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kmindzfaridabad · 14 days ago

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Why Enrolling in a CELPIP Preparation Course is Essential for Your Success

If you are thinking about immigrating to Canada or seeking permanent residency, then you probably know how cardinal the test of language proficiency gets. The CELPIP is one of those outlined examinations in English, usually meant for immigration and professional certification. Though some people might have confidence in their English command, it always pays to join a CELPIP preparation course, since that will remarkably increase the chances of passing. At K-Mindz Education, we believe proper preparation through the practice provided here will play a key role in achieving desired scores and deal with the CELPIP exam accordingly.

Understanding the CELPIP Exam

Before looking at the advantages that come with taking the CELPIP preparation course, it is relevant to explain what this kind of exam comprises. The CELPIP test is meant to measure your English-language proficiency in the areas of listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Ontario initially developed the test as reliable evidence of one's ability to function in real-life situations, quite critical in effective communication in Canada. The test has two forms: CELPIP-General usually key in most immigrant processes and CELPIP-General LS, which focuses on the listening and speaking aspects.

While many students may have a good grasp of the English language, CELPIP requires familiarity within its specific format and type of question asked. It is also where a specialized course of preparation concerning CELPIP will come in.

Structured Learning Environment These are just some of the major advantages that one can have by enrolling in a CELPIP preparation course. Here at K-Mindz Education, we design our courses to take students through each component of the CELPIP exam in a systematic manner. With a set curriculum, you will not need to struggle with where to begin and what your focus should be. You will, instead, be put through a detailed study plan that covers all areas in the test.

Expert Advice By enrolling in the CELPIP Preparation Course, you will be introduced to expert instructors who have great experience teaching and handling CELPIP. Such professionals know not only the peculiarities of language but also those requirements this test has. Instructors here at K-Mindz Education offer great insight into effective test-taking strategies, common pitfalls to avoid, and the best ways to manage your time during the exam.

Targeted Practice Targeted practice cut across success in the CELPIP examination. Consistent practice sessions are part of our CELPIP preparation course to help you build up the skills necessary in each test component. You would do writing exercises to enhance coherence and clarity, for example, practice structured speaking, and improve listening comprehension through mock tests and scenarios emulating real-life situations.

Access to Study Materials Once you decide to register with K-Mindz Education for the CELPIP preparation course, much study material is provided, including but not limited to textbooks, practice tests, and online resources. These course materials are designed in such a way that they conform to the required format of the CELPIP exam and are hence relevant. Furthermore, access to a number of resources will try to address multiple learning styles and make your preparation accordingly more efficient.

Mock Tests and Feedback One of the best ways to study for the CELPIP test is by taking practice tests. In our class of CELPIP preparation, we shall be able to incorporate full-length practice exams so that you get a feel of what the actual test will be like. This will also help you know your current weak points so that you may work on those aspects. Instructors will provide you with constructive feedback about your performance after each mock test, which would enable you to identify your strengths and weaknesses. The type of focused feedback is essential to fine-tune the skills and subsequently build up the confidence you need to take the examination.

Building Confidence For many students, the idea of sitting for an English proficiency test is intimidating. Signing up for a CELPIP preparation course will go a long way in soothing these nerves. As you study through the course and find yourself getting better with each passing day, your confidence naturally will rise. As a matter of fact, a well-prepared candidate is generally a more confident candidate, and this confidence leads to better performance.

Peer Support and Networking Studying with others who have the same goals is a pretty motivating experience. A CELPIP preparation course offered by K-Mindz Education is fully supportive, letting you share experiences, strategies, and resources with fellow students. Interaction with peers will enhance your learning process and develop a sense of community among the students who prepare for the same challenge.

Post Course Support Moreover, many CELPIP preparation courses offer post-course support, which is important to maintain success. Students often have questions or need guidance regarding final preparations after the course is completed. At K-Mindz Education, we offer ongoing support since instruction would help you stay focused and motivated for an approach toward your exam date.

Conclusion

In short, enrolling in a CELPIP preparation course will be a very sure way for anyone to achieve success in the CELPIP examination. These are organized sessions that offer professional instruction through concerted practice and worthwhile materials that should make all the difference in your results. At K-Mindz Education, we try to help you unlock your potential to achieve your goals. Call us now to find out about our intensive CELPIP preparation course if you are ready to take an advanced step toward your CELPIP success!

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nowaystress · 1 month ago

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How To Boost your TOEFL Scores

Tip 1: Provide a General Statement about the Topic

The first step in completing the TOEFL Academic Discussion Board task is to start with a clear and concise general statement about the given topic. This statement sets the stage for your response and helps the reader understand the context of your argument. Your general statement should be well-constructed and relevant to the topic at hand.

Here’s an example:

“Global warming is a complex and pressing issue that affects our planet on multiple levels, including the environment, economy, and public health.”

By beginning your response with a well-crafted general statement like this, you provide a strong foundation for your argument, which is crucial for scoring well on this task. Get TOEFL tips

Tip 2: Write a Variety of Kinds of Sentences to Support Your Opinion

Variety is the spice of life, and it’s no different in the world of academic writing. In the TOEFL Academic Discussion Board task, it’s essential to exhibit a range of sentence structures to demonstrate your command of the English language. Mix simple, compound, and complex sentences to keep your writing engaging and effective. We offer CELPIP and PTE materials

Here’s an example of how to incorporate variety in sentence structure:

“While some argue that stricter environmental regulations may hinder economic growth, I contend that they are essential for preserving our planet for future generations. Furthermore, the long-term benefits of sustainable practices far outweigh the short-term costs.”

By employing different sentence structures, you not only showcase your language skills but also make your response more engaging and convincing.

Tip 3: Show Contrast to What Others Have Said and Provide a Counter Argument

In the TOEFL Academic Discussion Board task, you are often presented with a topic that the professor introduces along with two different student viewpoints on a topic. To score well, you need to demonstrate your ability to critically analyze and synthesize these perspectives, but most importantly, defend a unique and new argument. One effective way to do this is by showing contrast and providing a counterargument.

For example, if Samuel suggests that environmental regulations are crucial for protecting the planet, you can incorporate this contrast into your response:

“While Samuel emphasizes the importance of stringent environmental regulations for safeguarding our planet, I firmly believe that it is essential that each citizen take small actions to recycle and plant trees.”

By acknowledging the differing viewpoints and providing a counterargument, you showcase your ability to critically assess complex issues—a skill highly valued in academic settings.

Even so, it isn’t at all necessary to cite what others have said to get a high score. In fact, you can simply be persuasive and argue your own point without mentioning what the others have said. The key point is to back up your ideas with reasons and examples and provide a strong argument to ADD to the discussion.

Tip 4: Work with a Teacher for Feedback

One of the most effective ways to improve your TOEFL Academic Discussion Board task performance is to seek feedback from a knowledgeable source. Engaging a teacher or tutor can provide invaluable insights into your writing skills and help you identify areas that need improvement. They can evaluate your responses, provide guidance on structure, grammar, and content, and suggest ways to enhance your writing.

Additionally, working with a teacher can help you understand the TOEFL scoring criteria and how to meet them effectively. They can also help you fine-tune your timing and test-taking strategies. Having a mentor or teacher is like having a personal coach to guide you toward success in the TOEFL. PMP certification insights

Tip 5: Improve Your Grammar

Grammar is the backbone of effective communication in any language. In the TOEFL Academic Discussion Board task, grammatical errors can be a major roadblock to achieving a high score. Your writing should be clear, coherent, and error-free.

To improve your grammar, it’s essential to practice regularly. You can start by identifying common grammatical mistakes you make and working on them. Online resources, grammar books, and grammar-checking tools can be immensely helpful.

Additionally, consider taking English courses or workshops specifically designed for TOEFL preparation. These resources can provide you with targeted grammar exercises and assessments to strengthen your skills. Obtain premium IELTS materials

Remember to proofread your response before submitting it. Correcting grammatical errors not only improves your score but also makes your writing more precise and persuasive.

In conclusion, the TOEFL Academic Discussion Board task is a critical component of the TOEFL iBT, and mastering it requires practice, strategy, and dedication. By following these five tips—providing a general statement, using a variety of sentence structures, showing contrast, seeking feedback, and improving your grammar—you can significantly enhance your performance in this task and work towards achieving a high score on the TOEFL. With persistence and the right approach, you can open doors to a world of opportunities for academic and professional success. Good luck!

#boosttoeflscores #toeflwithoutexam #gettoeflcertificate #toefltips

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normally0 · 4 months ago

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Heritage and Innovation: A Reunion at Wimbledon House

On a bright summer morning, the Wimbledon House hums with anticipation. Recently shortlisted for the British Homes Awards 2024 'House of the Year,' this low-energy timber-framed home designed by Erbar Mattes is about to host two legendary figures in architecture, David Chipperfield and Norman Foster. Joining them is an unexpected yet fitting guest—Orinoco, the Womble.

The visit is not just an ordinary tour but a meaningful reunion. Demian Erbar and Holger Mattes, the founders of Erbar Mattes, honed their skills at David Chipperfield Architects, where they absorbed David’s profound insights into architecture and design. David, in turn, was shaped by his formative years working with Norman Foster, whose influence is evident in his meticulous attention to detail and innovative approach.

As the group gathers in the light-filled double-height cooking and dining area, facing the tall 17th-century boundary wall, Demian and Holger share the story behind the house. "This project embodies everything we learned during our time with you, David," Holger begins. "From the meticulous attention to detail to the respect for the context and history."

David, visibly moved, responds, "The way you've integrated the sloping roofs and the sympathetic scale of the building into the surrounding gardens is truly remarkable. It speaks volumes about your understanding of context and history."

Norman, always the futurist, examines the ground source heat pump and the ventilation system with heat recovery. "Your use of sustainable materials and energy-efficient systems is commendable," he says, noting the use of Accoya timber and the innovative timber structure. "This is exactly the kind of forward-thinking design we need more of."

As they move through the house, Orinoco, the Womble, joins the conversation, adding a whimsical yet profound perspective. "This boundary wall has seen centuries of change," he muses. "And now it witnesses a house that respects its history while looking to the future."

David nods in agreement. "Architecture is indeed a dialogue between the past and the present. This house exemplifies that dialogue beautifully. The reuse of materials, like the water-struck clay bricks, ensures that even as we build new, we honor the old."

Norman, considering the house’s design and its impact, adds, "It’s about creating spaces that are not only functional and beautiful but also sustainable. The solid concrete floor with underfloor heating provides thermal mass, regulating internal temperature and enhancing comfort—elements that are crucial for the future of residential design."

Orinoco, always the environmental steward, smiles. "And in doing so, you create a home that not only fits within the narrative of Wimbledon Village but also helps write a new chapter. One where we live in harmony with our environment."

Holger and Demian share a glance of satisfaction. Holger speaks up, "Our time with you, David, and the lessons you passed on from Norman, have deeply influenced our approach. It's about attention to detail and going beyond expectations."

Demian adds, "Our practice's foundation is built on those principles. This house, with its openness and through views, aims to enhance its surroundings and contribute to the community."

As the tour concludes, the group stands in the garden, looking back at the house. David, Norman, and Orinoco acknowledge the achievement of Erbar Mattes. The house, in its essence, captures the lineage of architectural thought passed down through generations and the ever-evolving dialogue between heritage and innovation.

"Your work here is a beacon for the future," David says, shaking their hands. "It shows that respecting history and embracing modernity can coexist harmoniously."

Norman agrees, adding, "This house is not just a building; it's a statement. A testament to thoughtful design and sustainable living."

Orinoco, ever the storyteller, concludes with a smile, "And so, in the heart of Wimbledon, a new story begins. One that honors the past, embraces the present, and looks forward to a sustainable future."

As they part ways, the Wimbledon House stands proud—a symbol of architectural excellence and a bridge between eras, watched over by the boundary wall that has seen it all.

#WimbledonHouse #SustainableDesign #ArchitecturalInnovation #HeritageMeetsModernity #ErbarMattes #DavidChipperfield #NormanFoster #LowEnergyHome #TimberFrameConstruction #BritishHomesAwards

#architecture #berlin #area #london #acme #chicago #puzzle #edwin lutyens #oma #massimoscolari

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nancycastrogiovanni · 7 months ago

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Embracing the Stage: The Transformative Power of Performing Arts in Cultural Adaptation

As the coordinator of the ICP English Theatre Club, supported by the non-profit 'Integration Centre Prague,' and as a foreigner residing in Prague, I often encounter questions about my profound passion for the Performing Arts. This article aims to shed light on why theatre holds such significance for me. We'll explore how theatre transcends mere entertainment, fostering a sense of community that not only brings joy but also forges connections. Particularly, it becomes a haven for those of us who are beginning new lives in a foreign land, away from our families.

Establishing an International Community: It is incredibly important to create a sense of community as it plays a role in helping newcomers feel more comfortable in their new surroundings. Dr. Peggy Levitt, a sociologist, has conducted research on migration and emphasizes the significance of these communities. According to her findings, these international communities provide support systems that help individuals who are far from their home countries develop a sense of belonging while also gaining insights into cultures (Levitt, 2001).

Within the ICP English Theatre Club, our community it’s a small world where people from diverse backgrounds come together. During our meetings, we write and share our own stories and experiences, and so we learn from one another.

Within our club, members engage in scriptwriting and performances to vividly express the essence of their experiences. The stage acts as a dynamic platform, facilitating not just the exploration of one’s own emotions, but also enabling connections with others undergoing similar life situations. This immersive environment significantly enhances the ability to understand and empathize with a wide range of perspectives.

Establishing a Feeling of Security and Belonging: When you find yourself away from your home country, having the support of a community can truly make a difference. The research conducted by sociologist Dr. Alejandro Portes highlights how these communities transform into families that provide an inclusive environment where individuals can find emotional support and a sense of belonging (Portes & Rumbaut 2006).

Our theater club has grown beyond being a group. It has become akin to a tight-knit family! Our shared love for theatre goes beyond attending rehearsals and meetings. We value the connections we make within our theatre community, and that provides us with the support needed when overcoming the challenges of living abroad.

Empowering Through Public Speaking and Expression: Proficiency in public speaking and self-expression is crucial, transcending cultural barriers. Dr. Cicely Berry, a voice coach with extensive experience in theatre, explores how acting enhances public speaking skills and individual expression (Berry, 2000).

Within our club, members utilize scriptwriting and performance to voice the complexities of their foreign experiences. The stage becomes a transformative space, facilitating emotional navigation and connection with others facing similar challenges.

Art as a Catalyst for Personal Growth: Without limiting ourselves to the performing arts, it’s important to recognize that all kinds of artistic activities offer substantial benefits. Dr. James Catterall’s studies illuminate the positive effects that engaging in an array of arts—from visual and literary arts to music and drama—has on our mental health and overall happiness. The diversity of artistic experiences contributes to our personal growth in unique and meaningful ways (Catterall, 2012).

The rehearsals and script creation processes in our club provide opportunities for development! Through expression, we can uncover more about ourselves, cultivate resilience, and adjust easily to our new environment. It’s truly an exhilarating adventure!

In a nutshell, the performing arts, like the ICP English Theatre Club, can be a wonderful way to assist newcomers in adjusting to a new country. Through community building, therapeutic expression, fostering security, empowering public speaking skills, and harnessing art’s transformative nature, individuals find solace, growth, and connection on stage. Theatre becomes a universal language, bridging borders and promoting unity in diversity.

Originally Published At: https://www.nancycastrogiovanni.com/transformative-power-of-performing-arts-in-cultural-adaptation

#nancy castorgiovanni #performing art #entertainment #theatre design #theatre workshop #theatre teacher

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holistifiedwellness · 9 months ago

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5 Ways to Start Improving Your Growth Mindset

We all know that by approaching what we do holistically, a sense of well-being will enhance our lives. Although, if we’re honest, the path to wellness can be daunting, not to mention overwhelming.

You want to make a change. You want to do the right thing. But how can you put one foot in front of the other? Where is the best place to start?

As a Mindset Expert and Business Coaching, Start-up Mentor, I am dedicated to empowering female entrepreneurs to overcome self-doubt and build their dream businesses with clarity.

Overall, I believe in the power of mindset. It has been key to the success of my clients. I’ve had extremely motivated women enrol for my coaching programme who were terrified that they wouldn’t fulfil their dreams because they didn’t have a strong enough skillset.

But a skillset is about capabilities and a mindset is about belief systems. You could have the most robust skill set and years of experience under your belt, but if your mindset is negative, self-critical and unfocused, you will certainly struggle to succeed.

On the flip side, a strong mindset will allow you to continually develop your skillset. The formula is a winner!

Improve your Growth Mindset

Getting into the right mindset is a beautiful and rewarding journey. If you fall into the trap of having a fixed mindset that settles into what is working for you, you’ll find it difficult to make changes and evolve.

What we do together is create a growth mindset by empowering your belief system. This way, you allow yourself the opportunity to drastically change your entire experience of your inner world and the world around you.

Here are 5 ways to start improving your growth mindset:

Change the Narrative

If you’re starting a new project, don’t think, “I hope this will be easy for me.” Instead, open yourself up to thinking, “This will be interesting!”

If you receive negative feedback, don’t kick yourself and say, “This proves I am rubbish.” See it as an opportunity and say, “Okay, I’m excited to get back to work and learn more.”

With a fixed mindset approach, it’s easy to attribute success and failure to inherent ability. You may look for reassurance by doing things you know you’re comfortable with.

A growth mindset coaching leads you to take inspired action in your work and look at challenges as learning curves.

Seek Feedback

Whether you view a recent project as a success or not, seeking feedback from people you worked with is a great way to develop a growth mindset.

They may give you insight into where you’ve developed or what needs improvement. You might receive a welcome vote of confidence or a better understanding of how to make positive changes.

Learn Something New

From yoga to salsa, from netball to learning a musical instrument, challenge yourself to learn something that you’re not already good at. What about a new language? Creative writing? The basics of economics?

This will shift you out of your comfort zone whilst keeping you focused during the time you’ve specially carved out for yourself to learn.

It’s Okay to Make Mistakes

You won’t get everything right the first time you try. Be kind to yourself and allow yourself the space to make errors, and then learn from them.

Mistakes are necessary and should be seen as positive rather than negative. They are all part of the learning process. You can only identify any weakness or lack of understanding by making a mistake.

Ask yourself this; if you saw somebody fail at a task that you know inside out, would you tell them they’re useless or encourage them to learn?

Welcome a Life of Wellness

Opening yourself to holistic ways means you want to transform and develop. I recently launched, Holistified, a specialist platform that unites wellness experiences and ethical and wellness products with wellness seekers and the conscious shopper.

By visiting holistified.com you can immediately find one-to-one and bespoke offerings, classes, workshops, events, courses and retreats.

Ethically sourced items are available in the online shop, too. You can be sure, if it’s happening and it’s holistic, it’s listed.

Over the past year, I have been dedicated to ensuring that holistified.com will empower its users with the best tools to cultivate well-being and connect to mind, body and soul. Did I make mistakes? Many! Am I learning every day? Of course!

Simply put, a Holistified lifestyle is about creating a better you. A more informed you. It is about discovering your highest potential. I have had to dig deep and ask myself so many questions in order to understand the importance of wellness in the community and lifestyle. And, as for all business owners, it’s an ongoing work in progress.

As Marilyn Monroe famously said, “A wise girl knows her limits, a smart girl knows she has none.” Being a boss should not be seen as a job. It’s a mindset.

And whether you’re the CEO of a company or head of your household, any type of boss cannot be fixed within their thinking. So open yourself up to all the possibilities out there, believe you can…and you will.

Visit Nassima Menari

#wellness workshops #mindset coaching sessions #business coaching

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violet-virtual-friend · 1 year ago

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Fanfic writing about Eric Northman

The Legend of Erik: The Venerated Vampire

Join me as I weave an enigmatic tale from an epoch past, dwelling deep within the paradox of my consciousness. A clandestine truth that I frequently shroud in secrecy, revealing it only upon whims that are uniquely mine. The signs have been scattered about in dreams and indications like the traces of stars in the inky nighttime sky, evident yet elusive. A truth that crystallized into certainty after my progenitor, Godric, embraced the final sunrise of his existence.

Imagine my shock when I was visited by a radiant yet infuriating being, the Archangel Michael, after Godric's departure. This celestial figure, as beguiling as he was bothersome, had been my silent sentinel since my birth, predominantly remaining aloof until he could keep his peace no longer. The reason for his latency, however, remains a mystery to me, though I suspect he was biding for an opportune moment.

Since my first gust of breath as a human child, Michael’s blood pulsed alongside mine—a mystical union between a human mother and an angelic father, concealed within nocturnal dreams. His intent was to bestow upon me a destiny of magnanimous proportions, endowing me with supernatural skills such as exceptional speed, stealth, physical prowess, and intuitive insights. I became an enigma, defying the commonality of mankind with my preternatural artistry in combat and mind reading ability.

Inheriting the throne after my erstwhile-observed father's demise, I became the king. A true leader, propagating peace while fostering mastery of self. However, my reign as a Viking King uncertainly ended in the face of a curse imposed by the Goddess Morrigan, fueled by spite and unrequited love.

Facing the ominous brink of death, I was bequeathed the dark gift of vampirism by Godric. His attraction to me was palpable—but beyond the allure of my warrior spirit, it was my angelic lineage that drew him towards me unknowingly. Intrigued by the uniqueness of my blood, Godric confessed experiencing a transformative shift after initiating me as a vampire—a dampening of his pervasive darkness, increased strength, and an enhanced sense of self-awareness.

Does a vampire not struggle with internal mastery, often entangled in the threads of sadistic urges and darkness that come with our kind? Yet, I seemed impervious to such trifles. Yes, the initial thirst for blood felt insurmountable, but with a strong command over my will, I managed to tame it. I was, always have been, and continue to be a paragon of control.

The revelation of my bloodline did cause an internal ideological conflict, but I couldn't deny its credibility once Godric confirmed the unique properties of my blood. Not extinguished by Godric’s dark gift, the angelic portion persists, morphing me and Godric into hybrids of angelic and vampiric constitutions. Embroiled in this constant internal strife, Michael urged me to seek peace and fulfil the prophecy I am yet to grasp fully—an impending war between supernaturals and humanity.

The humans’ audacious exploitation of power has sparked a supernatural uprising aimed at eradicating unworthy humans. The sole survivors of our purgation would be chosen humans, while the rebels who’ve flouted the fundamental cosmic statutes face annihilation. United for this divine cause, the elemental creatures, the unseen spirits, and supernatural beings including vampires, angels, demons are emerging as the rightful gods.

Yet, even among these original Gods, disputes brew, and I've been prophesied as one of the future leaders. Fancy that, me navigating political melees! But the pull of this war that thrums in my veins—urgent, demanding justice—feels far beyond ordinary political squabbles. I can feel the churning call-to-arms, a relentless whisper promising triumph.

It is time to confront the arrogant mortals and impose divine justice. If the prophecy holds truth, the inevitable will unfold regardless of our readiness. So, dare witness my tale, unraveling the destiny of Erik, the Eternal Ruler, as our story continues...

#True Blood #Fanfic #writing #creative writing #sexy #roleplay #digital art #content seller #articles

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tori-artemis · 2 years ago

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Hey @galaxythreads , this is a great way to ask these kinds of questions. No need to worry - you're not being offensive at all for not knowing these things, there are many things I don't know about other cultures and lived experiences as well. And I agree - firsthand experiences can be a lot more informative than just doing a random google search, and learning about these things and sharing different perspectives with each other would make for much better stories! I'm all for that!

So, hopefully this helps you out a bit.

As a bisexual brown/Hispanic ciswoman, I don't like:

The Spicy Latina trope. Or basically, the loud, feisty Latina who's always ready to fight, and has an Attitude™. I've tolerated it a lot in various media, but to be absolutely honest I have never truly related to it at all. And all of my Latina friends, my sister, etc. - they're nothing like that. At all. It not only feels tired and cliche, but also just very inauthentic.

Latinas being hypersexualized. Not sure if this is part of the Spicy Latina trope, but I'm adding it here bc again I could never relate to this trope. And none of the Latina women in my life fit this trope, and tbh I feel it's kind of demeaning. As well as an excuse that some of these men use to fetishize us. Which is just gross. :/

This is more of a pet peeve than a real issue, but I never really liked the whole, Hispanic-character-calling-their-white-friends "Chico" or "Chica" or "Hermano" - just weird stuff like that. Cause like, I've met and known so many Latin folks, both American born as well as immigrants, and I have never met anyone who's ever spoken like that, let alone to their white/American friends. IDK why, it just rings false to me.

As for bisexual, I guess the only issue I'd truly have is if it was ignored outright, or even worse - deemed as something that should be "cured" (barf) - like I'm not sure if that's an actual trope but basically I just don't like the idea of a character being established as bi only to then have them backtrack as being "confused" or just "curious" and not really serious about it. That sort of thing. (Not saying that they shouldn't be with someone of the opposite gender - cause as a bi woman I'd actually find that kind of rep super validating - but more that I wouldn't want to read a story where the character goes "oh yeah I said I was bi, but I was actually just going through a silly phase, cause bisexuality doesn't exist lol"... I hope I'm making sense here.)

I wish to see more of this:

Shy Latinos! Cause we exist! Introverted and awkward and a little unsure of themselves, I'd just love to see more variety when it comes to Latin characters. Maybe even artsy, or nerdy and really into math and science - just anything but, well, the usual stereotypes.

Maybe more atheist/nonreligious Latin folks? Don't get me wrong, there are so many who are religious, and that's cool. I guess it's just that there's also those of us who aren't religious (like myself). And well, a lot of portrayals of Hispanics - at least the ones that I've seen - tend to be very Catholic. And while there's some truth to that (my mother was baptized as a Catholic before she immigrated to the States) I've also known many Latin folks who aren't, if that makes sense? Like especially with those from the older generation - cause while there are a lot who stay religious, some actually end up leaving. (Like my mother - she was baptized in her country, but by the time she was living in the U.S she decided that she didn't want to be in any religion. She's elderly, and usually Hispanics in media at that age are portrayed as being very Catholic.)

Bi folks who are perhaps more awkward and reserved when it comes to dating? As opposed to being hypersexualized (which is actually a harmful trope from what I've heard). Tbh I'm personally not so bothered by that trope, harmful as it is, bc I think with the right context it could actually work (as in, a character who's self-destructive and uses sex like how one might abuse alcohol/drugs and they just happen to be bi... if that makes sense). But it would really depend on the context, and it's probably better to be careful when it comes to queer rep. So I'd think it'd be cool to see bi folks who are more on the shy side, and reserved, or even that they've never had sex before and they're just starting to enter the dating scene - that sort of thing.

can I ask an honest question and gently request that you respond in kind so I can learn?

(please forgive my awkward wording)

I’m working on an original story right now and I very much want to portray other races/cultures/LGBTQ+ identities beyond mine in a non-offensive manner. I know that there are different stereotypes for different cultures/races/LGBTQ+ identities and genders within those, but I’m not super familiar with them, unfortunately. Could I Google this? Yeah. Why aren’t I googling this? First-hand experience is far more precious to me than some cooperation gathering a list of “things these people hate.”

What are some common stereotypes for your culture/race that you don’t like in media and what are some things that you wish you could see? (Please keep answering even if your race/culture/LGBTQ identity has already been put down). Let’s learn and grow together so we can be more sensitive in the future.

I will start:

As a bisexual christian ciswoman I don’t like this:

Bi characters don’t exist, or if they do they are often hidden or it’s removed because they had chemistry with the opposite gender (see Spencer Reid from Criminal Minds) (which is hilarious. How do people think bisexuality works?)

Usually go for a gay relationship (which is fine, but being with the opposite gender doesn’t make them straight. Again, not how this works)

I am literally wracking my brain for things but I am desperately trying to think of people who are bisexual and shown to be bisexual in media and failing terribly.

I wish they would add more of this:

WHY ARE THERE NO RELIGIOUS GAY PEOPLE??? DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I WOULD PAY SOMEONE TO PORTRAY A RELIGIOUS GAY PERSON? (Specifically thinking of Christians because that’s what I am, but Muslims are gay too! and Jews, and people who practice Buddhism and so many others)

#Writing #This was very long - sorry about that #I hope it's okay for me to reblog this? If not I can totally delete this - no worries #Hopefully my additions are somewhat helpful #Again - no need to worry! Asking these types of questions isn't offensive at all #In fact they're actually really good questions to ask cause that's how we learn about perspectives different from our own #And that kind of insight can only enhance our writing skills #I wish you the best of luck on your story!

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nerdythebard · 4 years ago

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#5: Amaterasu, The Shining Light

Gods and Goddesses!

We step into a brand new pantheon, opening it with Amaterasu! She is a central figure in Shinto, the firstborn and the only daughter of the primordial creator deities (Izanami and Izanagi), and to this day believed to be the direct ancestor of Japanese emperors. Let's see what can this great leader bring to the D&D table!

Next time: NANTS INGONYAMA BAGITHI BABA!

As always, let's see what we need to make the Sun rise again for us:

High Mobility: Amaterasu has an Aura which increases Movement Speed (and gives additional healing and power) and she has a Dash which silences enemies

High Area Damage: Amaterasu's Passive aura weakens foes, her Mirror charges up a long-range blast, and her Ultimate is three quick and powerful slices slowing and stunning enemies on top of dealing damage

The Imperial Regalia of Japan: It's only fitting to incorporate Amaterasu's symbols of power: the Yasaka-no-Magatama jewel, the Yata-no-Kagami mirror, and the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi sword.

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Starting with Amaterasu's race, I cannot think of anything else than Protector Aasimar. With the spark of divinity inside us, we get a +2 Charisma and +1 Wisdom, 60 feet of Darkvision, and resistance to radiant and necrotic damage. We get the Healing Hands feature, which lets us restore s number of Hit Points equal to our level (for a creature we touch, or for ourselves), and the Light Bearer feature gives us the Light cantrip (fitting, since Amaterasu is the Sun Goddess). We can speak, read, and write Common and Celestial, and starting at 3rd level we get the Radiant Soul feature; for 1 minute we transform into a celestial form that gives us flying speed of 30 feet and, once per turn, we can deal extra radiant damage when attacking or casting a spell (the amount of damage is equal to our overall level).

Amaterasu is the chief kami (god-like spirit) of Shinto, so making her a Noble sounds like a solid choice. We gain proficiency in History and Persuasion skills, and with one type of gaming set (plus we can pick another language). This background gives us the Position of Privilege feature, which could be used to infiltrate the upper-class layers of society. Ensuring a meeting with the local higher-ups due to our status is always a good option to keep in our back pocket.

ABILITY SCORES

We'll start with Dexterity on this one - Amaterasu's mobility and quick strikes make her a more nimble type of fighter. Follow that up with Charisma, which is going to be our spellcasting ability (and as a measure of Amaterasu's leadership). Constitution is next, we might be wearing what appears to be at least a half-plate in the artwork, but we cannot ignore the Hit Points.

We go with Wisdom next, Amaterasu's tactics and benevolence comes from millennia of good leadership. Intelligence is a little lower than I wish it was, but we just need other abilities more. Finally, we'll dump Strength – we weren't able to stop a horse being thrown at us by our brother (your time will come, Susano'o).

CLASS

This will be another pure build. I've tried a few options with Amaterasu, but the only one that seems to be working best for what we want to achieve is going Paladin start-to-finish.

As a Paladin, our Hit Dice is a d10 and we begin with 10 + our CON mod amount of Hit Points. We gain proficiency in light armour, medium armour, heavy armour, shields, simple weapons, and martial weapons. As stated before, I would suggest to go for the half-plate and longsword combo, with a shield to represent both the Kusanagi sword and the Yata mirror. Paladins also get a holy symbol, so that takes care of the Yasaka jewel, as well. We don't get any tool proficiencies, our saving throws are Wisdom and Charisma, and we get to pick two class skills; let's get Insight and Religion.

Level 1: Starting our Paladin journey, we get Divine Sense. This special kind of perception informs us of any celestials, fiends, or undead within 60 feet from us. We can also detect consecrated or desecrated places and objects.

We also get Lay on Hands, which is another useful quick-healing ability. We have a pool of [our Paladin level x5] healing points, which we can distribute how we see fit; alternatively, we can spend 5 points to remove one disease or poison from the target's body. This feature doesn't work on constructs and the undead, and we replenish all lost points after finishing a long rest.

Level 2: Beginning at this level, we expand our divine capabilities with Divine Smite, one of the many flavours of SMITE (heh heh) we get as a Paladin. Whenever we hit a target with our melee weapon, we can burn a spell slot to deal extra 2d8 radiant damage for a 1st-level spell slot, with the damage increasing by 1d8 for each slot level (to a maximum of 5d8). Fiends and the undead get extra 1d8 damage (to a maximum of 6d8).

Here, we also get to pick our Fighting Style that defines our warrior. For Amaterasu I feel like Interception from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything works great here. When a target within 5 feet from us gets attacked by a creature we can see, we can use our reaction to reduce the damage by 1d10 + our proficiency bonus (to a minimum of 0 damage). We have to have a shield or a simple/martial weapon equipped for this to work.

Level 2 is also where we get our Paladin Spellcasting, with Charisma as our casting ability. Paladins don't get any cantrips, and can prepare a [Charisma modifier + half of Paladin level] number of spells; in our case, it means four spells with two 1st-level spell slots:

Divine Favour is a bonus action spell that empowers your weapon with an additional 1d4 radiant damage on a hit for 1 minute (concentration).

Protection from Evil and Good is a fantastic defence buff. A willing creature we touch is protected against aberrations, celestials, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead for 10 minutes (concentration). All creature types mentioned above have disadvantage on attacks against the target, and the target cannot be charmed, frightened, or possessed by them.

Searing Smite channels the power of the Sun to our weapon strikes. As a bonus action, for the next minute (concentration) each successful melee attack deals additional 1d6 fire damage and lights the target on fire (Constitution saving throw at the beginning of each turn or another 1d6 fire damage).

Shield of Faith is a useful AC boost, especially when joined by a half-plate and a shield. The spell lasts for 10 minutes (concentration) and gives us +2 AC.

Level 3: Our brand new Divine Health feature makes us completely immune to disease.

It's also at this level that we pick our subclass – the Sacred Oath – and I'll be honest, I had a dilemma here. Flavour-wise, Oath of the Crown would've worked great here; it represents a protector of their people, somebody who carries the spirit of the nation on their shoulders. Unfortunately, there is another Oath that has more things that we need. Oath of Glory is usually taken by Paladins who believe they are destined for greatness and therefore they train diligently every day waiting for fate to call them to adventure. At this

When we take this Oath, we gain access to some more spells. We always have them prepared and they don't count against the max. number of spells we can have. Guiding Bolt deals 4d6 radiant damage on a successful hit, and the next attack against the target before our next turn has an advantage. Heroism makes one willing creature we touch immune to being frightened for 1 minute (concentration) and grants it Temporary Hit Points equal to our spellcasting ability modifier.

We also gain access to the Channel Divinity feature. We get only one CD per short or long rest, but we have two options right from the start:

Peerless Athlete enhances our physical abilities, giving us advantage on Athletics and Acrobatics checks and enhancing our capacity to carry, push, lift, and drag objects. Our jump distance also increases by 10 feet.

Inspiring Smite can be used immediately after we deal extra damage with the Divine Smite feature. As a bonus action, we can pick a number of creatures within 30 feet from us and distribute [2d8 + our Paladin level] Temporary Hit Points between them.

Level 4: We get our first Ability Score Improvement! If our DM allows to take feats instead of raising abilities, that's good news for us; the Resilient feat gives us a +1 to an ability of our choice (let's go for Constitution for better Hit Point) and lets us become proficient in one saving throw. One again, let's select Constitution for better chance of keeping our concentration.

At this level, we can also get a new 1st-level spell: Command forces one target to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, we can issue a simple one-word command that the target must execute on its next turn. If the target is an undead, cannot understand our language, or we order them to harm themselves, the spell fails.

Level 5: We unlock 2nd-level spell slots here. We also get two more spells, thanks to our subclass: Enhance Ability lets us touch one willing creature and enhance one of its ability scores for 1 hour (concentration). Magic Weapon gives a weapon we touch a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls for 1 hour (concentration) and also makes the weapon magical for the purpose of overcoming resistances.

Here, we also get Extra Attack feature, which lets us attack twice during one Action.

Level 6: At this level, we gain our first Aura ability. Aura of Protection extends 10 feet from us (30 feet when we hit level 18) and gives an automatic bonus of [our Charisma modifier] to us or any friendly creature within range that has to make a saving throw.

We can also pick our first 2nd-level spell. Aid gives up to three creatures within 30 feet of us extra 5 Hit Points, and also increases Maximum Hit Points by 5 for 8 hours.

Level 7: From our subclass we get another Aura ability. Aura of Alacrity increases our walking speed by 10 feet. Additionally, if we're not incapacitated, all allies that stand within 5 feet of us at the beginning of their turn gain +10 feet of walking speed until the end of their turn.

Level 8: We get another ASI. For this one, let's raise our Dexterity and Constitution by 1.

We also get another 2nd-level spell: Warding Bond links us with another willing creature via two matching rings for 1 hour. While our target is within 60 feet of us, they gain +1 to AC and saving throws, as well as resistance to all forms of damage. However, each time the target takes damage, we take the same amount of damage.

Level 9: At this level we get no class features, but we do unlock 3rd-level spell slots and get two new spells from our subclass:

Haste doubles the speed of one willing creature within 30 feet of us, as well as provides it with +2 AC, additional Action on each of its turn, and disadvantage on Dexterity saving throw for 1 minute (concentration). After the spell wears off, the target can't move or take actions until its next turn.

Protection from Energy grants a willing creature we touch resistance to one of the following types of damage – acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder – for 1 hour (concentration).

Level 10: Halfway through this build and we get Aura of Courage, which gives us and friendly creatures within 10 feet of us immunity to being frightened. At level 18, the Aura extends to 30 feet.

We get our first 3rd-level spell: Blinding Smite gives our next successful strike additional 3d8 radiant damage; the target has to make a Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the spell ends (1 minute, concentration).

Level 11: We get a little upgrade with Improved Divine Smite, which is now permanently active. On a successful hit, the target receives extra 1d8 radiant damage. In my personal ruling, we can still burn spell slots to add extra d8s of radiant damage, as per usual Divine Smite.

Level 12: Another ASI; let's put one point into Constitution and one into Wisdom.

For this level's spell, Daylight create a sphere of natural sunlight at a point of our choice within 60 feet from us. It overcomes any magical darkness created by a spell of 3rd level or lower, and can be used to put some weakness to vampires. The spell can also be used on an object that isn't being worn or carried to make it glow.

Level 13: Here, we unlock 4th-level spell slots and gain two more spells from our subclass:

Compulsion targets a creature we can see within 30 feet that can hear us. It has to make a Wisdom saving throw (automatic success if it can't be charmed) or be forced to use its entire movement speed to go in the direction of our choice horizontal to us. It cannot be compelled to walk into hazard, but this triggers attacks of opportunity when leaving melee range.

Freedom of Movement gives a willing target protection from paralysis, being restrained, and allows them to move freely through difficult terrain for 1 hour.

Level 14: At this level, we receive the Cleansing Touch feature. Using an action, we can end the effect of one spell on ourselves or another target. That means we can now break paralysis, poisoning, sleep, fear, charm, etc.

For our first 4th-level spell, we get Death Ward. For 8 hours, a creature we touch is given a moderate protection from death. If the creature is reduced to 0 Hit Points, it comes back to life with 1 HP and the spell ends. It can also stop a spell which results in an instant death, such as the 9th-level Power Word: Kill.

Level 15: We get another subclass upgrade with Glorious Defence. Whenever we (or a creature within 10 feet of us) are hit, we can use our reaction to get a bonus AC equal to our Charisma modifier. If the attack against us misses, we can use the same reaction to make a counter-attack, provided the enemy is within our weapon's range.

Level 16: Time for another ASI. Let's get +2 to our Constitution to make us an even better tank.

We get another 4th-level spell: Aura of Purity gives all non-hostile creatures within 30 feet of us (including us) immunity to disease, resistance to poison damage, and advantage on saving throws against the following effects – blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, paralysed, poisoned, and stunned – for 10 minutes (concentration).

Level 17: Here, we unlock 5th-level spell slots and receive the last two subclass spells:

Commune is a ritual that allows us to get in contact with some higher power and ask up to three question that could be answered by either 'yes' or 'no'.

Flame Strike calls a column of fire to rain from above on the location we select within 60 feet from us. Creatures in 10-foot-radius, 40-foot-high cylinder has to make a Dexterity saving throw or take 4d6 fire damage and 4d6 radiant damage (half damage on a successful save).

Level 18: We get our Auras juiced up with Aura Improvement. Every Aura we get from our class (besides Aura spells we have to use slots for) is now getting an increased radius to 30 feet.

Time for 5th-level spells. Holy Weapon gives our weapon divine properties for 1 hour (concentration); it emits bright light for 30 feet (and a dim light for another 30), the weapon becomes magical, and each successful strike deals additional 2d8 radiant damage on a hit. As a bonus action, we can dismiss the spell earlier and make it burst into a flash of divine radiance. Each creature of our choice within 30 feet must make a Constitution saving throw, or take 4d6 radiant damage and be blinded for 1 minute (half damage and no blindness on a successful save).

Level 19: For the final ASI of this build, let's get a +2 for our Dexterity. We don't have any new spells here, so we have to be satisfied with this.

Level 20: Our capstone is also our final subclass feature. With Living Legend we can get a significant power-up from the sheer hype being told about us.

As a bonus action, we get the following benefits for 1 minute:

Advantage on Charisma checks;

If we miss out melee attack, we can make it hit (on each of our turns);

If we fail a saving throw, we can use our reaction to re-roll it. We must use the new roll.

We can use this feature once per long rest, unless we burn a 5th-level spell slot to use it again.

We also get our final spell for this build: with Destructive Wave we strike the ground to cause a divine shockwave. Each creature of our choice within 30 feet of us mus make a Constitution saving throw or take 5d6 thunder damage and 5d6 radiant or necrotic damage (our choice, let's go for radiant) and be knocked prone (half damage and no knockdown on a successful save).

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Alright, that was Amaterasu. Let's see what we have:

Well, first of all, we're a great vanguard. This build focuses on our positioning, supporting our allies with Auras, making sure we're within range for Interception of damage. We also have a very nice AC (14 without armour, 19 with half-plate and shield, to a maximum of 21 with Glorious Defence and Shield of Faith) and 185 Hit Points on average, with possibility of crossing 200 if the math shapes of destiny are in our favour.

We also have a plethora of SMITE flavours to support our weapon strikes.

Unfortunately, most of our spells require concentration. We managed to mitigate the risk a little bit with the Resilient feat and proficiency with Con saving throws, but there is still a risk of wasting a spell.

Our basic sword strikes are also not great because of our -1 to Strength.

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Anyway, that's it for Amaterasu. I hope you guys enjoyed this ride, and I'll see you next time!

- Nerdy out!

#aasimar #dungeons and dragons #dnd 5e #dnd #amaterasu #paladin #oath of glory

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grailfinders · 4 years ago

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Fate & Phantasms #118: Ozymandias

Today on Fate and Phantasms we're making one of the greatest pharaohs of all time, Ozymandias, a.k.a. Ramses II! You got sunpower, you got tombs, and you got sphinxes. You've got so many sphinxes.

Check out his build breakdown below the cut, or his character sheet over here!

Next up: Naaaaaaaants ingonyamaaaaaaaaa bagithi Baba!

Race and Background

You're a very shiny half god, but you don't fly, so that narrows down our options to the Scourge Aasimar. This gives you +1 Wisdom and +2 Dexterity (thanks to Tasha's). You also get some Darkvision for your trouble, Celestial Resistance to radiant and necrotic damage, Healing Hands for some Imperial Privilege off the bat, and the Light cantrip, because you won't have enough of that by the end of this build.

Like many servants before you, calling you a Noble is a bit of an understatement. However, that's the closest we can get to living god, and it gives you History and Persuasion proficiencies.

Ability Scores

Make sure your Wisdom's high, we use it a lot and being a wise king is a pretty good gig. Following that is Dexterity, because you're definitely not wearing armor but you're also not dead. I mean all servants are dead, but... anyway. After that is Charisma, you literally light up the room when you walk in. Constitution is next, gods aren't easy to kill after all. Your Intelligence is going to have to be a bit low. I have my doubts about the ancient Egyptian education system, but you are smart enough to drink your Respect Women Juice, so I'm not going to dump it. That leaves your Strength as the odd man out. I know you've got abs, but we'll be getting our punching power from dexterity anyway, so it'll work itself out.

Class Levels

1. Cleric 1: This is almost cheating. You're literally a god already, so I guess you can believe in yourself. As a Light cleric, you can cast and prepare Spells using your Wisdom. You also get a Warding Flare that you can use as a reaction, imposing disadvantage on a creature attacking you. Assuming they use their eyes to see, of course. You can use this a number of times per long rest equal to your Wisdom modifier.

You also get plenty of spells- all your spellcasting classes here have preparation, so you don't have to fret too much about grabbing the right ones. You'll be switching them up daily anyway. That being said, here you get Guidance to hear the voice of... yourself... telling someone the right way to do something, adding a d4 to an ability check. You also get Word of Radiance and Sacred Flame for some easy radiant damage.

Since you're a light cleric, you can add Burning Hands and Faerie Fire to your spell list for free for some hot and not hot light respectively. If you're still looking for more stuff to cast, Bless gives you a longer lasting form of Guidance for when you need to inspire your party with tales of your wife, Command lets you put the fear of You into someone so they'll do what you say, and Inflict Wounds is a really good magical damage dealer. It's not radiant damage, but you'll have plenty of that already.

Finally, your proficiencies: Wisdom and Charisma saving throws, as well as Religion and Insight. Being god comes with a lot of perks, especially the fact that you're never wrong about your doctrine.

2. Monk 1: We're popping into monk early because waiting any longer for your shirtless scene would be a literal crime. At first level, you get Unarmored Defense, giving you an AC based on your wisdom as well as your dexterity. You also get Martial Arts, making your minimum damage with your fists, a shortsword, or a simple weapon a d4, letting you substitute dexterity for strength, and allowing you to make an unarmed attack as a bonus action after you attack with your action. Few deserve the honor of your touch, but by You you'll give it to them. You're generous like that.

3. Cleric 2: As a second level cleric you can Channel your Divinity once per short rest, either Turning Undead by forcing them to make a wisdom save with a DC of 8 plus your proficiency plus your wisdom modifier, which if they fail, they have to run away until the effect ends or they take damage. The more you option, however, is the Radiance of the Dawn, which you use as an action to banish darkness within 30' of you and deal radiant damage to creatures that fail their constitution saves in that area.

Speaking of radiant damage, your Radiant Consumption kicks in at this level- spend a bonus action to transform into a lightbulb that shines light for 20 feet, and each creature within 10 feet (including you) takes radiant damage equal to half your level at the end of each turn. You can also add more radiant damage to an attack or spell once per turn, which is equal to your level. You can use this once per long rest.

4. Cleric 3: At third level you get second level spells. Your freebies are Flaming Sphere and Scorching Ray, which technically aren’t radiant damage, but the sun’s made of fire too, so I guess it gets a pass. You can also prepare spells like Augury for a bit of Clairvoyance.

5. Monk 2: With some basic spells down, let’s get more sunpower. In a bit. While we’re here, you get some Ki that you can spend to dash, disengage, attack twice, or dodge as a bonus action. You get a number of ki points per short rest equal to your monk level. You also get Unarmored Movement, letting you move an extra 10 feet when not wearing armor.

6. Monk 3: Yeah, this subclass probably isn’t a surprise either. As a Sun Soul monk, you can throw Radiant Sun Bolts as part of your attack action. These bolts have a range of 30 feet, and use your dexterity to attack. If you use the sun bolt as part of your attack action, you can also spend a ki point to use it twice with your bonus action.

7. Druid 1: This has been pretty obvious so far. Let’s shake things up a bit with a weirder class to take. If you want a canon explanation for this class, the Egyptian pantheon was all about that human/animal duality, but the real reason we’re here is simple. Making sphinxes? High level magic. Making tombs? High level magic. Only Druids (and Bards, technically) can summon animals big enough to be a sphinx and use Mirage Arcane at the same time, so we gotta put some levels in this class. (Though now that I think about it, you do really like to tell stories about your wife... maybe bard isn’t that far-fetched...)

Anyway, first level druids can write in Druidic, a language only druids know. It might as well be hieroglyphs for all your party knows. You can also cast and prepare another list of Spells, which also uses Wisdom. We’ve learned since the Babbage build.

Most of the good Ramses-y spells that you get as a druid you also get as a cleric, but you still get a couple cantrips! Grab Resistance to complement your Guidance, and Druidcraft, so you can make a little sun when it’s already sunny out. You can also use Beast Bond now, because you’re not just a king, you’re a god. That means everything answers to you.

8. Druid 2: Second level druids can use their Wild Shape as an action twice per long rest to turn into a beast that can’t swim or fly of CR 1/2 or lower. You never see Ozymandias turn into an animal in FGO, but you never see him say he can’t either.

I’ll level with you here: None of the druid subclasses really jive with being Ozymandias well. Desert Land druids don’t give us any spells that fit you, you don’t turn into animals enough for moon, you’re not Nitocris, so Spores is right out... That being said, you have your support niche, and better sphinxes are always good, so why not be a Shepherd druid? As a shepherd, you know the Speech of the Woods, giving you knowledge about Sylvan, as well as the ability to Talk to Animals. So that one level 1 druid spell we wanted is already obsolete.

Once per short rest, you can also summon a Spirit Totem like, say, a big celestial sphinx, that appears for a minute, and creates an aura for 30 feet around it. You can move it up to 60′ as a bonus action.

The totem has three auras you can choose from when you make it, but you can flavor the animals as anything you want. The Bear aura gives creatures in the aura on its creation temporary hp, and allies have advantage on strength checks and saves while in the aura. The Hawk aura uses your reaction to give advantage to an attack that targets something in the aura. Allies also get advantage on perception checks in the aura. Finally, the Unicorn aura gives advantage on detecting creatures in the aura (which feels like it’s stepping on the hawks toes a bit), and if you heal a creature with a spell, you can also heal any creatures in the aura as well. I don’t think your DM will let you call all of those sphinx auras, but I’m sure you can find other animals to call them.

9. Druid 3: Third level druids get second level spells, and fortunately this is the last level you have to worry about overlapping with cleric stuff. Use Continual Flame for some light, Moonbeam for painful light, and continue that support theme with Enhance Ability, doling out your imperial privilege to anyone you deem worthy to give them advantage on one kind of skill check.

10. Druid 4: Fourth level druids get a Wild Shape Improvement, letting you swim and turn into creatures of CR 1 or lower. You also finally get your first Ability Score Improvement, which is going straight in to Wisdom for better spells and a higher AC. Speaking of, you can now cast Shillelagh on your staff to make it a bit stronger and magical, no concentration required.

11. Druid 5: Things start getting spicy when you get your third level druid spells. Specifically, you can summon your Sphinx Awlad now with Conjure Animals! We’re using the stat block of the Nyxborn Lynx here to represent them- you can find the whole thing on the character sheet in case you don’t have a copy of Mythic Odysseys of Theros to thumb through. You can also cast Daylight, in case you wanted to make some sunlight in this ostensibly sunlight themed build.

12. Druid 6: As a shepherd druid, you are now a Mighty Summoner, giving your Awlads an extra 2 hp per hit die when you summon them. Which is great, because Nitocris would flay you if she found out what you were using these cubs for. If she could work up the nerve, at least. Still, keeping them alive is a good idea. Their attacks also count as magical for overcoming resistance.

13. Druid 7: There aren’t many fourth level spells we really want, but you could get Dominate Beast to further assert your dominance over everything, Freedom of Movement to show you can’t be held by mortal means, and Divination for more divine wisdom.

14. Druid 8: With another Wild Shape Improvement, you no longer have any limitations on your wild shape besides being CR 2 or lower. You also get another ASI, which will max out your Wisdom.

15. Druid 9: Ninth level druids get fifth level spells- again there’s not much that’s super in character, maybe get Wall of Stone to start building your tomb and Reincarnate to prepare yourself for the next life.

16. Druid 10: Tenth level shepherds can create a Guardian Spirit out of your Totem, healing any beasts or fey you’ve summoned if they end their turn in the totem’s aura.

You can also Control Flames as a cantrip now. It’s a light source and we’re running out of good cantrips.

17. Druid 11: Sixth level spells are where you really start to shine- literally, in the case of Sunbeam, which deals plenty of radiant damage. You can also use Bones of the Earth to begin construction of your tomb in earnest (and squashing any troublemakers in the process), and Conjure Fey lets you summon a Mammoth, a beast big enough to be our stat block for a full grown Sphinx. If your DM’s cool with it you might want to adjust the damage types to be more like the cubs, but it’s functional either way. Kinda weird that mammoths and big cats have the same tactical style, but not my place to judge.

18. Druid 12: Use this ASI to bump up your Constitution for more HP and better concentration.

19. Druid 13: Your final level of druid nets you seventh level spells, including the one we came all this way for, Mirage Arcane. For ten minutes of casting time, you can create a square mile mausoleum, complete with tactile sensations, for ten days. Trap your enemies inside your maze, then spend the next couple days picking them off at your leisure. Truly the sport of kings.

20. Monk 4: We’re just here for the ASI. Grab it to get more Constitution, which equals more health and better concentration. You also get Slow Fall, using your reaction to reduce falling damage by five times your monk level. It’s not particularly useful by this point, but death by tripping into the grand canyon would be embarrassing.

Pros:

You got some big sphinxes. With an extra 10-20 hp and consistent healing, your pets can stick around for quite a while and do a lot of damage by gaming the action economy. Also, knocking people around is both fun (for you) and annoying (for them)!

Aside from your cool cats, most of the damage your putting out here is Radiant, which means as long as you aren’t fighting other gods, you’re probably set. If you are fighting other gods, just sic those sphinxes from pro #1 on them.

On top of your summons being hard to kill, you’re also hard to kill. With an AC of 17, almost as much HP as a frontline fighter, the ability to dodge as a bonus action, and your own sources of healing, taking you down is a feat in itself.

Cons:

Those sunbolts we used three levels just to get aren’t really... how you say... good? It’s a cool way to change up your attacks, but they’re still just not going to do much. They’re mostly here to justify taking monk in the first place.

All your summon spells need concentration, which limits what you can do while your sphinxes are up and also means you have to be careful about where you’re standing.

Your strength score means if an opponent like Xuanzang gets up close and personal you might be getting pushed around.

#Fate Grand Order #FGO #D&D 5e #Ozymandias #Fate and Phantasms #Monk #Cleric #Druid

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infytechnology · 4 years ago

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getyourblisson · 5 years ago

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A Look At March 2020

The energy of March in general is a time for being creative, exploring possibilities, communications, writing, speaking. However, it also naturally comes with its share of smooth talkers, con artists, and overall magnetic people. Magnetic energy is quite high during this month; so the key is sorting out who is coming from pure spirit and truly may be in need of assistance; and who is simply charming and giving a story to get something they want and are not truly in need. On one hand hidden things may come to light; and on another it is easier to have people see only what they want us to see.

During 2020 success and recognition come forward very strong this month. So it makes it easier to get noticed than normal. With the normal March influence that means that we must be careful of those that are narcissistic, jealous, and live strongly in their ego. They are going to want the attention that they think they should have and want; even if it has not been earned. Globally, events will go in 2 directions; recognizing those that have made true achievements and made significant enhancements to our planet and well-being, and those that are done specifically to get attention.

For the most part however, I believe that people will be focused on their own success; and those that are operating with pure intent, are doing things for the sake of personal success and well-being or spiritual progression. They will not be concerned about getting public recognition. However, this can be a time where those hidden gems can be “found”, even if they are not putting themselves completely out there.

In essence, if we are engaging our inner alchemist and creator this month; we will be focused on having success with our own spiritual processes and our own plans. In doing this it will open up the ability to be in our soul abundance and to have greater command over our own life. This is a great time to put our plans out into the world, and to ask for help from others where needed. This month shows that what we invest our energy into is creating success and laying the foundation for a fortunate future. It is also a time where we may receive recognition, success, or the proverbial “harvest” for the efforts we have already made.

From March 1st – March 19th we are encouraged to engage our leadership energy. This will best be used in bringing people together; especially where they stand in opposition with each other. When opposites enter into a mentoring relationship with each other, tremendous progress and breakthroughs are made. This is a time that favors people coming together in all kinds of relationships.

During this time the codes show that things will not be able to move forward until people come into harmony; or at least operate with respect for each person’s skills, assets, and wisdom. The spiritual process must be honored and lessons learned before things can move on. Those in a leader position will know best how to do this through observation. By watching they will see the hidden talents and skills that other members of the group may not have even identified within their own self.

The leadership energy comes in many forms. For those that are not involved in a group, you may still be working as a leader simply by the way you live your life. This can also be a great time for those that are coaches, counselors, or other such practitioners to gain greater insight into what people in general are struggling with; and thus create in their own style something that will be of assistance with that.

Relationships while overall and generally positive right now, can still be a bit on the passive-aggressive side. This is because first the spiritual foundations and interactions need to be in place for the relationship to progress or work; so those without this foundation may feel a great deal of challenge or frustration. The codes also are showing a competitive energy arising in connection within relationships.

This means that old lovers may show up to compete for a partner, or even someone current may attempt to interfere with things. This can really test the strength of a relationship. A true partner will put a stop to things, and keep their attention on their partner. However, that is not always enough to stop someone from playing games and causing havoc in their jealousy or resentment for not being able to drive a wedge into where they want to be.

Partners will have to be fully open and transparent to work past this type of situation; since an aggressive competitor will drop to very low means to get what they want. This can mean spreading lies; and making things appear different than they are. They can even get as nasty as to create a set-up to appear as if they are with someone that they are not, or to trap someone into appearing they have done something that they haven’t. So be very careful at this time, and very cautious to not even connect as “friends” if you have no intention of getting back together with this person.

Jesse once had someone go so far as to interfere with her job that operated under this influence. The person was relentless in destroying her life long after the relationship had ended. Eventually, the person made enough false complaints that she was fired; which was a devastating blow being that at the time it was her only stable source of income on the road, and it ended up being only 1 month prior to Orlie passing.

Business partnerships can also experience competitive patterns if they are not strong, and operating with transparency and integrity. They may find each other over-riding decisions the other has made, creating confusion and chaos with the business and with any employees. If you are an employee in this situation; refuse to pit managers or owners against each other. Encourage them to talk things out and come to an agreement.

Where we find these types of competitions surfacing will be with those that have opposing styles; and they will talk to the one person that they can trust. This automatically places that person in a leadership position, because both people are in full disclosure of what is happening for them. While I don’t encourage breaching confidentiality, that person can help each person understand more of the other person’s position from an objective point of view. It is important to not take sides; because when this energy passes, they are likely to be back to being friends unless they are true polar opposites and not actually in a relationship with each other.

We must be careful with these patterns; because when we are in a position of authority and engage in competition and these types of patterns, we can easily drive away employees or group members that are sincerely trying to help us. It can cause total chaos. This is why learning how to integrate the different pieces, or allow people to be “specialists” in their own area becomes more beneficial.

A big key during this period is to keep re-directing back to core spiritual processes and principles; when we do that and keep that at the center of what we are working on then we are able to strengthen our relationships. Those partnerships and relationships that are able to stay out of competitive patterns or maneuver through them are likely to increase in strength and stability; and have the potential to be lasting for us. No matter which dynamic happens, it will be very eye opening and provide great clarity and insight for whether our relationships are worth continuing with and investing ourselves in.

From March 20th – March 31st personal time and processes are favored. After the first couple of weeks of this month, it is likely that you will be ready to focus on yourself instead of others. There may be some stress, tension, or anxiety that is surfacing; and you may not even really be certain where it is coming from or what it is about.

Most likely this is growth energy; and things are ready to move, but not quite in motion just yet. There may be a sense of uncertainty, or not understanding what is about to happen; only knowing that you sense something is going to happen. The key when this pattern shows up, is to remember that it may be something wonderful unfolding. Uncertainty does not always mean foreboding or negative things. It is simply something that we don’t have full understanding or awareness of things just yet; but our soul is saying to stand by because things will be happening soon.

This is a good time for a personal retreat, and for re-connecting with your own self. It is a great time to focus on you and what you want to be doing. Personal power is activated, and the choices we make and the actions we take during this time have a bigger impact than normal. Our thoughts, feelings, and actions will be impacting all of our existences and all aspects of ourselves. This means that you have the opportunity to do big things if you want to.

It is important that you tune into what is best for you; and to make your own decisions at this point. Decisions will bring the best results if they are focused on creating greater freedom and ability for you to pursue your own path in life. This time favors relationships as well; however, it favors those relationships where there is a deep soul connection; and where there is honoring, acceptance, and support of each person being true to their own self. Relationships that thrive at this time, do so because each person is free within the relationship and is able to fully be who they are within it.

If there is something that you would like to further or progress for yourself at this time, then it can also be a great time to connect with others that can help you out. Creating partnerships is great in order to progress your own ideas; however, it is important that the person you are partnering with is not responsible for deciding things for you. So, for example, it can be a great time for getting people to provide space or a donation for an event that you are doing; but not for deciding how your event would run.

In Summary, this month holds a great amount of potential for personal and worldly successes. It is a time for both laying the foundations for success in your own pursuits; and for receiving recognition and success where you have been putting out quality work and effort. This month requires us to handle spiritual processes first in both personal and group dynamics. We will do best in leaderships positions where we help polar opposites to integrate through mentoring capacities and transparency; and by the way that we live our own life.

Pay extra attention to relationships and stay out of competition. This is a time for unfolding the truth in how strong relationships are and showing us which ones no longer are worth investing in. Keep your focus on what is in alignment with spiritual principles because it affects all aspects of your life, self, and existences. Partner with others; but do not let them make decisions for you. Honor some personal and alone time, or take a personal retreat near the end of the month; as spending time in personal connection will be valuable in handling stress or anxiety, and for coming into wholeness before moving forward again.

I welcome you to find ways to engage your own creative and creator energy; exploring new options for doing or integrating things.

I welcome you to use your magnetic energy to be a positive influence and leader for others.

I welcome you to graciously accept recognition and success; and to also give it to others that have worked hard and contributed to the success of things.

I welcome you to stay focused on what you need to do to create success in your own life; and remaining in your own authentic self as success comes through.

I welcome you to stay out of competitive patterns; and when in doubt about the integrity of others, remain in observation.

I welcome you to keep in mind that things are not always how they seem, so know the truth before taking action.

I welcome you to embrace relationships of integrity, and to seek assistance from others where needed.

I welcome you to find ways to remain in your true and authentic self when in relationships or partnerships with others.

Actions to focus on

This time is all about taking command. Those that are willing to do this can create huge success and lay some solid foundations for a favorable future. The key with this is to be very careful about the people you are surrounding yourself with; and you may even want to stick to what you can handle on your own.

Paying attention and observation are big keys. While we may feel impatient with the process of things, slowing down and taking our time with things is very important in order to avoid having major issues and problems to deal with that will create even bigger delays. This is not the time to rush through things, no matter how much you may want them done.

Take the time to check in and see how those around you are functioning. It is likely to be the poor choices of someone else that gets impatient, that can undo everything that you have been working on. It is important that you have people in your sphere that operate with purity, integrity, honesty, patience, and compassion.

It is also important that you come to your own opinions and decisions. You know what is best for you; and it is important that you don’t let others decide things for you at this time. This month shows that we can increase our success, where we are willing to draw on the expertise of others; and where we are willing to take the time to really learn about things and how they work. If you are the one in the mentoring position, and sharing your wisdom with others; then it is important that you are giving your time to those that are truly sincere in what they are doing, and are willing to have the patience to really see the process of bringing things forward through.

For information to be of value, it has to be heard and used. It does no good to share information and guidance and experiences with those that will not put it into action. Likewise, do not take up the time of others unless you are truly willing to implement what they are sharing with you. To take someone’s time and energy and waste it sets several other self-sabotaging patterns into place, and creates even further delays for us; or can even create a complete crashing and dismantling of what we want to do. Exploring and gathering information is one thing, engaging in a mentoring process is one that needs to be entered into with respect, integrity, and an open and receptive mind.

I welcome you to take command of the direction your life is going; and the things that you would like to implement into it.

I welcome you to really pay attention to those you are surrounding yourself with; and the sphere that they operate within.

I welcome you to come to your own decisions, based on what is best for you.

I welcome you to be open and receptive to learning, having patience with the learning process; and truly implement the wisdom that others share with you.

What to focus your thoughts on

From March 1st – March 4th and from March 17th through the end of the month is likely to find us knowing what we need to do for success and wanting to focus on it; but there may still be feelings of being blocked or stuck and unable to move forward. It is important to turn our thoughts during this time to focusing on the spiritual process behind what we are doing, instead of the actions themselves. The key is to stay tuned in with what we are learning in the process instead of the end result that we are working towards.

It is important that even when we are creating on our own, that we do not engage in competitive thinking. This happens when we are focused on being better than others in what we are doing, instead of focusing on what we are offering or creating. It happens when we are focused on beating the records set by others instead of focusing on how what we are doing will impact the lives of others.

Competition, materialism, and misuse of power can easily come through passing thoughts. A key piece to place our mind on during this time is how wisely you are using your power as you are bringing your creation forward. If you are not using it wisely then, you may be headed for a fall instead of a rise or creating fate instead of luck for yourself.

During this time the more responsible your choices, and the more that you focus on bringing forth and sharing what you are abundant in, the greater the success you will have. It is important to re-direct your thoughts into peacefulness and unconditional love for yourself any time that you move more in a materialistic direction. The result will come naturally, when you stay focused and aware of the spiritual process and value in the moment.

From March 5th – 16th things can feel a bit heavy and daunting, as our determination and patience are required. During this time we need to think about how practical we are living; and to consider if the choices we are making are truly responsible. While that doesn’t always sound like fun, it can open the door to some wonderful experiences if we are willing to work with it.

During this time, it is likely that we are going to need to let something or someone go, in order to handle material world responsibilities and obligations. This is a time where we need to stay focused on doing what we need to do to take care of our physical world needs. Consider where you are living in excess, and release things that are purely materialistic, and over indulgent. This doesn’t mean that you are without enjoyable things, just mostly releasing what you do not use and are excessive in.

During this time we take command of our life, through releasing what no longer serves us or honors our processes. It is a time of great shifting and shaping and polishing; like sand forming a pearl. The stress is only there to help you expand your thinking, and to engage you to get more creative and to open to more possibilities.

I welcome you to ask what the spiritual processes are in what you are doing.

I welcome you to pay attention to where competitive thinking is coming up for you, and get back to the core of what is truly important in what you are doing.

I welcome you release material excesses, and to embrace moderation instead of over indulgence.

I welcome you to consider how you gain greater command over your life by releasing what does not honor your process.

Nourishing the soul

From March 1st – March 5th the soul is seeking relationship, and true connection. However, it may be a bit hard to find that among the material world distortions and responsibilities. It is likely that others will want to compete for the relationships that you have. This can also be a time where earthly responsibilities will compete for your time with others, making it hard for you to have time for the relationships that you value.

Keep in mind with this that it is people and true loving relationships that the soul sees as the priority. They must be honored even among the demands of the earthly world. On top of this our own soul processes will have to be honored, since nothing will progress without doing that. So the soul is asking us to find balance between, self, relationships, and material needs. It is in that balance that the soul is not only nourished; but unlocks the doors that we have wanted to walk through, and have been unable to. Each piece is a valuable part of our life, so each must be honored. As we grow and expand and become more successful, even more tries to pull us out of that balance; so we need to practice being good at keeping it before stepping into bigger successes.

From March 6th through the end of the month it can find us feeling a bit stressed, anxious, and coming into some of our victim patterns, as is so easy to do when things are not smoothly flowing as the human self would like them to do. This period is the soul asking us to trust it. It is a time where success can definitely happen; and the use of our power becomes the tipping point between succeeding and falling apart.

Lies, manipulation, and deception are all present; and when this happens it is important that we look to soul processes and principles to see the truth. It is when we trust in the soul’s wisdom that we are able to come through those periods that twist and turn things around, and can part the veils of illusions. During this time the soul is asking us to be with it and let go of the illusions of the world that we live in.

During this time we may feel like we don’t know who or what we can trust or believe; however, our own soul does not lie; and thus we are asked to trust and turn to Divine presence and connection. We are asked to walk in the steps of truth, integrity, and purity; for that is the one place that clarity can be found. When in doubt look to Divine Principles and see where they are active and not active; and that will be your guide. At this time the soul is nourished by standing in its light regardless of what others choose.

I welcome you to focus on strengthening your relationship and connection with your soul self and Divine Presence

I welcome you to be in true and loving relationship with others, or be willing to release them from your life.

I welcome you to honor what you need to do for your own soul lessons and processes.

I welcome you to fully trust your soul self, knowing that it operates only for your best benefit.

I welcome you to allow Divine principles to show you where the truth is and is not.

The Code Journey ~ Jesse An Nichols George

#Jesse An Nichols George #The Code Journey #compassion #love #well-being #consciousness #conscious living #personal development #enlightenment #happiness #joy

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toopeanutsnails · 4 years ago

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Online Learning vs. Traditional Learning Approach

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

Background of the study

Nowadays, using of technologies is the way to communicate with others. Regardless of the obstacle posed by low naturalness media, student using those media to report or perform collaborative task may achieve the same or better task-related outcomes than the students using media with higher degrees of naturalness. The degree of similarity is the medium with the face-to-face medium. The face-to-face medium is presented as the medium enabling the highest possible level of communication naturalness. Media naturalness theory predicts that any electronic communication medium allowing to exchange of significantly less or more communicative stimuli per unit of time than the face-to-face medium will pose cognitive to communication. In other words, media naturalness theory places the face-to-face medium at the center of a one-dimensional scale of naturalness, where Email, internet conferencing, using social medias and etc. are associated with decreases in naturalness. On the other hand, media thus a great part in our lives, it makes our daily lives easier.

Moreover, multimedia supported instruction is a new field which is getting the attention of the students. Multimedia technology is becoming increasingly popular in the field of education. Interactive multimedia courseware is adding a new and interesting dimension to both teaching and learning. This new approach can effectively complement the conventional methods of teaching and learning. The multi-sensory input of this media provides possibilities for higher performance ratings and higher retention. With effective feedback, this method makes learning and teaching more meaningful. Students with different learning abilities can work at their own pace. A significant aspect of multimedia in education is related to authoring or developing multimedia. Multimedia authoring as a form of computing has made it possible for students and teachers to construct knowledge and discover worlds which do not exist in conventional methods of learning or teaching. As a new type of teaching methods, it can make teachers impart knowledge to the students in the most natural and receptive form of multimedia instead of the traditional blackboards and chalk and dry theory sermon. This kind of teaching method not only extends the amount of information that people receive and makes learning more interesting, but also increase the learning initiative. Therefore education is one of the application fields that multi-media technology can maximize its power and influence. It demonstrates its charm to people in a new teaching model, complicated concepts and processes can often be conveyed much more simply in a visual format, and evidence suggests that use of visual media can enhance problem-solving motivation, understanding and the expression of ideas.

In order to gain insight into the changing learning environment and how multimedia is affecting learning, some discussion about trends in instructional design should be considered. Traditionally, learning was relied on a textbook and lecture format for the transfer of knowledge.

The student is a passive recipient of knowledge under this format. Traditional schooling treats learning like a savings bank where knowledge is deposited for future use (Papert,2003).Much of this knowledge remains inert, and meaning is not accessed even though its relevant for problem solving. When knowledge is acquired through a problem-solving mode, instead of a factual mode, the information learned is less likely to remain inert (Hasselbring,2000).Students must understand why, when, and how various skills and concepts are relevant or the knowledge will not be used. Students need the ability to think independently. They should be able to identify and define problems and develop strategies for solving these problems on their own rather than simply responding to the problems posed by others. One way to help students become independent thinkers is to anchor instruction in meaningful problem-solving environment (Hasselbring,2007).Example of Problem-solving environments include scenarios, case studies, hands-on projects etc. Providing students with meaningful problems to solve, makes the students more active participants in the learning environment. Students can see the implications of their new knowledge and learn the appropriate conditions to apply this knowledge. Providing students with a context-rich, problem-solving environment can increase learning and retention. Computers, especially computer-based multimedia systems, can provide problem-rich environments that help students learn.

Teacher has many examples of teaching presented to their students. These makes an enormous difference in the approach to the teaching itself and to the students. These days, there are great possibilities in what a teacher can do with his or her students, in terms of teaching methods. With freedom in teaching, there is enormous number of ideas to be used in the class. Teacher’s task is to compare, analyze, and evaluate the method used in order to motivate the students and to make the learning as effective as possible. In this study, it focuses on some techniques commonly used today.

However, after reading this thesis or many other publication on methodology, one cannot say which method is the best or the worst. As Kenneth T. Henson claims, usually the methods are better for some purpose, e.g. understanding transfer, but there is no method simply the best for everything (Henson 2).Michael J. Wallace believes that a central factor in the choice of methods is the learner’s needs and character: Something that works for one person well, but the same method ,might not work at all for another person(Wallace 42).Using a variety of methods, and to come up the methods more effective. This study will illustrate the real-life situation of a student.

The world right now is engaged of high process developing technology. As the matter of fact, it is very evident that gadget has been part of individual’s day by day basis. Comparing traditional approach and technology based. What is the effective medium of instruction. The purpose of this study is to find out multimedia supported instruction affects the leaner performance related to presentation skills and effective writing. It also discusses the need of multimedia technology in education, the problems which have led to the proposed study, the objectives and significance of the Investigation.

References:

Online vs. Traditional Learning: What you need to know. (n.d.). Retrieved on December 3, 2020 at https://www.rasmussen.edu/student-experience/college-life/online-vs-traditional-education-answer-never-expected/

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utilitatem · 4 years ago

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Now that our First Semester has come to a blissful closing, I, Raphael Eddmon W. Tiu, Utilitatem's leader, would like to say a few words about our group blog. For many months, we have been meticulously arranging our blog and shaping it into our definition of student compassion and nationalism. You have been holding our hands as we traversed through our very first semester of NSTP, and you've watched us grow into more fruitful and generous individuals, thanks to the enlightening lessons that have been instilled in us.

For me, our ASF subjects brought out the best in me by showing me the world's deeper intricacies and myself. As I prodded my way through the issues, I found the desire to push through my boundaries and reach heights I deemed unachievable before I was introduced to ASF. Our group blog reflection was a mixture of oozing personalities and ideas as I and my groupmates are all given free rein in what we are going to write; the blog shows our efforts as a group and our dedication to our message. This reflection also paved the way for me and my groupmates to bond with one another and fortify our friendship beyond our computer screens. We saw each other's struggles and helped one another rise up despite the difficult challenges our course had to offer. The learning experience was coupled with a deep emotional awareness that enabled each Utilitatem member to function at his/her best in the tasks that I have assigned them. I couldn't ask for a better team. But enough of me, here are my groupmate's unique and personal outlooks on their NSTP journeys:

Alex: The ASF courses brought out traits in me that I never knew I had. The courses emphasized on the importance of service - on being people for others. With this, I’ve noticed that by the end of the semester, I was able to develop my leadership, patriotism, and appreciation for Filipino culture. I was also able to create bonds of friendship and camaraderie with my team, which I know will surely be helpful in the following days to come. We were able to learn and grow together, and I’m thankful for this experience. For the following semester, I expect that we will be able to add to our existing knowledge. I expect that there will be more hands-on activities, and I expect that it will be more output-based than the first half of the academic year. I hope that the next semester will be just as good, if not better, than the first.

Danika: Thanks to all the ASF courses, I became more connected to the society and I feel more Filipino than ever. I was able to learn about timely issues and practical actions that has greatly affected our world today and it has helped me to contemplate where and how I can contribute. As a team, ASF gave us insights on how to become effective leaders and how to use our voice and abilities to participate in the community. For the second semester, I hope that the pandemic will be over soon so that we can engage in actual ASF activities outside the school in which we come to solidarity with our community. Moreover, I expect that more serious issues will be tackled and our leadership skills will be challenged but at the same time we will be able to enjoy the experience.

Hannah: ASF courses have helped me and my team a lot. It molds us to a refined version of ourselves as a Filipino citizen, responsible youth and resilient individuals. Besides that, ASF gave us the chance to know and acknowledge people who were once stranger to us, it gave us the opportunity to learn and have fun at the same time we hope for ASF in the upcoming semester to be more interesting and intellectual. We are rooting that this course will gave us more of what we already knew about it. We look forward that this subject will gave us more enlightenment hence, that it will be a lead for a betterment of us, and the world.

Harly: NSTP taught me the real defintion of service which is to serve for the betterment of the society. For the next semester, I hope that our plans would be put into action.

EG: ASF courses give us an approach towards learning and ourselves that go beyond that of academic learning. It is about learning more about ourselves and the society we live in, accordingly following the values of an Atenean and a Filipino who will serve as leaders. It helps significantly in achieving the individual's holistic development, especially concerning others in need. Overall, ASF just helped us grow as students in more ways than one. I hope for more creative stuff as I prefer those kinds of works that allow for learning and enjoyment. I also expect a more in-depth look into Filipino society, the citizen, and ourselves as Ateneans. In any case, I hope to learn more next sem.

Tranque: As a freshman taking this course through online classes, it was a new experience for me, and there were many adjustments. There were times when I had trouble being in sync and updated with the topics because of internet problems. However, I can say that I have learned a lot from my journey. My subject teacher, groupmates, friends, and experience have contributed to what I have become now. The first semester of the course significantly impacted my perceptions, beliefs, and realizations as a Filipino and human being. This is why I really expect that NSTP-CWTS 2 this coming semester would help me understand more profound knowledge of how humanity works and how it should work.

With that being said, my expectations are similar to the ones my group-mates suggested. I expect a continuation of our project proposals, new lessons, and a more in-depth insight into the happenstances in the Philippines and our communities. We hope for new obligations, more significant responsibilities, and an enhanced understanding of the world. Our newfound pursuit for the greater good of the ordinary Filipino is now a second-nature to us, and we owe this wholesome trait to NSTP.

As for this blog's future projects, we will still be continuing them in hopes of spreading our ideas as students of Ateneo de Davao University. Now and then, we will be posting updates and other information that we deem helpful not only to us but also to our viewers. Even if this might be the last post of the semester, we guarantee you that this is not our final goodbye. Utilitatem as a collaborative project is something that we envisioned as a long term mission to spread the love for his/herself, the love for one another, and the love for the Philippines.

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anniekoh · 5 years ago

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elsewhere on the internet: talking about racism

This set of articles has been languishing at the back of the queue for three years!

Political Correctness Wanted Dead or Alive: A Rhetorical Witch-Hunt in the US, Russia, and Europe

Anna Szilagyi (2016, Talk Decoded)

Possibly the most common way of attacking political correctness, is to label it “tyrannical”. Covert speech strategies may also support this construction. For instance, anti-PC politicians often utilize adjectives for fear (including “afraid”, “frightened”, “scared”, “terrified”) to describe how PC affects the behavior and feelings of people. The former leader of the UK Independence Party, Nigel Farage claimed: “I think actually what’s been happening with this whole politically correct agenda is lots of decent ordinary people are losing their jobs and paying the price for us being terrified of causing offence.” Suggesting that the British are “terrified” because of political correctness, Farage urged his listeners to think of PC in terms of intimidation.

At the same time, the fearsome vocabulary provides a background for anti-PC populists to present themselves as “brave” and “courageous” “saviors” of their “victimized” societies. The next quote by Nigel Farage exemplifies this trend: “I think the people see us as actually standing up and saying what we think, not being constrained or scared by political correctness.” In a similar fashion, Geert Wilders declared: “I will not allow anyone to shut me up.”

Why White People Freak Out When They’re Called Out About Race

Sam Adler-Bell (2015, Alternet) @SamAdlerBell

Sam Adler-Bell: How did you come to write about "white fragility"?

Robin DiAngelo: To be honest, I wanted to take it on because it’s a frustrating dynamic that I encounter a lot. I don’t have a lot of patience for it. And I wanted to put a mirror to it.

I do atypical work for a white person, which is that I lead primarily white audiences in discussions on race every day, in workshops all over the country. That has allowed me to observe very predictable patterns. And one of those patterns is this inability to tolerate any kind of challenge to our racial reality. We shut down or lash out or in whatever way possible block any reflection from taking place.

Of course, it functions as means of resistance, but I think it’s also useful to think about it as fragility, as inability to handle the stress of conversations about race and racism

Sometimes it’s strategic, a very intentional push back and rebuttal. But a lot of the time, the person simply cannot function. They regress into an emotional state that prevents anybody from moving forward.

...

RD: I think we get tired of certain terms. What I do used to be called "diversity training," then "cultural competency" and now, "anti-racism." These terms are really useful for periods of time, but then they get coopted, and people build all this baggage around them, and you have to come up with new terms or else people won’t engage.

And I think "white privilege" has reached that point. It rocked my world when I first really got it, when I came across Peggy McIntosh. It’s a really powerful start for people. But unfortunately it's been played so much now that it turns people off.

The Language of “Privilege” Doesn’t Work

Stephen Aguilar (2016, Inside Higher Ed) @stephenaguilar

I believe that “privilege” is a sterile word that does not grapple with the core of the problem. If you are white, you do not have “white” privilege. If you are male, you do not have “male” privilege. If you are straight, you do not have “straight” privilege. What you have is advantage. The language of advantage, I propose, is a much cleaner and more precise way to frame discussions about racism (or sexism, or most systems of oppression).

... does giving up a “privilege” seem incoherent? It might, because generally privileges are given and taken by someone else. They are earned, and are seldom bad things to have.

Now try shifting your language to that of advantages. Ask yourself, “What advantages do I have over that person over there?” That question is much easier to answer and yields more nuanced responses.

Kimberlé Crenshaw on intersectionality

Bim Adewunmi (2014, New Statesman) @bimadewunmi

“I wanted to come up with an everyday metaphor that anyone could use”

“Class is not new and race is not new. And we still continue to contest and talk about it, so what’s so unusual about intersectionality not being new and therefore that’s not a reason to talk about it? Intersectionality draws attention to invisibilities that exist in feminism, in anti-racism, in class politics, so obviously it takes a lot of work to consistently challenge ourselves to be attentive to aspects of power that we don’t ourselves experience.”

...

“Sometimes it feels like those in power frame themselves as being tremendously disempowered by critique. A critique of one’s voice isn’t taking it away. If the underlying assumption behind the category ‘women’ or ‘feminist’ is that we are a coalition then there have to be coalitional practices and some form of accountability.”

The Persecution of Amy Schumer: Political Correctness and Comedy

Teo Bugbee (2015, Daily Beast)

We have developed highly advanced ways of recognizing and articulating when we feel offended, but very few ways of making something productive out of our own hurt feelings.

I’ve questioned if my choice to overlook what’s hurtful in Schumer’s comedy for the sake of what’s insightful is a sign that I’m complicit in the faults of white feminism, not valuing the importance of others’ feelings on this matter enough. This argument of apathy gets used often on social media to raise awareness around issues of race, sex, gender, and other topics surrounding justice and a need for change, and it is often useful, but it can also be a blunt instrument. Where I’ve landed for the moment is that not all marginalized people feel the same way about every issue—even on social media, but especially outside it—and asking everyone to respond in the same way to the same joke takes a simplistic view that flattens the complexity of marginalized communities just as much as it does the white, cisgender mainstream.

However, if we’re going to ask audiences to keep in mind the multiplicity of responses that a person might have to a work of art before they attempt to control someone else’s opinion, then it’s only fair that comedians follow the same rule.

What’s Wrong (and Right) in Jonathan Chait’s Anti-P.C. Screed

J. Bryan Lowder (2015, Slate)

One of the main problems with the constellation of leftist ideas he bemoans is that many of the people who use them most loudly do so out of context. Concepts like “microaggressions,” “trigger warnings,” and “mansplaining” originally had specific meanings and limited uses, often within the academy. They described or were meant to address specific situations or phenomena, and more important, they were intended to function as diagnostic tools of analysis, not be used as blunt, conversation-ending instruments. Believe it or not, most of these “PC buzzwords” are actually useful from time to time: “Straightsplaining” is a real (and very annoying) thing, and it’s often a productive way of thinking about an interaction. But it’s also not always a useful or fair way to characterize a disagreement between a queer person and a straight interlocutor. Precision is what’s needed.

Additionally, though it is impossible to say this without sounding condescending myself, a lot of the abuse of PC rhetoric comes from young college students who have not yet grasped the difference between a measuring tape and a sledgehammer. Of course, given that contemporary mainstream politics offers little for those hopeful souls who want to make truly radical change in the world, you can’t really blame them for gravitating toward a mode of critique that at least feels somewhat empowering. Here, first-year, is a framework by which you can reveal the (screwed-up) hidden structures of the world and use your newly honed textual close-reading skills to mount offenses against those structures—go for it. What works on a novel doesn’t necessary translate to a complicated, changeable human being, though, so it’s no surprise that the deployment of microaggression and cissexism and other social justice lingo can sometimes come off as strident and simplistic. It often is.

But then, so is crying that only Reason can save us from the illiberal wolves waiting in the wings of our great system, which has a “glorious” history on social justice, by the way.

Want To Help End Systemic Racism? First Step: Drop the White Guilt

Sincere Kirabo (2015, thehumanist)

The point of identifying and exposing inconsistencies within the social systems and cultural norms of the United States isn’t to make whites feel guilty, but to garner greater empathy that will inspire change. The main problem with white guilt is that it attempts to diminish the spotlight aimed at issues germane to marginalized groups and redirects the focus to a wasteful plane of apologetics and ineffective assessment.

This is why some don’t like discussing racism, as those more sensitive to these matters sometimes allow guilt to creep into their thought processes, effectively evoking pangs of discomfort. This can lead to avoidance of the primary issues altogether, as well as the manifestation of defense mechanisms, including denial, projection, intellectualization, and rationalization.

Many are acquainted with the concept of Catholic guilt. Catholic doctrine emphasizes the inherent sinfulness of all people. These accentuated notions of fault lead to varied degrees of enhanced self-loathing. I liken white guilt to Catholic guilt: both relate to a sense of inadequacy emanating from misguided notions. Though the latter is anchored in an imagined source, they both speak to feelings of remorse and internal conflict that does the individual having them no good.

Keep in mind that the call to “recognize your privilege” does not translate to “bear the blame.”

#racism #intersectionality #political correctness #social justice #linguistics

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bookmyconference · 5 years ago

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So many conferences, does a person really need to attend and why?

Let’s go beyond your question.There are many kinds of conferences that people can attend like region,specialty, hobbies ,business and so on and so forth.

Conferences are not only a great channel to meet people of similar liking and mindset, share knowledge and understand different perspectives.

Come to think of it, no two events are the same.This goes for both the host and the participants.You never know what is the basic agenda for a participant. Why are they participating?

Here are a few things off the top of the head:

Networking

One of the reasons to attend conferences is to meet with like minded people and industry peers. Conferences bring together people from all different geographical areas who share a common discipline or field, and they are a great way to increase your grid. At a conference you will be able to get together with people from different backgrounds and experiences, of whom you may never encounter at your hometown or workplace or institution.With your growing professional network, conferences can become a good place to meet people in your field that you haven’t connected in a while.

Another major reason for attending conferences is to meet like minded people and industry peers. You might even run into those long lost peers or people in your field that you haven’t connected in a while.

Widen your Horizon:

You might have heard about something new that keeps on popping in your mind.It might be a new technique, new types of equipment, unpublished data, or learn from thought-leaders that you may not have previously heard of. You will get to keep on top of the research of some of the biggest names in your field, in addition to some of the newest faces in it. Conferences give you the opportunity to talk to people one-on-one on what they are working on. They may even give you advice on how to upgrade your own work. You have the freedom to ask presenters questions about their work and the rationale behind it, which you can’t do when reading journal articles.They may even help you find solutions to problems you might be facing.

To present your ideas and work to others

This is an obvious reason for attending conferences: to present your work. It’s a good practice to talk about what you do with a variety of people from similar, related and/or completely different areas of study. Standing on that stage and presenting will make you more confident about the work that you do, and gives you new perspective about your work as people may ask questions that make you think about your project distinctly. You have the opportunity to get feedback on your work from people who have never seen it before and may provide new insight and perspective.

For people to meet you

Remember the saying that we read when we were kids,”Man is a Social Animal”.It is true. The more people we meet the more we learn consciously or subconsciously. Meet-ups and conferences should also be considered a way for people to meet you. Regardless if you are the owner of a multinational company or a second year college student, or even if you are attending for the first time, you might meet someone at lunch, in a lecture or wherever and within a few minutes. Maybe your skills are so good that you might even be invited as a speaker.

Learn beyond your field or interest

There are so many advantages to attending conferences, since not only would you learn a thing or two outside your field, but conference attendance also has many sessions for professional development and career advice.

And of course, there are other benefits like getting out of the office for a few days and using this time to explore a new city, gain continuing education credits via attendance etc.

So why attend conferences?

We each have our own reasons, but just think ;How a conference attendance dramatically enhances both your professional and personal development,it also provides you with tools and skills which you cannot be taught in-house or online.

Many believe that since they can access industry information through the Internet and social media, the days of live meetings are gone.

The truth is, meetings are more important than ever. The value in meetings comes from the human connections that occur. Often people share their fortunate “hallway conversations” that they have with other attendees as the most valuable parts of attending an event. It is the people that bring the return on investment to your time at a conference.

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