, days, ..etc. ago can be old news in a momment. Also as mentioned through George Siemens' video on "The Impact of Social Media on Learning" "Our learning today is one of forming networks with each other so our tools enable that effortlessly in a way thats is very human to us...most of us enjoy dialogue, conversations, we are social beings." Social media and modern technology gives us as well as our students a way in which we can develop our knowledge and thoughts regarding something we've never encountered with just a click of a mouse.

George Siemans also quoted Vygotski in his video: "Words really give life to our thoughts." Without language you can't have thought. Thoughts a internalzed conversations and you can't have conversations wthout words.

References

Driscoll, M. (2000). Psychology of Learning for Instruction. Needham Heights, MA, Allyn & Bacon.


Siemens, G. (2005, January). Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, Retrieved November 20, 2005



Siemens, G. The Impact of Social Media on Learning (3:18 minutes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grI_h88vs3g&feature=PlayList&p=3E43054A8703F57A&index=3
Retrieved January10, 2009. The Network is the Learning (3:14 minutes)