SPA103 Week 2 discussion 1 replies (please place number and name next to the reply)

  
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Week 2 discussion 1
Respond to Peers: Review your classmates’ posts, and respond to at least two of your peers. For one of your responses, choose someone who posted on a topic different from what you selected. Share alternate views, provide personal experiences as they relate to the topic, expand upon ideas, or provide questions to encourage further elaboration of the topic. Each response should be a minimum of 75 words.
#1 Matthew Steinberger
Feb 9, 2018Feb 9 at 2:17pm
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Topic #1: Los Deportes y Pasatiempos en el Mundo Hispano
               According to the reading, the most important and popular sport in the Spanish-speaking world is soccer, or el fútbol, which makes sense considering soccer is the most popular sport in the entire world. One of the only countries (los países) with a most popular and important sport other than soccer is the United States (los Estados Unidos). In the United States, baseball (el béisbol) has traditionally been considered the most important and popular sport, since it is considered “America’s pastime”. However, over the past few decades, football has taken over as America’s most popular sport. Since the United States is such a large country, some regions of the United States think different sports are more important than football. For example, in North Dakota, Hockey is considered a more popular sport, but overall football is America’s most popular and important sport.
               In my life, leisure activities have a huge role. Being associated with the military, it is very important to stay physically active and in shape. All year round I will play basketball three or four times a week. During fall I play American football and during spring and summer I will play baseball or softball. Leisure activities are extremely important to me because they give me a sense of accomplishment, while also keeping me in shape.
               As we know, sports and leisure time activities have a huge influence on culture. Leisure time activities can tell someone a lot about a particular culture’s values. For example, if one culture participates in a lot of physical leisure activities, that culture values their physical wellness. If one culture participates in watching a lot of physical activity events, that culture values large social bonding. Leisure activities tell a lot about a particular culture’s values.
               As we know, leisure time looks different all around the world because of many different variables. Perhaps the largest dependent variable on leisure time is technology. For example, countries and cultures with advancements in technology seem to have an increase in television, phone, and video game use during their free time. Some places in the world use their free time for religious practices, while other places have almost no free time because they are using all their time to fish, gather, or hunt just to survive. Leisure time looks different all over the world.
               What one chooses to do in their free time definitely defines who that person is because it makes that individual unique from their classmates, co-workers, or other individuals with similar day-to-day schedules. For example, you can probably think about one of your classmates or co-workers as the “gym-nut” because he or she is always in the gym on their free time. Then, there is the video gamer because that person really enjoys their video games on their free time. Also there is always someone considered the social butterfly because they are always out on a Friday or Saturday night. As you can see, we have been defined and also define others by their free time because it sets us apart from everybody else.
#2 Leah Long
MondayFeb 12 at 5:31pm
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Topic #2: Las Universidades en el Mundo Hispano
· In my opinion, a “good” education is inspiring and motivating to students, while incorporating an authentic curriculum. A good education should utilize performance-based assessment while advancing in professional development. Unfortunately, education is not equally accessibly around the world for a variety of reasons. Some areas around the globe do not have a sufficient amount of teaching, appropriate tools or even classrooms. Many areas simply do not have adequate funding for education.
· Admissions exams in many Spanish speaking countries have similarities to the admission requirements of those in the United States, however exams in Spanish speaking countries may also require students to be tested on history, international politics, and literature. Similarly to many schools in the United States, admission to universities in some Spanish speaking countries depend on grades from exams.
· Many colleges and universities require students to take general education courses prior to entering specific programs of study so that they can gain essential skills that they will use in their upper level classes. Students will take away many skills from their general education classes in addition to the core content addressed. For example, students will gain critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills. General education classes also allow for students to explore different areas and discover new passions that may direct their career path.
· The grading system described in some of the Spanish speaking countries utilized a system from zero to ten. This is very different from the grading system I have experienced in the United States, which is based on the letter grade from A-F, as well as a percentage from 100%-0%. It would be interesting to see how the zero to ten system works, but I think I still prefer the system I have experienced because of how detailed and in-depth it is.
· Schools can encourage creativity and innovation through collaborative projects and active learning. Schools can provide students with appropriate teaching tools and an environment that allows for students to have creative input into their work.  Schools can motivate students to critically think instead of only providing A, B, and C questions and answers.