THANKS TO MY PARENTS AND FRIENDS WHO SUPPORTING ME IN MY STUDIES IN MY ENGLISH PROGRAM LEVEL 6. THANKS TO MY TEACHER AND CLASSMATES FOR HELPING TO MAKE THIS CLASS VERY INTERESTING AND ENTERTAINING.
EstefanĂa Benavides Yachay Tech Imbabura, Ecuador
December 14, 2016
Dear Portfolio Reader,
My name is Estefania Benavides and I am student of fifth semester at Yachay. Thank you very much for reading my English Language Portfolio. I have created a portfolio for your comments and an evaluation on my success, in which I post this reflection letter and a collection of my best work in English that shows the ability that I have now in writing as an English language learner at Yachay Tech. My portfolio consists of three essays, a research project that I designed and developed in my level 6 English course, and some reflection. I am satisfied with my work presented in this portfolio and I am ready to continue to learn Englis h throughout my university career.
This semester in my English Level 6, I have accomplished a diversity of activities and assignments and have learned a lot about efficient writing, speaking and listening. When I started the class this semester, I have experienced difficulties, challenges, and most importantly, the feeling of accomplishment after completing an assignment, so I had to
specifically plan a schedule of what I would do each week in order to complete my assignment by its due date and I had to practice writing and speaking in my other classes as long as possible. My three best essays are a Response Essay, Interpretation Essay and finally an Argumentation Essay. All these assignments have helped me to master my writing and speaking skills. Overall I was very happy with the class and my progress throughout the semester.
I perceive myself as a poor writer, before this class. I had never been taught the appropriate way to write a paper. On the first day of class, I was not sure what to expect, but I kept an open mind. My teacher taught me different writing techniques, different forms of APA formatting, and how to find and properly use different sources. For example, the readings throughout the semester helped me to understand the dos and don'ts of writing. In addition, my partners help me in this process of knowledge; the peer responses that I received were very helpful to me in correcting my paper. I tried to take all the advice and apply it to my paper.
Besides working on my writing skills this semester another goal was improve my speaking and listening skills. One step I took to achieve this goal was the use of proper practice of pronunciation of some new words a lot of times. Also, I listened songs in Englis h to listen to the pronunciation of words, I learned new words and expressions this way. For my listening skills, I think that the most important assignment that help me was the debate in
class, in which my classmates and I tried to use as much vocabulary as can to get a point across and listen to the other arguments carefully so we can argue against them effectively.
I hope this letter and my documents have proven to you that I possess writing and speaking skills. As I look back, I feel this class was very purposeful and taught me a lot about how I can improve my skills and I know that I will be able to use these skills not only while I am in the University, but throughout the rest of my life. I hope you can see my knowledge I have gained throughout my work. Thank you for your time in reading this letter. I appreciate all of your comments or thoughts.
Sincerely,
EstefanĂa Benavides
Forget university? Four steps to design your own education EstefanĂa Benavides Yachay Tech September 30, 2016
Forget university? Four steps to design your own education How important is your education? Are you interested in designing your own education? In the TED Talk “Forget university? 4 steps to design your own education”, Till H. Groß said that he took his education in his own hands, and mentioned the “selfeducation” such a way to learn new knowledge for ourselves and study in home with our rules and not with the ordinary system of education. I totally agree with the author in the idea that the self-education could be a good option only for specific people, people that have the motivation to become autodidacts but I believe that to forget university is a bad option because with your own education you do not have access to a degree that nowadays is very important.
Self-education is considered an option for some kids and young to learn new knowledge in specific areas that are important for this person and is a form to develop a lot of skills. Most of the people think that the university is not a good way to learn all that we need because it has a system of education for all. This is a good reason for consider that not all people are equal and the system could not function in a correct way. For example, a kid that hate math but likes music or art will not have the opportunity to learn all about this subjects in the school, but if the kid want to be self-taught could learn about this subjects of interesting in his own house. Today self-education is becoming a mindset to discover new skills that are hidden. Fortunately, it is easy find the right resources to spark the curiosity and decide what you want to learn and how you are going to dominate the subject. If you navigate in the web, you will find online courses and tools to master new skills, learn languages, and find classic books and many more things.
Groß (2014) say to us “this talk is just based in his experience and he does not think that it is the right way to follow , but maybe this could be helpful for some people”. How many college graduates come out of university with hardly any skill that they can apply in real life? The university only prepares you for academic purposes but not for the practical world. The author argues, “We need gain experience and self-skill education in order to achieve our goals” (Groß, 2014). It is necessary to understand that if we want to opt for our own education, we need to put ourselves dynamic given the situation and take an active role in the process. Considering this, some good options for self-education that we can apply could be read a few books and do a summarize them in our own words, also we can tell to someone that give us feedback in the process of learning. If we want to be good at something, we should learn from the best, adapt work habits and work ethics of these people. Mark Twain, a great writer said: “I have never let schooling interfere with my education”. This helps us to think about taking responsibility of our own education and not to trust on formal education system. Maybe if we run the risk to have our own education could be the most important decision on your life, but we should ask to ourselves this questions every day of the process: what do you learn? And how do you learn?
On the other hand, the self-education is something that does not secure a degree, some people could say that a degree is not important but if we are realistic in our world, it is important for get a good job. This happens because sometimes we do not focus on that learning is more important than making money. Even so, we should remember that the selfeducation has a good benefit: the motivation and the own organization. In the University, the
students have a “control� for part of their teachers because they have to study for have good grades and improve, but if they study alone in home, they do not have control about anything and they are the responsible to have a good plan of studies to follow. The typical approach to self-education tends to be poor at the deep and detailed knowledge of a field. Some analysts emphasize that you could read many books but that does not necessarily make you an expert in something. For example, Young (2010) insists in the idea that the problem is given when someone tries to replace self-education for more formal training. Such as trying to give yourself the equivalent to an undergraduate degree. In either case, whether you pursue university in a decisive form or conversely abhor it, you will need to spend a lot of time teaching yourself if you want to become really good at something. Indeed the independent study give you the chance to learn the topics in deep and at your own pace.
To conclude, watching the TED talk of Till.H.GroĂ&#x; about his personal experience with the own education given me a new vision about the self-education. I found myself wondering, for perhaps the first time, whether there was any circumstance, which would make me take that step. More importantly, it made me look with more depth on the benefits that I could have. While I am not, totally in agreement with the author's idea that a person should forget university, I do think that I now develop my skills for my own account and later I can share with some people about this experience. An own self-education attempt requires some discipline to see it through and needs to find a curriculum early on.
References GroĂ&#x;, T. (2014, October 20). Forget university? 4 steps to design your own education [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUnpSYMNEhY Young, S. (2010, February). Why Self-Educated Learners Often Come Up Short. Retrieved failings/
from
https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2010/02/24/self-educatio n-
Interpretation of “The Persistence of Memory” by Salvador Dali Estefanía Benavides - Winter Morejón - Shary Mosquera - Emil Vega Yachay Tech November 16, 2016
Interpretation of “The Persistence of Memory” by Salvador Dali Vincent Van Gogh once said, “Paintings have a life of their own that derives from the painter’s soul”. Painting is the art of the graphic representation using pigments and other substances. Painters design these works of art to convey their view about something or simply to express their deepest feelings. One of the most important painters around the world was Salvador Dali. He was born on May 11, 1904 in Figueres, Catalonia, Spain. Dali was among the most versatile artist of the twentieth century. He is remembered for his eccentric personality and his surrealistic technique. Salvador Dali frequently described his paintings as “hand painted dream photographs¨. The Persistence of Memory, one of his most recognizable works, was based in time like theme, from the melting clocks to the decay implied by the swarming ants. Therefore, general interpretation is that the painting, which portrays many melting clocks, is a rejection of time as a firm and fatalist influence. The history behind the quality of Dali’s paintings was born with the Surrealism in 1924. Surrealism is an artistic movement that emphasizes the unconscious. Surrealistic painters focus on a presentation of very deep reality created by the unconscious mind. For this reason, dreams are the main source of inspiration for this movement. Salvador Dali joined to the Surrealism in 1929. He was one of the most well-known painters of this movement. In the article “15 Things you did not Know About the Persistence of Memory" there are many interesting facts about Dali and his painting. An interesting factor is that he had a great influence of the landscapes of his native Catalonia. In "The Persistence of Memory", the shadow of Mount Pani, where his family had a summerhouse, drapes the foreground. Another interesting fact of this painting is that some critics believe that the melting clocks in the piece have a relationship with Albert Einstein's theory of relativity.
Dawn Ades said in her critique, “the soft watches are an unconscious symbol of the relativity of space and time", but Dali said that his painting has not a relationship with this fact (Puchko, 2015). The artistic painting “The Persistence of Memory” has a very interesting color combination and many unreal things. The medium of this painting is oil in canvas. The measures are 9 1/2 x 13 inches, or 24.1 x 33 cm and it is on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA, 2016). The principal objects are melting clocks that are hanging on three different things. The first one is on the edge of a table. In addition, there is another clock on the table, which has many ants gathered in its center. The second thing is a dry branch where the clock looks like clothe on the clothesline. This branch grows from the table. The last one is like a bed sheet covering a fallen tree trunk with protruding branches that gives the appearance of a closed eye. In the bottom of the painting, there is a landscape. On the top there is a beautiful sunset that is a mixture between blue and orange. The second part is a very calm sea without waves that join with the sky. On the right, there is an orange and very dry crag. On the left, there is a big pool over the sand. The rest of the landscape is a desert. The color of the sand becomes darker until it reaches the inferior part of the painting. This change in color tone produces the idea that an object is casting shadow into the landscape. Note the big pool and the sea in a dessert, which support the idea that this painting is unreal. Likewise, the melting clocks and the branch grow from a table in a crag over the sand. Those things has no sense in the same painting. Furthermore, the Museum of Modern Art in New York has a description of the painting, which says, “Salvador Dali frequently described his paintings as hand painted dream photographs” (MoMA, 2016). That description is very accurate because these things can only happen in dreams.
This painting draws the attention of spectators who have felt passionate at first sight, and even more when they note the surrealism that it has. Furthermore, the painting seems excellent because the contrast between strong and weak colors is magnificent. The most striking things are the three melting clocks like a symbol of the current time. In the article “The Persistence of Memory”, Sean Li (2010) says, “I see the painting as a play on time itself, the philosophical entity behind time, rather than its outer appearance.” Taking into account what Li said, we can say that the melted clocks represent the desire to stop the time and break schedules. Perhaps, the difference between these clocks is that one shows past already worn, other shows the present, which is melting, and the last one shows the future, which is coming. We think that Dali tried to photograph the dreams. His goal was to bring to light the strange visions that occur in his subconscious, and manifest each detail of his dreams. It is possible that the obsession with the passing of time and the space were the most used arguments by Dali in this painting. In the same way, the sequence of melting clocks in a disjointed landscape is a depiction of a dream that Dali had experienced. “The Persistence of Memory” shows extremely detailed areas, as well as the use of light and perspective that gives us the three-dimensional and real aspect of the scene. One of the strangest things in the painting is an object located in the center. It has not a defined shape, but we dare to think that it is a representation of himself as a sleeping and dreaming being. In contrast with our interpretation, some art critics think that painting of Dalí shows human beings like slaves of time because it governs us. Daily actions of people are determined by the time that they have. Day to day, individuals maintain an incessant fight against the time, but it does not stop for any reason. “Persistence of Memory” is a painting
that tries to make us to understand that “time is limitless, but our time is limited” (Chace, 2015). However, over the years people consider time like an absolute definer. Salvador Dali realized it and for this reason, he drew melting clocks in order to express a new idea about the time. The shape of these clocks express that time is not rigid. In other words, if we organize our time in a correct way, we can control it. It is as Gold Meir said once “We must learn to govern the clock, not be governed by it”. On the other hand, some people think that the painting is quite visually disagreeable at the beginning. This is because the painting has unattractive colors and it looks like artwork very poor in details. However, Dali used the range of brown colors to express sadness, desolation and frustration. The idea of the lack of details is wrong because the painting has small things that mean a lot, but they are not observed with the naked eye. Even this painting is the least surreal of the entire Dali’s art collection. The landscape, which depict the shores of its native Catalonia, can be considered as beautiful. To sum up, Dali aims to show some interpretations of an unreal world like a dream. He wants to fool the human eye through his paintings “The Persistence of Memory” fulfills the purpose of most of works of Dali: causing confusing in the spectators. This painting only can happen in a dream. The emotional interpretation that this painting produces is mainly about time, which is the only real thing in the world, and it can have a fatalistic influence. The painters show their feelings through their works and Dali made a great work because he shared his deepest dreams and emotions with us.
References Chace, R. (April 22, 2014). The persistence of memory- theory of time. Retrieved from http://www.teenink.com/opinion/all/article/522593/The-Persistence-of-MemoryTheory-of-Time/ Li, S. (May 10, 2010). The persistence of memory. Retrieved from https://nargaque.com/2010/05/10/the-persistence-of- memory/ Museum of modern art. (2016). MOMA organization. Retrieved from https://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/1168-2 Puchko, K. (April 9, 2015). 15 things you didn't know about the persistence of memory. Retrieved from http://mentalfloss.com/article/62725/15-things-you-didnt-knowabout-persistence- memory
Analysis of the story “The Tell-Tale Heart” of Edgar Allan Poe Estefanía Benavides Yachay Tech October 13, 2016
Analysis of the story “The Tell-Tale Heart” of Edgar Allan Poe The narrator of the history endeavors to convince the reader of his sanity, while describing a murder he committed in the past. The victim was an old man with a "vultureeye", as the narrator calls it. The story revolves around a theme of guilt; the murderer could not live with the remorse of his actions and as a result must confess what he has done to get rid of all the weight you have on your conscience. The author involves the story in a direct style that can be terrific sometimes but at the same time has a little of curious sceneries. The narrator tells this tale in a precise and complete manner, and he uses the stylistic tools of narration for the purposes of his own sanity plea. As he proclaims his own sanity, the narrator fixates on the old man’s vulture-eye. He reduces the old man to the pale blue of his eye in obsessive fashion. He wants to separate the man from his “evil eye” so he can spare the man the burden of guilt that he attributes to the eye itself (Poe, 1988). The narrator fails to see that the eye is the “I” of the old man, an inherent part of his identity that cannot be isolated as the narrator perversely imagines. The murder of the old man illustrates the extent to which the narrator separates the old man’s identity from his physical eye. The narrator sees the eye as completely separate from the man, and as a result, he is capable of murdering him while maintaining that he loves him. The narrator’s desire to eradicate the man’s eye motivates his murder, but the narrator does not acknowledge that this act will end the man’s life. By dismembering his victim, the narrator further deprives the old man of his humanity. The narrator confirms his conception of the old man’s eye as separate from the man by ending the man altogether and turning him into so many parts. That strategy turns against him when his mind imagines other parts of the old man’s body working against him.
The story uses a direct style, the narrator lets you hear or read directly to the characters. On the other hand, it contains a terrifying atmosphere due to the hyperbolic tone, which is the exaggeration. In addition, you can see the hypothetical tone providing a scenario of paranoia and mental deterioration. The narrator is fixated on the "vulture eye" aspect of the old man's eye that causes at least some confusion and frustration with the text. The relationship between symbolism and style/tone of the story are the control components because the author of the Tell-Tale Heart shows how the elements present can make that the story take a direct style in which the scenery involves to the lector and let that the reader feel part of the story. Old’s man eye symbolizes the part of the narrator’s ident that he refuses to accept or confront. Other interesting element are the watches, clocks and time that symbolize the approach of death and the heart symbolizes the narrator’s guilty by kill the old man. The lantern symbolizes the lack of insight on the part of the narrator, and acts as a support for his beliefs and the bed, bedroom symbolizes the opposite of what beds, and bedrooms should be about (Poe, 1988). The narrator violates all bedroom etiquette, by exploiting the vulnerability of one who is sleeping because uses the bed as weapon to snuff out the old man. These elements presented give an idea of possible scenes that each reader could have. In conclusion, this story of Edgar Allan Poe: “The Tell-Tale Heart” is very interesting, to the listening or reading is very entertaining because the story contains suspense. The story shows us the good management of the scenery, elements, style and tones because each of these have an important relationship and do of this a mysterious and interesting story to read. Personality, I liked very much the narration of the author and the way in which he expresses his different feelings, emotions and personalities around all
story, it means that a good story can has many distinct sceneries but has the same essence of beginning to end.
References Poe, E. (1988). Edgar Allan Poe: Storyteller. 1st ed. [eBook] pp.75-76. Available at: https://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/poe-storyteller.pdf [Accessed 2 Oct. 2016].
The Brain and Learning as a Key in Education Estefania Benavides Yachay Tech December 9, 2016
Abstract This research paper was made with the purpose of knowing the relationship between learning and the brain and how this can help in the implementation of new methods of learning in schools. Thanks to the bibliographic review it was possible to determine that humans are able to know the world and adapt to it through an operation that has the brain acquire new knowledge and learning every day. Finally, from this research, it is possible to show some alternatives that education could take in order to understand how our brain learns so it is necessary to have a prior knowledge of its structure.
Keywords: Brain based-learning, Brain in Education, Models of learning based in the brain, Learning and education.
The Brain and Learning as a Key in Education Research on the brain has now become an important topic in finding the relations hip it has with education and learning mode. Some researchers say that learning is the essential element of intelligence in individuals and most of the brain processes. In order to test such processes, it is essential to understand how the organ responsible for learning works. One aspect that draws much attention is that the search and involvement of this knowledge can be done by people in general and not only that, it is an area that should and can be studied by doctors, psychologists and neuroscientists . The connection between the brain and learning was established long ago, before current methods proved the relationship between them. Some philosophers suggested a number of ideas that referred to the fact that the brain was involved with all the sensations and the mental process in people. In addition, some of the recent studies in the field of psychology and science have tried to show what are the internal mechanics of the brain in the human being that make the behaviors occur or how can learn and perceive the knowledge. In addition, it shows that the brain develops constantly, before and after birth, since it is learning regularly and is remodeling according to the use or nonuse that each person gives it. It is important to know that some specific areas in the brain make this development possible, control different aspects of learning and can improve the learning style in schools. For this reason, it is important for schools to make a detailed study of the brain's relationship to learning and to use this information to take direct action to improve learning in children and young people.
To begin with, before learning the strategies that can be put forward for brain-based learning processes, it is vital to find a short but accurate explanation of the physical brain and
the functions that make learning possible. In this way, you can have a clear compression of the brain and the connection of the brain with learning. This information is relevant so that teachers can have at least a general understanding of how the brain can help and engage in classroom learning. This understanding may encourage them to deduce the needs and possible reactions of each of their students. Thus, a functional basis can be provided for certain decisions at the time of teaching and achieving learning as a whole. According to Hileman (2006) until recently knowledge about the human brain was conditioned by what could only be learned through the study of injured brains during surgery or autopsies. New advances in technology, especially in the field of medicine, now allow physicians and neuroscientists to see how the brain truly functions while thinking or performing tasks. In addition, it is said that the brain was molded for millions of years given a process of transformation in response to the constant modifications existing by the demands that arise from the environment of the individual. Over time, new structures appeared in the brain and preserved past configurations; in addition it developed in volume and difficulty. The cerebral cortex divides into two cerebral hemispheres, the left and right hemispheres. Although both hemispheres are connected through a structure called the corpus callosum, "The cerebral hemispheres have distinguished themselves from each other and developed specialized functions and abilities" (Kitchel and Torres, 2005). In general, the left hemisphere has highlighted the guide in the process of language and linear thinking unlike the right hemisphere that focuses on the processing of visual space and strong impressions. With research, it can be assumed that the adequacy of the brain for learning includes the conception of neurons that are in charge of the link with the different learning methods.
In the same way, diversification in synaptic networks that causes changes in behavior or thinking is known as learning, but as such has to encompass three basic processes or devices of learning such as attention, motivation, memory (Roberts, 2002). Learning itself guides a partially stable variability in behavior as a product or response to experience. Another important point to keep in mind is that learning can not be freed from the affective emotional and this balance is fundamental in the development of learning. Finally the motivation that is a group of circumstances and conditions that make learning favorable, there is no learning without the appropriate conditions. Our brains require stimulation and connection to survive and thrive. “A brain without connection to other brains and without sufficient challenge will shrink and eventually die” (Thompson, 2003). Moreover, the modern human brain’s primary environment is our matrix of social relationships. As a result, close supportive relationships stimulate positive emotions, neuroplasticity, and learning. That’s why it pays for teachers to create positive social experiences in the classroom. From a neurobiological perspective, the position of the teacher is very similar to that of the parent in building the child’s brain. Optimism, encouragement, and giving someone the benefit of the doubt have been shown to positively impact performance, and so does a caring and positive regard for students. “Promoting social-emotional learning programs that decrease student conflict and create positive social climates in the classroom are invaluable to learning”. (Kitchel and Torres, 2005). Consequently, educators are able to become experts in what corresponds to learning. Through the knowledge and perception of the search for how human brains are instructed, educators can make resolutions about what can create excellent results in schools and for children. Therefore, it is time to investigate from a practical perspective, why the teaching
methods have been incessantly profitable and what could be the best prospects teaching methods to achieve a full learning, those who can become even more victorious than the current ones. Educators who work day-to-day in environments that are concordant with the brain are able to induce students to gather in the classroom and outside of it a vigorous and important learning. A perfect example of this kind of learning is presented by Laura Erlauer in her book "The Brain-Compatible Classroom: Using What We Know About Learning to Improve Teaching" (2003), which states that " As he implements his new knowledge and strategies in his classroom, he saw students enjoying the school, being challenged, participating in their work and reaching higher levels than before. " Although many teaching methods have worked for long periods of time, educators have found that certain tactics have not worked well at all. (Roberts, 2002). What is really wanted is for teachers to gain a broad understanding of the learning process and, as a result, to re-establish teaching practices according to how the brain learns best. Additionally, one of the most studied subjects lately is the Neuroscience applied to Education and have an important role to discover all there is to know about the brain and learning.The primary goal of educational neuroscience is to end the gap between the two fields through a direct conversation between researchers and educators, preventing "brainbased learning intermediaries". Neuroscience applied to education speaks of two types of learning: one short and one long. Neuroscientific studies linked to learning, memory, emotions, sensory systems and motors allow and must be in accordance with the teaching proposals transmitted in the classroom with the curricula of educational institutio ns. (Chudler, 2007). It is of essential importance to add elements in the classroom that initiate a method towards a current model of didactic experience, a model that reflects the affinity
between the brain, learning and growth of each individual. “Education is based on perfecting learning, and neuroscience tries to understand the mental processes committed to learningâ€?. (GĂźlpinar, 2005). This general theme proposes a future in which the educational experience can be readjusted by science. By way of contrast, certain researchers propose the idea that knowledge is not compulsorily bound to the brain. It is said that some of the ancestors applied the technique of subsisting daily challenging impulses. The development of individuals has produced human developmental properties where no brain element as well as the neural synapse would have a connection with instinct, in other words the innate stimulus that each person has, the interior that drives either a work or behavior, something Which does not necessarily obey reason. For thousands of years this has been transferred between individuals belonging to the same species and causes a specific response to be given to specific stimuli. Some of the genetic configurations have allowed the individual to survive over time, accumulated with each of the evolutionary links and in the absence of a logical or coordinated response this series of impulses comes into operation as a security protocol, contributing to the conservation of the Individual and species even against our will. However, there are studies that, through the new technologies, look for patterns between brain functions and certain behaviors, and draw their conclusions from there. "There have been criticisms, among others, that it is understandable that there are patterns, but that these patterns do not show causality, nor are they self-explanatory" (Thompson et al., 2003). In conclusion, the main purpose of this research is to present the importance of the brain in the learning and review the history of learning research based in the brain. In addition, we can determine the importance of brain-based learning for education and propose
new models of learning. In recent years, there has been a breakthrough in the study of the human brain and the interpretation of their functions within the learning in education. Making the change to a brain-compatible learning environment in a classroom does not happen overnight, and educators will probably never be able to say that they have completed their learning about brain-based and how to apply it in their classrooms. They too must understand how the brain works to synthesize and break down information. Only then can they successfully help students learn in different ways. It is imperative that educators integrate brain-based and cognitive techniques as they learn more about the details of brain-based learning.
References Chudler, E.H. (2007). History of neuroscience. (http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/hist.html).
University
of
Washingto n.
(October 6, 2007). Erlauer, L. (2003). The brain-compatible classroom: Using what we know about learning to improve teaching. Alexandria, Va: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Gßlpinar, M. A. (2005). The principles of brain-based learning and constructivist models in education. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 5(2), 299-306. Hileman, S. (2006). Motivating students using brain-based teaching strategies. Agricultural Education Magazine, 78(4), 18-20. Kitchel,T. and R.M.Torres. (2005). Meaning as a factor of increasing retention. In: Proc. 2005 American Association for Agr. Education National Research Conference, San Antonio, TX, 25 – 27 May. Roberts, J.W. (2002). Beyond learning by doing: The brain compatible approach. Jour. of Experiential Education, 25(2): 281-285. Thompson, J., S. Jungst, J. Colletti, B. Licklider, and J. Benna. 2003. Experiences in developing a learning-centered natural resources curriculum. Jour. of Natural Resource and Life Science Education, 32: 23-31.