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PADOVA-DICKINSON EXCHANGE 

Fall semester 2008

2nd edition

 

 

Teachers The Exchange Description Logistics  Padova-Dickinson Students Wikispaces Groups Pages and Collaborative Writing Assignment Pages Calendar Exchange Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Collaborative Writing Assignment Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 9 Skype Names Skype Groups 16/10/08 9:30am (American time) - 15.30 (Italian time) 10:30am (American time) - 16.30 (Italian time)  Skype Groups 23/10/08 9:30am (American time) - 15.30 (Italian time) 10:30am (American time) - 16.30 (Italian time) Skype Groups 30/10/08 9:30am (American time) - 13.30 (Italian time) 10:30am (American daylight saving time) - 15.30 (Italian time) Skype Groups 06/11/08 9:30am (American time) - 15.30 (Italian time) 10:30am (American time) - 16.30 (Italian time) Skype Groups 13/11/08 9:30am (American time) - 15.30 (Italian time) 10:30am (American time) - 16.30 (Italian time) Skype Groups 20/11/08 9:30am (American time) - 15.30 (Italian time) 10:30am (American time) - 16.30 (Italian time) Calendar Dickinson Calendar Padova Day 1: 09/10/2008 Day 2: 16/10/2008 Day 3: 23/10/2008 Day 4: 30/10/2008 Day 5: 06/11/2008 Day 6: 13/11/2008 Day 7: 20/11/2008 Day 8: 27/11/2008 Day 9: 4/12/2008 Day 10: 11/12/2008

Teachers

Nicoletta Marini-Maio, Dickinson College

Sarah Guth, UniPD

 

The Exchange

Description

The aim of this exchange is for students to perfect their communication skills in the language they are studying (L2), to develop their intercultural communicative competence in both languages (L1 and L2). Our approach to learning will be multi-faceted and focus on five components:

communication     cultures     comparisons     connections     communities ^[1]

The emphasis on communication will allow you to interact in both L1 and L2 with classmates and native speakers in guided activities and spontaneous conversations and debates. Your practice of the language during the exchange will be content-based, and you will learn language and content in tandem.

All the activities are aimed at furthering your knowledge and understanding of both the 'other' culture as well as your own. This approach will enrich the class environment with meaningful contexts, giving you the opportunity to confront authentic, linguistically, and intellectually challenging materials that are relevant to your academic education.

The exchange will help you to establish connections with other disciplines, ways of thinking, and methods of study as well as to make comparisons between your culture and that of your peers from abroad.

 

 

The intense learning experience of this course aims at developing a sense of community within each class and with the your partners in the other country.

 

Logistics 

When the academic year starts in Italy (October 3), American students will be paired up with one or more Italian students. Until the end of the semester, students will spend one 50-minute class every Thursday communicating with their partner/s (half of the time in Italian and half in English) and perform the assigned activity (see calendar on this page). The activities will span from real-life simulations (traveling, shopping, looking for an apartment, etc.) to research and collaborative writing. The assessment of your work will be based on criteria that will vary depending on the weekly activity. You will be also asked to evaluate yours and your peer’s performance. There will also be time dedicated in the face-to-face classes in the respective countries to talk about the weekly exchanges. Remember: In each session of the exchange, students have to talk at least 25 out of 50 minutes in Italian with your partner/s. This is crucial for the success of the project. This means the Italian students will have to learn to be understanding with their lower-level American peers and the American students will have to have the courage to throw themselves into the language even if they have limited vocabulary. In Skype there is always the text chat function that can be used when there are misunderstandings.

 

Padova-Dickinson Students

Go to the Padova-Dickinson Students Fall 08 page to see who's involved in the exchange.

 

Wikispaces

This wiki has several different spaces that you, students, will use to work on this Exchange. They are briefly described, and linked to, below.

 

The home page for the exchange. Here you will find:

The questions you are to discuss each week during your Skype sessions.

The calendar for the course at Dickinson.

A recount of what is done each week during class in Padova and the tasks for homework.

Your Skype partners each week.

Every student’s Skype name.

 

The partner/group pages. Here you will find:

The personal pages for the Padova students. On the personal pages, students are expected to reflect each week on what they are learning from their Skype exchange. They should make an entry in their page each week and then copy it into the group page so that their peers can read it.

Group pages. You have been placed into groups both for completing collaborative writing assignments and for sharing your thoughts on what you are learning in the exchanges. On the group pages, students will post their ‘thoughts’ about what they have learned during the Skype sessions. They will use their peers texts to reflect on how L1 influences how we write in L2. Students will also create group essay pages on these pages to work on the collaborative writing projects. Students will then correct each other’s written texts.

 

 

Groups Pages and Collaborative Writing Assignment Pages

 

 

Group Pages	Collaborative Writing Assignment
Group01	Group01Essay/Page Title
Group02	Group02Essay
Group03	Group03Essay
Group04	Group04Essay
Group05	Gruop5 Essay
Group06	Group6Essay
Group07	Group07Essay
Group08	Group08Essay
Group09	Essay Group 09
Group10	Group10Essay
Group11	Group11Essay
Group12	Group12Essay
Group13	Group13Essay
Group14	Group 14 Essay

 

 

 

 

 

 

Calendar Exchange

 

week	Thursday Skype session	Topic / Task
1	week starting October 6	Introductions Students post their introductions to the Padova-Dickinson Students page. Italians in English, Americans in Italian.
2	16/10	Student life Students discuss their respective universities/colleges, where they are, what students do, where students live, etc. Students provide linguistic feedback on their peers' introductions. Feedback should not only be pointing out specific grammatical or lexical mistakes, but suggesting better ways to re-phrase things so that they sound more natural.
3	23/10	Società: Casa Students work together on a collaborative role-play. They pretend to be moving to Padua (the Americans) or Carlisle (The Italians) in order to study, respectively, at the Università di Padova or at Dickinson College. They need to find a house (or an apartment, or a room), to enroll in the classes they would attend, and to get acquainted with the place in general. They prepare questions to ask their peers to have information and sources about the city/town, housing, food, courses, and enrollment procedures. By the end of the week, students will post a detailed 500-word essay about their plans, the reasons of their choices, and their goals. Americans write in Italian, Italians in English.
4	30/10	L'era Berlusconiana American students share what they have learned about this particular aspect of Italian politics and prepare questions to ask their Italian peers to have additional information. They may focus on particular topics related to the Berlusconi era: immigration, the role of the media, the conflict of interest, if and how the Berlusconi era is related to Tangentopoli, and others. Italian students share their experiences, impressions and opinions. Students continue adding information to the wiki. Sub-topic of interest: Halloween!
5	06/11	USA presidential elections Students discuss the results and their reactions. Students compare reactions in Italy/Europe to reactions in the USA. They also provide data and factual information. By 12/11: students finish adding contents to their collaborative writing assignment. Italian students provide American students with linguistic feedback using the comment function.
6	13/11	Periferia e architettura Students discuss and compare the concepts of suburbs/periferia in the two countries. Students add visuals to the wiki pages. By 19/11: students finish adding visuals, e.g. videos from YouTube and photos from Flickr, to their collaborative writing assignment. American students provide Italian students with linguistic feedback using the comment function.
7	20/11	Cinema Students choose one film in their respective countries that they feel 'represents' the culture of cinema in their country. They then discuss and compare these, e.g. Hollywood vs. Italian cinema. sub-topic of interest: Thanksgiving! By 3/12: final edit of the collaborative writing assignment. Italian and American students will correct their peers' Italian and English by directly editing the page. In your groups you will decide who will edit whose content. Then, by using the history and comparison function, you can observe the changes made by the native speaker. This has two aims: first, by correcting your peers' L2, you can 'see' and 'read' the L1 behind it and learn something about the L1; second, by observing how a native speaker has corrected your L2, you can learn something about L1.
8	27/11	Thanksgiving
9	4/12	La storia: Cosa nostra Students compare two movies (I suggest The Godfather and I cento passi) and  discuss the differences in the representation of the mafiosi and their opponents in the two films. Then they discuss about organized crime in the two countries and the impact this has on life in the two countries. Talk about what you have learned during the exchange.
10	week starting December 8	Final Exams / Presentations

 

Week 1

1. Write a brief introduction about yourself on the Padova-Dickinson Students Fall 08 page. Please feel free to upload pictures or make links to your blogs, MySpace, Facebook, etc.

2. If you don't already have a Skype account, please sign up for one. Then add your (name and) Skype name on this wiki page in the table below.

Deadline: Wednesday, October 9

 

Week 2

 

Questions from Padova to Dickinson

Is there a campus or is it everything dispersed throughout a city like in Padova?

How are the lessons organized? And what about the exams? Are they oral or written?

Do you attend the lessons only in the morning?

Why do you study Italian and not another language?

Have you ever been in Italy? If yes, what did you like the most?

Do you live with your family? What do you do in your spare time?

Do you work and study? If yes, is it hard to manage?

How much do you pay for fees yearly?

Do you have clubs and societies at your University?

Can you easily get loans to pay your tuition fees?

How many faculties are there at your University?

Are there many international students?

Is your college a renowned  one? Does it attract many people from other states?

Does your campus organize special student nights during the week?

Do you have special facilities for the gym?

Is it compulsory to attend the lessons at your university?

What kind of job would you like to find in the future?

Do you think that learning Italian will help you in finding a good job? If yes, in which way? 

Do you think that your University is well organised? Would you change anything?

Is it in your Campus like in the movies? Are there struggles and battles to be the head cheerleader? :-P  

Are there students from other countries who come there in order to study in your university?

Are there confraternities in your University? Which ones?

 

 

Domande da Dickinson a Padova

 

 Come e' la vita a Padova?

Quanti studenti vivono all'Università?

Com' è la vità per gli studenti che vivono Padova?

A Padova, avete molte lezioni nel pomeriggio?

C'è un Consiglio degli Studenti a Padova?

Quali materie di studio sono più popolari?

Quali lezioni sono molto difficili? E quali facili?  Perchè?

Quanto costa l'Università di Padova?  Paghi tu o tua famiglia paga?

Hai una mensa?  Com'è il cibo?

Che fai durante il fine-settimana?

Quali squadre sportive avete?

Quali programmi di musica avete?

Tipicamente, quanti studenti ci sono in una classe?

Vivete nel dormitorio?

Ti piace l'Università di Padova?

Dove andate per rilassarvi?

Quante lezioni seguite in un semestre?

Ti piacciono i professori?

Come vi registrate alle lezioni?

Lavorate in gruppi o da soli?

Fate parte di gruppi sportivi dell'Università di Padova?

Quando cominciano e finiscono le lezioni?

Come cercate casa se non vivete nel dormitorio?

Fa voi tutti hanno le classi de arte?

Quante rotture la fanno gli individui hanno nell'anno? 

 

 

 

Week 3

Collaborative Writing Assignment

 

In groups of 4, you have to prepare a 1000-word bilingual wiki page, 500 words in English written by Italians about Dickinson and 500 words in Italian written by Americans about Padova, providing information for international students planning to attend the respective universities. The two Italian students will write in English about studying at Dickinson and the two American students will write in Italian about studying at the Università di Padova. Your essay should consider the following topics:

Accomodation / Alloggio

Food / Vitto

Registering for classes / Iscrizione ai corsi

Tuition and fees / Retta e tasse universitarie

Exams / Esami

Free Time / Tempo Libero

Personal feelings / Impressioni personali

Useful Links

You are welcome to write an essay with headings or to make a real wiki page using the table of contents function (see Insert Plugin). Decide in groups using the comment function on your tandem page.

 

Follow these steps:

1. As many of you have already done, use your tandem wiki pages to collect useful information and websites for your peers.

2. As you have your conversations on Thursday, take notes that will help you develop your essay.

3. Over the next few days use the links your peer has provided you with to do some searching on the Web.

4. Using the comment function on your wiki page, decide who is going to write about what.

5. Write your contribution. The first draft is due on Tuesday 28.

6. Provide your peers feedback on the language used.

 

 

 

Questions from Padova to Dickinson

 

Do students live in dorms or private flats?

Is it easy to find a room in a private flat?

For those of you who have already been abroad, is the international student office really helpful? Is it reliable?

Do you know if the international students have to pay higher fees at your university?

Do you have a canteen in the campus?

What about the visa? if you are a student you can stay in the US as long as you want?

How can one get to Carlisle? Which is the nearest airport? How much does a ticket cost?

Is it better to live in dorms or private flats? Which is the cheaper solution?

How much do you pay, on average, to eat in cafeterias? Are there special prices for international students?

What about free-time activities in Carlisle?

How can one register for courses? What is the deadline and the maximum number of people allowed to attend classes?

Are classes obligatory?Or you can choose?

Are there in your university some courses for international students?

What kind of courses or activities can a student follow?

How much money do you spend on a month between dorms, eating, fun, etc?

Is it expensive living as a student?

Do your parents help you economically?

How much do you pay for fees every year?

Isn't it boring to live in the campus and spend all the time there?

Which are the most popular jobs for students?

Are there any facilities for the gym?

Is it possible to attend courses and work?

Is there in your dorms also a canteen?Or where you can eat?

If you work and study at the same time do you have for example lower fees or a recognition for your diligence?

Do you have an office for foreign students?

Do you have an office with tutors to help you if you have any questions or doubts about exams, lectures to be followed, etc.?

 

 

Domande da Dickinson a Padova

 

 

È facile trovare una stanza nel dormitorio?

È più facile vivere a casa o nel dormitorio?

Che fanno gli studenti durante il weekend?

Come fare la registrazione ai corsi? Quando?

È possibile fare molte attività extracurriculari come la pallavolo e il tennis?

Che tipo della sistemazione è megliore?  Possiamo vivere nello apartamento?

Come trovate un lavoro? Nel giornale o internet?

Come trovate i compagni di stanza?  Potete vivere con gli amici, o la persona che ha la stanza?

Lei mai ha ascoltato la musica americana? Se così, chi lei ha ascoltato?

Ci sono molti studenti intrnazionali in Padova?  Gli Americani?

Quanto fa uni costi di educazione in Padova?

Lei paga la sculoa te stesso o con l'aiuto dai suoi genitori?

Le e' coincolto in qualunque organizzazioni?

Gli studenti si piace fare fuori alle sbarre o ai nightclub sui fine settimana?  O vanno alla casa?

È l'università di Padova sicuro?

Dove è il più sicuro vivere sull'università?

Dove posso comprare i miei libri per la classe?P

Viaggiate molto?

Che cose vi piacciono il maggior parte della scuola?

Avete visitato in America prima?

Hai scelto le tue classe per la semestre prossima?

Paghi un tariffa per le attività all'Università?

Hai spazio nell'Università per molti studenti, o dovete abbitare nella città perchè non avere spazio?

Avete una lotteria per scegliere le vostre stanze?

 

Week 4

Questions from Padova to Dickinson

Be prepared to explain to your American peers why there are so many strikes going on in Italy. This reform is very much related to Berlusconi, his way of governing and his majority in parliament. On Wednesday, the reform was passed and there was even violence in Rome. In Padova and Vicenza, there was the procession from the Bo to Prato della Valle for the funeral of public education. Thursday, the day of the exchange, there is a nationwide strike for schools and a demonstration in Prato della Valle. These are issues the Americans might be particularly interested in as demonstrations and the power of unions in the States have diminished quite a lot in recent years. For example, ask them if they've ever been to or heard of a demonstration against a particular law.

You may also want to re-direct your peers to websites such as Repubblica or Il Corriere della Sera for relatively impartial reporting, Il Giornale or Libero for impressions from the right-wing and Il Manifesto or L'Unità for the left-wing reporting.

If you go listen to the podcast at http://www.radio.rai.it/radio2/podcast/lista.cfm?id=83 you can hear a journalist talking about the procession in Padova!

 

Domande da Dickinson a Padova

Dickinson students will discuss with Padova students what they have learned about Berlusconi's role in Italian politics.

 

Ti piace Berlusconi?  Perchè?

Che ha fatto Berlusconi che ti piace?  E non ti piace?

Ci sono le lege degli immigrati?

Il governo d'Italia ha problemmi di tangentopoli ora?

 Che ha fatto Berlusconi che è così cattivo?

Ci sono degli africani in Italia? è quest'un problema alla societá?

Che succede con sistemo di scule?

Com'e' il clima politico all'unoversita' di Padova?

Chi piace Berlusconi?  Le vecchie or le giovane?

Chi e Berlusconi? Il libro usiamo spiega che Berlusconi e un’uomo di potere. Lui sparti il potere con la communita?

Che cosa pensi dei Rom nell'Italia?

Come e Berlusconi?

Ti piace Berlusconi?

Che e la linea politica di Berlusconi?

Che e il piu conflicto di interesso in Italia?

Ti piace la linea politicia di Berlusconi?

Che e il contestazione con Berlusconi e gli studenti?

Perche gli studenti protestano?

Pensi che Berlusconi abbia un conflitto di interessi con il suo campo politico e il campo economico?

Sembra che questo conflitto di interessi sia corrotto?

 

Week 5

Questions from Padova to Dickinson

Did you go to vote?

At what age can you actually vote in the States?

What was the percentage of Amercans who voted?

In general, which are the political views of Obama and those of Mc Cain? What did you understand from the election campaigns of each candidate?

In your opinion, what could Obama or Mc Cain really do for the USA?

Are you happy with the results?

Do you think the States are ready for a black president?

What does it mean to be represented by a black man?

Do you think that if Obama won,  the policies for foreign affairs of the US would change dramatically?

Are you aware of what Europe thinks of your two candidates?

Are there real differences between the two candidates?

Is something going to change if Obama would win?

What do you think about American politicians?

Are primary elections actually necessary?

What do you expect from the new president?

In Italy it has been said that the percentage of young people who voted was not so high. What do you think about it?

Which is the most popular candidate among students and young people in  general? Why?

What are the reasons for the great success of Barack Obama?

Why one should vote for Obama or McCain respectively?

Why is there a little percentage of young people voting?

What do you think about Obama?Will he be the right president?

Do you think that Obama will eliminate American wars all over the world?

Why is there a high percentage of people voting this year?

 Do you think that Obama will really change America? If so, in which way?

Do you think that his African origins could help him in winning or loosing the American elections?

Which are the main points of his electoral campaign?

 Are this the more consequential election of an american citizen's life?

 Do you think that Obama's victory will restablish the leading role of U.S.A in the world?

Do you think that Obama's election will determine an improvement on the social condition of African-American?

Are you happy with the result of the elections? What is the first thing you would do if you were the new US President?

Do you think that Obama's election campaign was a waste of money or do you think he'll manage to phase U.S.A out its economical and social stagnation? 

Do you think that the election of Obama as new President of the US will have repercussions also in the rest of the world?

When will he be officially elected new President by the Congress?

Do you think that the election of Obama will help social integration in America and whole over the world?

“The new President of the United States is Barack Obama”: as this news was communicated all around the world, the rise of stock exchanges regained. Do you think these events are linked together?

Why do you think that most of young people voted for Obama?

Why do you think Obama won the elections?

In your opinion what is the first thing that Obama should do?

What does the victory of Obama represents for the US?

Do you think that Americans really wanted to express a need of changement with Obama's election?

Someone said that Obama's election is a reaction after 8 years of Bush governement and that probably, without George Bush, Obama would have never been elected. Do you think this is true?

Were there big celebrations for the final result?

Do you think that Obama will manage to pull American troops out of Iraq? If yes, how much time do you think he will need to do it?

 Do you think that this election campaign was a waste of money or do you believe it will phase the economical and political stagnation of the U.S.A and of Europe?

 

Domande da Dickinson a Padova

 

Secondo te, come sarà il presidente nuovo toccare l'Italia?

Le persone d'Italia piace universalmente un candidato?

Le persone d'Italia seguono la politica Americana?

Come e` la reazione di gli italiani?

Quale candidata appoggiano le studente a Padova?

Ti piace obama?

Guardi i risultati?

Come i risultati colpisce Italia e le politiche?

Pensi che Berlusconi e Obama lavoreranno insieme bene?

Secondo te, Obama possa migliorare America nella vista del mondo?

 

 

 

Week 6

Questions from Padova to Dickinson

Is in suburbs any program or service for people's own security, recreative activities or assistance in finding employment as in the website of Carlisle Borough? If not, do you think there should be?

On what or who you think those kind of services or assistance to people depend to become reality? (ps: Sorry but, is my phrase construction correct?)

How would you describe a suburb? Which adjectives do you think are the most appropriate?

Are the suburbs in your city dangerous? Are they associated with immigrants' lives like in Padua?

Are there huge buildings in the suburbs of your city?

Are there in the suburbs of your city huge buildings?

What are the pros and cons of living in a big city?

Where would you like to live and why?

Do you think that living in a big city has more advantages rather than disadvantages? If yes, why?

Has anybody of you ever lived in a suburb? If yes how was it?Positive or negative?

Do you think suburbs are more related to big cities or not?

city? Can you describe it?

In Italy many cities have a "circular" development, from the town hall (center of the circle ) to the suburbs and the industrial areas (external). Is it the same in the USA?

What is the main difference between the city centre and the suburbs?

If you had to chose only one adjective, how would you describe suburbs?

If you had the chance to take a pic to catch the essence of suburbs, what it would be like?

How did suburb change during these years?What is the main difference between the city centre and the suburbs?

If you could, what would you like to change in your suburb?

Who lives in the suburbs?

Are suburbs considered to be like Ghettos?

Are suburbs detachable entities from the cities? I mean, can you actually say what a suburb is without talking about the city? Because this would mean to give suburbs an independent connotation.

Can you talk about suburbs only referring to big cities?

How is your city? Can you describe it?

According to you what is it a suburb?

Is it crime identified with it?

Does it have any racial connection or discrimination?

Has anybody of you ever lived in a suburb? If yes how was it? Positive or negative?

Are there any differences between people who live in suburbs and those who live in big cities?

What are the problems related with suburbs? If any, what are the preventive measures that have already been taken?

Are suburbs well connected to the city by means of transports?

Where do you come from? City or suburb? Could you describe the place where you grew up?

In Italy, people from big cities tend to have prejudices about the people from the suburbs , to consider them kind of "inferior", generally for how they act, how they talk, how they dress, etc..is it the same in the USA?

How do you think that cities and suburbs have been changing in these years?

What do you associate the word 'suburb' with?

Is Carlisle a town or a city? Does it have suburbs? If so, what kind of services and facilities are there?

What are the main advantages and disadvantages of living in the suburbs?

Is there more criminality in suburbs than in the city centre?

What kind of people usually live in the suburbs?(Workers, immigrants, big families,...)

What do you think of people living in suburbs?

What kind of buildings are there in suburbs?

Are there more parks in suburbs?

Have you ever been in Italy or in Europe? If yes, what are the biggest differences you noticed between Italian or Europen cities and American ones?

 

Domande da Dickinson a Padova

 

Come è la sicurezza nella periferia?

 

La periferia è sicuro?

 

Ci sono molte crimine?

 

Come descrivi la periferia?

 

Come è la architettura della periferia?

 

La perferia ha edifice o case?

 

C’è bene della periferia contro una città?

 

È più bello che una grande città?

 

Dove tu vuole vivrere? Perchè?

 

Dove abitavi quando eri giovane? Ti piaceva?

 

Come sono le quartiere di una periferia?

 

Come è la struttura della quartiere?

 

È una differenza di le persone che vivono nella periferia contro le persono che vivono nella città grande?

 

Quali servizi sono nella periferia?

Quali servizi sono nella città?

Le città ha cambiato molto? Come?

 

sono le periferie alberato?

 

Ci sono comuni o di altri tipi di zone all'infuori città e periferie?

Sono le periferie più costoso?

 

Week 7

 

Questions from Padova to Dickinson

 

 Do you believe that cinema is strictly related to the culture of ones country?

 

 Have you ever seen an Italian film? If yes, what are the differences you think exist between Italian and American movies?

 

What do you think of Hollywood?

 

Who is your favorite actor/actress? Why do you like him/her?

 

In Italy, unlike many other European countries, we are used to doubling films. Is is the same in the USA?

 

I believe that the use of puns and word play are lost in the translation of a film. Do you agree?

 

In your opinion, how has the cinema industry influenced modern society?

 Do you think Hollywood now is different from what it was at the beginning?

Have you ever watched Italian movies?

Do you like watching movies?

Is it true Americans watch a lot of movies?

Is the American society or politic represented in movies?If yes is it represented right?

Are there good actors?Do you think that they are extrapayed?

 

Do you like watching old movies?

Do you think that the cinema and society have changed a lot over the last 40 years? If so, how?

What is your favorite movie?

What kind of movies do you usually watch?

Are Italian movies shown in the US? If so, do you like them?

If you had to see a movie in a foreign language, would you prefer to see it in the original language with subtitles, or in your own language?

Do American young people prefer going to the cinema or downloading movies from the Internet?

What are the most popular film genres in the US?

 

What do you think about movies and documentaries that they made about september 11th 2001? 

What kind of influence do films have on your life?

Do you prefer to go to the cinema or to rent movies?

I personally dislike watching a movie after having read the book which the film is inspired from. Do you agree?

Have you ever cried watching a movie?

Is it expensive to go to the cinema in the US?

Do you like blockbuster movies or do you prefer independent movies?

What do you think of short movies? Are they popular in the States?

How do you think cinema can raise awarness about important issues?

Do you think a movie is a starting point that makes you reflect on a certain topic or is it a way to simplify a complex issue to make it available for everybody?

Is it a great movie that makes an actor great? Or is a great actor who makes a great film?

Do you think that the movies can influence people? What's its power?

Are the movies creating fashion or is the fashion that influences the movies?

Do you think that a movie can teach something?

What is the last good movie you have seen?

Do you have a favourite movie?

If you have seen an Italian movie, what do you think of the image of Italy it drew?

Is there one particular American movie that you would recommend as a good portray of American modern society?

How are the Italian people represented in the American movies?

Do you think that old Italian films (like La Dolce Vita by Fellini) are more known than the recent ones in the US?

What do you think about movie awards?Are the best films and best actors rewarded or are there different criterions?

 

Thanksgiving

 

What is Thanksgiving?

Is Thanksgiving celebrated in a particular date (like Christmas) or is it like Easter?

What do you celebrate?

Are you going to eat turkey at the Thanksgiving lunch/dinner?

Are you going to celebrate it with your family, like in films?

Is in an important day for American people?

 

 

Domande da Dickinson a Padova

 

Hai visto piu' famose persone a Padua o in altre citte?

Che pensi di i film americani?

Guardi i fill americani in inglese o italiano?

Chi e' il tuo attore o atrice perfierito?

Ci sono gli steriotipi in Italia?

Celebrate qualunque con la tua famiglia come la nostra Thanksgiving?

Quale tipi del film ti preferisci?

Ti piace qualunque i film americano?

 

Week 9

Questions from Padova to Dickinson

What is your idea about organized crime?

Is there mafia still existing in USA?

Do you know something about mafia here in Italy?If yes what is it your idea about it?

What are your conclusions at the end of this experience?

Did you enjoy it?

What did you learn from it?

Was it useful for your studies?

Was it the reality similar to what you had in mind before this experience?

What do you think about these sessions onSkype with Italian students?

Have you learnt  any new words or gained in fluency while speaking in Italian? Do you feel more self-confident?

What wasyour favourite topic? Why?

What do you know about Italian mafia?

Do you think that mafia is something “visible”?

Which are, in your opinion, the illicit activities of mafia?

Have you ever seen “The Godfather”? If yes, what did you strike the most?

Do you think that mafia is just a stereotype or do you think it is still present in Italy?

Do you think that mafia affects the whole of Italy?

“We are not Italian, we are Sicilian”. Does this sentence cause a sensation for you?

In Italy there is a division between North and Southern Italy. Are there any differences among American identities? Is there racism toward people coming from certain states of the USA?

What kind of organized crime is there in the USA?

Which are the first words that come to mind when you hear the word Italy? Are you used to associating Italy just with good food, fashion and mafia or do you think that Italy has also something else to offer?

Do you believe that using Skype has more advantages or disadvantages?

Do you think that being in touch with a native Italian gives you more opportunities to learn or do you believe that, all considered, it was just a waste of time?

Are you happy with your Italian peer? Do you think he/she was able to make him/her understand and provide you with useful information?

Do you think that the Mafia is something far from you? Or do you think that the Mafia is also present in the United States?

Do you know some situations or trades in the United States in which the Mafia is involved?

What do you think about the true story of Peppino Impastato?

What are your final considerations about the Skype echange?

Would you change something about the Skype exchange? ( for example topics, a new peer every session, the use of a web-cam,...)

Have you heard the story of Saviano and the consequences of the book he wrote?

Mafia is Italy or Italy is Mafia?

Have you ever thought about the connections between Mafia and the Italian government?

Do you think the Italian government is surrounded by the Mafia even in 2008?

What is Mafia for you?

Have you ever got to know people close to the Mafia in the US?

Have you ever been threat by the Mafia?

What is the consiracy of silence for you?

Were you aware of the fact that once you enter Mafia you cannot get a way out of it?

What do you think about e-learnings?

Is this your first time experiencing e-learnings?

How do you think we could improve our e-learing experience?

Would you judge e-learings in general positive or negative?

What do you think about this experience? Did you learn something new about Italians?

What did you think about the mafia before watching "i cento passi" and "the godfather"? Has your previous idea changed?

 

 

 

Domande da Dickinson a Padova

 

Skype Names

 

Padova		Dickinson
Sarah Guth	lamericaana	Nicoletta Marini-Maio	Nicoletta Marini-Maio
Francesca Martellozzo	francy.blueice	Perrin C. Allen	thePerrBear
Anna Bertelli	annabertelli84	Emily A. Bastian	emily.bastian
elena migliorini	supermiglio85	Amy R. Casciano	amy.casciano
Mario Bianchi Chiarani	marioluch.	Scott B. DeSantis	desantis41
Valentina Bortolamedi	valentina.bortolamedi	Sydney Di Maggio	sydney0989
Arianna Crema	arianna774	Nicole M. Garubo	garubz89
Daniela Mirdita	daniela63953	Nathanael P. Grefe	nate.grefe
Elisabetta Zambolin	elisabetta_z	Patricia M. McNeil	patsy.mcneil
Elisa De Polo	ely_dp84	Amy E. Rose	roseam1918
Giulia Nazzaro	giugiu8	Mihiri M. Silva	justmi608
Serena Zorzi	serelagiraffa	Matthew J. Sporn	griffey3031
Mimoza Frroku	mimozafrroku	Laura P. Sullivan	sweetumms1143
Francesca Bullo	francesca.bullo83	Gerda Weismann	gerdaw28
Martina Crepaldi	martina.crepaldi	Michelle M. Benevento	michelle.benevento
Serena di Gioia	serenadigioia	Georgia M. Catania	georgia.catania
Valentina Tolfo	valentina.tolfo	Bryan W. Conner	bryan.conner64
Andrea Protto	pandometro	Evan M. Dalsass	Evandalsass
Alessandro Cattapan	aleematteocattapan	Luis F. Esparza	cristiano.esparza
Angela Segato	angela.segato	Jessica Flores	jessica.flores.2
Federica Bonomi	federica.bonomi	Juan C. Flores	jcf.mottola
Ghila Marchetti	ghilaghila.gigli	Jeffrey B. Hartman	jeff.hartman2
Alessandro Sciortino	ale_alessandro_sciortino	Alexander G. Howard	alexanderghoward
Elia Buroni	elia.buroni	Brian S. Krusell	bkrusell9
Sara Piccinato	sara.piccinatoskype	Matthew M. Melchiorre	giovanni.2011
Simone Romano	simone.romano.skype	Ashley K. Peel	ashley.kp.dickinson
Katarzyna Kacka	kasiamks1984	Allison J. Smith	allison.j.smith
Irene Giaquinto	girex7	Coral M. Stanton-Terrones	coralstanton
Elena Cecchetto	elllellelena	Kelsey A. Watkinson	a2ndtoosoon
Francesco Boscolo	francesco.boscolo	Kevin A. Wood	Kevin.Wood57

 

Skype Groups 16/10/08

9:30am (American time) - 15.30 (Italian time)

PADOVA	DICKINSON
Katarzyna Kacka	Perrin C. Allen
Martina Crepaldi	Emily A. Bastian
Elisabetta Zambolin	Amy R. Casciano Scott DeSantis
Anna Bertelli	Sydney Di Maggio
Serena Zorzi	Nicole M. Garubo
Federica Bonomi	Nathanael P. Grefe Patricia M. McNeil
Serena di Gioia	Amy E. Rose
Mimoza Frroku	Mihiri Silva
Angela Segato	Matthew J. Sporn
Elena Migliorini	Laura P. Sullivan Gerda Weismann

 

10:30am (American time) - 16.30 (Italian time) 

PADOVA	DICKINSON
Valentina Bortolamedi	Michelle M. Benevento
Mario Bianchi Chiarani	Georgia M. Catania
Arianna Crema	Kevin A. Wood
Daniela Mirdita	Evan M. Dalsass
Giulia Nazzaro	Luis E. Esparza Ashley K. Peel
Francesca Martellozzo	Jessica Flores
Valentina Tolfo	Juan Carlos Flores Bryan V. Conner
Ghila Marchetti	Jeffrey B. Hartman Kelsey A. Watkinson
Alessandro Sciortino	Alexander G. Howard
Elia Buroni	Brian S. Krusell
Andrea Protto	Matthew M. Melchiorre
Alessandro Cattapan	Allison J. Smith
Giulia Simioni	Coral M. Stanton-Terrones

 

Skype Groups 23/10/08

9:30am (American time) - 15.30 (Italian time)

PADOVA	Group	DICKINSON
Katarzyna Kacka	Group01
Martina Crepaldi	Group01	Emily A. Bastian
Elisabetta Zambolin	Group02	Amy R. Casciano
Elisa De Polo	Group02	Scott DeSantis Perin Allen
Anna Bertelli	Group03	Sydney Di Maggio Nicole M. Garubo
Serena Zorzi	Group03
Irene Giaquinto	Group04	Nathanael P. Grefe
Elena Cecchetto	Group04	Patricia M. McNeil
Serena di Gioia	Group05	Amy E. Rose
Mimoza Frroku	Group05	Mihiri Silva
Angela Segato	Group06	Matthew J. Sporn
Elena Migliorini	Group06	Laura P. Sullivan

 

10:30am (American time) - 16.30 (Italian time)

PADOVA	Group	DICKINSON
Valentina Bortolamedi	Group07	Michelle M. Benevento
Mario Bianchi Chiarani	Group07	Georgia M. Catania
Sara Colombo	Group08	Kevin A. Wood
Daniela Mirdita	Group09	Evan M. Dalsass
Sara Piccinato	Group09	Alexander G. Howard
Francesca Bullo	Group10	Ashley K. Peel Luis E. Esparza
Francesca Martellozzo	Group10	Jessica Flores
Elia Buroni	Group11	Brian S. Krussel
Valentina Tolfo	Group12	Juan Carlos Flores
Alessandro Sciortino	Group12	Allison Smith
Ghila Marchetti	Group13	Jeffrey B. Hartman
Andrea Protto	Group13	Matthew M. Melchiorre Bryan
Giulia Simioni	Group14	Coral M. Stanton-Terrones
Simone Romano	Group14	Kelsey A. Watkinson

 

Skype Groups 30/10/08

9:30am (American time) - 13.30 (Italian time)

PADOVA	Group	DICKINSON
Katarzyna Kacka Francesca Romano	Group01	Perrin C. Allen Amy E. Rose
Martina Crepaldi	Group01
Elisabetta Zambolin	Group02	Amy R. Casciano
Elisa De Polo	Group02	Scott DeSantis Emily A. Bastian Matthew J. Sporn
Anna Bertelli	Group03	Sydney Di Maggio Nicole M. Garubo
Serena Zorzi	Group03
Irene Giaquinto	Group04
Elena Cecchetto Federica Bonomi	Group04	Patricia M. McNeil Nathanael P. Grefe
Serena di Gioia	Group05
Mimoza Frroku	Group05	Mihiri Silva
Angela Segato	Group06
Elena Migliorini	Group06	Laura P. Sullivan

 

10:30am (American daylight saving time) - 15.30 (Italian time)

Elena Cecchetto	Jeffrey B. Hartman Michelle Benevento
Katarzyna Kacka	Georgia Catania Kevin Wood
Mimoza Frroku	Evan M. Dalsass Ashley K. Peel
Irene Giaquinto Francesca Maniero	Jessica Flores Brian S. Krussel
Seran Zorzi	Luis E. Esparza Alexander G. Howard
Serena Di Gioia	Bryan V. Conner Matthew Melchiorre
Valentina Tolfo Angela Segato	Juan Carlos Flores
Anna Bertelli	Coral M. Stanton-Terrones Kelsey Watkinson
Alessandro Cattalan Elena Migliorini	Allie Smith
Elia Buroni	Brian Krussel
Sara Piccinato	Alexander G. Howard
Francesca Bullo	Luis Esparza Ashley Peel

 

 

 

 

 

Skype Groups 06/11/08

9:30am (American time) - 15.30 (Italian time)

PADOVA	Group	DICKINSON
Katarzyna Kacka	Group01	Perin Allen
Martina Crepaldi	Group01	Emily A. Bastian
Elisabetta Zambolin	Group02	Amy R. Casciano
Elisa De Polo Irene Giaquinto Elena Cecchetto	Group02	Scott DeSantis
Anna Bertelli	Group03	Sydney Di Maggio Nicole M. Garubo
Serena Zorzi (sick)	Group03
	Group04	Nathanael P. Grefe (absent)
Federica Bonomi	Group04	Patricia M. McNeil
Serena di Gioia (sick)	Group05
Mimoza Frroku	Group05	Amy Rose Mihiri Silva
Angela Segato	Group06	Matthew J. Sporn
Elena Migliorini	Group06	Laura P. Sullivan

 

10:30am (American time) - 16.30 (Italian time)

PADOVA	Group	DICKINSON
Valentina Bortolamedi	Group07	Michelle M. Benevento
Mario Bianchi Chiarani Giulia Simioni	Group07	Georgia M. Catania
Sara Colombo (work) Arianna Crema	Group08	Kevin A. Wood
Daniela Mirdita	Group09	Evan M. Dalsass Alexandar Howard
Sara Piccinato (absent	Group09
Francesca Bullo	Group10	Luis E. Esparza
Francesca Martellozzo	Group11	Jessica Flores Brian S. Krussel
Elia Buroni (absent)	Group11
Valentina Tolfo (home)	Group12	Juan Carlos Flores
Alessandro Sciortino Alessandro Cattapan (home)	Group12	Allison Smith
Ghila Marchetti	Group13	Jeffrey B. Hartman
Andrea Protto	Group13	Matthew M. Melchiorre
Francesco Boscolo	Group13	Bryan
	Group14	Coral Stanton-Terrones (absent)
Simone Romano	Group14	Kelsey A. Watkinson
Giulia Nazzaro	Group10	Ashley K. Peel

 

 

 

Skype Groups 13/11/08

9:30am (American time) - 15.30 (Italian time)

PADOVA	Group	DICKINSON
Katarzyna Kacka	Group01	Perin Allen
Martina Crepaldi	Group01	Emily A. Bastian
Elisabetta Zambolin	Group02	Amy R. Casciano
Elisa De Polo	Group02	Scott DeSantis
Anna Bertelli	Group03	Sydney Di Maggio
Serena Zorzi	Group03	Nicole Garubo
Irene Giaquinto Elena Cecchetto	Group04	Nathanael P. Grefe
Federica Bonomi	Group04	Patricia M. McNeil
Serena di Gioia	Group05	Amy Rose
Mimoza Frroku	Group05	Mihiri Silva
Angela Segato	Group06	Matthew J. Sporn
Elena Migliorini	Group06	Laura P. Sullivan

 

10:30am (American time) - 16.30 (Italian time)

PADOVA	Group	DICKINSON
Valentina Bortolamedi	Group07	Michelle M. Benevento
Mario Bianchi Chiarani	Group07	Georgia M. Catania
Sara Colombo (absent) Arianna Crema	Group08	Kevin A. Wood
Daniela Mirdita	Group09	Evan M. Dalsass
Sara Piccinato	Group09	Alexander Howard
Francesca Bullo	Group10	Luis E. Esparza
Francesca Martellozzo	Group11	Jessica Flores
Elia Buroni	Group11	Brian S. Krussel
Valentina Tolfo (home)	Group12	Juan Carlos Flores
Alessandro Cattapan Ghila Marchetti	Group08	Allison Smith (absent) Jeffrey B. Hartman
Andrea Protto	Group13	Matthew M. Melchiorre
Francesco Boscolo	Group13	Bryan Conner
Giulia Simioni (absent)	Group14
Simone Romano	Group14	Kelsey A. Watkinson
Alessandro Sciortino		Coral Stanton-Terrones
Giulia Nazzaro	Group10	Ashley K. Peel

 

 

Skype Groups 20/11/08

9:30am (American time) - 15.30 (Italian time)

PADOVA	Group	DICKINSON
Katarzyna Kacka (absent)	Group01
Martina Crepaldi	Group01	Perrin Allen Emily A. Bastian
Elisabetta Zambolin	Group02	Amy R. Casciano
Elisa De Polo	Group02	Scott DeSantis
Anna Bertelli	Group03	Sydney Di Maggio
Serena Zorzi	Group03	Nicole Garubo
Irene Giaquinto Elena Cecchetto	Group04	Nathanael P. Grefe
Federica Bonomi (from home)	Group04	Patricia M. McNeil
Serena di Gioia (absent)	Group05
Mimoza Frroku	Group05	Amy Rose Mihiri Silva
Angela Segato	Group06	Matthew J. Sporn Laura Sullivan
Elena Migliorini (absent)	Group06

 

10:30am (American time) - 16.30 (Italian time)

PADOVA	Group	DICKINSON
Valentina Bortolamedi	Group07	Michelle M. Benevento
Mario Bianchi Chiarani	Group07	Georgia M. Catania
Sara Colombo Arianna Crema	Group08	Kevin A. Wood
Daniela Mirdita	Group09	Evan M. Dalsass
Sara Piccinato	Group09	Alexander Howard
Francesca Bullo (absent)	Group10
Francesca Martellozzo	Group11	Jessica Flores
Elia Buroni	Group11	Brian S. Krussel (absent) Bryan Conner
Valentina Tolfo (home)	Group12	Juan Carlos Flores
Alessandro Cattapan	Group08	Allison Smith
Ghila Marchetti		Jeffrey Hartman
Andrea Protto	Group13	Matthew M. Melchiorre
Francesco Boscolo (absent)	Group13
Giulia Simioni	Group14	Coral Stanto-Terrones
Simone Romano	Group14	Kelsey A. Watkinson
Alessandro Sciortino		Luis Esparza
Giulia Nazzaro	Group10	Ashley K. Peel

 

 

 

 

Calendar Dickinson

Settimana 1 (08/25-29)

Unità 1 – Geografia: luoghi d’Italia

• Il futuro, gli articoli, la preposizione in con i nomi di luogo

Venerdì 29 Agosto: esame scritto # 1

 

Settimana 2 (09/01-05)

Unità 2 – Arti: classico e moderno

• Il condizionale semplice e composto, quello, collocazioni con i verbi  venire, prendere, tenere, divertirsi

Giovedì 4 Settembre: esame orale #1

 

Settimana 3 (09/8-12)

Unità 3 (parte I)– Società: Emigrazione e immigrazione

• Passato (parte I): il passato remoto; differenza fra passato prossimo e passato remoto

   

Venerdì 12 Settembre: esame scritto #2

 

Settimana 4 (09/15-19)

Unità 3 (parte II)– Società: Emigrazione e immigrazione

Passato (parte I): differenza fra passato prossimo e passato remoto;  condizionale composto come futuro nel passato

Giovedì 18 Settembre: esame orale #2

 

Settimana 5 (09/22-26)

Unità 4 – Storia: Tangentopoli

• Passato (parte II): passato prossimo e imperfetto

Venerdì 26 Settembre: esame scritto #3

 

Settimana 6 (09/29-10/3)

Unità 5 – Società: Casa

• La posizione dell’aggettivo; gli alterati (accrescitivi e diminutivi); i falsi alterati e gli alterati lessicalizzati

Giovedì 2 Ottobre: esame orale #3

 

Settimana 7 (10/06-10)

Unità 6 – Arti: Arte contemporanea

• Il congiuntivo presente: le forme; l'uso del congiuntivo presente in frasi secondarie, con congiunzioni e in frasi principali

Venerdì 10 Ottobre: esame scritto #4

 

10/13-14: Vacanze d’autunno!

 

Settimana 8 (10/15-17)

Unità 8 – Lingua: Maschio – Femmina (parte II)

• Congiuntivo: il congiuntivo passato

   

NB: questa settimana NON c’è esame

 

Settimana 9 (10/20-24)

Unità 9 – Storia: L’era Berlusconi

• il congiuntivo imperfetto e trapassato

Giovedì 23 Ottobre: esame orale #4

 

Settimana 10 (10/27-31)

Unità 10 – Arti: il giallo italiano

• Pronomi atoni e tonici; il plurale dei nomi composti; il passato (parte 3): il trapassato prossimo

Venerdì 31 Ottobre: esame scritto #5

 

Settimana 11 (11/3-7)

Unità 11 – Geografia: Mari e monti

• I modi indefiniti: il gerundio modale, il participio passato e presente; i pronomi combinati (ripasso); Forma riflessiva e impersonale;

Giovedì 6 Novembre: esame orale #5

 

Settimana 12 (11/10-14) 

Unità 12 – Società: Periferia e architettura

• che congiunzione e pronome relativo; la frase scissa

Venerdì 14 Novembre: esame scritto #6

 

Settimana 13 (11/17-21)

Unità 13 – Arti: Cinema (parte I)

• congiuntivo (parte 3): passato e trapassato; concordanze: contemporaneità e anteriorità

NB: questa settimana NON c’è esame

 

Settimana 14 (11/24-25)

Unità 13 – Arti: Cinema (parte II)

• il discorso indiretto: contemporaneità e anteriorità

Martedì 25 novembre: esame orale #6

 

11/26-28: Festa del Ringraziamento

Settimana 15 (12/1-5)

Unità 14 – La storia: Cosa nostra

Venerdì 5 dicembre: esame scritto # 7

• uso del futuro nella narrazione di fatti passati; forma passiva con essere, venire, andare; l’imperativo con i pronomi; la dislocazione pronominale

ESAME FINALE

Martedì 9 dicembre, 9am  (116-02) – Mercoledì 10 dicembre, 9am (116-03)

 

Calendar Padova

Day 1: 09/10/2008

In class:

- Volunteers for the Tridem exchange? We need at least 4!

- Introduction to the wiki and how it works (see how to wiki).

- Set up Skype, do a trial run and practice using Pamela. Put your Skype names in the table.

- Brainstorm definitions of Culture and discuss.

- Group A only: translation activity

Research Intro

GENE Scale

Self-Assessment Scale

 

Homework:

- Do the Culture Survey

- Go to the Culture page and read some of the resources (links) provided on the page.

- Reflect on what you thought about culture when writing your definition in class and what you learned in the readings. Are there any differences? Make an entry in your learner diary on what you think about culture.

- Write a brief introduction about yourself on the Padova-Dickinson Students Fall 08 page. Please feel free to upload pictures or make links to your blogs, MySpace, Facebook, etc.

- Write a few questions you would like to ask your peers during our first Skype session next week. Post these questions in this page under the heading above 'Week 2' The topic is going to be Student Life.

Deadline: Wednesday, October 15

 

Day 2: 16/10/2008

In class:

- Volunteers for the Tridem exchange? We need 1 more!

- Discussion of wiki problems ;-)

- Set up Skype, do a trial run. Make sure all Skype names are in the table. Add your peer's name to your Skype contacts.

- Learn how to keep the following windows open at the same time: Skype audio, Skype chat, wiki homepage with questions, your personal learner diary page, dictionary.

- Learn how to give effective feedback by analyzing the questions your American peers have written.

- Read about your peer.

- Skype!

 

Homework:

- Reflect on what your first Skype session. What did you learn, about language, culture, Skype anything?! Make an entry in your learner diary.

- Next week you are going to discuss what it would be like to move to the other country. This will involve a series of tasks.

1. Imagine you are going to study at Dickinson. What do you need to know about housing, registering for courses, extra-curricular activities, travel, fees, etc.? Like last week, write some questions above (under Week 3) that you want to ask your peer in English.

2. Now imagine that your American peer is coming to Padova to study and is asking you for help. What information can you give them about housing, registering for courses, fees, etc.? On your personal page (learner diary), start collecting information and websites that could be useful for international students. You will share this information with your peer during your conversation next week, and share the links using the chat function. Your peer will do the same for you.

 

Deadline: Wednesday, October 22

 

Feedbackfrom Week 2 and your first Skype session:

 

 

Day 3: 23/10/2008

In class:

- Discuss the collaborative writing assignment (see Week 3 above). Students learn how to create a page for the assignment, how to use table of contents, tables and the comment function.

- Focus on language / culture awareness and how to effectively reflect and write in learner diaries (see feedback above).

- Skype!

 

Homework:

- Make an entry in your learner diary.

- Work on the collaborative writing assignment, i.e. explore the links your peer has provided and write your contribution.

 

Deadline: Wednesday, October 29

 

Day 4: 30/10/2008

In class:

 

Today you will only Skype since Sarah is absent. Good luck and make sure you do the homework! As always, write to me if you have any questions.

 

Homework:

- Make an entry in your learner diary. Reflect on: the corrections that have been made in your personal pages, any new 'language' you learned from your peers, how it felt to talk about Italian politics with American students.

- Work on the collaborative writing assignment. If you have not made your contribution, please make it. Use the comment function on your essay page to discuss contents with your peers. If you have made your contribution, read your peers' contribution in Italian and provide feedback using the commment function. Make sure to point out both what works, e.g. the basic message comes across clearly, and what doesn't work, i.e. use of verb forms, expressions, etc.

- Write questions on this wiki page.

 

 

Deadline: Wednesday, November 5

 

Day 5: 06/11/2008

In class:

 

 

 

 

Homework:

- Work on the collaborative writing assignment. Finish adding your part of the contents to your group wiki pages. If your peers have written almost all of their part in Italian, provide them with linguistic feedback on their Italian using the comment function of the wiki page.

- Make an entry in your learner diary. Reflect on: the corrections that have been made in your personal pages, any new 'language' you learned from your peers, how it felt to talk about politics with American students, and what you learned by correcting your peers' Italian and providing them with feedback.

- Write questions on this wiki page for next week.

- By 27/11, I would like to ask you to have watched "The Godfather" in English and "I Cento Passi" in Italian. Both films are available at the mediateca of the CLA, as well as, I'm sure, in most local video rental stores.

 

 

While Sarah goes around to various groups to make sure students' projects are/are not working, students explore the following online sites. Cut and paste comments that you find interesting, shocking, surprising, etc. for either content or linguistic reasons into your learner diary.

Exit polls: who voted for who

The NY Times to see comments go to http://community.nytimes.com/article/comments/2008/11/05/us/politics/05elect.html

ABC News to see comments go to http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/comments?type=story&id=6182036

National Public Radio to see transcript of Obama's acceptance speech and reader comments go to http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96624326&ps=cprs

Fox News (tends to the right) to see comments go to http://foxforum.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/11/05/jmiller_1105/

The Nation (on the left) to see comments go to http://www.thenation.com/blogs/edcut/380292/transformational_presidency#comments

I suggest you read the comments on these websites to get an idea of what some Americans' reactions to the elections are.

Skype.

 

 

 

 

Feedback from weeks 3 and 4 on your learner diaries.

 

Deadline: Wednesday, November 12

 

Day 6: 13/11/2008

In class:

• Correct questions.
• Demonstration of how to put photos from Flickr Creative Commons and embed videos from YouTube into your wiki pages. Creative Commons on Flickr. YouTube.
• Discuss how projects are going.
• Skype.

 

 

Homework:

- Work on the collaborative writing assignment. Add visuals to the wiki page, e.g. videos from YouTube, pictures from Flickr (as we discussed in class). Read the feedback your peers have provided you with and try to edit your English in accordance.

- Make an entry in your learner diary. Reflect on: the corrections that have been made in your personal pages, any new 'language' you learned from your peers, what you learned from your peers' feedback to you.

- Write questions on this wiki page.

- In preparation for talking about cinema, I'd like you to stop and think for a minute about how Italy is represented in Italian cinema. You can think of some modern-day examples, like Pieraccioni's films, Salvatores, Verdone, etc., but I'd like you to take a look at "I mostri" a film 'ad episodi' directed by Dino Risi starring Vittorio Gassman and Ugo Tognazzi from 1963. I saw the episodes through the eyes of an American who has lived in Italy for 15 years, but I would be interested to see what your reactions are as young Italians, how pertinent you think it is 45 years later. Go to YouTube and you will find almost all the episodes, e.g. http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%22I+mostri%22+Gassman+Tognazzi&search_type=&aq=f. Watch some and reflect on what you've seen in your learner diary. I look forward to reading :-)

- I'll be correcting your work over the next few days ;-)

 

 

 

 

Deadline: Wednesday, November 19

 

Day 7: 20/11/2008

In class:

• Brainstorm what you learned last week.
• Discuss feedback from American peers. What did you learn? Was anything wrong?
• Discuss your impressions of 'I mostri'. What does it tell you about your culture?
• Discuss what you know about Italian film. If you don't know anything, find some useful sites!
• Discuss projects.
• Skype.

 

 

Homework:

- WAIT!!! NEW DEADLINES. The American students have been having difficulties using the wiki and they're all going away next week so we're going to make a few changes to the deadlines.

By Wednesday, December 3: Edit and continue to provide feedback via the comment functions

By Wednesday, December 10: Final edit of the collaborative writing assignment. Edit the Italian of one of your peers (divide up the work, if necessary using the comment function). Your peers will do the same for you. Then, by looking at the history, reflect on your mistakes.

N.B. Please eliminate all first person persoanl pronouns from your wiki pages/essays except for the "personal feelings" section. The other sections are informative and should remain neutral. If you decide to make a personal reference in these other sections, use your proper name and third person pronouns, not first person pronouns. Thanks!

- Make an entry in your learner diary. Reflect on: the corrections that have been made in your personal pages, any new 'language' you learned from your peers, and what you learned during the Skype session.

- Make sure you see "The Godfather" and "I cento passi" by  next Thursday. We don't have Skype, but we will have a 1.5 hour lesson to discuss the films, the projects, etc.

 

 

Deadline: Wednesday, November 26

 

Day 8: 27/11/2008

In class: Discussion of Italian culture seen through the eyes of Italians and through the eyes of Americans through cinema.

Discuss logistics of PadovaDickinsonFinalProjects08.

 

Discussion topics/questions:

Thoughts and feelings:

1. What do you know about the mafia?

2. What do you think about the mafia?

3. How do you feel about the mafia?

 

Italian identity:

1. It is often said that Italians say: "I'm not Italian, I'm Sicilian/Padovana/Rovigotto, etc."

2. Have you ever said this? Do you think it's true? Might there be historical reasons?

3. What do you think characterizes your Italian identity?

4. How do you feel about the fact that the stereotypes of Italians abroad are pizza, mafia, spaghetti. Do you identify with this?

 

Comparison of the two films:

1. Which film did you prefer and why?

2. Summarize how you think each film 'represents' the mafia?

3. What relationship between America and Sicily is presented in the two films?

4. How are the American and Italian Sicilian mafias similar or diffferent?

5. What reasons can you identify for these similarities or differences?

    

   How does this Italian film compare with "I mostri"?

    

    

    

 

Food for thought

I did some searching on Google for comparisons of these two films and I came up with a paper written by an American in a college in Colorado and a BA Thesis written by another in Connecticut. Here are some extras as food for thought. Click on the links to see the full text.

 

 

 

“We’re not Italian, we’re Sicilian” Nothing in Italy, of course, is ever quite so simple. ‘Culture’ does not refer merely to societal attitudes, and as I will explain, there are innumerable factors – persons, places, and events – that have contributed to the present circumstances in Italy. I knew something of the complex history noted above, yet how true could it be that, after roughly a century and a half since Italian unification, Sicilians still felt like such a different people, and why? How different were the entities really, and how much of the divide was merely fabricated in the famously creative Italian subconscious?

History: Notes Orlando (former mayor of Palermo), “Sicily was always a place to be exploited more than governed… The state itself was atrophied and defective in Sicily, and the people, conquered repeatedly by outsiders, never expected to receive justice from “the system” (10-11). Cosa Nostra does, however, exercise immense control over the goings on of Sicilian society. Murders do occur, sometimes at disturbing rates, and extortion and criminal silence run rampant, leaving many Sicilians in withdrawn resignation. “To be Sicilian,” writes one commentator, “is to carry inside oneself a consciousness formed by history but also, and inevitably, to require to confront the more negative consequences of that history” (Farrell 40).   The origins of the Sicilian mafia are complex, and several scholars have illuminated several contributing elements.2 For the purposes of this study, however, a general understanding will suffice, and the above discussion of Italian unification is an appropriate point of departure. Many Italians, after all, had hoped that the island’s organized crime was merely a symptom of  poverty and backwardness that would vanish upon national unification in 1860 (Dickie 38). Instead, the state actually legitimized several corrupt local leaders who had seemed to keep Sicily under control, even if in their own unorthodox way, with the result that local illicit power only grew (505). It was these men, usually born of the wealthiest aristocratic families (Orlando 10), who thus so often came to be seen as most ‘respectable’ – the very term that characterized the earliest mafia foundations. “[Sicilians] looked to the charismatic uomini di rispetto [men of respect] to fulfill the functions that bureaucratic governments served everywhere else in Europe,” explains Orlando, and so it was that “the mafia networks of the nineteenth century gradually took on the functions of the state: collecting taxes, providing a hierarchy of leadership, and raising little armies to enforce its ‘laws.’ Political and economic life adjusted to these arrangements and accepted them as reality. Later on, when legitimate government tried to assert its authority, it would first have to redefine this reality as ‘criminal.’ This was a monumental task” (11).   In describing his own understanding of the word mafia, former Palermo mayor Leoluca Orlando explains that, “…during the years of my youth, ‘mafia’ was almost never said. I was aware that it existed – both the word and the reality it stood for – but I apprehended it the same way that one catches a faint aroma on the wind, something familiar yet not quite identifiable” (9). Adding to the confusion, of course, was the fact that ‘mafia’ didn’t always carry the same connotations it does today. The word and the criminal aspects now associated with it were born individually, not connected. “In Palermo dialect the adjective ‘mafioso’ once meant ‘beautiful’, ‘bold’, ‘self-confident’. Anyone who was worthy of being described as a mafioso therefore had a certain something, an attribute called ‘mafia.’ ‘Cool’ is about the closest modern English equivalent…” (Dickie 60). The name Cosa Nostra didn’t even become associated with Sicily’s mafia until recent decades. So it was, then, that as negative views developed toward the island’s ‘mafia’ attitudes, Sicilians were understandably put on the defensive.   It was not until the 1980s and early 1990s that concrete evidence was finally presented to Sicily, to Italy, and to the world, of the existence and cohesive structure of Cosa Nostra. The work of a small number of Sicilian prosecutors, most notably Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, tore the proverbial cover off this criminal organization, perhaps the most influential, most recognized, and most denied of the modern era. Collaborating with pentiti – state mafia witnesses such as “boss of both worlds” Tomasso Buscetta – the prosecutors’ work unearthed the hierarchical reality of Sicilian organized crime. It identified not only individual criminals, but intricate groups, with strategic purposes and organized operations. Almost suddenly, the mysterious conception of Sicily had a specific structure attached, with particular people involved who, with enough time – numerous as they were – could be identified, eliminated, and shown as an example not to follow. Almost suddenly, fighting organized crime was no longer just about controlling or impeding attacks and individual crimes. It was about eradicating, piece by piece, an entire system of illegality and  corruption, profoundly permeated in specific parts of society. To be left in its place would be a new word, and a new mentality: legality. Writing at the turn of the 20th century, for instance, esteemed Sicilian folklorist Giuseppe Pitrè insisted that: The mafia is neither a sect nor an association, and has neither rules nor statutes. The Mafioso is not a robber or a brigand…The Mafioso is simply a brave man, someone who will put up with no provocation; and in that sense, every man needs to be, indeed has to be, a Mafioso. The mafia is a certain consciousness of one’s own being, an exaggerated notion of individual force and strength… (Arlacchi, Mafia Business 6). Even as late as the 1970s, some popular scholarship considered the mafia a mere “collection of shared assumptions, tacit understandings and conventions” (Farrell 13). Without structure or organization, the argument went, how could such a loose idea really be so detrimental to Sicilian life?

Film:   One must also consider the impact of Cosa Nostra. Though fabled in folklore and films like Goodfellas and The Godfather trilogy, there is a lot more to Sicilian mafia than what usually makes international headlines. Many aspects of Sicily, in fact, are more complex than what the world often suggests, especially in recent decades. In consideration of a region that many have long called the detriment of Italy, it is thus important to illuminate what if any truth does exist in such negative attitudes, and give credit to the criminal organization that has had so great a role in keeping Sicily on a separate track. Cosa Nostra, it should be clarified, is not some disorganized group of low-life bandits teaming up to bring down society, nor is it a group of bloodthirsty murderers bent on killing for the sake of killing. It is not even the only mafia group in Italy; the Camorra of the Campania region, the Sacra Corona Unita [United Holy Crown] of Puglia, the ‘Ndrangheta of Calabria, and, to a certain extent, Stidda from elsewhere in Sicily, all exert tremendous influence over their respective areas. To those outside the Sicilian psychological climate, the significance of this notion, and even this story, may seem a bit overly romanticized. Hollywood has done plenty to perpetuate the process. As put by Alexander Stille, however, “The extent of mafia control of daily life in Sicily is something that people outside of Italy cannot quite fathom. The American mafia is a parasitic phenomenon operating at the margins of society. In southern Italy it plays a central role in almost every phase of economic and political life."

The cinema is arguably the most popular and influential medium of entertainment. The director portrays issues using generalizations and stereotypes according to his or her bias. In The Godfather, for example, the mafia is portrayed as likeable and charismatic; whereas in Italian cinema, in the movie I cento passi, the mafia comes across as dominant and threatening. Italian cinema has proven to depict the mafia in a more realistic sense than American cinema through their portrayal of violence and their interaction with society.

 

 

NO SKYPE - AMERICANS ON THANKSGIVING BREAK.

 

 

Homework:

-  Work on final presentation for class next week. If you send a draft to me by Thursday, we can give feedback during class.

- Choose (at least) two audio files to listen to. (Once you're logged in, click on "files" and look for all the mp3 files.) Preferably you would choose one of yours and one from another group. Go to the Feedback08 page and provide feedback for the files you've listened to.

- Make an entry in your learner diary. Reflect on our class discussions and make an entry comparing the two films. If you weren't in class, use the discussion questions above as a guide, but write a paragraph comparing the films, not just answers to the questions. We all know the plots, so focus on the similarities and differences of the two films, Hollywood vs. Italian cinema and Italo-American mafia and Sicilian mafia.

- Write questions on this wiki page for the final discussion. The final discussion will be both about organized crime (see calendar) and discussing what we have learned duirng the exchange.

 

 

 

Deadline: Wednesday, December 3

 

 

Day 9: 4/12/2008

In class:

- Look at and discuss feasibility of proposals for final presentations.

- Group Skype

 

Homework:

• By Wednesday, December 10: Final edit of the collaborative writing assignment. Edit the Italian of one of your peers, not giving feedback, actually editing!

• Prepare your oral presentations.

 

Day 10: 11/12/2008

In class:

FINAL PRESENTATIONS

 

Last bit of homework before the holidays

 

ICC self-assessment

 

Online Questionnaire

 

Transcript of your conversations

 

Second Semester

E-tivity 3 feedback

 

feedback_etivity_4_rev.pdffeedback_etivity_4_rev.pdf

 

feedback_etivity_5_rev.pdf

 

Scholarly_reading_researching.pdf

 

readable_writing.pdf 

 

feedback_etivity_6_group_01.pdf

 

feedback_etivity_6_group_05.pdf

 

Mapping_Parallelism.pdf

 

Repitition.pdf

 

Clear_Concise.pdf

 

feedback_etivity_7.pdf

 

coldplay.htm

 

coldplay_forum.htm