Final blog

> What comments can you make about your experience learning English at university? What about the use of blogs?
> What aspects of your English need to be improved and how do you plan to do this?
> Outside the English class, how much are you using English these days? What for?
what would you say is the biggest challenge of learning English in a non-english speaking country?

- Wordcount: 260

English Lit.

I studied English Lit. at Pontificia Universidad Católica about 20 years ago and I not only enjoyed the experience of being a college student, but I also enjoyed my classes a lot. I studied at campus oriente which in my opinion, is the most beautiful campus that PUC has got. Now my program is in San Joaquin which is big, modern and convenient but it's not as beautiful as Campus Oriente.I was looking at the current curriculum design for English Lit. and it seems there haven’t been really substantial changes but it somehow feels like there are some areas such as aesthetics and arts which don’t seem to have the relevance they did when I was a student.



I know some people that work in ‘Letras’ in the English program and from what they have told me, there have been important changes in two areas: number of students and motivations for studying English Lit. at PUC.



I have been told that nowadays there are about three times more students per class and this obviously has an impact in teaching and learning. Classes are less personalized and are more like a conference or lecture, this means that the way teachers and students interact is also different; there is less time and opportunity for critical discussion about diverse areas related to linguistics and literature and in all, less development of critical thinking skills.

In terms of motivation for studying in the English Lit. program, I can say that this is the point that really disappoints me. A colleague said that the general profile of students in the program is people that come from bilingual schools that are studying at PUC to get a ‘prestigious’ degree, move abroad, and work in a fashion magazine or some trendy thing in the world of advertising. Others want to become teachers, which is a good thing, but very few are actually there because they feel passionate about literature, and I think that’s quite sad.

In all, in terms of curriculum design and faculty members, PUC has a solid English Lit. program, but a university program is a sum of things and an important part of the equation are the students. I think that if you’re not passionate about what you’re studying, and it tends to be the general profile of people in that program, then there’s got to be problem with the institution or the curriculum design. Luckily, when I studied there were few of us and most of us felt happy and thrilled to be part of the English Lit. program.

changes to my career

Write about some changes that could be made to your study programme (career)
Among others, think about:

• The curriculum (the subjects you have to study)
• Workload and length of studies
• Faculty facilities (buildings and infrastructure)
• Use of technology
• Teaching methods

what's the most urgent thing that needs changing?

- Word Count: 250

7- The coundown has begun

Summer Holidays

I am really looking forward to the holidays this year. Every day, is like a countdown and the idea that classes at my other university end in just two weeks is both exciting and terrifying!

It’s exciting because there are things that I’ll be able to do that I can’t do now because I don’t have time. On the other hand, it’s also stressful to think about the end of the semester at the other university because there is still so much to be done; I mean, the amount of marking and uploading is just abysmal! There are 27 grades per student and the average number of students per class is 30. It’s a bit insane really.

As I have said, I’m just really tired and what I really want to do is mostly sleep and do nothing. Yes, it’s not exciting at all but the thought of just getting up at any time and not thinking about marking, and all that, is just pure bliss.

I do want to get as much rest as possible, it’s true, but I also want to do some things. Now you’re going to think I’m an absolute geek but the prospect of being able to go to parks with my boyfriend and to watch old English series seems pretty sweet right now. A thing that I’m anticipating even more than that is doing knitting and crocheting. I am a yarn junkie and thinking about going into my yarn stash and working on different projects is enough to give me the last bit of energy to finish this semester.

I know most people would think my vacation plans are boring or geeky, but for me holidays don’t necessarily mean traveling and doing ‘exciting’ things. Vacation means time to rest and to focus on the things that make my mind and soul happy.

7-free themed post

What do you think will be the outcome of the presidential elections in Chile?

Today I'd like you to choose from three topics:
a) who do you think will be the next president? What changes do you think he/she will make?
b) what things would you change about your program(arquitecture) and your about your university?
c)what are your plans for the upcoming holidays? what would make your next summer vacations absolutely perfect?

Choose one topic

Mínimum Word count 220

PG

I have actually given this a lot of thought, especially after getting my master's degree. I would like to do a PhD in the UK or Canada.
I like the idea of conducting research and gaining more insight into issues related to identity and language. I couldn't do the PhD in Chile because there are no universities that offer a program in this área. I also think that doing a PhD abroad is better valued by people.
I would like to study in a f2f program because I believe that it's more beneficial to learn with others and through real time interactions wih others. I also think that knowing that I have to be at a specific place at a specific time helps me to organize my time more efficiently.
The idea of studying in a very old English university with a huge library and amazing architecture is a bonus in itself. If it were completely up to me I'd study at Cambridge or Oxford, but realistically speaking, I'd be happy at any of the traditional and old universities in the UK.
Cardiff university PhD program seems very appealing because they have courses on Culture and Memory which I believe are key in defining a people's identity.
If posible, I'd like to take some time off from work to seriosulu look into this and apply to a PhD program, until then, I'll be conducting research here in Chile with Haitian language learners. I'm not short of motivation but just short of time.

6-PG Studies

Write about a postgraduate course that you would consider taking in the future.
Include:

- Reasons to do the course
- Subject(s) you would like to study
- Where you would like to study (Chile or abroad)
- How you would like to study (distance learning, blended system, part-time course, etc)
- Any other relevant ideas

- Make comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts + a comment on your teacher's post.

- Word Count: 220 words