Module 1- talking about Big mysteries

The Bermuda Triangle Mystery - Solved
Larry Kusche

The mystery of the Bermuda Triangle had been told in books, magazine articles, and on television and radio talk shows for several years when, in 1972, Larry Kusche, then a reference librarian, decided to collect all the information he could find on each incident. He made contact with the Coast Guard, the Air Force, Lloyd's of London, and many other agencies. He obtained microfilm copies of newspapers from cities where various incidents had been reported.
This exhaustive research had an unexpected result - it solved the mystery. It also resulted in the publication of The Bermuda Triangle Mystery - Solved which is now back in print. Larry Kusche's book is more than an investigation of a mystery: it is a fascinating case history of a "manufactured mystery" in the making. It shows how over the years the raw materials of official accident reports, newspaper accounts articles in the mainstream press, and word of mouth have been assimilated into a "false mystery".
The Bermuda Triangle Mystery - Solved is the only book written on the Triangle that approaches the topic rationally, rather than as another great unsolved mystery of our time. Approximately 60 of the best-known cases are examined, in an unusual, but very clear and logical style. Kusche relates each incident as it has been told over the years. He then includes snippets from articles and reports that show what was written at that time. Kusche then discusses the incident, pointing out flaws in the story.
The Bermuda Triangle Mystery - Solved is the only book that critically examines the "mystery" and provides the reader with an alternative rational explanation to the sensationalist stories in the media.
Larry Kusche is a technical writer, commercial pilot, and a flight instructor. He is the author of The Disappearance of Flight 19.

Module 2- In the Public Eye

Discuss with your classmates

1) Are there any celebrity politicians in your country?

2)what about other famous people who have become involved in political issues?

3) Do you know anything about what they beleive in or how they became involved?

4) do you think it is a good idea for celebrities to become involved in politics?

5) would you be more or less likely to vote for a celebrity than an ordinary politician?

6) what do you think about the policy of the actual goverment of your country?

7) do you agree with the policies of the actual goverment of your country?

Module 3- Big Events

Christmass

Christmas is an annual holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus. Christmas festivities often combine the commemoration of Jesus' birth with various customs, many of which have been influenced by earlier winter festivals. Traditions include the display of Nativity scenes, Holly and Christmas trees, the exchange of gifts and cards, and the arrival of Father Christmas (Santa Claus) on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning. Popular Christmas themes include the promotion of goodwill, compassion, and peace.
In most places around the world, Christmas Day is celebrated on December 25. It is preceded by Christmas Eve on December 24, and in some countries is followed by Boxing Day on December 26. The Armenian Apostolic Church observes Christmas on January 6, while certain old rite or old style Eastern Orthodox Churches celebrate Christmas on January 7, the date on the Gregorian calendar which corresponds to 25 December on the Julian Calendar. The date as a birthdate for Jesus is merely traditional, and is not widely considered to be his actual date of birth

Module 4- Get it right

How to pass exams

General strategies for any exam

The following six strategies are basic ground-rules for any exam that you may be faced with. Don’t leave home without them!

1. Preparation in brief

• Practice for the exam. Make up exam questions and answer them. Share questions and answers with your friends.

• Find out as much as you can about the exam: the type of questions (eg. multiple choice, essay, short answer, open book); the length (eg. one hour plus fifteen minutes perusal); the distribution of marks (eg. 10 marks per essay and one mark per multiple choice question); the time you are due to arrive at the exam (always arrive about 20 minutes early); and the exact location of the exam (visit the room before the exam).

• Discuss the exam (format and subject matter) with classmates.

• Make sure you sleep well the night before the exam.

• Eat well before the exam.

• Choose layers of clothing which allow you to feel comfortable with the room temperature.

• Take supplies of tissues, cough drops, pens, pencils, erasers, liquid paper, calculator, pet lizard, etc., as required.

• Paste your ID card to your forehead!

• In the 20 minutes before the exam, relax. Sit quietly, tense and relax each of your body muscles, take a few deep breaths, and don’t rehearse your material. If you are tempted to have a look inside your memory banks, you are quite likely to find them “Not open for inspection”. Don’t worry, the gates are unlocked with the wallop of adrenalin after reading the exam paper.

• Exam fatigue is when you cannot stand the thought of sitting another exam. Don’t attempt to study immediately after an exam. Give your batteries a chance to recharge.

2. Seating

• If you are allowed to choose a seat, consider ...
... the angle of the sun on your desk.
... whether you prefer the front, the back or the aisle seats.

3. Perusal

• This is a crucial time for planning.

• Read all the instructions thoroughly. It is quite common for students to do two out of three essays when only one was requested. No extra marks are obtained.

• Plan the amount of time you should spend on each question. This will depend on the number of questions, the mark value of each question and the total amount of time available.

• Read the entire paper, re-read it (this is not a waste of time!), and, if necessary, decide on the order in which you will answer the questions. Do the easier questions first to boost your confidence, and the more difficult ones last when you are warmed up. Be prepared for strong fear, if not sheer terror, to whip through your veins when you first read the questions. It’s called adrenalin. The questions often look totally unfamiliar. Just hang in there! Start on something easy and you will soon oil up.

• Don’t be afraid to ask questions during the period when questions are allowed.

4. Time Management

• Time is of the essence!

• It is crucial that, during perusal, you write the time allowed for each question on the exam paper next to the question. For essays, note down the exact time at which the essay must be started.

• It is wise to stick rigidly to your times.

• Round off the question as the time runs out, not after.

• You are likely to score higher marks if you write something for each question rather than if you answer only half the paper and run out of time. Always attempt every question!!!

5. Check Answers

• Avoid spelling errors.

• IF you have time at the end of an exam, check your answers for spelling errors, omissions, ambiguity, and accuracy. In multiple choice exams, make sure that your final choice is easily identified.

6. Handwriting

• Practice the balance between fast and legible writing.

• Always write in pen.

• Marks are hard to obtain for unreadable material. Remember staff members have many papers to mark and may be marking papers late at night. Don’t irritate your marker.

Module 5 - Achievements

The Most Important Achievements

According to the departmental researches’ topical plan in the year under review there were
devised eight projects. The projects’ completion was not stipulated by the plan.
In the direction of "Formation and application of scientific and information resources.
The libraries’ provision with information" there was continued learning of appropriateness
of formation and application of scientific and information resources with the purpose of
improving of information provision of science, education, culture on the basis of efficient
using of traditional technologies and mastering computer technologies of the library activity.
There was prepared for printing the first issue of the practical manual "The Tables of
territorial standard divisions: Systematical part" (A.G.Brovkin, science supervisor,
O.S.Onyshchenko, chief editor).
There was devised a Ukrainian model of upbuilding of the National abstracting system of
domestic scientific literature. There were published quarterly printing versions of three
subject series of the Ukrainian abstracting journal "Jerelo (Source)" and its electronic version
is represented in Internet. In technological mode there was started formation of the first in
Ukraine electronic library’s information resources (science supervisor L.J.Kostenko).
By a separate project (science supervisor V.M.Gorovyj) there was devised a conceptual
scheme of information provision of the State government bodies on the matters of social and
political, economical situation in regions. There were also developed basic principles of
formation of appropriate rubricators, that are used for creation of proper data bases.
In the direction of "Creation of the National bibliography. The Ukrainian biography
science" there was continued preparation of the materials to the Ukrainian biographical
dictionary and the Ukrainian bibliographical repertory. There were created computer data
bases of biographical, bio- bibliographical and bibliographical information.
In the series of "The National bibliography of Ukraine" there was prepared for printing the
fourth issue of the index "Ukrainian language book in the funds of V.I.Vernadsky National
Library of Ukraine (1910-1916) (chief editor V.Yu.Omelchuk). There was being formed a
data base within chronological limits of 1917-1923. There was formed a data base of "The
sources of Ukraine-knowledge. There was published the 3rd issue of bibliographical manuals
(1989-1999)". There was being continued the work on formation of a data base of the union
catalogue of the Ukrainian language book. There was finished preparation of the catalogue
"Newspapers of Ukraine. 1930-1934" (chief editor O.S.Onyshchenko).
In the same direction, according to the scheduled project (science supervisor V.S.Chyshko),
there was being created a software of the all-national computer data base of biographical and
biobibliographical information and there were being devised methodical instructions on its
application. There was being done scientific processing and structuring of bibliographical
information on cards for further filling of the data base and the register of the Ukrainian
biographical dictionary’s names. There were being carried out retrospective researches of
sources on biography science and revision of a working copy of "the Alphabetical dictionary
of Ukrainian Biographical Dictionary (UBD)". As per the results of the research in the series
"Materials to UBD" there was prepared for printing a collection of documents and materials
"Standing Committee for compiling of the biographical dictionary of the National Academy
of Sciences of Ukraine’s workers of Ukraine" (chief editor V.S.Chyshko) and an annotated
index of sources on the biographical science "The Past and the Present of Ukraine in
biographies".
In the direction of "New technologies of preservation, conservation and restoration of
the library funds" as per the project, the development of which aimed at provision of
physical preservation of the documentary libraries’ funds in the process of their formation,
application and conservation (science supervisor L.V.Mukha). There were introduced an
efficient system of mycological observation for the state of book depositories and documents,
a passport system of book depositaries and the conditions of preservation of old books and
rare editions, a concept of scientific expertise of physical state of valuable printed
publications and methods of stabilization of the paper aging processes.

Module 6- developing the mind

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

Emotional Intelligence (EI), often measured as an Emotional Intelligence Quotient (EQ), describes an ability, capacity, or skill to perceive, assess, and manage the emotions of one's self, of others, and of groups. As a relatively new area of psychological research, the definition of EI is constantly changing. Some psychologists, such as John D. Mayer (2005a), prefer to distinguish emotional intelligence from emotional knowledge, as discussed below.1)
It turns out thata a scientist can see the future by watching four-year-olds with a sweet. The researcher invites the children into a plain room. You can have this sweet right now, he says. But , if you wait while i go out for a few minutes, you can have two sweets when i get back. And then he leaves.

2)
Some children grab the treat the momen to he´s out the door. Some last a few minutes before they give in. But others are determined to wait. They cover their eyes, they put their heads down, they sing to themselves, they try to pay games or even fall asleep. When the researcher returns, he gives these children their sweets. And then, science waits for them to grow up.

3)

By the time the children reach high school, something remarkable has happened. A survey of the children´s parents and teachers found that those who as four-year-olds were strong-minded enough to hold out for the second sweet generally grew up tobe the better adjusted, more popular, adventurous, confident and dependable teenagers. The children who gave in to temptation early on were more likely to be lonely, easily frustrated and stubborn.

4)
When we think of brilliance, we see Einstein- deep-eyed, wooly-haired, a thinking machine. High achievers, we imagine, were born for greatness.but then you have to wonder why, over time, natural talent seems to flower in some, yet disappear in others. This is where the sweets come in. The ability to defer gratification is a master skill, a triumph of the reasoning brain over the impulsive one. It is a sing, in short, of emotional intelligence. And it doesn´t show up on an IQ test.

5)
In this book emotional intelligence, Daniel Goleman argues that brain power as measured by IQ actually matters less than qualities of mind like understanding one´s own feelings, empathy- being sensitive to other people´s feeling- and the ability to manage your own emotions. EQ is not the opposite of IQ. what researcherts are trying to unederstand is how they complement each other. among the ingredients for success, researchers now generally agree that IQ counts for about 20 %: the rest depends on everything from luck, to social class... and emotional intelligence. in the business world, according to personnel executives, IQ gets you a job, but EQ gets you promotion.

Module 7- Life´s ups and downs

¿What makes you feel good?

These days most of doctors and scientists agree that our physical health is closely related to our psychological WELL-BEING. But just what have the experts discovered about what makes us feel good...

SOME
THINGS

THAT CAN
MAKE YOU
FEEL BETTER...

Whatching soap operas on TV:

One rather surprising piece of research found that on average, people who regularly watch soaps on television are significantly happier than those who don´t! Psychologists beleive that is because such programms provide viwers with imaginary set of friends, and a sense of belonging to a community, in the same way that a club or a church might.

A lively social life

According to experts, companionship
and social support are vital to both our
psychological and physical well-being
one reason, perhaps, why married
people tend to live longer than unmarried
ones.
Modern researchers emphasise the value
of “group social activities” in this respect.
Relationships we form at church or in clubs tend to be more supportive and uncritical than those we form at work or in the family, says professor Michael Argyle, of oxford brookes University, and these positive relationships IMPROVE OUR SELF-ESTEEM, which is vital to our physical and mental health. This is backed up by recent research which shows, perhaps surprisingly, that people who spend more time with others actually get fewer colds and viruses than those who stay at home on their own. In fact social support is so important to our mental and physical well-being that it may even increase ouor life expectancy! Another piece of research found that people who belong to strong church groups, not only claim to be happier than those who don´t, the suffer form less than half the number of heart attacks than the rest of the population, and live up to four years longer!!!

Self- indulgence

Many scientists these days beleive that
indulging in life´s little pleassures:
A BAR OF CHOCOLATE,
A GLASS OF WINE,
A SHOPPING TRIP,
EVEN A CIGARETTE,
Can actually improve your health, because of
the psychological lift it gives you.
There is the evidence , for example,
says professor David Warburton of Reading
University,
that old people living in residential homes who have a cocktail hour each day actually live longer! Indulging – in moderation- in the small pleasures of life can make people calmer, alleviate stress and provide positive health benefits.
There is a lot of truth in the old saying that “a little of what you fancy does you good”

Sessions

About Online Sessions

there are a lot of positive, and also negative aspects in online
sessions, i think it is a good idea, becuase you improve your
writting, you can learn more about a topic throught the sharing with
your classmates, and the comfort that the online sessions offer to you
by doing at home. the negative aspect is that, fisrtable you have to
be prepare, what do i mean with being prepare?, well, to be
familirized using emails in this context, why? because we lose a lot
of time, trying to understand what do we have to do, and waiting for
the other classmates, and to organize our ideas....

Session 1

According to my opinion i agree with the idea of improving skills,
avoiding traditional classes, and feeling more comfortable in
expressing themselves in writing. but everything has its pros and
cons related to the quielities of the students , the time that it
requires, having acess to a computer and a modem, the commitment on
the student and the resposibility that it requires.

As well as being important to better the opportunities for working
people, it is to receive not an easier education, but a really good
one. not forgeting the quility of studies.

related to the online text chat i think it is a really good idea for
those people who feel more comfortable expressing themselves, and
giving their own opinions throught writing, besides improving the
limited writing abilities...

Session 2

1) how could we use them into the classroom?

we could use them for receiving and sending assigments,for sharing
worthwhile information, to establish organization in order to make
virtual meetings for example, or to maintain the conection with your
classmates, and so on, we could also use them to be evaluated.

2) what benefits and shortcomings do you see using emails?

in my case, i find really hard to cope with the fact of sending
emails to solve problems, to meet with my classmates, and to do
homeworks by internet, i hate it. because sometimes when we are not
familiarized using emails we lose too much time trying to do an
assigntment, even when you have internet at home,because it requires
of commitment, but it carries some benefits, like the improvement
of writting, and the development of compositions.. that helps a lot,
besides the comfort of doing your homework at home and not having to
go to the uc to give the homework to your professors. it´s an easier
way!!

3) what sort of activities would you implement in the subject modulo
de competencias comunicativas III with emailing?

besides of ansewering questions, or making compositions, i would
implement activities with sounds, chating with your classmates,
but also interviews on line, its a good idea...

4) what academic benefits would emailing brings to you?

as i said before, the improvement of writting, because that is one
of the things that we should practice a lot, and also the
improvement of reading, and the visual support which we dont have in
class!

5)do we accept email rules nowadays?

í dare nobody knew (before reading) the emails rules. and therefore
nobody accept the email rules, i have read a little bit of email
rules, about not sending chains, because you could create an spam ,
and thouse things like laws, but no one respect that!

Session 3

1) Based on "Engaging Digital Natives" :


a) Are teachers prepared to incorporating ICT (information communication technology) in ELT (English language teaching)?

In english language speaking is rarely found a professor using the digital language of computers, such as video games, instantaneous communication, and the internet; in general.
In order to teach the language, most of the teachers prefer to give classes in the traditional way.
But i think that making a change in their way of teaching; through using the creativity to prepare an animated class using the technology. It´s really helpfull to involve all of their students.


b) What do teachers have to do in order to cope with their students using ICT?
Firstable, they should have enough patience with the students, besides they should also be enough prepared in ICT, and they should be at the same level of digital natives (the students) , because is quite difficult to teach any subject like english language speaking, using update tools connected to the technology; without knowing how to use them.


c) List the different terms used in the "Engaging Digital Natives"
Digital natives
Digital inmigrants
Web 2.0
Multitasking
Colletive intelligence
Networking
Podcasting
Wiki
Blogging
Del.icio.us
Stu.dicio.us
Blinklist
Digg
Diigo
Rss

2) Based on "Web 2.0 Tools in Your Classroom"

a) Which tools are mentioned?
Rss, Blog, podcasting, wiki, flickr, youtube, flock, del.icio.us


b) Which tools would you start implementing into a classroom?



I would implement a blog, because it shows the personal space of the students and it allows them to share information, personal ideas, and knowledge. And it´s an important communication and publishing tool.
I would also implement a de.licio.us, because it´s a sotial bookmarking tool, and it´s really funny to share bookmarks using your creativity.


c) Would these tools be effective in a language classroom?

Yes, if we know how to use them and if we focus on the motivation of the student , if we make an effort to be creative we must make a langueage class efective!!!

d)List the different terms used in "Web 2.0 Tools in Your Classroom"

• publishing
• defining
• read-write
• creativity
• knowledge
• wiki
• publicity
• sharing
• scholarship
• podcasting
• blogging
• RSS
• feedback
• education
• information
• gaming
• learning
• multimedia
• de.licio.us
• connecting
• Motivator

Session 4

What is your opinion about using Blogs?

For me It´s an amazing tool use to improve reading and writting in a funny way, because you can use your imagination for adding information through colloring the space, animating the texts with pictures, audio, music... etc. And it reflects my personal space..

Setting up a blog has been an incredible experience!!!

What do you find most difficult about blogging?

Organizing the different inputs and trying to make the slide-shows for adding pictures, and using the other tools for adding animation to my personal blog.

From the other students' blogs, which one you like most? Why?

What i like the most is orana´s blog, because she shows her amazing creativity, and Marian´s because it is the most interesting, it keep your eye on it, and Eleana´s too, because is very collorfull. And mine because is gourgeous, and is the most original, it cares another information. Check it out www.vanecho.blogspot.com

Mi Patria Querida