Level II
Chapter 1
Writing
IC3 Section
IC3 | IT | TOEFL | Best Answer
Language Section
Assessment
Topic:
Identity / Bản sắc
فارسی سطح ۱ فصل ۱ هویت
Guiding Question: Who in the world am I? |
Câu hỏi hướng dẫn: Tôi là ai trong thế giới này? |
Pregunta de guía: ¿Quién soy yo? |
سوال راهنما: من چه کسی در دنیا هستم؟ |
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Skills:
In this chapter you will do these things:
English Language Skills:
Vietnamese Language:
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Intercultural Communicative Competence
IC3 Section:
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West is Best for Beauty?
Are perceptions of beauty shaped by culture? Or are perceptions of beauty based on personal opinion? Are our perceptions of beauty shaped by the media? Below is an article that may be controversial. It was most likely written for a Western audience, but when one reads the article, one wonders if Vietnamese readers would agree or disagree with the observations presented here. As you read the following article be conscious of your reactions to the observations of a Westerner in Vietnam. Do you think that the observation is accurate? Do you agree with the observation and does it make you feel uncomfortable? Or do you think that Vietnamese are secure with their sense of beauty and cannot be swayed by Western media? Or do you think it is okay to strive to be beautiful in a Western way?
Read through the article once. Read it again and write down anything that comes to your mind as you read through the article. You may be reminded of an event or conversation. You may have a strong opinion. You might be able to think of a specific incident that supports or refutes the observation of this writer. You may need to make a list of things that you think define beauty. Immediately following the article are some discussion questions to ponder that go beyond the article. You may choose to read those questions before you read the article or you may read the article then contemplate the questions. Freewrite your reaction to this article. Then share your ideas on-line or with your class.
West is Best for Beauty
(from BBC News Service, January 11, 1999
Le Viet Nam, Aujourd’hui: The Vietnam News,
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/patrick.guenin/cantho/vnnews/beauty.htm)
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After more than a decade of economic liberalization in Vietnam, women are bearing the brunt of change. Traditional notions of physical beauty are coming under strain as a huge influx of advertising and other western factors influence the country. The authorities have frequently voiced concern over the social impact this trend is having, especially on younger people. It might not be Paris or Milan, but on the catwalks of downtown Saigon, they take their looks as seriously and it is the beauty icons of the Western world that set the standards.
Backstage at a fashion show, 22-year-old Tranh wishes she had the blonde locks and all-American features of Marilyn Monroe while her friend, Lan-Anh, envies Cindy Crawford, not so much for her style, as for her looks. A glance at the advertising billboards tells Vietnamese women in no uncertain terms that when it comes to beauty, West is best. The shops overflow with imported cosmetics of every description—not least an extensive range of products meant to turn a brown skin white. Unlike many of their western counterparts, Vietnamese women go to great lengths to avoid getting tan. Hats and long gloves protect against the bronzed skin which in color-conscious Vietnam is the mark of a lowly manual laborer. Of course there are those Vietnamese women for whom all the make-up and all the cosmetics will never be quite enough in terms of achieving that western look. Those are the sort of women who turn to surgery.
The new generation of plastic surgeons in Vietnam no longer heals the scars of the war. Instead, they make a comfortable living trimming noses, creating double eyelids and expanding the busts female patients unhappy with the way nature left them. In his surgery, Dr. Nguyen Xuan Cuong explains to the latest customer for his craft that a more shapely Western-style nose will embellish her Vietnamese looks. “Higher is better. I put this implant inside her nose under the skin, and on top of the bone, the nasal bone, to make her higher, like that.”
In the waiting room downstairs, more hopeful clients ponder the enhancements that the scalpel can achieve. For Vietnamese women, it seems the pursuit of the Western ideal of beauty, however questionable, has never been more apparent.
Iran is Number One in the world for Rhinoplasty
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According to Dr. Abodljalil Kalantar Hormozi, professor at the Shahid Beheshti University, School of Medicine, “ Iran is number one in the world for Rhinoplasty. There are two reasons why: first, the Iranian surgeons are highly trained in this field; and second, rhinoplasty is loved and admired by the Iranian people and surgeons with such skills are sought after.” In his interview with Fars News Agency, Dr. Kalantar Hormozi added: “The great ability of Iranian plastic surgeons is one of the reasons that such surgeries take place in Iran. Also, Iranians love and admire beauty and this approach has rooted in more than 2000 years of Iran’s history and culture.” He goes on to say that after Iran, the United States, England, and to some extent, France have the second highest numbers of rhinoplasty surgery performed. “The perception is that in most Western countries rhinoplasty is not needed because Western noses tend to be of the proper form. That is why in some countries, the number of rhinoplasty surgeries performed is next to zero.” The professor continued: “Among Iranians, rhinoplasty is perceived as a necessary surgery because many people are suffering psychologically. Rhinoplasty restores people’s self-confidence and psychological well-being. It strongly effects their quality of life.” Dr. Hormozi also added: “Perhaps Rhinoplasty was weird in Iran 10 years ago and it was not recognized socially as an appropriate surgery, but today it is something normal in Iranian society and if it’s diagnosed by skillful Iranian surgeons, there won’t be any problems.”
On the other hand, Hosseinali Shahriari, a member of the Health commission of the Iranian Parliament believes: “ Rhinoplasty in Iran has became just a blind following among the Iranian youth—especially girls—who seemingly look at this surgery as a kind of completion in which every one tries her best not to fall behind.” He said: “The increasing numbers of Rhinoplasty in Iran is related to cultural issues among Iranian society. Of course, Iranian plastic surgeons also fan the fire, while the surgeons, as well as families, should prevent and solve this problem through cultural training.” He also added: “Only small percentages of those who are willing to undergo Rhinoplasty have a real problem with their nose. They may have problems with their respiratory system. But many of them who belong to wealthy families don’t have any problems, and they just pay a large amount of money for beauty surgeries while many people from the middle class or poor families cannot afford such expensive surgeries.” He continued: “We don’t have official statistics of Rhinoplasty in Iran and it is really difficult for us to get numerical facts in this regard, but we know that Iranian girls and women, as well as some men, are costumers of beauty surgeries in Iran. He said: “We cannot ratify a protocol in Parliament to limit these kinds of surgeries because it is an agreement between a surgeon and a patient, but we can advise people, especially Iranian youth, through cultural and educational programs to prevent many of those unnecessary beautifying surgeries.”
Discussion Questions:
- What is beauty? Is there a universal perception of beauty?
- Compare and contrast the idea of Vietnamese beauty, Iranian beauty, and Western beauty.
- How are concepts of beauty perpetuated?
- How can traditional concepts of beauty be preserved? Should they be preserved?
IC3 Vietnamese Translation:
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Phương Tây là chuẩn mực của cái đẹp?
Nhận thức về cái đẹp có phải do văn hoá định hình? Hay nhận thức về cái đẹp là tuỳ vào ý kiến cá nhân? Quan niệm về cái đẹp của chúng ta có bị ảnh hưởng bới các phương tiện truyền thông? Dưới đây là một bài đọc có thể gây ra tranh cãi. Bài này gần như là viết cho các độc giả phương Tây, nhưng khi đọc nó, người ta nghĩ, liệu các bạn đọc Việt Nam có đồng ý hay không với những điều nói về họ. Trong khi đọc nài báo này, hãy chú ý đến những phản ứng của mình đối với những phát hiện của một người phương Tây ở Việt Nam. Theo bạn những phát hiện đó có chính xác không? bạn có đồng ý với những phát hiện đó không hay chúng làm bạn cảm thấy khó chịu? Hay bạn nghĩ người Việt Nam có thái độ rõ ràng về quan niệm thế nào là đẹp và không quan tâm đến ý kiến phương Tây? Hay bạn nghĩ rằng cố làm đẹp theo kiểu phương Tây là đúng?
Hãy đọc bài một lần. Đọc lại lần thứ hai và ghi lại những gì bạn nghĩ tới trong khi đọc bài. Trong khi đọc bạn có thể nhớ tới một sự kiện hay một cuộc nói chuyện có liên quan nào đó. Bạn có thể có ý kiến xác đáng. Bạn có thể dẫn ra một trường hợp cụ thể để minh hoạ hoặc bác lại các quan sát của tác giả phương Tây. Bạn có thể phải liệt kê những điều mà theo bạn để xác định cái đẹp. Ngay sau bài báo là một số câu hỏi thảo luận để suy nghĩ sâu hơn. Bạn có thể đọc câu hỏi trước khi đọc bài hoặc ngược lại. Hãy liệt kê những phản ứng từ việc đọc bài báo này. Chia sẻ ý kiến qua mạng với lớp.
Phương Tây là chuẩn mực của cái đẹp
(Từ chương trình dịch vụ mới của đài BBC phát ngày 11 tháng 1, 1999
Việt nam Hôm nay: Thời sự Việt Nam,
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/patrick.guenin/cantho/vnnews/beauty.htm)
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Sau hơn một thập kỉ giải phóng nền kinh tế ở Việt Nam, phụ nữ là người chịu đựng chính mọi nỗi niềm của đổi mới. Quan niệm truyền thống về sắc đẹp hình thể đang bị lung lay bởi một làn sóng khổng lồ của quảng cáo và các yếu tố phương Tây khác tràn vào đất nước. Các cấp chính quyền thường xuyên lên tiếng lo ngại về ảnh hưởng xã hội của xu hướng này nhất là đối với lớp thanh niên. Có thể không bằng với Pari hoặc Milan, nhưng trên sàn diễn thời trang ở Sài Gòn, người mẫu Việt Nam quan tâm thực sự tới việc làm cho mình trông giống như các người mẫu phương Tây, chuẩn mực của cái đẹp.
Ở hậu trường cuộc biểu diễn thời trang, cô gái 22 tuổi tên là Tranh nói cô muốn có những lọn tóc vàng và tất cả những đặc điểm của cô gái phương Tây như Marilyn Monroe trong khi bạn của Tranh, Lan Anh, ghen tị với Cindy Crawford, không phải vì thời trang , mà vì sắc đẹp của cô ta. Nhìn qua các biển quảng cáo thấy rằng, đối với phụ nữ Việt Nam khi nói về cái đẹp, không còn nghi ngờ gì nữa, chuẩn mực là ở phương Tây. Các cửa hiệu tràn ngập mỹ phẩm nhập khẩu đủ loại – các sản phẩm tẩy trắng da cũng không kém phần phong phú đa dạng. Không như nhiều chị em ở phương Tây, phụ nữ Việt Nam cố gắng rất nhiều để tránh bị rám nắng. Mũ và găng tay dài tay dùng để bảo vệ da khỏi bị nâu, màu da, ở một nước coi trọng làn da đến thế, bị coi là dấu hiệu của việc phải làm công việc nặng nhọc. Tất nhiên có những người mà dù có trang điểm hay dùng mỹ phẩm đến đâu đi nữa cũng không đủ để trông trắng trẻo như người phương Tây. Những người như thế thường hay nhờ vào phẫu thuật thẩm mỹ.
Thế hệ mới các bác sỹ phẫu thuật thẩm mỹ ở Việt Nam không còn chữa các vết sẹo do chiến tranh để lại nữa. Thay vào đó họ kiếm tiền thoải mái bằng phẫu thuật sửa mũi, cắt mí mắt, nâng ngực cho những người phụ nữ không bằng lòng với sự thiên phú của tạo hoá. Trong phòng mổ của mình, bác sỹ Nguyễn Xuân Cường giải thích cho bệnh nhân mới nhất rằng phẫu thuật nâng mũi cao như người phương Tây của ông ta sẽ làm đẹp thêm vẻ Việt Nam của bà ta. “Mũi càng cao càng đẹp. Tôi cấy thêm miếng đệm dưới mũi, chỗ dưới da và trên xương, xương sống mũi, làm cho nó cao hơn, như thế này.”
Ở phòng chờ tầng dưới, các khách hàng đầy tham vọng đang cân nhắc xem dao mổ có thể đem lại những thay đổi gì về sắc đẹp. Đối với phụ nữ Việt Nam, việc theo đuổi sắc đẹp lý tưởng kiểu phương Tây tuy chưa phổ biến nhưng càng ngày càng hiển nhiên hơn.
Câu hỏi thảo luận: (Diễn đàn liên văn hoá?)
1.Cái đẹp là gì? Có khái niệm cái đẹp chung cho toàn thế giới không?
2.Hãy so sánh và đối lập hai khái niệm cái đẹp của Việt Nam và của Phương Tây.
3.Các khái niệm về cái đẹp tồn tại được bằng cách nào?
4.Làm thế nào để giữ gìn các khái niệm về cái đẹp truyền thống? Có nên gìn giữ không?
IC3 Persian Translation:
غرب در زیبایی بهترین است
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آیا برداشت ها در مورد زیبایی توسط فرهنگ شکل می
گیرد؟ یا اینکه برداشت در مورد زیبایی یک نظر شخصی است؟ آیا برداشت ها در مورد زیبایی توسط رسانه ها شکل می گیرد؟ در ادامه مقاله ای به چشم می خورد که شاید بحث بر انگیز باشد. به احتمال زیاد این مقاله برای مخاطب غربی نوشته شده است، اما وقتی دیگران هم آن را می خوانند می خواهند بدانند که خواننده ویتنامی مخالف یا موافق مباحث مطرح شده در این مقاله است؟ شما هم همانطور که مقاله زیر را می خوانید از مشاهدات یک شهروند غربی در ویتنام آگاه می شوید. آ یا فکر می کنید که این مشاهدات دقیق هستند؟ آیا با آنها موافق هستید یا مخالف؟ آیا فکر می کنید که ویتنامی ها و برداشتشان از زیبایی از گزند رسانه های غربی در امان هستند؟ یا اینکه به نظر شما تلاش کردن برای زیبا ماندن آنهم به شیوه غربی اشکال ندارد؟
یک بار مقاله را بخوانید. دوباره هم آن را بخوانید و هر چیزی را که هنگام خواندن به ذهنتان می رسد، یادداشت کنید. شاید به ذهنتان یک اتفاق ساده و یا حتی یک مکالمه یادآوری شود. شاید هنگام خواندن به یک عقیده محکم در مورد این موضوع برسید. شما باید توانایی فکر کردن به یک موضوع ویژه را داشته باشید که به کمک آن مشاهدات نویسنده را تایید یا رد کنید. می توانید یک لیست از چیزهایی که معنای زیبا و زیبایی برای شما می دهد را تهیه کنید. بلافاصله پس از مقاله تعدادی از سوالات مباحثه ای آمده است که باعث می شود به فراتر از مقاله بیندیشید. اگر می خواهید می توانید قبل از مقاله سوالات را بخوانید، یا می توانید اول مقاله را بخوانید سپس سوالها را جهت پاسخ دادن مورد تجزیه و تحلیل قرار دهید. عکس العملهای خود را به این مقاله آزادانه بیان کنید. سپس عقیده خود را به صورت آن لاین یا با همکلاسیهای خود در کلاس به بحث و گفتگو بگذارید.
غرب در زیبایی بهترین است
برگرفته شده از بخش خبری بی بی سی، 11 ژانویه 1999 )
ویتنام، امروز: اخبار ویتنام،
(http://perso.wanadoo.fr/patrick.guenin/cantho/vnnews/beauty.htm
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پس از گذشت یک دهه ازآزادسازی اقتصادی در ویتنام، زنان ویتنامی نیز دستخوش تغییر گردیده اند. تصورات سنتی از زیبایی ظاهری تحت فشار جریان پرنفوذ تبلیغات و دیگر عناصر موثر غربی در کشور قرار دارد. مسوولان نیز گاهی اوقات نگرانی خود را از عواقب اجتماعی این جریان به ویژه بر روی جوانان اعلام کرده اند. اینجا پاریس یا میلان نیست، بلکه کوچه پس کوچه های مرکز شهر سایگون است که نمادهای زیبایی برگرفته شده از فرهنگ غرب هستند که به صورت جدی استانداردهای زیبایی را در اینجا شکل می دهند.
ترنگ، دختر 22 ساله ی ویتنامی در پشت صحنه یک نمایش مد آرزو می کند که گیسوان طلایی و قیافه تمام آمریکایی مریلین مونرو را داشت، در حالیکه دوست او لاون انگ به سیندی کراوفورد غبطه می خورد، نه به خاطرتیپش بلکه به خاطر ظاهرش. یک نگاه به تابلوهای بزرگ تبلیغاتی کافی است که به ما بگوید زنان ویتنامی در عبارتی نا مطمئن به زیبایی می رسند، اینکه غرب در زیبایی بهترین است. فروشگاه ها لبریز از لوازم آرایش گوناگون هستند، نه فقط سری کامل از محصولاتی که پوست را روشن می سازند. برخلاف بسیاری از همنوعان خود، زنان ویتنامی تلاش می کنند که برنزه نشوند. کلاه و دستکشهای بلند، آنها را از تیره شدن پوستشان در امان می دارد، چون در ویتنام رنگ تیره ی پوست ویژه کارگران ساده و از طبقه پایین است. البته در میان زنان ویتنامی، زنانی هم هستد که برای آنها همه ی آرایشهای دنیا به نظر کافی نمی رسد تا آنها را به ظاهر غربی مورد نظرشان برساند. آنها در نهایت به عمل های جراحی زیبایی دست می زنند.
نسل جدید جراحان پلاستیک در ویتنام هنوز از جراحتهای ناشی از جنگ ویتنام رنج می برند، با اینحال آنها زندگی راحتی را با صاف کردن بینی، پلک، و بزرگ کردن بالاتنه دختران و زنان ویتنامی در پیش گرفته اند، و ناخرسندند از اینکه جریان طبیعت آنها را پشت سر گذاشته و از آنها عبور کرده است. دکتر وین سووان کونگ، در مورد جراحی روی آخرین خانم مراجعه کننده برای او توضیح می دهد که یک بینی هر چقدر بیشتر شبیه یک بینی غربی باشد، ظاهر ویتنامی او را بیشتر زیبا می کند. او در ادامه می گوید: هر چه بلندتر باشد بهتر است، من این ایمپلنت را زیر پوست او و بالای استخوان بینی اش می گذارم که بلندتر به نظر آید.
سوالهای مباحثه ای
* زیبایی چیست؟ آیا یک تعریف و یا برداشت جهانی از زیبایی وجود دارد؟
* تشابهات و تفاوتهای زیبایی ویتنامی و زیبایی غربی را با هم مقایسه کنید.
* چگونه برداشت های مختلف از زیبایی ماندگار و جاودانی می شوند؟
* چگونه برداشت های سنتی از زیبایی باید حفظ شوند؟ آیا اصلاً باید حفظ شوند یا نه؟
عمومی - همشهری آنلاین
http://www.hamshahrionline.ir/News/?id=44980
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استاد دانشگاه علوم پزشكي شهيد بهشتي گفت: "ايران از نظر تعداد جراحي زيبايي بيني در دنيا اول است علت آن هم تبحر جراحان پلاستيك ايران و حس زيبايي پسندي ايرانيان است ."
به گزارش خبرگزاری فارس عبدالجليل كلانتر هرمزي، فوق تخصص جراحي پلاستيك در گفتوگویی افزود: "علت بالا بودن تعداد عملهاي جراحي زيبايي بيني در ايران تسلط و تبحر بيش از حد جراحان پلاستيك است، از طرفي ايرانيان طرفدار زيبايي هستند و اين حس زيبايي پسندي ريشه در تاريخ فرهنگي بيش از 2 هزار ساله ايرانيان دارد ."
كلانتر هرمزي گفت:" بعد از ايران كشورهاي آمريكا، انگلستان و تا حدي فرانسه در دريفهاي بعدي تعداد عملهاي جراحي زيبايي بيني قرار دارند البته بايد به اين موضوع هم توجه داشت كه در برخي كشورهاي اروپايي به علت فرم بيني مردم اصولاً نياز به عمل جراحي زيبايي بيني وجود ندارد و شايد تعداد اين عملها در اين كشورها در حد صفر باشد ."
عضو هيئت علمي دانشگاه علوم پزشكي شهيد بهشتي ادامه داد:" نميتوان گفت عمل جراحي زيبايي بيني يك عمل غير ضرور و تجملي است زيرا اكثر افرادي كه متقاضي اين نوع عملها هستند از يك نوع ناراحتي رواني رنج ميبرند و انجام اين عمل به سلامت روان و افزايش اعتماد به نفس آنها كمك ميكند و قطعاً بر كيفيت زندگيشان مؤثر است ."
وي اضافه كرد:" شايد يك دهه قبل انجام عمل جراحي زيبايي بيني يك كار عجيب و غريب به نظر ميرسيد و انگ اجتماعي به همراه داشت اما امروز انجام اين عمل يك عرف معمول و پذيرفته شده در جامعه ايران است كه در صورت تشخيص درست پزشكان متبحر ايراني هيچ مشكلي به وجود نميآورد ."
در مقابل به گزارش خبرگزاری فارس عضو كميسيون بهداشت مجلس در این باره معتقد است: "عمل جراحي زيباييبيني در ايران به صورت يك كار تقليدي و ناشي از چشم و هم چشمي درآمده است و به خصوص دختران براي انجام اين عمل با هم مسابقه گذاشتهاند ."
حسینعلي شهرياري در گفت و گویی افزود: "عمل جراحي بيني در اكثر موارد يك كار تقليدي است و انگار كه يك مسابقه بين جوانان و به خصوص دختران ايراني براي زيبايي بيني گذاشتهاند كه هر كس تلاش ميكند در این مسابقه عقب نماند ."
وي گفت:" اين حجم انبوه عملهاي زيبايي بيني تا حد زيادي به مسائل فرهنگي جامعه مربوط است و البته پزشكان نيز بر افزايش اين عملها دامن ميزنند، در حالي كه بايد پزشكان و خانواده با آموزش و توصيههاي فرهنگي جلوي اين نوع چشم و هم چشميهاي بي مورد را بگيرند ."
شهرياري افزود: "درصد كمي از متقاضيان عملهاي جراحي زيبايي بيني در كشور واقعاً مشكل دارند و ممكن است مشكل تنفسي يا اشكالات ديگر داشته باشند اما اكثر آنان افراد مرفه جامعه هستند كه پولهاي هنگفت هزينه اين عملها را ميپردازند و اكثر اقشار متوسط و پايين جامعه توان پرداخت چنين هزينههايي را ندارند ."
عضو كميسيون بهداشت و درمان مجلس گفت:" آماري از ميزان عمل هاي جراحي زيبايي بيني در كشور نداريم و واقعاً سخت است كه بتوان چنين آماري را به دست آورد اما اكثر كساني كه اين نوع عملها را انجام ميدهند، دختران و خانمهاي جوان هستند گر چه ممكن است به صورت موردي مرداني هم باشند كه عمل جراحي زيبايي بيني انجام دهند ."
وي افزود: "نميشود پروتكل درماني براي اعمال جراحي زيبايي نوشت و انجام آنها را محدود کرد زیرا اين يك عمل توافقي بين بيمار و پزشك است اما می توان با کار فرهنگی و آمزش به مردم و جوانان جلوی رشد بیش از حد این عمل های غیر ضرور را گرفت. "
Taking It Further Explanation
Near the end of each IC3 chapter, professors or instructors are asked to plan "applied learning" events, interviews, research, or service projects on- or off-campus. "Taking It Further" means that our on-campus, classroom learning are just a first step in broader learning that affects our vocations, professions, and community service.
For instance, throughout our completion of chapter 1, all participating campuses and partners to this IC3 exchange are completing "web profiles" that will be used extensively by members of each pod. This "takes further" the relationship building of pod members. Another example, at the end of chapter 2 (Food and Water Security), a language class using IC3 could link with a biology department to examine "best practices" in protecting a clean watershed. In Vietnam, this could involve the students' applied learning of water security in terms of the health of the Mekong River, upstream and downstream inter-state concerns, and the long-term viability of industries alongside fish and rice farming. Here in Virginia (USA), our students will examine our watershed, which flows into the Shenandoah River and the Chesapeake Bay, and from there the Atlantic Ocean. Or at the end of chapters 6, 7 and 10 (Domestic Economics, Regional Trade, Globalization), a class could interview merchants and vendors of one's village or city to discern their wisdom in making a living in an age of globalization.
There is no single set of learning objectives for the Taking It Further exercises. Hopefully, each participating campus and partner to IC3 can share through pod dialogues your lessons learning through this exercise. There may even be collaborative study, research, or service for certain Taking It Further ventures among IC3 partners.
Sketching a Web :
This lesson within each IC3 chapter presents ways for “communities of learning” to further their inter-cultural experience. First, these lessons open your classroom out onto a much bigger world. Take the learning from in-class exercises and begin to make applications outside of class and off campus. In this way, practice applying your knowledge in real life situations.
Second, these lessons make possible a more three-dimensional relationship with other “communities of learning.” You are linked through an online learning platform with youth in another culture, on another continent, and embedded in a different way of “knowing.” Make the most of this online link and imagine ways in which you can shape and give depth to this relationship.
But there is a critical first step! You must first identify who you are. Do so here through examining the “web” of influences in your own life. Who has shaped you? Who has suggested to you possible directions in life? With whom do you spend your most meaningful time? The initial “Taking It Further” lessons provide steps for your own creation of a web of relations and influences. Use this and the step-by-step web platform to post a three-dimensional picture of your personality and community.
As other “Taking It Further” exercises take you more deeply into your community and links with other “communities of learning” around the world, you are free to go back and modify your posted identity on the IC3 web.
So let us get started! Take out a blank piece of paper. Draw lines from three corners toward the center of page. Imagine that as a spider spins a web, you too have “anchor points” from which you drop threads of experience, learning, received wisdom, environmental influences, and meaningful relationships. Think long and hard about the most significant of these influences in your life. With a pencil (for you will likely be going back and erasing and rewriting a lot), write in words or short phrases that could label these influences. On separate sheets of paper, write and rewrite a paragraph about each of these “anchor points.” In Lesson 2, you will be asked to use this information to post online your “lifelong learning web.” You will be given space to submit five brief entries. Keep this in mind as you write and rewrite your paragraphs.
Set aside your penciled-in “lifelong learning web” of explanatory paragraphs. Talk this exercise over with classmates and instructors.
Foreign Film Series (2004-2008)
Eastern Mennonite University has helped facilitate a foreign film series linking Iranian, Vietnamese, and U.S. campuses over the last four years. This year, we approach the 60 th film screened and discussed online among these youth. New countries have joined the series and dialogue, including Mozambique, India, Tibet, Uganda, Bolivia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Japan.
Students of each culture first select a film that speaks to an important point of their culture. We purchase copies for all participating classes and forward these by courier. Each group then views at roughly the same time each film. A brief post-film intra-cultural discussion precedes comments posted online to the other nodes of the web. Students work in pods of fifteen or so participants representing all parts of the web. After reading the posts within one’s pod, students comment again online as to what they’ve learned from one another’s perspective.
The goal of each film screening is to gain perspective on other cultures and then to dialogue across boundaries. Given the initial partners to this film series, this dialogue has been primarily among youth whose countries have identified “the other” as an enemy – past and present – Vietnam, Iran, and the United States. We link to learn more about one another; we gain some empathy and perhaps transform our knowledge of and relations with others. That is, we seek to grow a new sense of “we” and diminish the existing sense of “they.” If such inter-cultural skills and experiences are critical to the learning objectives of your class, please join this web of viewers and discussants. Link to learn, empathize to transform.
IT: Blackboard
- When you have seen a movie or complete a chapter, you are going to practice using Blackboard to discuss them with other students participating in IC3. As an example, we will use the movie “A Dream in Hanoi” and you imagine that you are participating on Blackboard to communicate with students in other countries.
- Open the Internet and go to www.emu.edu/ic3 . This is the IC3 homepage. Take a moment to look around at some of the links on the IC3 homepage.
- To access Blackboard click on the words “Post Your Best Answers,” at the top of the page. This will open a new window that displays the Blackboard homepage.
- Look to the left hand side of the page and click on the button that reads “Login.”
- Enter your username and password in the blank spaces on the page.
- If your username and password are correct you should be taken to your individual Blackboard homepage.
- Look to the right hand side of the page for the “Foreign Film Series” link that appears in the “My Courses” box. This takes you to the main page for the “Foreign Film Series” course.
- Since you will be participating in the forum click on the word “Forum” on the left-hand side of the page. This opens a page with links to forums for all of the movies that we have viewed as part of the Foreign Film Series.
- Scroll down until you see the link “The White Balloon” written in blue. Notice to the right of this link there is a message that tells you the total number of messages in the forum as well as the number of messages that are new. Click on the link that reads A “A Dream in Hanoi”. This opens the discussion forum for “A Dream in Hanoi.” Now you should be able to see all the postings on the movie.
- Each posting is noted by a red link. By clicking on one of these links you will be able to read that posting. But notice that there are two links next to each other. On the left is the subject of the posting. In this forum it might read “A Dream in Hanoi” or mention some other phrase that has to do with the movie. The link to the right of the subject link is the name of the person who made the post. Clicking on the person’s name will allow you to send e-mail to that person. DO NOT click on the person’s name. To the right of the person’s name is the date and time that the posting was made; this information is not a link.
- Notice now that the links to some responses are indented from others and have the letters “Re:” in front of them. Like e-mail, this means that this posting is a reply to another posting.
Replying to another student’s post is almost like carrying on a conversation with that student. You can ask questions that relate directly to his or her post, and then other people can reply to you. Later you can come back and see what new posts have been added to the conversation and then you can make another or several other postings in response.
- When reading posts from other students understand that it is not necessary to read all of the posts in a forum. Skim the subject lines in the forum and look for a posting that interests you. Read that forum and the posts that were made as replies. Do this several times with different posts to get a better understanding of what people are saying in the forum. Notice whether there are any common themes among all of the postings. Practice reading some of the postings made by other students by clicking on appropriate links.
- To post your own response in a forum you have two options. You can pose totally new questions or make comments that have not been made before OR you can reply to another posting.
- First, posting your own questions or comments that do not relate to another student’s post is called posting a new thread so find the button that says “Post New Thread” at the top of the page and click on it. This opens up a new screen where you can type your post.
- It is often wise to type your post in Microsoft Word so that you can spell check it and save it to your disk. Once you have your post typed in word save it to your disk and copy and paste it into the box labeled “Message” on Blackboard.
- Notice that there is a blank box next to the word “Subject” above the box labeled “Message.” In the “Subject” box you should write a few words that will help other students understand what you are writing about without having to read your whole post. The “Subject” should be no more than 10 words.
- When you are ready to post click the “Submit” button in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. This will take you back to the main page of the forum and you should be able to see your posting on the page.
Another option is to reply to someone else’s posting. To do this, open the post that you would like to reply to. Notice in the bottom right hand corner of the screen there is a button with the word “Reply” on it. Click on the “Reply” button. This will open the screen that you may write on to post your reply. Notice that the subject line is already filled in. It will have the letters “Re:” indicating that you are replying to someone else and then the subject from the post that you are replying to. You do not need to replace this subject with your own, but you may do so if you wish. Copy and paste your post in the “Message” box after spell checking it in Microsoft Word and click on the “Submit” button in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen.
Exercise:
Open the Internet and go to Google.com
- Conduct a search in Google for “Vo Tong Xuan.”
- Many entries will come up on your screen. Select the first listing, “In Person: Vo Tong Xuan ( Viet Nam), and article written by Eileen Conway. Although this article is “dated,” that is, it was written several years ago, there are a number of valuable aspects of this written work.
- You learn some of the background history of agricultural projects that have linked Long Xuyen and Can Tho to the broader world.
- You gain some knowledge of the challenges facing rice farmers in the Mekong Delta and other rice-growing regions.
- You learn about an important international organization that offers free online articles and books concerning rice agriculture. Let’s begin our study with this topic.
- From the “url” for this article you learn who has written it. “url” means “Uniform Resource Locator.” The “url” is the “http://www…” address at the bottom of the screen. It reads: http://www.idrc.ca/library/document/102386/xuan.html. It connects you to the “http,” or “Hyper Text Transfer Protocol,” or data base of network information for your topic.
- Go back to your “Google.com” search box and type in “idrc.ca,” to learn more about the host of this website, the International Development Resource Centre, which is an international research institute funded by the Canadian government.
- Click on the “English” box.
- On the left hand side of their “homepage” (from which you may search in many directions), click on “Library.” Then click on the highlighted “BIBLIO” for a “hyper-link” to the IDRC’s catalog of library resources. A “hyper-link” will always be highlighted in blue. When you move your mouse to this underlined word, your cursor will turn into an icon in the shape of a hand. This is your signal that you may click to a current posting of this “BIBLIO” or library catalog.
- In the library catalog, try to see how many current Vietnamese entries there are on the topic of Vietnamese agriculture and “identity” issues among Vietnamese farmers.
- In the “Keywords” section at the top of your page, type in “ Vietnam” AND “Rice.” For now, you need NOT type in any other information. Click “enter” to view the eight entries on Vietnam and rice.
You will see toward the bottom of this list the 1995 article by Eileen Conway on Dr. Vo Tong Xuan. But go further in your search. Record the first five entries you find.
- Click on the article by Nguyen Huu Dung and Tran thi Thanh Dung. Its title is, “Economic and Health Consequences of Pesticide Use in Paddy Production in the Mekong Delta.”
- a You will be shown a library catalog entry for the work of these two Vietnamese scholars. Several lines down in this catalog entry, you will see a hyper-link to this article and its url: http://idrinfo.idrc.ca/archive/corpdocs/113557/economic.htm.
- b. Click on this url, and skim the title and abstract.
- c. An “abstract” is often placed at the beginning of an article. It is generally no longer than a few lines or one paragraph. From this abstract, you can tell what the entire article is about.
- While you may not be able to read this level of English at present, as you progress to the higher levels of www.emu.edu/IC3/. You will soon be able to access, read, evaluate, and respond to these articles about development in Vietnam and the world.
- For the time being, there is still much you can learn about rice production in the Mekong Delta. Go back to your www.emu.edu/IC3/ homepage. At the top of the homepage, just beneath the banner of pictures, you will see a box at the right that says, “Dr. Rice.”
- Click on this hyper-link. Here you may examine closely the bilingual work of An Giang University and the International Rice Research Institute from Los Banos, Philippines.
- Experiment on your own the many links in Vietnamese and English under this website.
- Answer the following questions.
- How can you use this “Dr. Rice” link in your home village, district, or city? Who should know about this link, and how might they make use of it?
Memorizing and Plagiarism
One of the main differences between education in the United States and education in Vietnam is the value put on memorization. To be able to memorize well is valued highly in Vietnamese education. If a student can quote the words of a famous person on a test or in a composition, it is to their benefit. To be able to recite or rewrite the words of a textbook helps a student pass exams. But in the American educational system teachers value the ability of students to put the material being learned into the student’s own words. To quote or recite a passage from a book without reference to the source of the quote is considered plagiarism. To articulate anything memorized without explaining where it comes from is thought to be bad education practice. Therefore it benefits the student to learn how to paraphrase and summarize and always credit the source. Avoid plagiarizing. It is unacceptable. For more guidance on how to avoid plagiarism do a google search (www.google.com) and type in “Plagiarism” and “Guidelines.” You will see that many universities and colleges in the U.S. have guidelines to avoid plagiarism.
Học thuộc lòng và Đạo văn
Một trong những điểm khác biệt giữa giáo dục Mỹ và Việt Nam là giá trị của sự ghi nhớ. Khả năng nhớ tốt được đánh giá cao trong giáo dục ở Việt Nam. Nếu một sinh viên có thể trích dẫn nguyên văn lời nói của một danh nhân trong bài kiểm tra hay luận văn thì có lợi cho anh ta. Thuật lại và viết lại những từ trong sách giáo khoa giúp cho sinh viên thi đậu các kỳ thi. Nhưng trong hệ thống giáo dục Mỹ, giáo viên đánh giá sinh viên dựa vào khả năng dùng lời văn của họ để diễn giải các tài liệu đã học. Viết lại hay đọc lại nguyên văn từ trong một quyển sách mà không ghi chú xuất xứ của đọan văn đó thì bị coi là đạo văn (ăn cắp văn chương). Đọc nguyên văn bất cứ thứ gì đã học thuộc lòng mà không nói rõ xuất xứ của nó thì bị coi là thói xấu trong học tâp. Do vậy, thật là hữu ích nếu sinh viên học được cách diễn đạt ý người khác bằng lời của mình, tóm tắt và nêu xuất xứ. Hãy tránh ăn cấp văn chương. Điều đó không thể chấp nhận được. Để có thêm hướng dẫn về việc tránh nạn đạo văn, hãy tìm trên mạng Google ( www.google.com), gõ “Đạo văn” và “những hướng dẫn”. Bạn sẽ thấy có nhiều trường đại học và cao đẳng ở Mỹ hướng đẫn cách tránh ăn cắp văn chương.
Exercises
These exercises draw upon a modified version of an article by Takeshi Machida, “’Farmer doctor’ a hero in Vietnam:Agriculturalist transformed his country from importer to major exporter of rice” ( Tokyo, Japan:NIKKEI); see the full text at http://www.nni.nikkei.co.jp/FR/NIKKEI/inasia/prizes/2002/2002xuan.html.
Questions 1-10 are incomplete sentences. Beneath each sentence you will see your words or phrases, A, B, C, and D. Choose the one world or phrase that best completes the sentence. Look at the following example:
The agricultural expert saw the distress of rice growers _____ with insect damage.
- made difficult
- struggling
- because of
- that are struggling
The correct answer is b. If you are ready to respond to the following ten questions, note the time, and begin.
1. This agriculturalist selected a rice species, IR26, which is resistant to _____ insects.
- noxious
- being
- the kinds of
- rodents
2. This prompted the rice scientist to use a morning radio program popular _____ farmers in those days.
- for
- between
- among
- because of
3. He called upon the farmers to use the new variety during the radio show and distributed 1 kg of rough rice _____ farmer who came to the radio station
- among all
- for each
- to each
- from the
4. The number of visitors increased and the rice yield _____.
- grew rapid
- rapid
- grew quickly
- quickly
5. However, harmful pests infested the crop again in 1976, when a new type of insect resistant to IR26 appeared, prompting the rice scientist and his team of farmers _____ to a new species, IR36.
- switch
- begin
- to switch
- to begin
6. The scientists at Can Tho University called upon college students to spread the new variety of rice. They taught the students ____ to grow the rice, and working in teams ____ teachers, they visited farmers, bringing rough rice with them.
- why … from the
- when … among
- how … with
- just … alongside
7. Their efforts were widely ____ and the insects were wiped out in eight months.
- copies
- modeling
- done
- accepted
8. On one occasion, two teams of teachers and students made an appointment for a visit to a farmhouse to teach agricultural technologies but _____ politely turned away.
- it was
- they were
- they’re
- there was
9. While traveling to Japan and studying that country’s rice production, this scientist wondered why Vietnamese farmers remained poor _____ hard, and so he decided his mission was to teach them the knowledge he had obtained.
- despite working
- from so much work that was
- and
- due to working
10. _____, this rice scientist is doing his _____ to improve the quality of rice so that Vietnamese rice exports will survive even under a free trade system.
- Although … best
- Currently … utmost
- Presently … worst
- At current … utmost
This "Best Answers" forum allows students and teachers to learn from one another inter-culturally. On each side of the world where classes are immersed in www.emu.edu/ic3 curriculum work, there has been consideration of an important development question. In Level 1, Chapter 1 students have wrestled with a key developmental question, "Who in the world am I? Am I undergoing significant change?" To answer this fully in another language, many steps have been taken. First, classrooms discussed this question through Listening/Speaking, Writing, and Reading exercises in a second language - either in Vietnamese or in English. Second, students have thought "internally" (within themselves) about this question. Third, they have written and corrected a draft of this response on the computer, using new second-language and IT skills. Third, they are now prepared to take the extraordinary step of sharing this work product with students in another land. Their counterparts are simultaneously trying their best to communicate to you. They are likewise posting their answer to this same developmental question, using their own new second-language and IT skills. Once the postings are complete on the "Best Answers" forum, classrooms at each end of the inter-cultural exchange may decide how best to read, comment upon, and respond to the answers posted by students at the "other end of the dialogue."
Instructors and students, alike, may judge whether or not this exchange is deepening your learning. As one examines one's own answer in light of another's response from another culture, how does this sharpen or deepen your own understanding of self? Begin to write down and discuss whether you see small steps of progress in thinking across the North American and Vietnamese cultural boundaries as a result of your participation in this IC3 forum and curriculum. In the chapters and levels ahead, more and more developmental questions are posed. As participants progress from the Llevel 1 to the five levels of instruction, the same development concerns are examined with more challenging and sophisticated materials. The dialogue, therefore, is expected to gain momentum and depth, even as it requires more critical examination of one's own, another student's, and world expert analysis of key development questions.
After you have completed the Reading, Listening/Speaking, and Writing chapters 1, how would you answer the following question?
Guiding Question: Who in the world am I? |
Câu hỏi hướng dẫn: Tôi là ai trong thế giới này? |
Pregunta de guía: ¿Quién soy yo? |
سوال راهنما: من چه کسی در دنیا هستم؟
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