Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Padova-Dickinson: Task 3

Purpose: The aim of this week’s task is to start contributing to the online forums.

Task:

1 – The Americans have posted on the forum the two questions that they also wrote about on the wiki. Go to the forum (http://itech.dickinson.edu/confronti/?page=1) and answer the questions in Italian by making a comment (it’s called a forum, but it’s really a blog!). As always, read the other responses before adding yours so that you don’t repeat each other. Of course you can ‘pick up on’ what someone else has said, just don’t say the same things. In order to avoid too much reading, if more than 10-15 people have answered one question, please answer the other question. For now, we don’t want more than 10-15 responses per question. You’re also welcome to answer as a group.

2 – Each group has to come up with a question you want to pose to the Americans based on your observations of the questionnaires. Based on what you, as a group, wrote about your observations, come up, as a group, with one question that you think will provoke interesting discussion. You can have a discussion on the wiki or on one of your blogs (or, of course, always meet in person!). Send your group question back to this blog post as a comment and I will post your question on the forum for you. Check the comments to this post before sending it so that you don’t ask the same questions!

3 - Check the forum every now and then to keep the discussion going.

4 – Reflective Blogging. No Skype this week, but you’re welcome to blog about your discussion on the wiki or anything else for that matter!

Remember: Next Tuesday and Wednesday, we will Skype starting at 13.30. I spoke with MariaGrazia and she says those of you Skyping can move to the back at 13.30 on Wednesday. Please, however, let me know if you won’t be there!

See you Monday at 4.00.

Deadline: Monday morning, March 17, 2008

N.B. I had to make two changes. Anna Giabardo, who can attend on Mondays, is now in Group 1. Stefania Pasquali, who cannot attend on Mondays, is in Group 7 with other non-attendees.

26 comments:

alicev said...

Question to the Americans from Group 4:

In the part of the questionnaire regarding Italy, some of you wrote about 'Free Health Care'. We know that in the U.S.A. you need a valid health insurance to get medical assistance. What happens if someone has a serious car crash and needs immediate aid, but he doesn't have any valid insurance? How do you cope with it?

Anonymous said...

I would like to ask something about job conditions in Usa.In the questionnaire about USa, someone said that a good jos is the one which allows people to live healthy and garantees benefits for everybody.What about women conditions, I mean when they are pregnant. Are there any special benefits for them? How are things about in Usa about this topic?
Stella
stella

tortina84 said...

Hi, Sarah!
Yesterday I made a comment to the question about "meritocrazia" in the American forum. But my message is the only one which still awaits moderation. Is there something wrong? Should I write is again?

thanks a lot,
Martina Torresan

tortina84 said...

Hi,Sarah! It's me again. Elena Costa told me that my comment to the American forum doesn't appear. But I see it, it's the third one to "meritocrazia". I guess there's something wrong...:-( Could you help me, please?

Martina Torresan

Anna B said...

In the questionnaire about word association I noticed that, talking about American women, one of you wrote "Lypo suction"... I would like to ask how do you see plastic surgery. I mean, do you see it as something normal or as something an insecure woman does in order to be more successful in life? Do girls have plastic surgery operations?

Sarah said...

@ Martina - I can't see it either. I'll write to my colleague in the States since it's 'their' site and ask her for help.
@ Anna B. - Let me know if the Q is from your entire group (as indicated in the task) so that I can post one Q for each group.
Thanks.

Sarah

Cristina said...

Hi Sarah!I have got a doubt! I'm in grup 7, with non attendres. I read on the wiki what to do, but I still have a question: am I supposed to do also what you wrote on the blog??I mean, come up as a group with an interesting question for our peers?

Blogger said...

Hi Sarah!
Yesterday I met Chiara and we had a spritz together! Everything was all right:)
Chiara's prof asked her to bring a photo of us -all together in class- back from Italy, but she forgot about it. So, she asked me if we can do her the favour to take a pic of our class and send it to the Americans'forum - Confronti-. I have no camera, so would anybody of you please take his/hers at lesson?
Thanks:)
Zara

Serena Santi said...

Hi Sarah!
Unfortunately I won't be there on Monday because I have to attend Brunetti's lesson. He will talk about the exam. However, I'm taking part in a discussion in one of my peers' blog and I'm giving my contribution to Task 3.
See you on Wednesday.
Bye

Alesssia L. said...

Hi Sarah!
Unfortunately, I'm not taking part in the Skype exchange on Wednesday because a friend of mine is graduating...

I'm sorry about that and I hope it won't be a problem...

See you on Monday!

Alessia

vale said...

Hello!
Group 6 came out with the following questions:
We read in the questionnaire about "freedom" that the word America appears three times.
Do you see America as the symbol of freedom?. Do you think it is the one and only country that can bring peace into the world? Do you think it has the right to do this? Why?
By Valentina, Laura and Giovanna

Crazy Journalist said...

I preety much agree with Anna B.'s question. I'd like to ask them if looks are really so important in the u.s. since they mention very extreme situations(i.e. 'being fat' vs 'anorexic', and all the plastic surgery and lypo stuff). I guess it might be a nice question, since me and Anna B. are both in group 5.

tortina84 said...

Question to the Americans- Group 3
We'd like to know something more about your view of Italian lifestyle. In the questionnaries, you described it with adjectives such as "slow", "relaxing", "take it easy". Do you think your opinion of our lifestyle is influenced by mass-media? In which way? And do you think that American tv series (The O.C., Dawson's Creek, Friends) reflects your lifestyle or gives a distorted idea of your culture?

Martina Torresan; Federico Fiorentin; Elena Costa; Alessandra Squaquara

Bye!

ElenaCosta said...

Hi Sarah,
as I had already told you last Monday, I'm taking an exam on Wednesday afternoon, so I won't be present for the next Skype exchange with Leah Barreras. I'm really sorry about that, I hope it won't be too much of a problem for you!
Elena Costa

Elisa Snaidero said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Elisa Snaidero said...

I am in group 7 but I couldn't have a discussion with the other members of my group. Reading the observations about immigrants I came up with this question:
Do you think the American dream is still possible? Given that the world economy is changing, do you think America can still be the land of opportunity?

Elisa Snaidero

Martina Urbani said...

Hello!
Unfortunately I can't attend our lesson on Monday because I have to attend the last Brunetti's lesson. So, as Serena Santi wrote I won't be in class but I will send contributions to the forum and I'll do my homework.
See you on Tuesday.
Bye

Claudia said...

Hello group 2 noticed that the answers at the questionnaire about immigrants show a very positive attitude towards immigrants, we'd like to know: How is American attitude towards immigration changed after September 11?

see you tomorrow!

Eleonora said...

Group 1- Question

As we read the questionnaires, we noticed that the “North VS South” issue is still quite relevant in the USA. We would like to know more about it so our question is:

- Can you tell us in more details how the situation between Northern and Southern States are? What sorts of differences (economic, social, political…) are more evident between the two parts of the country? As far as you know, do you think there are some similarities with the situation in Italy?

We hope this will be interesting enough :-)
BYE

Cristina said...

Hi Elisa Snaidero!
I'm in group 7 like you! I wrote to you on the wiki page! I wanted to ask to the Americans about the differences between the people of north and the south! Anyway, as we have to do just one question, we can choose your one! Is that right for you?

Elisa Snaidero said...

Hi Cristina,
I would like to apologize with you because I wrote the question without discussing the questionairre with you. Actually I didn't know how to do it since we never met. For the next time I'll do like you: we discuss previously on the wiki page. I find your question very interesting so maybe we can suggest two instead of one.

Elisa

vale said...

Hi Sarah!
I'm sorry but tomorrow I can't come to the skype class as I have an important meeting with a teacher.
Sorry...see u next week!
Valentina

Martina Urbani said...

Questions group 5

Anna: 'I would like to ask how do you see plastic surgery. I mean, do you see it as something normal or as something an insecure woman does in order to be more successful in life? Do girls have plastic surgery operations?'

Enrico: 'I'd like to ask them if looks are really so important in the u.s. since they mention very extreme situations(i.e. 'being fat' vs 'anorexic', and all the plastic surgery and lypo stuff).'

Martina: 'Have you ever thought about the consequences that plastic surgery can have on the perception of our own body? In your opinion, what are the causes which urge people to modify their physical appearance? Do you think that US people are obsessed with plastic surgery?'

Cristina said...

GROUP 7 FOR THE AMERICANS:
To sum up, we have got two questions:
1)In Italy there is big gap between "terroni" and "polentoni",what about in the States? Which are the differences between the North and the South?

2)Do you think the American dream is still possible? Given that the world economy is changing, do you think America can still be the land of opportunity?
Cristina Robba, Elisa Snaidero

Mary said...

Hello Sarah,
I'm sorry I'm not coming this afternoon for the Skype exchange but I'm not feeling very well. I deleted my name from the list as you requested.
Marina

Elisa Snaidero said...

Dear Sarah,
I can't come to class today. I was expected to skype with Stella.
Happy Easter to everybody.
Elisa