Year 3
Number 83
October 5th
2002
__________________________________________________________
Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single
candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never
decreases by being SHARED
__________________________________________________________
Dear
SHARERS,
No
Saturday night fever tonight! Martin´s just come back from visiting his
“somebody special” and is not planning to go anywhere else and Sebas has confirmed he´s not going
anywhere : his three friends will be staying for dinner! and will sleep
over!
Marina´s
cooking some empanadas (together with pizza one of her very famous dishes) and
now she´ll have to cook an extra two dozen more, I
guess.
No
Saturday night fever! The boys are staying home and Marina and I will be
sleeping tight, much more relaxed to know everybody´s home like in the good all
days (not so long ago) when a Saturday night outing meant all four were going
somewhere together.
I´m
almost finishing this issue of SHARE and voices and laughter come from the
dinning-room. Marina is laughing too. Don´t you sometimes wish time stopped then
and there? This is how I feel now. Isn´t this happiness!
Love
Omar and
Marina
In SHARE
83
1.-
Issues in Distance Learning.
2.-
Teaching English with Technology.
3.-
Educación Superior y Nuevas Tecnologías
4.-
Course on Phonology and Discourse Intonation.
5.-
The Buenos Aires Players on line.
6.-
Quotations: Teachers and Computers.
7.-
A Basic Menu of Call Activities.
8.-
Jornadas Nacionales para Traductores e Interpretes.
9.-
Training Teachers to work in Companies.
10-
For Word Lovers: Pangram.
11-
Gran Festival Celta “Halloween”.
12-
Two Camels: A joke and a Moral.
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1.- ISSUES IN
DISTANCE LEARNING
Our
dear SHARER Angelica Prieto from La Plata has sent us this article which we are
pleased to SHARE with all of you.
Issues
in Distance Learning
by
Lorraine Sherry
Abstract
This review of literature and current information related to distance
learning deals with several primary research issues. These include redefining
the roles of partners in distance education teams, technology selection and
adoption, design issues, methods and strategies to increase interactivity and
active learning, learner characteristics, learner support, operational issues,
policy and management issues, equity and accessibility, and cost/benefit
tradeoffs. It is intended as a companion piece to Sherry and Morse's (1994)
Needs Assessment for Distance Education.
Issues in Distance Learning
Distance education technologies are expanding at an extremely rapid rate.
Too often, instructional designers and curriculum developers have become
enamored of the latest technologies without dealing with the underlying issues
of learner characteristics and needs, the influence of media upon the
instructional process, equity of access to interactive delivery systems, and the
new roles of teacher, site facilitator, and student in the distance learning
process.
This review of literature and current information related to distance
learning is an expansion and update of Schlosser and Anderson's (1994)
literature review for the Iowa model of distance education. Additional reports
were obtained through the Pacific Mountain Network, the ERIC database,
electronic communications via Internet with administrators of open universities
and open learning agencies throughout the world, collections of manuscripts and
documents in the Department of Instructional Technology and Special Education at
the University of Colorado at Denver, and personal communications with distance
education developers at professional conferences as well as school districts in
the Greater Denver area. It is intended as a companion piece to Sherry and
Morse's (1994) Needs Assessment for Distance Education, as well as background
information for other projects in telecommunications and distance
learning.
The issues addressed in this report reflect some of the primary research
issues covered by Schlosser and Anderson (1994), those stressed in the Far View
I-IV (1994) videotape series, descriptions and evaluations of current distance
education delivery systems by key administrators of open universities and open
learning agencies, and issues deemed important by participants in the Needs
Assessment for Distance Learning. These include redefining the roles of key
participants, technology selection and adoption, design issues, strategies to
increase interactivity and active learning, learner characteristics, learner
support, operational issues, policy and management issues, equity and
accessibility, and cost/benefit tradeoffs.
We will start with some definitions, history, theories, and systems of
distance education. Next, we will deal with methods and strategies for designing
and delivering instruction at a distance. We will then describe the
characteristics of distance learners, their modes of learning, factors which
influence success, and learner support systems. We will deal with operational
issues, including technology adoption and defining the roles of key personnel.
Finally, we will address management and policy decisions.
What is distance education?
Definitions
The terms "distance education" or "distance learning" have been applied
by many different researchers to a great variety of programs, providers,
audiences, and media. Its hallmarks are the separation of teacher and learner in
space and/or time (Perraton, 1988), the volitional control of learning by the
student rather than the distant instructor (Jonassen, 1992), and noncontiguous
communication between student and teacher, mediated by print or some form of
technology (Keegan, 1986; Garrison and Shale,
1987).
History and media
We find a rich history as each form of instructional media evolved, from
print, to instructional television, to current interactive technologies. The
earliest form of distance learning took place through correspondence courses in
Europe. This was the accepted norm until the middle of this century, when
instructional radio and television became
popular.
According to Margaret Cambre (1991), in the late 1950's and early 1960's,
television production technology was largely confined to studios and live
broadcasts, in which master teachers conducted widely-broadcast classes.
Unfortunately, teachers who were expert in the subject matter were not
necessarily the best and most captivating television talent, nor were the dull
"talking head" medium the best production method for holding the interest of the
audience. In the early 1970's, the emphasis turned from bringing master teachers
into the classroom to taking children out of the classroom into the outside
world. This had the negative effect of relegating television to the position of
enrichment, which was not perceived as really related to school work. This trend
was reversed later in the 1970's, as professionally designed and produced
television series introduced students to new subject matter that was not being
currently taught, yet was considered to be an important complement to the
classroom curriculum. Then, in the 1980's, the pendulum swung back to the
basics. The most recent trend has been one of multiculturalism, humanities, and
world affairs.
The major drawback of radio and broadcast television for instruction was
the lack of a 2-way communications channel between teacher and student. As
increasingly sophisticated interactive communications technologies became
available, however, they were adopted by distance educators. Currently, the most
popular media are computer-based communication including electronic mail
(E-mail), bulletin board systems (BBSs), and Internet; telephone-based
audioconferencing; and videoconferencing with 1- or 2-way video and 2-way audio
via broadcast, cable, telephone, fiber optics, satellite, microwave,
closed-circuit or low power television. Audiographic teleconferencing using slow
scan or compressed video and FAX is a low-cost solution for transmitting visuals
as well as audio (see Schamber, 1988; Barron & Orwig, 1993, for a
description of distance education delivery systems). Mosaic, a graphical
interface to the World Wide Web, has become popular in parts of Canada, Europe,
and Australia over the past year.
Today, political and public interest in distance education is especially
high in areas where the student population is widely distributed. Each region
has developed its own form of distance education in accordance with local
resources, target audience, and philosophy of the organizations which provide
the instruction. Many institutions, both public and private, offer university
courses for self-motivated individuals through independent study programs.
Students work on their own, with supplied course materials, print-based media
and postal communication, some form of teleconferencing and/or electronic
networking, and learner support from tutors and mentors via telephone or
E-mail.
The Office of Technology Assessment finds that, "...teachers have to be
allowed to choose, willing to make choices, and qualified to implement their
choices effectively. OTA finds that, just as there is no one best use of
technology, there is no one best way of teaching with technology. Flexibility
should be encouraged, allowing teachers to develop their personal teaching
approach utilizing the variety of options offered by technology" (US. Congress,
1988, p. 17).
Theories and philosophies of distance
education
The theoretical basis on which instructional models is based affects not
only the way in which information is communicated to the student, but also the
way in which the student makes sense and constructs new knowledge from the
information which is presented. Currently, there are two opposing views which
impact instructional design: symbol-processing and situated cognition (see
Bredo, 1994, for a full description and comparison of these two
approaches).
Until recently, the dominant view has been the traditional, information
processing approach, based on the concept of a computer performing formal
operations on symbols (Seamans, 1990). The key concept is that the teacher can
transmit a fixed body of information to students via an external representation.
She represents an abstract idea as a concrete image and then presents the image
to the learner via a medium. The learner, in turn, perceives, decodes, and
stores it. Horton (1994) modifies this approach by adding two additional
factors: the student's context (environment, current situation, other sensory
input) and mind (memories, associations, emotions, inference and reasoning,
curiosity and interest) to the representation. The learner then develops his own
image and uses it to construct new knowledge, in context, based on his own prior
knowledge and abilities.
The alternative approach is based on constructivist principles, in which
a learner actively constructs an internal representation of knowledge by
interacting with the material to be learned. This is the basis for both situated
cognition (Streibel, 1991) and problem-based learning (Savery & Duffy, in
press). According to this viewpoint, both social and physical interaction enter
into both the definition of a problem and the construction of its solution.
Neither the information to be learned, nor its symbolic description, is
specified outside the process of inquiry and the conclusions that emerge from
that process. Prawat and Floden (1994) state that, to implement constructivism
in a lesson, one must shift one's focus away from the traditional transmission
model to one which is much more complex, interactive, and
evolving.
Though these two theories are totally different in nature, effective
designers usually start with empirical knowledge: objects, events, and practices
which mirror the everyday environment of their designated learners. Then, with a
firm theoretical grounding, they develop a presentation which enables learners
to construct appropriate new knowledge by interacting with the instruction. To
quote the AI researcher, Herbert A. Simon, "Human beings are at their best when
they interact with the real world and draw lessons from the bumps and bruises
they get" (Simon, 1994).
Schlosser and Anderson (1994) refer to Desmond Keegan's theory of
distance education, in which the distance learning system must artificially
recreate the teaching-learning interaction and re-integrate it back into the
instructional process. This is the basis of their Iowa Model: to offer to the
distance learner an experience as much like traditional, face-to-face
instruction, via intact classrooms and live, two-way audio-visual interaction.
In contrast, the Norwegian Model has a long tradition of combining mediated
distance teaching with local face-to-face teaching (Rekkedal,
1994).
Hilary Perraton (1988) defines the role of the distance teacher. When,
through the most effective choice of media, she meets the distance students
face-to-face, she now becomes a facilitator of learning, rather than a
communicator of a fixed body of information. The learning process proceeds as
knowledge building among teacher and students. (See Scardamalia and Bereiter,
1994, for an example of electronic knowledge building
discussions.)
Distance education systems now involve a high degree of interactivity
between teacher and student, even in rural and isolated communities separated by
perhaps thousands of miles. The Office of Technology Assessment stresses the
importance of interactivity: distance learning allows students to hear and
perhaps see teachers, as well as allowing teachers to react to their students'
comments and questions (US. Congress, 1988). Moreover, virtual learning
communities can be formed, in which students and researchers throughout the
world who are part of the same class or study group can contact one another at
any time of the day or night to share observations, information, and expertise
with one another (VanderVen, 1994; Wolfe,
1994).
Systems of distance education
Traditionally, we think of distance learners as adults. Whole
institutions of higher learning, such as the United Kingdom's Open University,
Vancouver's Open Learning Agency, Norway's NKS and NKI Distance Education
organizations, Florida's Nova University, and a host of others, have been
dedicated to providing distance education at the post-secondary level for
decades. The University of South Africa (UNISA), in Praetoria, serving both
black and white students, has had a successful distance learning program for
decades. The Televised Japanese Language Program, developed at North Carolina
State University, provides instruction in Japanese to ten colleges and
universities in five Southeastern states (Clifford, 1990). The adult learner
tradition is now changing as new programs, such as the US. Federal government's
Star Schools Program, come into existence to serve the K-12 student
population.
At the elementary and middle school levels, distance learning usually
takes the form of curriculum enrichment modules and ongoing telecommunications
projects. Some examples of current projects are: De Orilla a Orilla, National
Geographic Kids Network, Biomes Exchange Project, Earth Lab, Ask Professor Math,
and AskAScientist (Barron, Hoffman, Ivers, & Sherry, 1994; US. Congress,
1988). Other modules are television-based, with the teacher as facilitator.
Students work in collaborative groups, using manipulatives and hands-on
activities in a distance learning environment (Pacific Mountain Network,
1994).
At the secondary level, locally or federally funded distance education
addresses the needs of small rural school districts or underserved urban school
districts. Some secondary school students may enroll in courses to meet
graduation requirements which their own districts are unable to offer; some take
advanced placement, foreign language, or vocational classes; others may be
homebound or disabled. In many instances, talented or gifted high school
students have been selected to attend distance classes because of their high
academic ability and capacity for handling independent work. This makes
classroom management easier, but it may disenfranchise students who lack
discipline or time management skills. The resulting inequity of access then
becomes a policy problem, not a technology
problem.
Although technology is an integral part of distance education, any
successful program must focus on the instructional needs of the students, rather
than on the technology itself. It is essential to consider their ages, cultural
and socioeconomic backgrounds, interests and experiences, educational levels,
and familiarity with distance education methods and delivery systems (Schamber,
1988). Students usually adapt more quickly than their teachers to new
technology. On the other hand, teachers who have begun to feel comfortable with
the equipment don't mind having their students teach them new tips and tricks
(Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow, 1992). The most important factor for successful
distance learning is a caring, concerned teacher who is confident, experienced,
at ease with the equipment, uses the media creatively, and maintains a high
level of interactivity with the students.
Design considerations
Systematic design and development
Willis (1992) describes the instructional development process for
distance education, consisting of the customary stages of design, development,
evaluation, and revision. In designing effective distance instruction, one must
consider not only the goals, needs, and characteristics of teachers and
students, but also content requirements and technical constraints. If unusual
delivery systems are required, they must be made accessible to all
participants.
Revision based on feedback from instructors, content specialists, and
learners is an ongoing process. Provisions must be made for continually updating
courses which depend on volatile information, to keep the subject matter current
and relevant (Porter, 1994).
Interactivity
Successful distance education systems involve interactivity between
teacher and students, between students and the learning environment, and among
students themselves, as well as active learning in the classroom. McNabb (1994)
noted that, though students felt that the accessibility of distance learning
courses far outweighs the lack of dialogue, there is still a considerable lack
of dialogue in telecourses when compared to face-to-face
classes.
Millbank (1994) studied the effectiveness of a mix of audio plus video in
corporate training. When he introduced real-time interactivity, the retention
rate of the trainees was raised from about 20 percent (using ordinary classroom
methods) to about 75 percent (p. 75). A key element in Porter's (1994) New
Directions in Distance Learning (NDDL) project is the enhancement of independent
learning materials through the use of interactive communications technologies
and teacher mediation. He projects a completion/success rate of around 60
percent over the life span of the pilot project (p.
26).
Interactivity takes many forms; it is not just limited to audio and
video, nor solely to teacher-student interactions. It represents the
connectivity the students feel with the distance teacher, the local teachers,
aides, and facilitators, and their peers. Garrison (1990) argued that the
quality and integrity of the educational process depends upon sustained, two-way
communication. Without connectivity, distance learning degenerates into the old
correspondence course model of independent study. The student becomes autonomous
and isolated, procrastinates, and eventually drops out. Effective distance
education should not be an independent and isolated form of learning; it should
approach Keegan's ideal of an authentic learning
experience.
Active learning
As active participants in the learning process, students affect the
manner in which they deal with the material to be learned. Learners must have a
sense of ownership of the learning goals (Savery & Duffy, in press). They
must be both willing and able to receive instructional messages. Salomon's study
(as cited in Saettler, 1990), found that the mental effort which a learner will
invest in a learning task depends on his own perception of two factors:
. The relevance of both the medium and the message which it contains
. His ability to make something meaningful out of the material presented.
Interestingly enough, Salomon found that television proved to be mentally
less demanding than printed text when comparable content was employed. By giving
students some expectations about the purpose of their viewing, he was able to
influence the effort that students invested in processing the content of
television instruction (Saettler, 1990, p.
487).
Visual imagery
Researchers have consistently found that instructional television can
motivate and captivate students, and stimulate an interest in the learning
process. Ravitch (1987), however, cautions us against the unintended side
effects of educational television in particular as well as "edutainment" in
general. Reliance on exciting visuals may distort the curriculum by focusing
students' attention on the entertaining and provocative features of the
presentation rather than encouraging thoughtful analysis of their underlying
meaning.
White (1987) adds that if complex issues are presented in short units,
through powerful images which may occur in any order, the end result may be
oversimplification and superficiality. Students must learn to discriminate
between "junk" information and quality information, to judge its reliability or
bias, to identify distortions and sensationalism, to distinguish facts from
persuasion, and to understand how the technology itself shapes the information
it carries (p. 60).
Effective communication
Ben Shneiderman (1992) cautions all instructional designers to begin with
an understanding of their intended users, and to recognize them as individuals
whose outlook is different from the designer's own. Horton (1994) states the
golden rule for designers of instructional visuals: "communicate unto others as
they would communicate unto themselves" (p. 32). In other words, if you want the
learner to construct an idea which is similar to yours, then use an image for
your presentation which will trigger a similar idea in the learner's mind, in
the context of the learning environment and the learner's prior experiences.
Needless to say, no two learners will form the same idea, nor is it
likely that their idea will be the same as that of the designer. How can this
problem be solved? The key to good instructional design lies in the image
presented. To quote Marshall McLuhan, "the medium is the message". Horton (1994)
notes that it is up to the designer to use advance organizers to create an
appropriate context for instruction select effective images, using appropriate
objects with relevant attributes, that will convey the same idea to the user as
they did to the designer.
Methods and strategies
Guided practice
The more familiar teachers are with the instructional design and delivery
process, the more effective their presentations will be. On a practical note,
they need training in instructional message design, strategies for delivering
instruction on-camera, methods of diversifying types of presentation, selecting
various mixes of student-teacher activities and interactions, choosing
situations and examples which are relevant to their students, and assessing the
level of learning by distant students. They also need plenty of guided, hands-on
practice developing and delivering courseware using audio, full-motion video,
graphics, and text, in front of a live audience yet still in a non-threatening
situation. Strategies such as using fewer overheads and more moving video,
interspersing "talking heads" with videos of sites, using hands-on experiments,
incorporating text and graphic art, and other guidelines for effective video
production are also valuable (see Willis, 1993, for a synopsis of distance
education strategies).
Site facilitators, too, benefit from training programs which emphasize
hands-on practice with the equipment they are expected to use. Sherry and Morse
(1994) found that those who had participated in structured training programs
felt comfortable using the equipment, were able to engage their students in the
learning process, and had mastered classroom management in a high-tech
classroom.
Media-based challenges
Foreign language instruction presents special instructional challenges,
not only because of the lack of immediate 2-way interaction that characterizes
many distance education programs, but also because of the loss of visual detail
in videoconferences due to signal compression-especially detailed lip movements.
This can be overcome by providing students with oral practice and feedback
through telephone conversations with the instructor, and by instructional
strategies that encourage frequent student-teacher and teacher-student dialogue
(Clifford, 1990; see also Bruce & Shade,
1994).
Effective distance learning requires extensive preparation, as well as
adapting traditional teaching strategies to a new learning environment which
often lacks visual cues. Porter (1994) speaks of the triad consisting of the
student, the teacher, and the site facilitator, all of whom must function as a
team. Students must quickly become aware of and comfortable with new patterns of
communication, learn to manage their time, and take responsibility for their own
learning. Teachers must enable students to establish contact with them, as well
as interact among themselves. Site facilitators can act as the on-site "eyes"
and "ears" of the teacher, stimulating interaction when distant students are
hesitant to ask questions or participate in
discussions.
Willis (1993) describes the strategies which are effective in distance
learning: namely, developing appropriate methods of feedback and reinforcement,
optimizing content and pace, adapting to different student learning styles,
using case studies and examples which are relevant to the target audience, being
concise, supplementing courseware with print information, and personalizing
instruction.
The variety of available media, too, presents a formidable research
problem. One cannot compare print-based independent study courses, electronic
projects on the Internet, classroom BBS postings, audio-conferences, and live,
two-way interactive television, and expect that these comparisons will be valid.
To add to this dilemma, media selection is often a question of media assignment.
Teachers and site facilitators need training in those technologies which they
are expected to use (Sherry & Morse, 1994).
McNabb(1994) notes that more experimental studies are needed in the area
of media selection, where researchers can compare the effectiveness of different
technologies which deliver similar content to similar audiences. It would be
useful to analyze the content of a learning module, the goals of the students,
teacher, and the school itself, implement some different technologies, and
determine what factors influence successful
delivery.
Distance learners
Many important issues stem from the characteristics of distance learners,
whose aims and goals may be quite different from those of traditional students.
As we have already mentioned, distance education systems were originally
developed at the post-secondary level, and are only recently being used at the
K-12 level.
Aims and goals
Adult learners have a wide variety of reasons for pursuing learning at a
distance: constraints of time, distance, and finances, the opportunity to take
courses or hear outside speakers who would otherwise be unavailable, and the
ability to come in contact with other students from different social, cultural,
economic, and experiential backgrounds (Willis, 1993). As a result, they gain
not only new knowledge but also new social skills, including the ability to
communicate and collaborate with widely dispersed colleagues and peers whom they
may never have seen.
Modes of learning
Another important variable in learning effectiveness is the preference of
the student for a particular mode of learning, i.e., cooperative, competitive,
or individualized (Johnson & Johnson, 1974). Many current distance education
projects incorporate cooperative learning, collaborative projects, and
interactivity within groups of students as well as between
sites.
Scardamalia and Bereiter's (1994) CSILE Project relies on distribution of
knowledge among students. Knowledge-building is accomplished through
student-initiated interactions and reflections, in real-time in class, and in
delayed-time using an electronic bulletin board system (BBS). Pea's (1994)
distributed multimedia learning environments involve a dialectical opposition
between the symbol-processing and constructivist viewpoints, to enable students
to construct and transform knowledge through progressive
discourse.
Effective learning, however, requires both knowledge of learner styles
and advance preparation on the part of the teacher or site facilitator. Teachers
and site facilitators are better able to make curriculum decisions to suit the
preferences of their students, such as grouping certain students productively
for project work, or assigning particular students to individual research
projects, if they can determine the prevalent learning modes within their own
classrooms. Site facilitators have the advantage of eye-to-eye contact and
personal contact with students in their classrooms, whereas studio teachers must
often rely on televised images, telephone conversations, or electronic messaging
for feedback on student preferences.
If a teacher recognizes the existence of these alternate learning styles,
and if he attempts to make a match between these modes and the content to be
learned, then he can develop a local instructional theory. As with most distance
learning situations, a localized theory has a greater prospect of success than a
general instructional theory intended to function satisfactorily in variety of
settings, with a variety of practitioners (Owens & Straton, 1980, p.
160).
Factors which influence success
Sylvia Charp (1994) notes that with greater autonomy, student
characteristics such as active listening and the ability to work independently
in the absence of a live instructor become crucial for success. David Godfrey
(personal communication, June 17, 1994) found that at most 80 percent of his
former students at the University of Victoria may possess such characteristics.
As a result, frequent, supportive teacher-student interaction and
student-student networking take on increased importance for the remaining 20
percent, as well as facilitating the learning process for all students involved
in the program.
Bernt and Bugbee's study (as cited in Schlosser & Anderson, 1994),
examined two types of study strategies used by distance students: primary,
cognitive strategies, such as active listening, and secondary, affective
strategies, such as ability to work independently of the instructor. As
expected, the researchers found that students who passed their courses differed
significantly in primary strategies from those who failed: in testwiseness,
concentration, and time management skills. In contrast to Charp, they found
little difference among them in secondary strategies: active learning,
diligence, and positive attitude.
Instructors tend to blame the high dropout rate among post-secondary
students on poor time management and procrastination. However, in a study of the
effectiveness of university-level audioconference courses in Alaska, Sponder
(1990) found that climate, geography, the efficiency of the postal system, the
university support network, telecommunications facilities, students' hearing
problems, and other factors also come into play. Miscommunication between
students and teachers, and lack of course relevance to students, may also have
negative repercussions.
Like Charp and Godfrey, Porter (1994) found that teacher mediation
increases the completion rate for distance education courses. Neither can we
assume that all students have sharpened their primary study skills to the same
extent, nor that a positive attitude will make the difference between success
and failure. Students need support and direction to enable them to make the
transition from traditional classroom environments to self-directed learning
particularly tools to help them monitor their progress and obtain timely
feedback on their activities.
Learner support
There are many ways of facilitating learner support. Studio teachers may
visit the distant site, or students may take a trip to the studio. This has
worked well in the Denver area where sites are few in number and not widely
scattered. Audio and video teleconferences or interactive chats with mentors and
other students are two real-time alternatives to site visitation, office hours
or telephone calls.
Interaction and support may also take place by delayed time. Students may
E-mail or FAX questions to their instructors or fellow students, or post them on
electronic BBSs. Teachers and peers, in turn, may respond at their convenience.
Frequent teacher-student interaction enables the teachers to get to know the
students better than if their only contact were via a televised image from a
distant classroom. Students, too, need guidance in putting information together,
reaching their tutors, completing and submitting assignments, and charting their
progress (Porter, 1994).
Teachers also need support when they are learning about new technology,
regardless of their level of classroom experience. As they begin their hands-on
training with new technologies, some feel intimidated by the equipment, even in
a non-threatening environment. At this point, they need to be able to
communicate with other teachers who have gone through this process themselves,
and who are competent to advise them and serve as role models. For example, the
University of South Florida has set up a mentoring system and an on-line
discussion for participants in the telecommunications course. Athabasca
University assigns ten students to one mentor in the Master of Distance
Education program. The University of Wisconsin uses audioconference seminars to
link instructors together. The University of British Columbia uses
teleconferences with other students and tutors, as well as a telephone tutoring
system. Georgia College has an electronic BBS with on-line resources, electronic
conferencing, and a Teacher Clearinghouse for contacting other teachers
interested in telecommunications (Barron, Ivers, & Sherry,
1994).
Operational issues
These involve planning, administration, management, and economics, all of
which are crucial for a successful distance education program. In particular, we
must consider the roles of the teacher-facilitator-student triad, training of
teachers and staff, implementation and adoption of new technology, and policy
issues such as facilities, cost, and scheduling.
The teacher-facilitator-student triad
In traditional education, teachers interact directly with their students.
They prepare their own support materials, lecture notes, and tests, and are
autonomous within their classroom. In contrast, distance learning teachers are
not in direct classroom contact with their students. Communication is mediated
not only by the technology, but also by a host of team partners which may
include editors, designers, producers, technicians, media specialists, local
tutors, aides, site facilitators, and service providers. Since many people must
collaborate to produce and disseminate quality distance educational programming,
the need to plan and coordinate staff activity is essential. In particular, we
must define the roles of two key people: the teacher and the site facilitator.
The teacher
The distance learning teacher, or studio teacher, is the common thread
throughout the distance learning process. She must be certified for the
appropriate grade level, knowledgeable in her subject area, and trained in
effective distance education strategies. She is responsible for knowing the
subject matter, preparing lesson plans and producing an instructional module or
course, selecting support materials, delivering the instruction effectively
on-camera, determining the degree of student interaction, and selecting the form
of distance evaluation or assessment.
A studio teacher must be better organized than an ordinary classroom
teacher. Additionally, she must be at ease with the equipment, and not let the
technology get in the way of her presentation. This requires ongoing training in
the form of regular observation of a master teacher, training in the use of
carefully selected print, audio, graphics, and video materials, hands-on
hardware training, and the chance to network with other teachers and
facilitators on course progress (Talab & Newhouse, 1993). For example, the
Iowa Department of Education requires a teacher, who is appropriately licensed
and endorsed for the educational level and content being taught, to receive
training regarding effective practices which enhance learning by
telecommunications (Schlosser & Anderson, 1993, p.
40).
Currently, few teachers have had sufficient training or field experience
to enable them either to be effective distant teachers or to use technology
successfully in their classrooms. Proper training would help distance learning
teachers to change their method of teaching and give more attention to advanced
preparation, student interaction, visual materials, activities for independent
study, and follow-up activities (US. Congress, 1989, p.
11).
Schlosser and Anderson (1993) identify the new skills which teachers must
learn as they assume the role of distance educators:
. understanding the nature and philosophy of distance education
. identifying learner characteristics at distant sites
. designing and developing interactive courseware to suit each new
technology
. adapting teaching strategies to deliver instruction at a distance
. organizing instructional resources in a format suitable for independent
study
. training and practice in the use of telecommunications systems
. becoming involved in organization, collaborative planning, and
decision-making
. evaluating student achievement, attitudes, and perceptions at distant
sites
. dealing with copyright issues
(pp. 32-37). (See Sherry and Morse, 1994, for rankings of these skills by
Denver educators.)
The site facilitator
The site facilitator is an extension of the studio teacher, though he
need not be a teacher himself. His responsibilities are to motivate and
encourage the remote site students, keep up their enthusiasm, and maintain
discipline in the classroom. He is also responsible for smooth running of
equipment, helping students with interaction, handing out, collecting, and
grading papers, guiding collaborative groups who are working with manipulatives,
answering questions when necessary, and assisting the studio teacher when asked.
The site facilitator also carries out the assessment procedure defined by the
teacher, via print, portfolios, on-line communications, or
FAX.
Schlosser and Anderson (1994) have found that, in general, site
facilitators have an average of four classes, are mid-career staff rather than
beginning teachers, are anxious about using new technology, and are selected by
their principals because of their subject background, availability, and general
teaching ability, rather than volunteering to be assigned as facilitators (p.
4).
Talab and Newhouse (1993) identified a number of concerns about
instructional design and classroom management which were voiced by site
facilitators, including
. facilitating vs. traditional teaching
. preparation
. timing and scheduling
. classroom logistics
. other responsibilities.
ACOT researchers (Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow, 1992) identified these
concerns:
. student misbehavior and attitudes
. physical environment
. technical problems
. classroom dynamics.
ACOT notes that classroom management, like technology expertise, is not a
skill that is mastered once and for all by instructors in high-tech classrooms.
They progress through a three-stage model of survival, mastery, and impact. It
may take them at least two years to change their focus from being anxious about
themselves, their new physical environment, equipment malfunctions, and student
misbehavior, to anticipating problems and developing alternate strategies,
exploring software more aggressively, sharing ideas more freely, increasing
student motivation and interest, and using technology to their advantage. As
classroom contexts change, so do classroom management issues. Educational change
takes time, a great deal of support, and peer networking and guidance. In
general, teachers tend to focus on the increased workload and drawbacks
associated with an innovation before the benefits of change emerge and the
innovation takes hold.
Since their activities are closely related to those of the teacher,
facilitators need similar training. However, some site facilitators perceive
themselves as end users, rather than designers, of distance instruction, so they
feel that they require less emphasis on instructional systems design. Typical
comments of site facilitators about the teaching/learning experience are that
they have benefited from
. hands-on training and practice with assigned equipment
. a technical support team who can install, troubleshoot, and maintain
classroom equipment and outside resources
. their own experiences anticipating equipment problems and working
around them
. site visitation by studio teachers (Sherry & Morse, 1994).
Technology adoption
Purchasing and maintaining appropriate equipment, and training teachers
and facilitators to use it effectively, are necessary conditions, but are not
sufficient in themselves to assure a school district of an excellent distance
education program. There are other factors involved, many of which are affective
rather than cognitive, such as user-friendliness and the ability to implement
learner support. Ravitch (1993) notes that school organization has been
traditionally hierarchical and bureaucratic, whereas new technologies challenge
this model.
Talab and Newhouse (1993) have found that many teachers are slow to
incorporate new technologies into their classrooms because they are now seen as
workers, rather than as instructional leaders or motivating forces within their
classrooms. On the other hand, the technological innovations that have been
adopted by teachers are those which solved problems that the teachers themselves
identified as important, regardless of outside change agents, the school
administration, or the opinions of non-teachers. Successful technological
innovations must take into consideration the social and political climate of the
school, and must also reinforce the authority of the teacher, rather than
undermine it.
The Office of Technology Assessment has found many powerful examples of
creative teachers using computers and other learning technologies to enhance and
enrich their teaching. But first, four interrelated conditions must be met:
. training in the skills needed to work with technology
. education providing vision and understanding of state-of-the-art
developments and applications
. support for experimentation and innovation
. sufficient time for learning and practice.
(US. Congress, 1988, p. 16).
Kell and others (1990) reinforced this view by naming five conditions
that are conducive to change in the classroom:
. a shared vision of teaching and learning
. leadership and support for new technology from school administrators
. organizational conditions allowing flexibility, time, and incentives to
experiment with new instructional methods
. opportunities for communication, interaction, and peer support among
teachers
. training and personalized support over time for teachers.
Holloway and Ohler (1991) found that a widely accepted technology is most
often defined by a single characteristic: it makes a task rewarding for the
user, where the "user" includes the student first, and the faculty second. If it
does not make performance of a task rewarding, there is little motivation to
accept the technology. Conversely, if it simplifies or expedites accomplishment
of a goal, the probability of acceptance is high (p.
263).
Talab and Newhouse (1993) cite Bichelmeyer's (1991) doctoral
dissertation. Bichelmeyer found that teachers and facilitators adopt technology
innovations in a hierarchy of needs, with the most basic needs generally being
fulfilled before the higher ones. From basic needs to higher level ones, these
are:
. time and accessibility
. dependability
. ownership and authority
. control (influence on design)
. integration.
Talab and Newhouse (1993) have found that those site facilitators who
believe in their own abilities to design instruction using satellite technology,
and who are willing and able to continue in their role as teaching partners,
have successfully incorporated technology into their classrooms. These site
facilitators:
. are committed to the concept of equality of education that
satellite-based education provides
. see opportunities for professional advancement through learning new
skills and networking
. seem revitalized by the observation of a master teacher and exceptional
instructional design
. realize that the program will not work without their participation
. receive training in satellite-based instruction, either live or on
tape, professional troubleshooting, and program feedback.
Talab and Newhouse (1993) conclude that this success is based upon a
match between the identified needs of the facilitators and the resources which
are available to them:
. they are given time and accessible equipment
. they are given assistance with equipment operation and troubleshooting
. they take part in training and program planning, and they control the
grading, classroom management, and classroom activities
. they influence the program through feedback
. they see the need for technology integration in order to take part in
the program.
©
Lorraine Sherry
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.- TEACHING
ENGLISH WITH TECHNOLOGY
Dear List
Members,
It is my
pleasure to announce that the new issue of Teaching English with Technology is
up on the Web at http://www.iatefl.org.pl/call/callnl.htm.
The contents of the current issue are the following:
Article: "Web-Based
Project Learning and EFL Learners: A Chinese Example" by P. Gu
Internet
Lesson Plans: "World Wide William - A Shakespeare Project" by Iwona Filip;
"Finding Proverbs on the Web" by Shiao-Chuan Kung
A Word from a Techie:
"Correcting Student Work with the Computer – Using Dedicated Software and a Word
Processor" by Jarek Krajka
On the Web: "Hot English Magazine (http://www.hotenglishmagazine.com/)"
by Guo Shesen
Software: "Uses of Educational Software by ESL Parents in the
United States" by Hee-Jung Jung.
You are invited to browse through this
issue, as well as all the previous
Journal issues on the Journal website. If you want to become the Journal subscriber free of charge and
receive a new issue as an html email
attachment, you can email the editor at jkrajka@batory.plo.lublin.pl
with the subject "Subscription
Request".
Best
regards,
Jarek Krajka
Editor, "Teaching English with Technology"
http://www.iatefl.org.pl/call/callnl.htm
Maria
Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland
jarek.krajka@wp.pl
jkrajka@batory.plo.lublin.pl
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.- EDUCACION
SUPERIOR Y NUEVAS TECNOLOGÍAS
Our
dear SHARER Marta Bulwik sends us all this invitation:
|
PRIMERAS JORNADAS: EDUCACIÓN SUPERIOR, SOCIEDAD DEL CONOCIMIENTO Y
NUEVAS TECNOLOGÍAS DE LA INFORMACIÓN Y LA
COMUNICACIÓN Fecha de realización: 17 y 18 de octubre del
2002 Lugar: Escuela Normal Superior en Lenguas Vivas J. F. Kennedy.
Juncal 3251. Ciudad de Buenos Aires Convocan: Dirección General de Educación Superior (DGES).
Secretaría de Educación. Gobierno Autónomo de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires.
Organización de Estados Iberoamericanos
(OEI) Destinatarios: Profesores y estudiantes de los Institutos
Superiores de la Ciudad; Profesores, investigadores y estudiantes
universitarios vinculados con la temática Propuesta de Especialistas
invitados Dr. José Antonio López Cerezo (OEI). Coordinador Académico del
Programa CTS+l. Catedrático de la Universidad de Oviedo
Mg. Darío Caresani (Director General de Tecnología de la Secretaría
de Desarrollo Económico del Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires)
Mg. Luis Alberto Quevedo (FLACSO) Dr. Jorge Walter (CEA-UBA/Universidad de San Andrés)
Dra. Susana Finkelievich (UBA/ CONICET). Dra en Sociología
Lic. Alejandro Piscitelli (UBA/FLACSO)
Dr. Eliseo Verón (Universidad de San Andrés)
Modalidad de trabajo Conferencia inaugural a cargo del Dr. José Antonio López Cerezo.
Encuadre general. Aspectos sociales, culturales y organizacionales
vinculados con la sociedad del conocimiento y la
información. Paneles: Los paneles estarán conformados por dos especialistas y un
comentarista que retomará los aportes de las ponencias y coordinará el
intercambio- debate con el público. I: Tecnologías, información y conocimiento en la sociedad
contemporánea. Alejandro Piscitelli (Nuevas tecnologías de la información
y conocimiento) Dario Caresani Coordinador: Marcelo Prizmic II: Cambios culturales, gestión del conocimiento, educación y
comunicación Luis Alberto Quevedo (Cambios culturales, lenguaje, organización y
gestión de la información y su impacto en la educación)
Eliseo Verón Coordinador: Alejandro Artopoulos III: Las instituciones y organizaciones ante el conocimiento y las
nuevas tecnologías de la información Jorge Walter Susana Finkeievich Coordinadora: Débora Kozak Presentación de experiencias: Algunas de las instituciones de
Educación Superior de la Ciudad presentarán las experiencias que vienen
realizando, a partir del desarrollo de una concepción integrada de gestión
de la información. Se presentará el impacto en la organización
institucional y en la formación académica. Desafíos presentes y futuros.
Algunas de las problemáticas que se propone abordar:
* Implicancias de los conceptos de sociedad del conocimiento y
sociedad de la información para la educación.
* Cambios sociales estructurales: cómo impactan en la educación y
específicamente en la Educación Superior (formación docente y técnica).
* Desafíos que se presentan a la educación -y específicamente a la
formación de docentes y técnicos- a través de la incidencia de las NTCI.
* Elementos que ayuden a repensar, problematizar y/o enriquecer las
prácticas formativas y las formas de organización institucional.
Informes: TEL: 4772-7014 /4028 /7016 / 4039 D.G.E.S.
Las Jornadas son gratuitas |
---------------------------------------------------------------------
4.- COURSE ON
PHONOLOGY AND DISCOURSE INTONATION
Our dear SHARER
Julie Mauro sends us this announcement:
Dear Omar and Marina
I
am writing on behalf of the Centro De Profesores de Ingles Egresados del
"Joaquín V. González" and its Teacher Training College IAPEI A-1368 to
announce a course on "Basics of Phonology and Discourse Intonation" by
Cristina Roccisano which will be held on our premises in September-October
2002. 10 weekly sessions of 2 hours : Wednesdays 6-8 pm
Venue:Lezica
4095 Enrolment Yerbal 2621 (1406) 4611-2710/9479
Fees
$50 ($25 monthly)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.- THE BUENOS AIRES PLAYERS ON
LINE
Our
dear friend and SHARER Celia Zubiri writes to us with an original proposal:
What
is SOS?
It
is a response to a need on the market.
Plays
and sketches written for students who learn English as a second
language.
Already
tested and performed by students either at a school or
theatre.
Language
level specially graded.
Funny
and appealing original scripts.
Tips
on set, lights, costumes, music, etc.
Low
royalty rates.
Casts
that range from 5 to 90 Students.
Ideal
for the Annual Concert, Drama Club, Drama Workshop, Rehearsed Performance,
Language Class.
Where
can I get this material? Is there a catalogue?
You
will find this material under the format of a catalogue in our web site: www.thebsasplayers.com
The
catalogue comprises detailed information on each play: synopsis of the plot,
number of students on stage, language level, royalty fee,
etc.
How
can I get the play I´m interested in?
Contact
us thru the phone, e-mail, fax or web site.
Choose
the format you want for the play you have selected: CD-ROM, Printed Script
or
e-mail.
Payment:
Cash on delivery of the material plus the postage by OCA.
Further
enquires:
(011)
4812-5307 / 4814-5455
-----------------------------------------------------------------
6.- QUOTATIONS
: TEACHERS AND COMPUTERS
Our
dear SHARER David Candell from
Montevideo, Uruguay sends us these quotations:
"Computers will
not replace teachers. However, teachers who use computers
will replace teachers who don't."
Ray
Clifford, Defense Language Institute
Roisin Vaughan uses this quote in
"Multimedia: What it is and what it can do for our students" at <http://jaltcall.org/cjo/5_00/vaughan.html>.
It is listed as coming from a
CALICO Keynote address in 1987. Various other versions of this quote add "probably,"
"eventually," or "someday." (A Google search will throw up several other
places where he is quoted.)
As a complement
to the computers (not) replacing teachers quote, you might like to consider this
one:
"Any
teacher that can be replaced by technology--should be."
Arthur C. Clarke,
"Hammer of the Gods"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.- A BASIC MENU OF CALL
ACTIVITIES
The following is a reproduction of a message that Barry Bakin sent to the TESLCA- LIST on September 23, 2002. It contains bright ideas to use in our low-budgeted computer assisted language learning (CALL) classrooms. We have slightly adapted it.
I have a series of projects that I have students work on using commonly available programs found on most computers such as Word, Paint, Excel, or PowerPoint. The following is an excerpt from my handout at TESOL 2002 in Salt Lake City in which I explained the projects in depth.
If you are
familiar with the various programs, you should be able to figure out what I mean in the following
list of projects and short
descriptions. As the students progress through the list, they
learn additional computer
skills. In the first project, for example, all they do is type and I do everything else
including saving their work,
taking their photo and inserting it into the
document, and formatting the
project. By the end of the series, they can take the picture and
insert it themselves. The advantage of doing projects like these is that
you don't have to spend any extra money on ESL software and ESL students acquire necessary computer
skills in a sheltered format.
Some of the projects:
About Me
Students write a
self-introduction and have their photo inserted into the document.
(Word)
Typical Week
Students write
about activities they usually do during the week. (Word)
Do
Doing
Students write
about what somebody else usually does and
what they are doing in that moment. (Word)
ClipArt for Present
Continuous
Students write
about what they see happening in
ClipArt. (Word)
Listen and Paint
Students listen
to a description of a picture and try to replicate it.
(Paint)
Comparatives and Superlatives
Students create
images in Paint and write sentences
about them.(Word and Paint)
Excel Pie Chart
Students make a
chart describing how many hours a week they study different
topics.
PowerPoint
Students use
Microsoft PowerPoint to make presentations
about grammar points or to accompany oral presentations
Family
Tree
Students use
Microsoft Publisher to create family trees which they can then use as the
basis for conversations.
Postcards
Students
create postcards which they send to each other as they practice different
tenses. (Publisher)
Barry
Bakin
Pacoima Skills Center
Division of Adult and Career Education, Los
Angeles Unified School
District, California USA bbakin@lausd.k12.ca.us
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
8.-
JORNADAS NACIONALES PARA TRADUCTORES E INTERPRETES
Our dear
SHARER Alejandra Cacciabue de
Pingitore, Pesident of Colegio de Traductores Públicos de Catamarca sends us
this announcement:
FEDERACIÓN ARGENTINA DE TRADUCTORES -
F.A.T.
Colegio de Traductores Públicos de la Ciudad de Buenos
Aires
Colegio de Traductores Públicos de la Provincia de
Catamarca
Colegio de Traductores Públicos de la Provincia de Santa Fe (1° Circ.) -
S.F.
Colegio de Traductores Públicos de la Provincia de Santa Fe (2° Circ.) -
Ros.
Colegio de Traductores Públicos de la Provincia de
Córdoba
Traducción - Interpretación
Primeras Jornadas Argentinas de Actualización
Profesional
Fecha de Realización
Sábado 12 y Domingo 13 de Octubre de 2002
Lugar de realización
Auditorio de la Facultad de Lenguas de la Universidad Nacional de
Córdoba:
Avda. Vélez Sarsfield 187. Ciudad de
Córdoba.
Programa
TEMARIO
Presentación de la FAT
Interpretación
La Labor Pericial:
Experiencias y modalidades
Herramientas Tecnológicas y Salida
Laboral
Traducción Especializada: Técnica, Legal, Literaria,
etc.
Redacción Técnica y Terminología
Derechos de autor
Ética profesional
DISERTANTES
Beatriz Rodriguez - Graciela Fondo - Sonia Hauser - Angela Ciocca -
Mónica Vazquez - Delia Cammisa - Ma Verónica Paladini - Norma Gordo - Alejandra
de Pingitore - Graciela Steinberg - Adriana Pignatta - Perla Klein - Adelaida
Waldesbühl - Anita Schwender - Ana María Maccioni - Astrid Wenzel - Ana María Granero
de Goenaga - Adriana Gigena - Gabriela Gonzalez - Mirtha Federico - Julieta
Coirini - Leticia Martínez
Aranceles
Traductores matriculados $ 20 / Estudiantes $ 15 / Público en general: $
30
Informes e Inscripción
En la sede de cada uno de los Colegios organizadores del encuentro. Cupo
limitado.
En Catamarca: por informes Tel: (03833) 442484 - 424182 - 15687037
ó
e-mail: traductores_catamarca@yahoo.com.ar
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9.- TRAINING
TEACHERS TO WORK IN COMPANIES
Our
dear SHARE Clara Muñiz invites all SHARERS to these training seminars:
CasoC,Clara
Muñíz y Asociados, 35 años capacitando con éxito al personal de Empresas de
primer nivel, te invita a participar de "módulos de entrenamiento" para
profesores de Inglés y/o alumnos avanzados de profesorado- dedicados a la
enseñanza de Inglés en Empresas.
Módulos:
26
Octubre de 10:00 a 13:00hs
What
does teaching professionals actually mean?
2
Noviembre de 10:00 a 13:00hs
Teaching
vocabulary in the business setting.
9
Noviembre de 10:00 a 13:00 hs
Training
students on how to improve their Listening Comprehension
skills
Si
te interesa asistir a alguno de estos workshops envia un e-mail a esta
dirección: casoctraining@yahoo.com.ar
Las
vacantes son limitadas. Aranceles: $ 20 por
workshop.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10.- FOR WORD LOVERS:
PANGRAM
Our
dear SHARER Patricia Suarez, who describes herself as a word fan, wants to SHARE
this short article with all of us:
pangram
(PAN-gram, -gruhm, PANG-) noun
A sentence that makes use of all the letters
of the alphabet.
[From Greek pan- (all) + -gram (something
written).]
Many typists know
"The quick brown fox jumps over a lazy dog" as a thirty-three-letter sentence that
employs every letter in the alphabet at
least once. Now fix your eyes on a sampling of the best pangrams of
even fewer letters. What you are
about to see are meaningful sentences that
avoid obscure words yet contain every letter of the alphabet:
Pack my box with five dozen liquor
jugs. (thirty-two letters)
Jackdaws love my big sphinx of quartz.
(thirty-one)
How quickly daft jumping zebras vex. (thirty)
Quick wafting
zephyrs vex bold Jim. (twenty-nine)
Waltz, nymph, for quick jigs vex Bud.
(twenty-eight)
Bawds jog, flick quartz, vex nymph. (twenty-seven)
And now, wordaholics, logolepts,
lexicomanes, and verbivores -- the Peter Pangram of all pangrams -- Mr. Jock, TV
quiz Ph.D., bags few lynx. (twenty-six!)
If you can come up with a twenty-six
letter pangram that makes easy sense and does not resort to names, initials, or
mutant words, please rush it to me at richard.lederer@pobox.com.
© Wordsmith: A.Word.A.Day
>
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11.- GRAN FESTIVAL CELTA “HALLOWEEN
2002”
Our
dear SHARER Edith Zas, sends us this invitation:
.........................................................................................
GRAN FESTIVAL CELTA "HALLOWEEN 2002"
A precios populares, la mejor música y danzas celtas en tres noches de
brujas diferentes y con la clásica exposición de artesanías, discos, libros,
runas, maquillajes (caracterizaciones), tortas galesas, comidas celtas (de
Irlanda, Escocia y Galicia), y mucha cerveza gratis....
No te lo pierdas......!!!!!!
Viernes 1 – 21 hs.
KELLS - folk irlandés
-
CONJUNTO SOCIEDAD DE VEDRA - música y danza tradicional gallega
-
CHISEL MY WHISTLE - fusión celta - (en su regreso de su gira por
España)
Sábado 2 - 21 hs.
KELTAND - folk celta de Los
Andes (desde Lago Puelo, Chubut.)
S.A.P.A. (SOUTH AMERICAN PIPING ASSOCIATION) - banda tradicional escocesa
O'CONNOR CELTIC BAND - folk irlandés -
Domingo 3 - 20 hs.
OS FURAFOLES - folk gallego y asturiano
-
CELTIC ARGENTINA - danza
irlandesa -
THE SHEPHERDS - folk irlandés -
AUDITORIO DE BELGRANO (Virrey Loreto y Cabildo)
PLATEAS (Filas 2 a 15 ) $ 10.-
(con descuento hasta el 15 de Octubre)
PLATEAS (Filas 16 a 33) $
8.- (con descuento hasta el 15 de
Octubre)
PULLMAN $ 5.-
Boletería, de lunes a viernes de 10 a 13 y de 14 a 18 hs. - Tel:
4783-1783
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12.- TWO CAMELS: A JOKE WITH A
MORAL
Our
dear SHARER Alicia Fragueiro
sends us this most “teachable” joke (apart from the “to” / “for”- purpose, you
may find the moral very juicy):
Two camels (a mother and a baby) were lazing around, when
suddenly baby camel said.
Baby: "mother, mother, can I ask you some
question?"
Mother: "sure! why son, is there something bothering
you?"
Baby: "why do camel have humps?"
Mother: "well son, we are desert
animals, we need the humps to store water and we are known to survive without
water."
Baby: "okay, then why are our legs long and our feet
rounded."
Mother: "son, obviously they are for walking in the desert. You know, with
these legs I can move around the desert better than anyone" said the mother
proudly.
Baby: "okay, said baby camel. "then why are our eye lashes long?
sometimes it is bothering my sight." said baby camel.
Mother: "my son, those
long thick eye lashes are your protective cover. They are long and thick to
protect your eyes from the desert sand and wind." said mother camel with eyes
brimming with pride.
Baby: "I see. So the hump is to store water when we are
in the desert, the legs are for walking through the desert and these eye lashes
to protect my eyes from the desert. Then what are we doing here in a
zoo???
The moral of the
story is:
Sometimes skills, knowledge & experience are only useful if the
environment or situation requires them!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Today we will say goodbye with just
a few words to pay homage to a great and saintly man who taught us “to love the
world passionately”. May God give us the strength to love our friends and foes
alike with a generous heart and to live a life of service as he
did.
HAVE A WONDERFUL
WEEK!
Omar and
Marina.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SHARE
is distributed free of charge. All announcements in this electronic magazine are
also absolutely free of charge. We do not endorse any of the services announced
or the views expressed by the contributors. For
more information about the characteristics and
readership
of SHARE visit:
http://groups.yahoo.com/sharemagazine
VISIT
OUR WEBSITE : http://www.shareeducation.com.ar
There you can read all past issues
of SHARE in the section SHARE ARCHIVES.