Jocelyne estrella portfolio by Perspectives: Yachay Tech English Language Program Level 6 Portfolios

GETTING GOALS: MY ENGLISH JOURNEY

JOCELYNE ESTRELLA Yachay Tech University Language Program Yachay, Ecuador

CREDITS GETTING GOALS: MY ENGLISH JOURNEY BY JOCELYNE ESTRELLA ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAM YACHAY TECH LEVEL 6 001 TEACHER: MATTHEW MACKEY

JANUARY 09, 2017 IMBABURA, ECUADOR

CONTENTS 1. Portfolio letter 2. Response Essay 3. Analysis Essay 4. Interpretation Essay 5. Final Research Project Essay 6. Reflections 7. Thank you letter

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Jocelyne Estrella University Yachay Tech Imbabura, Ecuador

December 9, 2016 Dear Portfolio Reader:

Learn other language is something amazing. I am student from a final level of English course and sometimes it would seem difficult but it is a unique experience. I always was motivated by reading book, watching movies, talking with others, among other activities in English which let me improve and be part of other culture. Writing and speaking are the most important abilities in the learning process, and during this level we emphasized in both. A proof of that are some essays and a research project which were collected in this portfolio. However, it is just the beginning to put on practice and improve all that I learn. All of our lives we spend studying English, but most of the time it is not effective. When I started I had some difficulties, especially about talking and writing. Both are very important to learning other language, and during this last level I had the possibility to improve both with continuous practice. Talking and writing about topic like education, ethics, and language allow us to develop a critical thinking because these are topics that are involved in everything. For example in mi research project I was focus on Ethical

Journalism and when I was investigating I just wanted continue reading and writing about it. Learning English is sometimes complex, it is a set of skills that we could improve by putting into practice with different activities. During this level I learnt to think fast and to express what I think. For example with debates and class essays, in these cases time was an important factor. I had be ready and prepared to faces any idea. One of my main weakness is grammar, I am sure of my improvement if I compared my first essay about â&#x20AC;&#x153;The role of the education in the development of ethical skillsâ&#x20AC;? and my final research about Actual Ethical Journalism. Now that the English course is over, it is time to put into practice what I have learned. The next semester I must receive all the science classes in English and I hope understand and pass satisfactorily. I hope practice more and have the capacity to communicate with my professors and partners. And the most important understand all about my future career. Thank you for reading my portfolio and being a part of my progress. I want my portfolio to look interesting to you. I will continue to write and practice in order to perfect my English.

Gratefully,

Jocelyne Estrella

RESPONSE ESSAY

The Role of the Education in the Development of Ethical Skills Jocelyne Marissa Estrella NuĂąez Yachay Tech University September 30, 2016

The Role of the Education in the Development of Ethical Skills

Do you imagine a world without ethics? This situation could be a dystopia where human conduct would not has limits and moral. According with a video called “The Significance of Ethics and Ethics Education in Daily life” by Michael D. Burroughs, all decisions and actions are related with ethics. The author focused in the difference about what is wrong and right, and who it is relative for each point of thinking and principles. Education could be the major factor that prepare us to be good persons and professionals in future. It is because schools are one of the most significant socializing experiences, where everybody have to respond and to face ethical challenges. Nevertheless, there are some factors that influence on behavior of everybody. According to Michael D. Burroughs, education has an important role in developing our ethical skills for human conduct; however, human conduct also depends of the interests and motivation of each person. At the time to face challenges, the decisions around us are based in the principles, values and the purpose of each one. The author related ethics with obligations about ourselves and others. Ethics is in every moment and place, we can found ethicist in any situation around us. Michael D Burrounghs defined an ethicist like “someone, who cares and thinks deeply about matters of right and wrong and how we can choose ethically better as opposed to ethically problematic courses of action in life.” (Burroughs, 2016). The author highlighted the relevance of the school in the teaching and application of ethics in our life. Nowadays this role doesn’t function because the principal authorities avoid topics that are important to develop our way of thinking and how we can act to make a change in the society. Also, Burroughs talks about how children have the capacity of understand and be critic with ethical topics. Children have magical convictions and

ethical ideas, which could be applied in discussions that help them to develop and improve their ethical skills. Education in the schools are the principal tool for the children to learn to take decisions and take the responsibility of their own actions. All of these decisions influence on the development of ethical skills and how we relate to our surrounding. In the educational system, there are some topics related with ethics that are avoided by teachers and authorities; because of these could provoke controversy. Therefore, children donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the opportunity to develop some skills, and one of the most important is be critic. Everything revolves around respect, and how everybody considerate the diversity of ethical beliefs. Discussions are important to enrich ourselves. Though the dialogue is how everybody could develop skills and reasoning empathic skills that can help to be open mind with different ideas. (Burroughs, 2016). Since children, schools and home, are important in the developing of tolerance and acceptance of the diversity of thinking. The imagination of the kids is amazing, they possess magical convictions and ethical ideas, about topic and issues that adults do see complex. Human conduct is related with ethics, values and principles of each person. Ethics as traditionally conceived is supposed to override self-interest. Our acts define who we are, if we just think on ourselves or if we have the interest to make a challenge to help someone else. Moral obligation could be the motor to act ethically in ways that promote the good and a challenge around us. Michael says us that everybody has two way to act; in one hand we just can act unethically or we can choose in other hand the way to respond to cultivate our own ethical awareness and to develop the skills needed to act ethically. All of these factors influence in our character and our way to be. Doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter the place, with whom we are, always are the opportunity to be ethics. Ethics has an uncountable

areas of influence, because it is related with all the science and professions. For example the relation of what with biomedical research, that is implicated in the human impact on the environment. The principal area of ethics is when someone is professional. Is there where the person could want they want. For example a student that study something that their parents want. There is a conflict about their dreams and the opportunity to choose his course of study. (Burroughts, 2016). Human acts are based in motivation, could be a lot of reason that promote our decisions. The intuitions are vitally important, these motivate people to participate actively in society and to develop our ethical understanding. Aspects like the human impact in the environment could be a great reason to make the good. Starting from this is how we can act to improve actual situation. Practice of ethics is strongly linked to professional performance, the greatest example are the doctor, who have to have an ethical mission that leads be doctor. But in general the most important is that the ethics is related with human relations, because is there where human have to face challenges and the human conduct change. In conclusion, ethics is related with all aspect in our daily life. Our decisions and acts always depend of the principles, values and way of thinking of each one. Education is the principal tool to develop ethical skills and the perfect way to learn to respect the differences that we can found around us. Schools should implement strategies and ways to teach students since children about ethical topics, and prepared them to a future adulthood. Children have the enough capacity and imagination to be involved in the reality of society.

References D.Burroughs, M. (04 de 04 de 2016). TEDx Talks. Obtenido de

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8juebyo_Z4

ANALYSIS ESSAY

The Meaning of the Things Jocelyne Estrella Yachay University of Experimental Technological Research October 10, 2016

The Meaning of the Things The material things could means or involve different emotions, feelings or memories. In the history “Why Don’t You Dance?” by Raymond Carver, the author starts describing a man, who had emptied all and was making a garage sale. Thought the narration the lectors don’t know the history of the old man, but we can relate something of his past like reason to make the garage sale. Also in the story are involve a girl and boy, who want by some things to furnish their little apartment. For the old man the garage sale could symbolize a way to forget some memories that remember his something important of this past and for the boy and girl could means a new beginning. First, we can take some characteristics, attitudes and actions of old man that make reference a strong past for him. At the beginning of the history the author tell us “He poured another drink and looked at the bedroom suite in his front yard” (Carver, 1981). It makes reference maybe a drunk man, who made the alcohol a way to forget his past and suppress his feelings. When he give whisky to the girl and boy and they drink, the old man could identify with them. So the garage sale have a different meanings, one for the old man and other for the girl and boy. For the man each thing of his house could have a story and memories about someone or something of this past. When the author mentioned “nightstand and reading lamp on his side of the bed” (Carver, 1982). We can imagine that his strong past could be related with the absence of his wife and these things symbolize for him something important. The man wants to sell the things, doesn’t matter the price. We could see how the girl and boy made offers for some things as the bed, the TV, and the desk; and the old man just said “yes” for all. All the things were in the living room, these boxes could mean something really special for him.

The couple since the beginning have a connection with the things. The girl want the bed, and she doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to enjoy there. The boy in the side was interested in the TV and doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t put attention in the intentions of the girl. Later the girl want by the desk and they made offers that the old man always accepted. This garage sale was an excellent opportunity for the couple, who were furnishing a little apartment. However, during the story the couple do not show a real relation and connection between bot. Though the story we can notice that the old man was developing a good relation with the girl and we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what happen when they were dancing. Finally, this story show us in on hand an old man, who was making a garage sale; and on the other hand, a girl and boy who bought some things from this garage sale. During the narration the author made reference to many things that could evolve feelings, and memories for the man; memories that could be related with his past. This old man was drunk and this could be for the absence of her wife

Reference Carver, R. (s.f.). Why Dont you Dance?

INTERPRETATIVE ESSAY

Interpretation of the short film â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Presentâ&#x20AC;? Marcelo Barba, Jocelyne Estrella and Luis Puente Yachay University of Experimental Technological Research November 17, 2016

Interpretation of the Short Film “The Present” Pet is the more important example of love, loyalty, happiness, and acceptance. Just seeing a pet, it had the capacity of transmit us a lot of emotions and feelings, which could influence in our behavior. All pets live in different circumstances, there are pets with owner or there are a great number of pets in streets, with multiple problems however, majority of them always are the major example of acceptance and self-love. Humans have largely lost their humanity. Actually our society physical and mental disabilities, gender differences, among others; there are just some prejudices in which our society are involved. In the short film “The Present”, Jacob Frey shows how humans should learn from pet attitude because they do not know about prejudices, they do not care about time and they are a great proof of unconditional love. There are a great difference between a human’s and animal’s attitude, principally reasoned on prejudices from society. Humans are really complicated, we create barriers with false ideas about differences within society. These prejudices affect people in different ways, and these can cause us to forget about self-love and acceptance of who are around us. In many cases people stagnate in fake ideas and close their minds to a change or maybe to a solution to keep going. It is the circumstance of the kid in the film, who lost one leg. In base of this problem we can see how he has a bad attitude and he is focus just on videogames. However, actually a disability is not enough reason to not achieve and meet different goals. There are multiple tools and ways to overcome but the most important to everyone is attitude and desire to continue with their life. The child needs to love himself and accept his strengths and weaknesses, to break the barriers of inequality of our society. Moreover, the film shows how his mother loves her son and she wants to do the necessary to help to her child to be happy. She accepted how her son is and tried to help her child get accepted too. On the other hand analyzing the previous

works of the author, in other short films, he was focused in the same way about animals. Based on that, we can see how author give importance to the animal behavior and how humans could learn a lot of them.

The name of the film tell us a lot of things to interpret. This short film of three minutes was directed and animated by Jacob Frey it took him around a year to finish the video. He used Pixar Renderman a technology that creates stunning visual effects, the video has highest quality illumination, interactive shading, high definition image, also presents very realistic scenes with much details, shapes, volumes, and sound with worldclass efficiency.

The title of the video â&#x20AC;&#x153;The presentâ&#x20AC;? can be referring to time, and the image of the kid locked on videogames show us as he wastes time because of the lack of his leg. Time is really valuable, and humans most of the time wasted it by stagnating in their problems, without seeking any solution or the way to go forward. We also waste time, which we could spend with our family or friends.

Normally, human friends remember some of the times youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve wronged or have betrayed them, in other words, humans are in certain way rancorous and our love is conditioned to the antecedents and remembrance. In contrast, the love of the pets is unconditional, the well-known phrase "dogs are a man's best friend" means they love without prior conditions, that is, the human can to hassle them nevertheless, they do not have bad memories and treat human like their best friend, despite of many adversities. The dogs share with people their moods. For example, the puppy from short film "The

Present" gives the child happiness and vitality, also shows that any disability is no reason to be depressed

Finally, in the short film â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Presentâ&#x20AC;?, Jacob Frey shows how humans should learn from pets attitude because, they transmit us a lot of emotions and feelings, and this influences our behavior and feelings. As human beings we are full of prejudices, and many times we are not accepted within a society, such as when a person suffer some physical and mental disabilities, but certain pets do not know about prejudices, and they are a great proof of unconditional love.

REFERENCE Frey, J. (Direction). (2016). TGI Animated Short Film HD: "The Present Short Film" [PelÃcula].

FINAL RESEARCH PROJECT ESSAY

Influences that Contrast in Independent Journalism

Jocelyne Estrella

Matthew Mackey

December 4, 2016

Abstract

This research have the objective to know more about evolve of journalism. For this was important know about how journalist have to face a lot of factors which influence in the development of an ethical and independent journalism. This has been in a continue change and one of the most important factor is the technology. As result of the influence of technology, the actual role of social media is important because these has been converted in important tools for the self-interests from elites, who diffuse fake news to benefit them. Through the research there are some aspects to considerate, one of them is the absence of politics that protect journalism. As result of this in the research there are some examples of unethical journalism in favor of elites and in contrast examples of honest journalists who are victims of that.

Influences that Contrast in Independent Journalism

There many people who argue that Facebook, Twitter and other social media fueled Trumpâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rise by circulating fake news stories about political topics, and these helped to be more accepted by Americans and tip the scale in his favor. Can this be true? Yes, journalism has power to change the way of thinking of citizens. At the same time, veracity and credibility performance an important parameter on divulgation of information which depends on morals and ethics of each media. Real ethical journalism is based in five principles according of the ethical code, like truth, independence, fairness, humanity, and accountability. (Ethical Journalism Network, n.d.) It has important influence in many areas such as: science, education, politics, sports, and among others. Specifically, in the politics it has been has a relevant role in the struggle of political ideologies. Media performs an important role as disseminators of information, but that information disseminated by them is not always true because of the absence of the conditions of media freedom and independent journalism caused by the influence of technological, political and economic elites.

Media has important influence in many areas such as: science, education, politics, sports, and among others. Specifically, in the politics it has been has a relevant role in the struggle of political ideologies. In our society media performs an important role as disseminators of information and the main characteristic that show the evolution of journalism is technology. Information is a right for everybody and technology has been a tool to access to them. Media only in the last 10 years has had a rapid evolution, media has changed more rapidly in comparison with any industry. The area most affected by

technology has been news gathering and reporting. If we come back to the past, journalism just worked with typewriters, newspaper clippings, reception desks, messages, audio, visual and textual news. Other characteristic about the journalism in the past was the ability to have breaking news and have the capacity to coveted and protected these at all costs, this was something almost impossible. Now, with technology, internet, smart phones, professional video camera, among other tools, the reporter can capture news as it happens in any part of the world and transmit to the public within minutes.

Conditions of freedom and independent journalism has been affected by influence of many group of power around the world. It is possible to uphold the ethics of journalism when there are conditions of media freedom and independent journalism, but it is impossible if the media is an arm of the state. Actually the crisis of independent journalism has been caused by the democratic culture, absence of professional codes, and digital technology. The major case of privation of an independent journalism is the case of Eritrea, one of the most censored countries in the world. In this country, only state news media are allowed to operate, and all is under direction of Information Minister. Moreover, journalists are conscripted into their work and they do not have editorial freedom. Journalist do not have authorization to share information outside the country. If they broke these laws they are thrown into prison without charge or trial and held for extended periods without right to see family or lawyers. (Committee to Protect Journalists, 2012). In this case the government create an absurd democratic environment which restricts freedom of press. Independent journalism does not exist although the constitution guarantees freedoms of speech and of the press, but these rights are ignored in practice. In most countries, journalism is the voice of the people, but in this country this right is impossible, because government even have no respect for human rights.

Therefore, based on these examples, it is evident the existence of many ways of influence in journalism by elites like government.

In first place tech elites revolutionized the media. Conforming technology has been developed, the veracity of information disseminated depends of these advances. Then, now the technology could be a benefit or a gun to play with the information. Nowadays, there are many proofs of the advance of technology, one of them are the social media. Apps like Facebook, Twitter, among others, are important media of dissemination of information. According with an investigation the 62 percent of American adults access news on social media, and more than 40 percent get news on Facebook. (Lichterman, 2016). If we considerate this data in the last elections in US, we can make us a question. The media had influence in the victory of Donald Trump? Critics on the left have condemned the media by their help and support in favor of Donald Trump. Trump received from the media at least $3 billion in free advertising, almost three times what Clinton received. The 2016 election in the United States dragged the mediaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s credibility to an all-time low. (Edkins, 2016). It is an evidence about how journalism is way of power not just in United States, it is a reality around the world. Information is a vital necessity for human kind during daily life, and actually the evolution of technology give us diverse tools like internet to access the information. However, Information that is disseminated through communication media at the moment is not completely reliable and this occurs for diverse reasons and influences within the society.

In second place conditions of independent media are controlled also by political elites around the world. Not always the information is true, it depends of reality of the

place. Each of them has some groups that influence on journalism. There are different elites, with self-interests that avoid development of an independent journalism. One example of that is during BushÂ´s administration in United States. There are a report about how Bush in 2005 paid columnist hundreds of thousands of dollars in public funds to promote their policies. (The Canadian Press, 2015). Thought this example is notable the political and economic influences, combined with the absence of policies protective of public interest, and there is how media is vulnerable and forced to be involved in corrupt relations with different centers of power. Governments and independent politicians have always had influence over who owns the media. Based on that politicians manage the licenses to operate newspapers, radio and TV stations, and how the media are regulated all of which undermines ethical journalism.

In third place journalism has always been influenced by economical elites, because they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be nothing without money. One example about the control about just a little group of business is the control of 6 media giants (General Electric, News-Corp, Disney, Viacom, Time Warner, and CBS), which now control a staggering 90% of what we read, listen, or watch to. All media comes from the same six sources. These sources have power about media like radio, TV and new one example of that is how News Corp owns the top newspaper on 3 continents (Wall Street Journal, The sun and The Australian). The veracity of this sources could be fine, but with this example it is clear how information and media are concentrated in few sources.

Most of the cases of unethical journalism are caused by influence of technological, politician and economical elites which force journalist to just take bad manipulate information and provoke negative effects in our society. There are a lot of instances of journalist who do not need any influence to act, they develop an unethical journalism for

self-interest and self-choice. “When it comes to arrogance, power and lack of accountability, journalists are the only people on the planet who make lawyers look good.” (Brill, 2002). How Brill said, journalism has become a way for reporters with attitudes who treat certain people and ideas with disdain. One example is Ecuadorian journalism, where anyone could enter in media. Most of cases these “journalists” act just for fame or money. There are other examples of journalist who do not follow the principles established in the ethics code of journalism. There are a video which show us a Hungarian reporter called Petra Laszlo who tripped over with a refugee man carrying child in his arms and kicked a girl and boy. (Nolan, 2015). Then, these changes do not be considerate like a consequence of technological, economical, and political influences, it is sometime about principles and attitudes of each journalist. Journalism have on their hand the power to communicate and transmit thoughts and news about the world. However it is sad that they use them to diffuse their ways of thinking and ideologies. Even in this case disrespecting human rights.

There are many journalists who only act in favor of the great elites, using technological resources at their fingertips. However there are always those who act for an ethical and independent journalism. There are many cases journalists around the world who are punished, imprisoned, attacked and even murdered because express the truth, discovering and denouncing the facts. The Committee to Protect Journalists document cases of journalists who have been jailed simply because of their profession. The same institution identified 199 journalists in prison because of their work during 2015. A quarter of those are in China, who had 49 journalists in prison. Countries that routinely imprison journalists are a lot, ranging from staunch United States. allies to near-pariah states. We have to take into account that the results of these prison census accounts considerate only journalists in government custody and does not include those who have disappeared or are held captive by different groups. (Committee to

32 Protect Journalists, 2015). Based on that many cases of journalists and media organizations

are at the sharp end of threats as a result of policies, influences, and regulations that are inadequate or deliberately repressive and controlling.

In conclusion journalism has been influence by different elements such as: evolution of technology and political, economical and tech power of certain elites. Therefore journalism faces profound structural changes and need to resort to an innovation for survival and achieve its purpose of being an essential component of our democracy and a source of inspiration. In our world there are a lot of cases against and for of journalism. Technology, economical resources, and different policies has meant a tool for some elites to take advantage and imped an independent journalism.

REFERENCES Committee to Protect Journalists. (2012, 05 02). Committee to Protect Journalists. Retrieved from 10 most censored countries: https://www.cpj.org/reports/2012/05/10-most-censored-countries.php Committee to Protect Journalists. (2015, 12 01). Committee to Protect Journalists. Retrieved from 2015 prison census: 199 journalists jailed worldwide: https://cpj.org/imprisoned/2015.php Edkins, B. (2016, 11 17). In The Wake Of Trump's Win, Here Are 5 Ways The Media Can Regain Credibility. Retrieved from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/brettedkins/2016/11/17/in-the-wake-of-trumps-winhow-does-the-media-regain-credibility/#657a61b8750c Hodzic, S. (2015). Ethical Journalism Network. Retrieved from Corruption in media slows progress to democracy: http://ethicaljournalismnetwork.org/assets/docs/220/136/92a87dc-d968188.pdf Lichterman, J. (2016, 05 26). Journalism. Retrieved from Nearly half of U.S. adults get news on Facebook: http://www.journalism.org/2016/05/26/news-use-acrosssocial-media-platforms-2016/ Nolan, D. (2015, 09 08). The Guardian. Retrieved from Hungarian nationalist TV camera operator filmed kicking refugee children: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/08/hungarian-nationalist-tvcamera-operator-filmed-kicking-refugee-children

White, A. (n.d.). Ethical Journalism Network. Retrieved from Untold Stories- How corruption and Conflicts of interest stalk the newsroom: http://ethicaljournalismnetwork.org/assets/docs/220/136/92a87dc-d968188.pdf

REFLECTION

Thank you for reading my work. This experience was difficult but at the same time it was entertaining and useful to my learning. Now it is time to practice and practice.

Sincerely,

JOCELYNE ESTRELLA