Collaboration Agreement - 2021 between UTN And The University Of Osnabruck In Germany
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
2021 ISSUE #95 JANUARY
Collaboration Agreement
between UTN And The University
Of Osnabruck In Germany
Japan Developing Wooden
Satellites To Cut Space Junk
Bloom’s Taxonomy
INSIDE COVER PAGE
The UN General Assembly designated
2 EDITORIAL
2021 the International Year of Fruits and
UTN NEWS Vegetables (IYFV). This month we dedicate
3 Collaboration Agreement between UTN our cover page to this designation. If you
And The University Of Osnabruck In have an awesome picture you think could
Germany be on the cover of one of The ILE Post
4 UTN Authorities Inaugurated Labs For The editions, send it to eherrera@utn.ac.cr. So far
Use Of The Veterinary Medicine Major several readers have sent amazing pictures
4 Employability Tools Project For Young that we will be sharing with you soon.
If you want to know what is happening
People With Disabilities
in ILE, follow us on FACEBOOK.
AROUND THE GLOBE
5 Ancient Mummified Wolf Cub In Canada Photo Creidit: https://pixabay.com
Lived 56,000 Years Ago
All materials used and produced by The ILE Post are for educational purposes.
5 Japan Developing Wooden Satellites To They can be used and reproduced for educational purposes as long as you credit
Cut Space Junk you for the original creation.
6 New UNESCO Report: How to Deploy
EduTech in Post-COVID-19 Schools
THE ILE ETHOS
7 Let´s Talk About Teaching Online
8 Take The Language That You Already
Know And Kick It Up A Notch CONTRIBUTORS
ACADEMICS AND MORE Andrés Bejarano Essay Writer
9 Why Classrooms Need To Be More Jenaro Diaz-Ducca English For You
Like Sports Fields Clare Goodman Academic Editor
10 VOX POPULI
Christian Moya Essay Writer
THE STUDENTS’ VOICE
11 Friends: The American Sitcom That Veronica Oguilve Essay Writer
Undoubtedly Knows How To Deal With Izabela Sepúlveda News Translator
Cultural References
POP WORLD
13 Ninjas
DID YOU KNOW...?
15 Why Is It Important To Pay Attention To
The OzoneLayer?
TECHNOLOGY BITS
16 Bloom’s Taxonomy
LANGUAGE CORNER
18 The Magic Realism Of
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
19 English For You
LOUDER THAN WORDS
20 Western Wall, Jerusalem
www.facebook.com/TheILEPost?fref=ts
1
EDITORIAL
Don’t Lose Your Faith
by Eric Herrera (ILE Professor)
We must accept finite disappointment,
but never lose infinite hope.
-Martin Luther King, Jr.
The year 2020 was a year Emotionally speaking, 2020 was a nightmare.
like no other. There are not Since quarantines or confinement, either vol-
words to describe what peo- untary or mandatory, are one of the preven-
ple have felt with everything tive health measures to avoid the disease
the pandemic has caused so from spreading, these measures had an im-
far. Worse of all, even though pact on mental health. Anxiety, sadness,
the vaccine may bring phys- loneliness, stress, and depression are some of
ical relief, the emotional and the most common consequences Covid-19
psychological impact of has brought with it. Lamentably, while the
Covid-19 will be very difficult cure to this disease is a vaccine, to overcome
to overcome. the previously mentioned emotional states is
Last year was exhausting, from Covid-19 to not found in a drug. It will take a long time
the fiscal deficit, to pandemic restrictions, to to recover from these detrimental impacts of
lack of intensive care unit beds, to incompre- COVID-19 and social distancing.
hensible political proposals, this massive list Finally, last year was scary. Not only patients
does not give people the chance to rest their without enough intensive care units but also
head at night without a new worry to think doctors and support staff without the neces-
about. sary personal protective equipment needed
In addition, the year 2020 was, in many cases, to work properly depicted a reality we are
lost. Students lost the main space for socializa- more used to seeing in a horror movie than in
tion when schools closed; many people lost real life. Additionally, the daily reports of de-
their jobs, and a great number of businesses ceased and infected was the perfect picture
went into bankruptcy; because of the health of the apocalypses, panicking people who
measures, religious funeral services took woke up every day with less hope.
place without the body of their loved one, In brief, although the year 2020 was one most
taking away from people their solemn right of us would like to erase from our history, that is
to grieve the dead; high-school seniors expe- not possible. In consequence, we need to use
rienced how one of the most important, fun, what we learned last year and concentrate
and happiest year of their lives magically be- on what we can control, appreciate the few
came some kind of tv show in which the only or many chances that we have to share our
interaction was throughout a screen. loved ones, and
Furthermore, more than anything else 2020 be optimistic
was heartbreaking. People saw how a disease that better times
born thousands of miles from their own coun- are coming.
try killed relatives and friends who, in many
cases, had never travelled out of their home-
town. Hugging, kissing, playing, dancing, and
hanging out with friends was banned. Since
these activities were practically not allowed,
precious time not seeing family and friends is
something that no one will get back.
2
UTN NEWS
Collaboration Agreement between UTN And
The University Of Osnabruck In Germany
Translated By Izabela Sepúlveda (ILE Professor)
On December 3rd, 2020, the First Virtual Workshop for the
Exchange of Research Experiences was held between
the Universidad Técnica Nacional and the University of
Osnabruck, Germany, as a space for reciprocity, which
is part of the proposal entitled “Biodiversity and Liveli-
hoods in the Wider Gulf of Nicoya Region”, presented
to the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD),
which is currently led by the UTN Office of the Vice Pres-
ident for Research and Transfer.
This first activity was proposed with the aim of sharing
research experiences on the subject of biological bio-
diversity and livelihoods in the Gulf of Nicoya; likewise,
to establish professional networks for joint work in this
region, within the framework of this German-Costa Ri-
es for academic promotion is being given to direct the
can alliance. The articulation between both countries,
research to a new research platform at the UTN.
seeks to implement academic exchange processes
Also, it is the first time that this has provided a wide
between both universities, for a period of four years
range of opportunites for the univiersity to develop ac-
through a fund of ¼ million euros approved by the
tions that guide training processes, the development of
DAAD for the project.
new inter and transdisciplinary courses and other col-
The virtual Workshop was structured from presentations
laborative work activities.
by Costa Rican and German researchers, where the
This first workshop / meeting was aimed at academic
general perspective on environmental and socio-eco-
staff and students interested in research from the differ-
nomic aspects of the reality of the communities around
ent locations of our university. Therefore, it is necessary
the Gulf of Nicoya was shown at first; with the participa-
to highlight some data related to the activity.
tion of researchers from the Pacific and Guanacaste
Sixty-six people participated as the audience, of which
Campuses, mainly.
44.4% represented women and 55.6% men, coming
Then there were presentations with approaches and
from all the university campuses, including the CFTPE. It
methods, used by researchers from the University of
is also important to mention our student participation,
Osnabrück, in different settings around the world with
since the number of enrollments, 35.4% were students,
aspects that included: agricultural systems, education-
56.6% were academic people, and 8.1% were admin-
al transformation, biodiversity, effects of governments
istrative people.
and consumption practices, among others.
The activity was developed thanks to the work of a
For the first time in the history of the research area of
technical team coordinated by the VIT, which made it
the Universidad Técnica Nacional, this quality of spac-
possible to broadcast live on a double platform (ZOOM
and Meet). Likewise, there was a simultaneous interpre-
tation by Professor Izabella Sepúlveda Aguilar, from the
English as a Foreign Language (ILE) program.
Finally, the efforts of the Research and Transfer Depart-
ment are highlighted for taking advantage of the in-
formation and communication tools that connectivity
through the digital world allows, reinventing spaces
and proposing internationalization alternatives, which
strengthen investigative processes and international
cooperation.
In the words of Mr. Vice Chancellor, Ing. Guillermo Hur-
tado Cam: “This initiative will provide an opportunity
in all specialties, to those who have an interest in re-
search, want to get involved and become part of this
project.”
3
UTN NEWS
UTN Authorities Inaugurated Labs For The Use
Of The Veterinary Medicine Major
Translated By Izabela Sepúlveda (ILE Professor)
On December 10th, Emmanuel born with the purpose of covering the
González, Chancellor of the UTN, inau- needs of the Veterinary Medicine Major,
gurated three laboratories, in the com- being carried out with the University’s
pany of the Vice-Chancellor of the UTN; own workforce and with an effective
Mr. Eduardo Barrantes, Dean of the and efficient use of existing resources,
Headquarters and Mr. Josué Rivera, Di- such as materials, supplies and existing
rector of the Veterinary Medicine Major furniture in the university headquarters.
with an emphasis on Buiatrics. The purpose of supporting and under-
“We are committed to the processes of taking infrastructure work is developed
improving the infrastructure and equip- daily in order to strengthen academ-
ment so that the academy (teaching, ic development for the benefit of the
research and extension) continues to students,” said José Pablo Arguedas, ing in 2021.
strengthen. We are grateful for the sup- coordinator of Administrative Manage- In this regard, Josué Rivera Castillo, Di-
port of the university and the staff of the ment at the Atenas Campus. rector of the Veterinary Medicine Ma-
Atenas Campus for the support provid- In accordance with the requirements, jor, indicated that for the career man-
ed. ”said Eduardo Barrantes, Dean of the place has three laboratories that will agement it is an achievement to be
the Atenas Campus. be used mainly as a classroom to carry able to have these new facilities, a goal
The infrastructure had been used by the out dissection practices and veterinary achieved thanks to the effort and sup-
Dairy Cattle Unit and Animal Breeders anatomy, a diagnostic laboratory and port of the colleagues who work at the
and was assigned for the condition- clinical analysis, the new veterinary unit campus. “We all made a contribution
ing of 170 m², which will be used as a will be used by both undergraduate as to successfully reach the final objec-
teaching area, essential for the Veteri- well as graduate students. At this time, tive, which is to improve the conditions
nary Medicine Major with emphasis on the purchase of the equipment is be- of the learning process of our students,”
Buiatrics. ing done so that it will optimize learning concluded Rivera.
“The remodeling of the facilities was and students can use it effectively start-
To read original news in Spanish, goto: https://www.utn.ac.cr/content/autoridades-universitarias-inauguraron%C2%A0laboratorios-para-uso-de-la-carrera-de-medicina
Employability Tools Project For Young People With Disabilities
Translated By Izabela Sepúlveda (ILE Professor)
The students of the Employability Tools ed how important the experience was not only to my daughter, but to all the
for Young People with Disabilities Proj- for her, since before having this prepa- young people from the different cours-
ect that takes place at the Atenas ration she had no knowledge of the es so that they have tools for life. ”said
Campus successfully completed the subject and discovered her passion for Rodríguez.
delivery of the certificates. plants. Mrs. Nixi Miranda Cortés, one of Juan
Diego Argüello, coordinator of the Ex- “I loved the course, I would like to con- Carlos’ teachers, stated that: “this rep-
tension and Social Action Area at At- tinue learning more and always work resents an enormous privilege. While it is
enas Campus stated: “We are very on this because I realized that I love true that he handled a role as a learn-
proud to have successfully completed it,” said Ms. Chavarría, who plans to sell er, he demonstrated impressive perfor-
this project, it was a great challenge products such as succulents and celery mance in the execution of tasks using
since it was the first time we had worked - which she currently has in the produc- Windows system of the company’s sys-
with this type of population, but this tion stage - in the short term. tems, for example: the entry of product
transformed us all and allowed us to Sandra Rodríguez Murillo, pointed out codes, and topics related to taxation,
give a little to these incredible young how significant the knowledge that her entrepreneurship was a brilliant idea,
people who go unnoticed in our soci- daughter Fabiola Argüello Rodríguez carried out with a lot of discipline and
ety, and also to thank the team that acquired from the course on the Elab- dedication, which is why, as a teacher,
was in charge of the project that gave oration of Agricultural Products, espe- it allowed me to observe with an ap-
more than their 100%, congratulations”. cially in the baking area, was for her preciative glance the transcendence
Each student completed 700 hours of and her family, which was the subject of human capacities. If asked, would
training according to the study plan, for on which she developed her final proj- you recommend this person? My an-
which eleven of them completed their ect. swer would be a resounding yes. I be-
internship and thirty-three more carried “Everything that my daughter learned, lieve that not only he is going to per-
out their final Self-Employment project, we hope that it will be the beginning of form very well in his job, but that he will
through the presentation of a video. her venture so that she has her own in- also contribute and allow the compa-
Margarita Chavarría, a graduate of the come. I am very happy and grateful to ny to grow, as happened in the Office
Nurseries and Gardens Course, indicat- the UTN for the opportunity they gave course .”
To read original news in Spanish, go to: https://www.utn.ac.cr/content/culminó-con-éxito-proyecto-de-herramientas-de-empleabilidad-para-jóvenes-con-discapacidad
4
AROUND THE GLOBE
Ancient Mummified Wolf Cub In Canada
Lived 56,000 Years Ago
A wolf cub that was found mummified the cub’s life, from her age and diet to
in northern Canada lived at least 56,000 a probable cause of death.
years ago, scientists say. The findings, published in the Current
Hidden in permafrost for tens of thou- Biology journal, show the cub and her
sands of years, the female cub was mother had eaten “aquatic resources”,
discovered by a gold miner near Daw- including fish such as salmon.
son city in Yukon territory in 2016, BBC By comparing data from the wolf’s DNA
reported. and an analysis of her tooth enamel,
She has since been named Zhur, mean- they found she was likely to have lived
ing wolf, by the local Tr’ondek Hwech’in and died between 56,000 and 57,000
people. years ago.
Scientists now say the cub, of which the X-rays of the body, meanwhile, found
hide, hair and teeth are intact, is “the she was around six to eight weeks old
most complete wolf mummy known”. when she died.
“She’s basically 100% intact — all that’s The study noted that while ancient wolf
missing are her eyes,” lead author Pro- fossils are relatively common in the Yu-
fessor Julie Meachen, a paleontolo- kon or neighboring Alaska, mummies of
gist and professor of anatomy at Des larger mammals are rare. and was about 7 weeks old when she
Moines University in Iowa, told the Eu- “We think she was in her den and died died, so we feel a bit better knowing the
rekAlert! science news website. instantaneously by den collapse,” pro- poor little girl didn’t suffer for too long.”
Using a variety of techniques, the team fessor Meachen was quoted as saying.
was able to determine many aspects of “Our data showed that she didn’t starve
Information taken from: http://www.irandaily.ir/News/278538.html?catid=3&title=Ancient-mummified-wolf-cub-in-Canada--lived-56-000-years-ago- Image taken from: www.pixabay.com
Japan Developing Wooden Satellites To Cut Space Junk
“We are very concerned with the fact threat of space junk falling to Earth,
that all the satellites which re-enter the as more spacecraft and satellites are
Earth’s atmosphere burn and create launched.
tiny alumina particles which will float in Satellites are increasingly being used
the upper atmosphere for many years,” for communication, television, naviga-
Takao Doi, a professor at Kyoto Univer- tion and weather forecasting. Space
sity and Japanese astronaut, told the experts and researchers have been in-
BBC. vestigating different options to remove
“Eventually it will affect the environ- and reduce the space junk.
ment of the Earth.” There are nearly 6,000 satellites circling
“The next stage will be developing the Earth, according to the World Econom-
engineering model of the satellite, then ic Forum (WEF). About 60% of them are
we will manufacture the flight model,” defunct (space junk).
Professor Doi added. Research firm Euroconsult estimates
A Japanese company and Kyoto Uni- As an astronaut he visited the Interna- that 990 satellites will be launched ev-
versity have joined forces to develop tional Space Station in March 2008. ery year this decade, which means that
what they hope will be the world’s first During this mission, he became the first by 2028, there could be 15,000 satellites
satellites made out of wood by 2023. person to throw a boomerang in space in orbit.
Sumitomo Forestry said it has started re- that had been specifically designed for Elon Musk’s SpaceX has already
search on tree growth and the use of use in microgravity. launched more than 900 Starlink satel-
wood materials in space, BBC reported. Sumitomo Forestry, part of the Sumito- lites and has plans to deploy thousands
The partnership will begin experiment- mo Group, which was founded more more.
ing with different types of wood in ex- than 400 years ago, said it would work Space junk travels at an incredibly fast
treme environments on Earth. on developing wooden materials highly speed of more than 22,300 mph, so can
Space junk is becoming an increasing resistant to temperature changes and have cause considerable damage to
problem as more satellites are launched sunlight. any objects it hits.
into the atmosphere. The wood it is using is an “R&D secret” In 2006 a tiny piece of space junk collid-
Wooden satellites would burn up with- a spokesman for the company told the ed with the International Space Station,
out releasing harmful substances into BBC. taking a chip out of the heavily rein-
the atmosphere or raining debris on forced window.
the ground when they plunge back to
Space junk
Experts have warned of the increasing
Earth.
5 Information taken from: http://www.irandaily.ir/News/278795.html Image taken from: www.pixabay.com
AROUND THE GLOBE
New UNESCO Report:
How to Deploy EduTech in Post-COVID-19 Schools
By Wayan Vota on December 16th, 2020
The COVID-19 digital response has Ensuring that education systems are eq-
shown the huge potential of educa- uitable implies that resources are allo-
tional technologies to support better cated disproportionately to those who
and more extensive education and have most need of them. Put simply, it
learning. However, it has also served as usually costs more to educate the poor-
a stark reminder that all technologies est and most marginalised, and addi-
can be used to create both positive tional resources therefore often need to
and negative impacts, and that one of be allocated to such delivery.
the main effects of COVID-19 has been Crafting a whole society approach to
to increase educational inequities and making such education happen is not
marginalization. only a means of sharing resources more
EduTech Marginalization efficiently, but it also enhances a stron-
Marginalisation is the process through ger sense of community and greater
which people are excluded from ac- realisation of the need for continuous
cess to resources and opportunities. learning throughout the life-cycle. As
One of the most profound and import- a starting point, to deliver equity in the
ant ways through which this is main- use of digital technologies in education
tained is through differential access to means beginning where it is most diffi-
and participation in education systems. cult.
draw on the many good examples
There are seven groups of people who 2. Enabling access: building resilient in
carefully to craft the most appropriate
are particularly susceptible to processes frastructures for education
uses of relevant digital technologies for
of marginalisation: Funding national infrastructure initia-
their own social, cultural, political and
•Out-of-school youth, tives including school connectivity and
economic context.
•Learners with disabilities, power supply should never be a cost
4. Ensuring appropriate pedagogies:
•Girls and women, placed purely on Ministries of Educa-
teaching and learning
•Refugees and displaced persons, tion that are already overstretched not
One of the overwhelming outcomes of
•Learners in isolated areas, least in paying teachers’ salaries. Rath-
the COVID-19 pandemic has been the
•Ethnic minorities and indigenous er, they must be a shared responsibility
realisation that teachers really do mat-
peoples, across government through the holistic
ter. This has presented a good oppor-
•Learners in informal or irregular approach advocated above.
tunity for education systems to be re-
employment. Nevertheless, it is impossible for learners
crafted so that they place excellence
It is essential for government leaders to to benefit fully from many of the latest
in teaching at their heart.
deliver effective learning for the most digital technologies unless connectivity
To achieve this, the highest priority must
marginalised through the use of digital and electricity are available. Moreover,
be placed on relevant in-service and
technologies. Creating a digitally-in- much can also be done by appropriate
pre-service teacher training that fo-
formed resilient education system re- use of old technologies (such as radio
cuses on enabling teachers and learn-
quires a whole government approach and TV) in new ways, and it is therefore
ing facilitators of all kinds to use digital
that involves many ministries other than essential for governments to consider
technologies to enhance their own
just the Education Ministry. what technologies they should best use
learning and thereby improve the qual-
Edutech must also begin with a pro- to ensure that everyone can have ac-
ity of their teaching so that all of their
found commitment to the inclusion of cess to basic learning opportunities.
pupils and students have better learn-
the poorest and most-marginalised; For those for whom digital technologies
ing outcomes.
digital technologies must be used in are not feasible, governments need to
5. Making wise use of technology:
ways that serve their needs and inter- continue to make available alternative
security, privacy and data
ests, and not just those of the rich and (often paper-based) educational re-
COVID-19 has illustrated very clearly
privileged. sources and content. These recommen-
how increased levels of digital con-
dations should be read alongside those
New UNESCO ICT4Edu Report pertaining to financing below.
nectivity and use during the pandemic
In the new report Education for the most have translated into increases in harms.
3. Being context specific: technologies
marginalised post-COVID-19, UNESCO It has also highlighted difficult issues sur-
and content
gives guidance for governments on the rounding privacy and the use, or abuse,
There is no one size fits all, universal digi-
use of digital technologies in education. of personal data.
tal solution, that will deliver appropriate
They find that governments need to fo- Governments must therefore ensure
global education for everyone. Gov-
cus on five inter-related areas through that the potential harms of using digital
ernments must understand that context
which their strategies and implementa- technologies in education and learning
matters, and should resist initiatives by
tion processes should be delivered. are mitigated, so that their benefits can
companies intent on offering a single
1. A whole society approach: delivering be safely and fully achieved, especially
‘best’ solution. Instead, they should
equity in education by the most vulnerable.
Information adapted from: https://www.ictworks.org/unesco-report-edutech-covid%E2%80%9019/#.X_ILOy2xBt9
Image taken from: www.pixabay.com
6
THE ILE ETHOS
Let´s Talk About Teaching Online
Written by Veronica Oguilve (ILE Professor)
Having faced an unexpected situation this 2020, the COVID19 pandemic, teachers have had to
quickly switch from Face to Face Courses (f2f) to online versions and literally hope for the best with the
limited preparation and resources they had to take on this challenge. So, I want to personally thank
teachers for juggling multiple work-related tasks, supporting their students, and being able to stay
sane. I also want to thank students for being so committed, understanding, and patient. This situation
caught us off guard, and we all did the best we could. We are all learners here. I want to use the
words of Hellen Keller when she says, “alone we can do so little; together we can do so much”. As a
community of learners, we can start a reflective dialogue that helps us think about our experiences,
good or bad because all of them help us broaden our perspectives and come up with the best con-
ditions for course design and implementation.
Course design
You can use something simple like backward design and plan what you want your students to accomplish by the end
of each week. It consists of identifying the desired results, then determining acceptable evidence, and finally planning
learning experiences and instruction (Wiggins & McTighe, 1998). By following this, you are making sure that there is co-
herence in your plan. If you want to know more about this planning framework find The Teaching Commons (n.d.) in
the references.
Assignments and Deadlines
Some teachers have the tendency to overload students with a lot of work that later becomes a problem because it
is simply not manageable. This is overwhelming for both the teacher and the student. So when you are thinking about
creating assignments, the key is to have quality, not quantity. And remember teachers, you are superheroes, but still
humans. Do not reach the point of burnout.
Remember that students have very unique and sometimes complicated schedules. Not everyone fits the mold. Be-
cause of different circumstances, they may even be busier in this Covid19 times. Just imagine a student who used to
come to class while their kid was at school, but now, both are at home, so what challenges do you think this may cause
for them?
When students take online courses, they are the ones who know which time works better for them to complete tasks.
So, when you design your courses, do not make daily due dates. It is better to have the due dates on Sunday or even
Monday, so they can use the weekend to do the heavy work.
Structure and routines
When we create online courses, we are expected to carefully design modules and activities that provide structure
and direction to our course. It is advisable to have a predictable instructional sequence. Talk about it in Unit 0 to help
students understand the nature of the course. This helps students to know what to expect on each day and each week
and organize their time better. You could divide the week into three parts.
•Tuesday & Wednesday •Thursday & Friday •Saturday, Sunday&Monday
•Opening the module/week •Office Hours • Graded Assignments
Predictable instructional sequence Predictable instructional sequence
Office Hours
Teacher presence in an online course is very important. Make sure you show that you are there for students. Provide
office hours on Friday to make sure students can ask questions and get clarifications about the work they have to do
during the weekend. Record the office hours and share them on the platform.
Teacher Presence
Online courses may make students feel alone or disconnected from everybody else. So the objective here is not to
create a space for learning but a community for learning. Also, have a user-centered approach in which you work
together with our students to create a positive learning experience. It may be difficult for students to directly contact
you and give you feedback about the course or the activities, if you do not make them feel that their opinion matters.
and...
As a final recommendation, when you are planning your online course, think about equity and the digital divide. As
teachers, we need to ensure that everybody has the conditions for learning. It is a vital part of our job as educators.
Please read DuBose, M., & Gorski, P. (n.d.).
References
Bowen, Ryan S., (2017). Understanding by Design. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. Retrieved [todaysdate] from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/understanding-by-design/.
DuBose, M., & Gorski, P. (n.d.). Equity Literacy During the COVID19 Crisis. 4. The Teaching Commons (n.d.). Designing Backward.Retrieved
January 7, 2021, from https://commons.georgetown.edu/teaching/design/designing_backward/
7 Wiggins, McTighe, NetLibrary, Inc, & McTighe, Jay. (1998). Understanding by design. Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
THE ILE ETHOS
Take The Language That You Already Know
And Kick It Up A Notch
Written by Andrés Bejarano (ILE Professor)
I remember many years ago, I used to your curiosity. Then, go deeper into the language that
watch a cooking show on TV where is being used in those sources and do some further re-
the chef used to use the expression search as to how that language can be used in other
“Kick it up a notch” quite often while contexts. Say for example, that you want to expand your
making his recipes during his shows. I vocabulary and thus improve your fluency while having
enjoyed seeing how enthusiastic he conversations with other people. Well, perhaps you need
was about cooking. Of course, I am to start paying attention to idiomatic expressions, prov-
well aware that he was mainly trying erbs, sayings and even interjections that you can later
to add some zest into the show but use on a daily basis which will definitely help you sound
one could tell how passionate he was much more eloquent and natural. Make sure; however,
about cooking. you learn exactly how to use those expressions and all
I do not quite remember the name of the cultural and linguistic regulations that come along
the show but I still remember his attitude towards doing with the learning of those new expressions so that you use
his best while cooking and that is probably why that par- them at the right time and place in your speech.
ticular phrase has stuck in my head until today. It would definitely be counterproductive if you use a
This phrase is mostly used to refer to something phrase or an idiomatic expression in the wrong place in
that one wants or should do in order to make things more the sentence or in the wrong context or even forgetting
interesting and exciting for you and for those who may the exact prepositions that go with it. I do not mean that
somehow benefit from what you are learning. Adding a you have to use them perfectly right from the beginning
spark into everything we do is what makes our life more in- but paying a little extra attention to how the language
teresting and enjoyable. Likewise, I truly believe that one is used can save you from a certain level of embarrass-
should apply this kind of ideology at the time of learning ment or even frustration.
a new skill. It does not matter what type of skill you are One amusing example that I have about how important
trying to learn or even if it is a skill that you already have it is to pay attention to how language is used is from a
but you are hoping to take to the next level. Spanish speaking chemistry professor at a college in the
For example, if you know how to play a musical instru- USA who used to have a rather unusual recording mes-
ment or you love singing, exploring other genres can defi- sage for his answering machine. The recording went
nitely increase the excitement along the way and keep something like: Hello this is professor (such and such), I
you motivated to do better every time, whether it be that cannot take your call right now, but if you leave a mes-
you play professionally or you just enjoy performing alone sage, I will get back at you as soon as I can. I remember,
or in front of your family. Cooking, on the other hand, can sometimes I even called him back right away just to hear
provide an endless source of enjoyment if you give free that message again and get a kick out of it.
rein to your imagination and creativity. I could go on for- Well, the expression this professor used was fairly close to
ever giving examples of the different areas of your life what he was trying to say in terms of the phrasing of the
that you can make more interesting and exciting by sim- words but very far from what he really meant. Of course,
ply kicking it up a notch. he was trying to say: Leave a message and I call you
Then, as far as learning a new language or improving back (That is: I´ll get back to you as soon as I can.) but
your level is concerned, there are plenty of things that he ended up saying: I will get back at you which means:
you can do to make the process more interesting and I will take revenge on you. I know it is hard to believe but
enjoyable. For example, discovering those little details trust me, this happens quite often and there is no use to
that would keep you intrigued about the nature of the feel bad if it happens to you too. The key is to go into
language, analyzing the nuances that make it so unique detail whenever you learn something new that you find
and interesting to learn, including those that made you catchy and interesting so that you can use it accurately
want to learn it in the first place. and avoid something like that ever happening to you.
So, up to this point, you might be wondering what exactly Of course, if it does happen, all you need to do is learn
one needs to do in order to stay interested in whatever it the lesson and pick up where you left off. A true learner is
is you are learning and while you´re at it, make you more one who never feels that he has done enough. Never be
interesting and engaging too. Well, the answer though afraid of stepping out of your comfort zone.
relatively simple is not really the kind of one size fits all Use this attitude and this advice in order to find out what
type of thing. The main objective, like in any other skill, is suits you best. If you do so, you can be sure you will never
to explore and look for ways to embellish your language get bored of learning new things. The secret of all this is
both in your formal and informal registers, regardless of that by going further and adding variety into your learn-
the level of complexity that you have already reached ing process, you are not only learning something new
in the language that you are trying to learn or improve. but you are also discovering how to make it even more
Yes! but for God´s sake, how do I do that? Explore what? enjoyable and appealing which would then make you
Well, first read and listen to a lot of things that may trigger crave for more.
8
ACADEMICS AND MORE
Why Classrooms Need To Be More
Like Sports Fields
Before I start, it is very important to point out that I have
zero experience in coaching a sports team, have only
a mild interest in sport at all. I also have almost no ex-
perience in teaching in elementary schools. What I do
you have is a fascination with improving the school ex-
perience for all learners.
The reason it is important to point out my complete
lack of experience in these scenarios is because I pres-
ent this as a serious argument from the unbiased per-
spective not available to elementary teachers, physi-
cal education fanatics, or even sport fans.
Genuine learning?
My main point here is that sports coaches prepare in-
dividuals and teams to go onto the field without the
coach. Sports coaches have to teach knowledge
and skills based on the idea that coach will not be
able to help you in the moment when you are chal- elementary teachers in that the school system does
lenged. But unlike school assessments, these moments still expect elementary teachers to focus on strategy
will be unpredictable with 100s of possible scenarios and developing the learner to cope with situations.
and vast options open to you – you have to be skilled When both my daughters learned to read, they would
and knowledgable in a genuine sense, not abstract. frequently have three strategies to try if they ever got
Although many school visions for graduates contain stuck on a word. It is only at high school where teach-
words such as connected and independent, it is too ing tends to become more formulaic and centred on
easy for many high school teachers to fall into the trap the idea that the teacher will get you through this by
of designing the learning experience based on the preparing you for what should be a predictable assess-
fact that they will be in the room to help and guide ment. In high school it is less a matter of strategy and
every step of the learning process, especially when collaboration than it is repairing exact and correct
learners are significantly challenged. The common answers. Ironically, this generates a culture of what
thought that “I will help them if they get stuck” leads seems like bigger demands on the teacher, leading
too many teachers to not design activities for the long to higher stress levels and/or a feeling that they simply
term, developing strategy and independence in stu- don’t have time to genuinely care about each indi-
dents but for the short term pre-planned assessment. vidual learner’s success.
In regards to learning design, it is this habit I hope more No Correct Answer = Better Answers
teachers can find a way out of. On a sports field, there is no correct answer. This is why
Authentic Experience sports coaches apply their energy into developing the
Sports coaches do have an advantage that in most person and the team. If teachers and classrooms be-
cases there is a weekly event, the competition, where haved more like coaches and sports teams, we would
an authentic moment of challenge is created de- develop our learners more successfully towards what I
manding their learners invest all of their energy and assume is the vision your school has for them.
absorb all their senses in the moment, testing their in- It’s amazing how so many teachers don’t see sports
dividual skills and ability to collaborate for the sake of coaching in the same way as ‘proper teaching.’ Most
both themselves and the team. The authenticity of teachers respect sports coaches but don’t think hard
these learning moments is generated by their unpre- enough about what they can learn from this ‘other’
dictability and demand for collaboration. The idea of learning environment. It is time for more teachers to
building learners towards regular authentic and col- create authentic Learning experiences by making
laborative events should be a key focus for teachers them less predictable and more collaborative, know-
in their learning / school design. ing this will produce better students far more prepared
Develop the Person for the more predictable assessments.
It is here though that I would like to share support for
9 Information taken from: https://eduwells.com/2020/10/04/why-classrooms-need-to-be-more-like-sports-fields/
Photo credit: https://pixabay.comVOX POPULI
The UTN community includes professors, administrative staff and students. Each
individual has something to say about everything. In this section, we give the
university community the opportunity to express what they feel about different
school, country and world issues that in one or another way affect or impact our
lives, feelings and opinions. This month we asked students:
What can administrative management do to improve/help
teaching management?
It is the obligation of the Teaching management
I would say that communication among all cam- administrative manage- Teaching management cannot be disconnected
puses is necessary to improve teaching manage- ment not only to establish and administrative from teaching perfor-
ment. Better communication between professors clear policies but also to management go hand mance. This aspect is
and directors would increase uniformity and be open to revise them in hand. Consequently, only achieved if there is
standardization in the courses and evaluation. following the advice of the the leadership provid- an organized and well
Also, organize activities in which professors get ones who applied them. ed by directors, coor- oriented vision of the
together once in a while would also help a lot. In When the administrative dinators, deans, and university established
this sense, ideas and efforts are shared to help management understand vice chancellors will and supervised by the
other teachers to adapt and apply. this in particular, there is determine the success administrative man-
Gerardo Matamoros more of a chance for both of the academic work. agement.
parts to work harmonical-
ly and avoid conflict. Anonymous Anonymous
Eric Herrera
Beyond improving, it
is necessary that the I think that the most important thing that the adminis- There is no way to accomplish
administration and tration can do is to never forget that the students as well a quality teaching manage-
the academic staff uni- as the teachers are a priority in the whole system of the ment if teachers are not deeply
fy criteria to achieve university. So, if we ensure that they are provided with committed to their tasks. For
the institution’s vision. every thing they need during this process, we can ultimate- this reason, it is important for
If this is not achieved, ly contribute with the academic success of the students. All the administrative manage-
it is difficult for any this is like a cycle that ensures quality education that the ment to provide everything
institution to work students receive which will make the UTN a much more teachers need and motivate
harmonically. reputable university. them to do their job.
Annonymous Andrés Bejarano
Anonymous
Regardless of the nature of teaching and learning (be it distance or face
to face), management should be able to keep open channels to receive
teachers’ feedback about their needs and their students, as wells as ways
to improve the learning conditions and process. In addition, allowing
teachers to work as teams or pairs if necessary, can help them coordinate
and save efforts in the creation of materials and assessment. Finally,
having clear policies for continuous teacher training and academic
growth are also advisable. Teaching should not be a lonely experience,
and it should be focused on teaching and learning, not on paperwork.
10
Jenaro Diaz-DuccaTHE STUDENTS’ VOICE
Friends: The American Sitcom That Undoubtedly Knows
How To Deal With Cultural References
By Christian Moya (ILE Student-San Carlos)
Have you ever wondered what makes Friends so special? Have you ever asked yourself why after the
first aired episode you still hear references from the sitcom? How did a show from the 90’s manage to
keep attracting young audiences after all these years? Although there are people who have never
watched the series, they might have listened to somebody, at least once, talking about it. Friends is
about a group of six friends (Mónica Geller, Rachel Green, Phoebe Buffay, Ross Geller, Joey Tribbiani,
and Chandler Bing) going through the process of what it is like to grow up from life experiences and
become an adult. What is interesting about this sitcom is how significant it became for the audience as
many viewers can relate to plenty of situations shown in scenes. More than just making people laugh
about their portrayal of their characters, Friends gave voice to several cultural aspects highlighting,
all over the ten seasons, outstanding contributions such as common English spoken vocabulary for
non-native English speakers, the concept of what a real family is, and how to cope with life when you
are in your twenties.
If you find yourself sick and tired of having to stick to boring grammar books and long readings to
broaden your vocabulary, you can make yourself comfortable at home and watch the TV show Friends.
The American sitcom has proven to be one of the favorite pedagogic strategies for learning English
vocabulary. Since it is not the traditional way learners are accustomed to learning their metalanguage
rules and structures, it makes the process much more engaging. Most of the time, the cast uses up to
date native spoken vocabulary. Such lexicon can be of great use as casual talking in your daily com-
municative interactions. As stated by Nurain (2020), “Sitcoms, as a corpus, have a remarkable impact
on increasing EFL students’ cultural awareness of multi-cultural contexts.” This is a highly recommend-
ed opportunity to get familiar with American slang and idioms being used in context as well. The more
you try to mimic how each character enunciates what they say and the words they use to do so, the
more you can dig into unknown word meanings and even end up improving pronunciation. Friends
simply makes the English learning process fun for non-native speakers to practice and learn about their
target language.
The popular worldwide known series re-engineers the ideal of what we understand an average family
is about. TV shows were used to displaying what a perfect family looks like and telling everyone that
family comes first. Nevertheless, Friends broke down those fake social construct patterns to portray
there is no such thing as a perfect family circle. Families in reality tend to be messy and unreliable. Lots
of people come from dysfunctional homes; parents getting divorced, parents leaving home forever,
teenagers getting out of control or leaving home to have a life on their own, etc. Those are some of
the circumstances each of the characters face as part of their realness. Thankfully, there is one thing in
life that makes problems seem smaller: a friend. Edna Buchanan once said: “Friends are the family we
choose for ourselves.” Generally, this is a fact for young people. According to Dillner (2017), “Friend-
ships are less judgmental and more likely to be positive.” Teens commonly look for their friends to have
a little space where to escape and not to worry about their issues for a while knowing they might not
receive support from their family. Friends teaches audiences that no matter how difficult it is what you
are going through in life, you will always have someone there for you at the end of the day.
By the time you turn thirty, you must have settled down to be successful in life. At least that is what
society expects from people at such an age. Societal trends in adulthood have been strictly marked
in many people’s milestones over the years. Arnett (2004) “describes emerging adulthood as the time
from the end of adolescence to the young-adult responsibilities of a stable job, marriage and parent-
hood.”
11THE STUDENTS’ VOICE
In contrast, some people choose not
to continue with those tendencies and
follow their own rhythm. The American
TV series displays the panorama of six
friends who barely know what the future
holds for them. However, it gives them a
sense of adventure to discover what re-
ally fulfills their internal desires instead of
having someone telling them what to do
with their lives. The cast highly demon-
strates throughout the seasons how the
real world works for emerging adults.
Grown-ups still suffer from anxiety, they
go through toxic romantic relationships,
career setbacks, insecurities, and finan-
cial instability. In other words, being an
adult is not only about reaching all those
expectations society demands to fit in its
constructs at an established age but also
accomplishing what truly matters to you.
There is no age to achieve what makes a
human successful.
Friends serves as an amiable companion for people to immerse themselves in the United States’ culture
and put that knowledge into real-life cultural situations. Every person who sees the sitcom identifies,
at certain points, with one or more of the different personalities displayed by the actors and actresses
who play each of the characters. It is fascinating to see how a series can cross borders and make audi-
ences connect to it deeply. The TV show has such a powerful influence that lots of people can tell they
have learned how to use useful idioms and slang during a conversation such as have a crush on some-
body, freak out about something, come out of your shell, etc. They also have been able to recognize
some expressions being used in informal written texts without checking the meaning on the internet.
Another aspect that makes Friends’ content appealing to new generations is that even though it was
filmed twenty-six years ago, there is always something momentous to learn about from those periods
of time back then. From Kutulas’ (2018) point of view, “viewers would not just watch the show passively
or while channel-surfing but care enough about the characters to pay attention and interact with the
show.” As argued, the show managed to discuss topics of interest to reason about like going through
a breakup, looking for a job, going on a date, becoming independent, and moving out of a broken
home. The popular and timeless American sitcom certainly became a crucial part of fans’ general
culture, and it keeps attracting new generations to the fan’s community.
Works cited
Dillner, L. (June 12, 2017). Do friends make you happier than family? The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/jun/12/does-family-make-you-hap
pier-than-friends
Kutulas, J. (2018), Anatomy of a Hit: Friends and Its Sitcom Legacies. J Pop Cult, 51: 1172-1189. https://doi-org.ezproxy.sibdi.ucr.ac.cr/10.1111/jpcu.12715
Munsey, C. (2006, June). Emerging adults: The in-between age. Monitor on Psychology, 37(7). http://www.apa.org/monitor/jun06/emerging
Nurain, O. (2020). Enhancing EFL Students’ Cultural Awareness through Friends Sitcom. International Journal of Applied Linguistics & English Literature, 9(4), 76.
https://www.journals.aiac.org.au/index.php/IJALEL/article/view/6286/4416
Photo Credit licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Friends_actors_montage.
jpg
12POP WORLD
Ninjas
(county) region (present-day south- torial lord) in the Sengoku period
eastern Shiga Prefecture) and Iga around the country actually hired
Province region (present-day west- Genin. The Iga school excelled in
ern Mie Prefecture). They didn’t individual activities, while the Koga
wear “exclusive” costume, but ap- school excelled in group activities.
propriately dressed for the situation Origin and transition
(in the town, dressed like townspeo- There are several theories about the
ple and when they broke into a res- origin of ninja. They formed some
idence, dressed like a servant), and groups in regions around Japan.
there is a theory that people be- Particularly, groups of ninja which
lieved that ninja was wearing black were based in Koga and Iga were
costume because ninja in kabuki famous. In these locations, there
was described as “invisible pres- were many ninja houses and they
ence” like kuroko (stage assistants conducted daily training. Since
dressed in black). most territories of Koga and Iga
Since they focused on escaping were shoen (manor in medieval Ja-
rather than fighting, usually they pan) in the Kamakura period, they
didn’t wear heavy kusari-katabira were not controlled by shugo (pro-
to be as nimble as possible. While vincial constable) or jito (manager
kusari-katabira was drawn simply in and lord of manor), but when the
the comic expression, it developed shoen system collapsed in the Sen-
a design of character who wear goku period (in Japan), dozens of ji-
a mesh shirt. The sword carried on zamurai groups struggled for power.
Ninja is a name of individual or the back encumbered their move, It is considered that “Ninjutsu” arose
group who served daimyo (Japa- they normally belted a sword on. spontaneously in the condition that
nese territorial lord) or feudal lord However, when they crawled under each jizamurai always fought an in-
doing intelligence activities and as- floor, they carried a sword on the formation war and a guerrilla war to
sassinations from the Kamakura pe- back to move easily in the narrow maintain power.
riod to Edo period in Japan. space and used it as a shield. They Legend of the Hattori clan
Ninja was a group who was mainly conducted various special train- In 1962, “kamijima-ke bunsho (Doc-
doing covert operations for a feu- ings and had special tools, the tools uments of the Kamijima family)
dal lord. Their position was different are called “Ningu” and the various (a manuscript copied in the end
from that of samurai or ashigaru techniques including art of escap- of the Edo period) “ was found at
(common foot soldier). ing are called “Ninjutsu.” an old household in Ueno city. Ac-
They are often described as A recent study shows that ninja cording to the document, the third
“dressed in solid black”, “wearing was a group of engineers who had son of Gensei UESHIMA who was a
kusari-katabira (chain woven pro- abundant knowledge of animals member of the Hattori clan in Iga
tective wear) inside and paint their and plants, and chemistry as well as Province was an actor of Sarugaku
face with black ink”, “carrying a a group of intelligence agents who (form of theater becoming the ba-
sword on the back” or “break into had great physical ability and were sis for Noh), Kanami and his mother
the enemy territory under cover strictly disciplined. was a sister of Masashige KUSUNO-
of darkness”, but a figure in black Ninja was divided into ranks such as KI. In other words, Kanami was a
costume can be seen in the night, Jonin (high-ranking ninja), Chunin nephew of Masashige KUSUNOKI.
thus it is considered that their cos- (middle-ranking ninja) and Gen- There is no specific reason, but it is
tume was dark blue or persimmon in (low-ranking ninja). In Iga, Jonin called a false family record. Zeami
color. Most of the existing costumes were goshi (country samurai) or who was a son of Kanami also said,
which are considered to be “ninja jizamurai (local samurai) and as “My ancestor is the Hattori clan.”
costume” are persimmon color or landlords, they controlled Genin In Iga Province, three families of Jo-
similar colors. There is a theory that it who were kosakunin (tenant farm- nin, the Fujibayashi clan, the Momo-
was cheaper to make the costume er). Chunin were kogashira (head chi clan and the Hattori clan con-
in persimmon color than in black. of an organizational section) lead- trolled other jizamurai and adopted
There is a theory that the ninja ing Genin. In Koga, the highest rank collegial system to form the area
costume was made based on the was not Jonin, but Chunin. It is said not controlled by daimyo (Japa-
working clothe used in Koga gun that the daimyo (Japanese terri- nese territorial lord) in the Sengoku
13POP WORLD Period. They united and fought brought from Kishu Province into gi-onmitsu (shogunate spy). These against invasion from outside, when the same rank with Igamono, oni- theories have no crucial foundation Nobunaga ODA sent Katsutoshi waban is not related to ninja (for and are just works of imagination for TAKIGAWA, a Chikujo Bugyo (mag- details, refer to the section of Oni- now. istrate of building a castle), Katsu- waban). Rinzo MAMIYA, an explorer in the toshiTAKIGAWA, a Chikujo Bugyo When Iemitsu TOKUGAWA ruled, Edo period, was a spy of the sho- (magistrate of building a castle), roju (member of shogun’s council gunate and it may be said that he Katsutoshi TAKIGAWA to control Iga of elders) (Nobutsuna MATSUDAIRA, was a ninja in the broad sense. At Province, they dismissed him, and Tadaaki ABE and Masamori HOT- least his action that he betrayed also eliminated Nobukatsu ODA’s TA) and sobashu (aide of the sho- Kageyasu TAKAHASHI in the Siebold army who invaded in retribution gun) (Masamori NAKANE) forced Incident was criticized from a Con- (the first Tensho Iga War). When the government by the military. As fucian moral standpoint and de- Nobunaga schemed a conspiracy a result, increased ronin (masterless scribed as a typical action of cruel with a part of enemy and invaded samurai) emerged as a social issue ninja. again with a great army, the other and major events (uprisings)such as When Kurofune (the Black Ships) led groups of ninja in Iga Province suf- Shimabara War and Keian Incident by Commodore Matthew PERRY fered catastrophic damage (the (Shosetsu YUI). arrived off the coast of Urawa, the second Tensho Iga War). It is said At the time of Shimabara War and shogunate spy acted for investiga- that Tanba MOMOCHI and other Keian Incident, Masamori NAKANE tion and it was the last activity of so- one hundred ninja fled down to Ne- sent about 20 yoriki (a police ser- called ninja. goro, Kishu Province. geant) to several places around Ninja after the Meiji period Under the feudal system character- and made them investigate details. In Meiji period, the administration istic of the Tokugawa shogunate Also, there is a record that when was transferred to new Meiji Gov- Iga ninja started to be hired by Edo Shimabara War occurred, a squad ernment and Japanese army and bakufu (Japanese feudal govern- of Koga ninja sneaked into Hara-jo navy were created through mod- ment headed by a shogun) be- Castle where rioters barricaded ernization policy, then ninja lost their cause when Ieyasu TOKUGAWA vis- themselves and found the fact that job. It is said that after ninja lost the ited Sakai (present-day Sakai City, rioters’ provisions were running out. scene of their activities, they got Osaka Prefecture) for sightseeing TAIRA no Tadamasa who was de- new jobs such as farmers, police- at the time of Honnoji Incident, they scended from the Taira clan and men, pyrotechnicians with special escorted and helped him to pass the Hattori clan were relatives and skills of using fire, doctors or pharma- through Iga Province. In particular, Nakane was an uncle of Masashige cists with knowledge of medicine. Masanari HATTORI was treated pref- HATTORI (the fourth Hanzo HATTORI) Since the said arrival of Kurofune, erentially and one of the gate of who fell from power because of the the existence of ninja had been for- Edo-jo Castle was named after him involvement in Okubo Nagayasu gotten, but ninja started to be fea- and it still remains as a geograph- Incident. For this reason, the the- tured in novels and period dramas ical name of Tokyo, “Hanzomon”. ory that Nakane was a ninja was from late 1950 and they have come As well as seeking inside information formed. to be recognized among Japanese of territorial lords for the Tokugawa A haikai poet, Basho MATSUO who again. shogunate, they kept peace of the walked across provinces in the Edo Edo-jo castle town as doshin (a po- period was from an area which is lice constable) by handling surveys present-day Iga City, Mie Prefec- near the Edo-jo Castle, guard of ture. Thus, there is a theory that O-oku (the inner halls of Edo Castle Basho MATSUO was actually a ninja where the wife of the Shogun and or a spy and it is used as a subject her servants reside) and manage- of novels and so on. The fact that it ment of vacant residences. Oniwa- is physically difficult for 47 years old ban (the shogunate’s guard of the man to travel tens of kilometers per inner garden) is often considered day as described in his book “the to be same as ninja, but it is a mis- Narrow Road to the Deep North” understanding, actually Yoshimune was used as the basis for the theo- TOKUGAWA, the eighth shogun just ry. An ukiyoe artist, Hokusai KATSU- classified Kusurigomeyaku (the pre- SHIKA who lived in the Edo period is decessor of oniwaban) whom he also considered to have been a ko- Information adapted from: https://japanese-wiki-corpus.github.io/culture/Ninja%20(professional%20spy%20in%20feudal%20Japan%20highly%20trained%20in%20stealth%20and%20secrecy).html Photo credit: https://pixabay.com 14
You can also read
