Let's Talk English File -- with teacher, Anthea Marks

Digital Literacy

Please Mr Postman- The Carpenters (1975)

European Commission launches network to foster web talent through Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-14-335_en.htm

About Diversity

Iversity.org is a platform for Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) whose main objective is to make a difference in education through the use of open online courses and supporting universities on their way into the digital age.

Useful links

Link to EC press release on the launch of first pan-European university MOOCs

Open Education Europa website

Startup Europe website

Grand Coalition for Digital Jobs website

Sense of community, hapiness in collectivistic society

 



"Humans are happier and feel more supported in collective environments"-  John F. Helliwell, Haifang Huang and Shun Wang on the Journal for Happiness Studies

--"get happiness not just from doing things with others, but from doing things both with and for others"

 "Our individualistic society contradicts this view as independence, autonomy, competition, distinct boundaries, self-reliance, and individual uniqueness is emphasized. While it may appear that bonds are forming they are often insincere and shallow lacking the true depth of inclusive fulfillment of emotional desires. This reinforces that an individual must survive and struggle in isolation. As people do not want to get involved they construct and utilize defense mechanisms to sustain limitations"

The last component includes emotional connections that can strengthen over shared history and investing of time together. Consequently, a safe space for dialogue where individuals can create, collaborate, and organize is essential (Wright, 2004).
Wright, S.P. (2004). Psychological Sense of Community: Theory of McMillan & Chavis (1986).

http://ucpsarnet.iglooprojects.org/forums/communitybuildingcitizensengagement/senseofcommunityindifferentculturalcontexts

http://www.afs.org/blog/icl/?p=3473


“Words that would show an individualistic orientation became more frequent. Examples of those words were ‘individual,’ ‘self,’ ‘unique,’” [researcher Patricia Greenfield] said. “Words that would represent a more communal or more family orientation went down in frequency. Some examples of those words are ‘give,’ ‘obliged,’ ‘belong.’”

“As we rise in wealth, along with that rise in wealth comes ideas of individuality and self-expression and autonomy and freedom — and loneliness,” [professor of psychology at University of California – Berkley Dacher] Keltner said.

Keltner said being wealthy does not inevitably mean isolation. But it probably does mean that the bonds of connection that came easily to us 200 years ago might now need to be carefully — and deliberately — cultivated.

This entry was posted in September 2013 eNewsletter, Worth Reading and tagged common good, community, eNewsletter, public values, worth reading. Bookmark the permalink.

http://www.publicworks.org/declining-sense-community/

"There’s no conflict between individualism and community. There’s a conflict between voluntary association and coerced association.
 
http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2011/05/individualism-community/

 

On-line Communities as Real Communities

 Recent studies have shown that the uses of the internet are instrumental, and closely connected to the work, family, and everyday life of internet users. For example, in the US, email represents over 85% of internet usage, and most of email volume is related to work purposes, to specific tasks, and to keep in touch with family and friends in real life (Anderson and Tracey, 2001).

 

From old to new — cultural identity and you

http://www.ukessays.com/essays/cultural-studies/the-dynamics-of-globalization-and-culture-cultural-studies-essay.php

“There is always a fracture between where I live and where I come from. I don’t think it’s possible to resolve this fracture. I saw that it was not just me, it was a shared phenomenon among immigrants.”
I have been interested in cultural identity forever.

When I talk about Poland with my foreign students,

I usually focus on introducing Polish "national character”, Polish Way. We debate on analogies and replication in social behavior of the Poles’ generations from the down up to present national customs, which form the Polish attitude. We talk about differences and similarities between the Poles and other European nations. My students also talk over the importance of the cultural universe, distinguishing features of the national character and traditions, as well. The lecture awakens students to Poland’s war with Communist rule, the Solidarity Movement –in 1989 official name of the state: Polish People's Republic became the history. This was a historic moment for all Europe; the a free and democratic Republic of Poland was born.

I have always felt Polish and being Polish is meaningful to me. My family has a long history. We have always been Polish; there are documents proving this.

Moreover, I feel that Polish history talks about my past and present family times, or another way around.

I am interested in your opinion about cultural diversity. What does it mean to be Canadian, French, Italian, American, German or British? Is your background significant?

 

Naturally Mafalda

To Uphold intellectual HONESTY

To bear in mind...why CITATION is important?

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/References_and_Plagiarism.pdf

http://library.stevens.edu/plagiarism

Polish Democracy 1

Europe, The European Union And European Identity

The EU in its most robust form stands at the pinnacle of this vision – an integrated Europe with a single market subject to common rules and a shared framework of human rights and justice. The plurality of European nations could flourish within an overarching shared commitment to democratic rules and human rights standards. Power and authority could be remoulded upwards and downwards: cities, sub-national regions, nation states and the supra-national structure of the EU could all exist together in a cosmopolitan structure defined by not to my nation right or wrong, but by a shared political culture of democracy, markets and social justice.http://www.social-europe.eu/2014/02/europe-european-identity/

For those special people, be PROUD of your "Chromosome 21"

Tablets Offer So Much More Than Just One Text

http://learningonlineinfo.org/

 

 

Tablets Offer So Much More Than Just One Text

What makes these devices so compelling in the classroom and at home is they can not only offer two textbooks on one device, but hundreds. As well as that, they’ve gotten excellent at browsing the web in the last couple of years. With thousands of excellent Flash games and resources on the web, this makes the tablet an incredibly versatile tool.

The mystery of the Basques

Bilbao World Design Capital 2014

National Anthem of Ukraine translated into English

Ruslana - Ukraine in Danger | Ep. 6

Adam Sicinski on Visual Thinking Skills for Developing Creativity

Introduction

So what is a web quest?

A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web. 

So your challenge is to do your research online and to add what you have learnt to your project.

Have fun!!  

Go to the next task page to find out what to do next.

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