Título del trabajo: Atlas interactivo para mejorar el proceso de
enseñanza y aprendizaje de la Historia y la Literatura de los Pueblos
de Habla Inglesa en la carrera Lengua Inglesa con Segunda Lengua
Extranjera (Francés) en la Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las
Villas
Tutores del trabajo: M. Sc Dianaleis Maza Amores
ii
Title: An Interactive Atlas for Improving the Teaching and Learning
Process of History and Literature of the English Speaking Countries
for the English Language Studies with a Second Foreign Language
(French) at Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas
Author: Jani Yaquelin Perdomo Garcés
Thesis Director: M. Sc Dianaleis Maza Amores
iii
Este documento es Propiedad Patrimonial de la Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de
Las Villas, y se encuentra depositado en los fondos de la Biblioteca Universitaria
“Chiqui Gómez Lubian” subordinada a la Dirección de Información Científico Técnica
de la mencionada casa de altos estudios.
Se autoriza su utilización bajo la licencia siguiente:
Atribución- No Comercial- Compartir Igual
Para cualquier información contacte con:
Dirección de Información Científico Técnica. Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las
Villas. Carretera a Camajuaní. Km 5½. Santa Clara. Villa Clara. Cuba. CP. 54 830
Teléfonos.: +53 01 42281503-1419
School of Humanities
Diploma Paper
Title: An Interactive Atlas for Improving the Teaching and Learning Process
of History and Literature of the English Speaking Countries for the English
Language Studies with a Second Foreign Language (French) at Universidad
Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas
Author: Jani Yaquelin Perdomo Garcés
Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dianaleis Maza Amores (MSc)
Santa Clara, 2019
v
We certify that the present Diploma Paper was carried out at the Universidad Central
"Marta Abreu" de Las Villas to fulfill the requirements of the curricula for the training
of Bachelors in English Language with a Second Foreign Language: French. We
give our approval for it to be partially or totally used by the institution for educational
purposes. This Diploma Paper can be neither published nor discussed in any forum
without the approval of the University.
________________________________
Signature of the Author
We, the undersigned, hereby certify that the present Diploma Paper has been
carried out with the approval of the institution authorities and that it meets the
____________________________ ________________________
Signature of the Supervisor Signature of the Head of Department
vi
Thought
Success in life is not measured by the personal accomplishments, but by the
good will people around to share it with. Wealth is not a sign of being
fortunate, love is.
Anonymous
vii
Dedication
To those who love me and believe in me wherever they are
viii
Acknowledgements
First of all, I have to thank my entire family and friends for all the support and
love during all these years. To my mom, for being there unconditionally,
giving me everything when I needed it no matter how hard the times were. To
my dad, for prioritizing every petition of mine and for believing in my capacity
to successfully overcome every obstacle. To my dear boyfriend, for his
support, his love, his cute grumpiness, for sharing the early wake-ups, my
tears, joy and worries, and for helping me every time. To my dear family who
I love, my aunt, my grandmother Tita, to Ayo, Aya and Tito wherever they are,
to my uncles, my cousins, my sisters, my other aunts, my mother in law, my
brother in law and his wife. To my other family, who I also love: my friends
Roxy, Hanna, Ele, Hanny. To my tutor Dianaleis, to Juana Idania, Yuliet and
Mayra for their support and to all the professors and classmates who
positively contributed to my formation here. To all of you, thank you very
much.
ix
Abstract
The courses of History and Literature of the English Speaking Countries for the
English Language Studies with a Second Foreign Language (French) at Universidad
Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas are facing some problems with the availability,
organization and level of update of the bibliography, neglecting at times the use of
Information and Communication Technologies to meet the demands of the
technological era. Furthermore, the use of maps as a basic teaching aid for these
subjects is restricted. The main goal of this diploma paper is to propose an
interactive atlas for improving the teaching and learning process of the
aforementioned courses. The research´s methodology followed a qualitative
paradigm and the results from the needs´ analysis as well as the theoretical
rationale behind the research´s topic were taken into account for the design of the
proposal. The atlas was created with WordPress, an open-source software and the
library of maps amCharts. Both, specialists in the field of technology and of the
intended courses assessed the proposal following diverse criteria like:
completeness, reliability, accessibility and applicability which validated it as a
valuable tool for the purpose it was created.
Key words:
literature;
x
INTERACTIVE ATLAS FOR IMPROVING THE TEACHING AND LEARNING
PROCESS OF HISTORY AND LITERATURE OF THE ENGLISH SPEAKING
COUNTRIES ........................................................................................................................ 5
1.1.1 Defining Information and Communication Technologies .................................................... 5
1.1.2 Role of ICTs in education ............................................................................................................. 7
1.1.3 ICTs in higher education .............................................................................................................. 9
1.2 Integrating ICTs into foreign language teaching and learning process through an
interactive atlas ..................................................................................................................................... 11
1.2.1 Historical account on the use of an interactive atlas ......................................................... 11
1.2.2 Features and principles of an interactive atlas .................................................................... 14
1.2.3 Building an interactive atlas ...................................................................................................... 18
1.2.3.1 WordPress, a Content Management System and HTML5, JavaScript and CSS3 18
1.2.3.2 amCharts Library of maps .................................................................................................. 20
1.2.4 Using an interactive atlas in the educational field............................................................... 21
1.3 Teaching history and literature. General considerations ............................................. 22
Partial Conclusions: ............................................................................................................................. 25
CHAPTER 2. NEED OF AN INTERACTIVE ATLAS FOR THE HISTORY AND
LITERATURE OF THE ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES TEACHING AND
LEARNING PROCESS AT UNIVERSIDAD CENTRAL “MARTA ABREU” DE
LAS VILLAS ...................................................................................................................... 26
2.2 Description of the sample ............................................................................................................. 27
2.3 Research methods used and results .......................................................................................... 28
2.3.1 Analysis of documents........................................................................................................ 28
2.3.3 Survey to professors ........................................................................................................... 37
2.4 Results of the needs analysis in the context of the subjects History and Literature of the
English Speaking Countries ............................................................................................................... 40
CHAPTER 3. THE PROPOSAL OF AN INTERACTIVE ATLAS FOR THE
HISTORY AND LITERATURE OF THE ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES
xi
ABREU” DE LAS VILLAS .............................................................................................. 42
3.1 The building process of the Interactive Atlas of the History and Literature of the English
Speaking Countries .............................................................................................................................. 43
3.1.3 The content of the Interactive Atlas ........................................................................................ 45
3.1.4 Features and principles of an interactive atlas applied in the design of the Interactive
Atlas of the History and Literature of the English Speaking Countries ................................... 46
3.2 Assessment of the Interactive Atlas of the History and Literature of the English Speaking
Countries by specialists´ criteria ....................................................................................................... 52
3.2.1 Results ............................................................................................................................................ 53
Partial Conclusions .............................................................................................................................. 54
1
Introduction
The 21st century classroom needs are very different from the 20th century ones. In
the 21st century classroom, teachers are facilitators of student´s learning and
creators of productive classroom environments, in which students can develop the
skills they might need at present or in future. In detail, a variety of teaching roles can
be assumed such as the controller, the prompter, the resource, the assessor, the
organizer, the participant and the tutor (Nola A., 2016).
While there is certainly a place for teacher centered, lecture style learning, the
evolving teacher must embrace new teaching strategies that are radically different
from those previously employed. That said, the 21st century classroom is created
on the premise that students experience what they require to enter the 21st century
workplace and to live in the global environment such as: higher order thinking skills,
effective communication skills and knowledge of technology, which they will need
for their careers and the increased globalized environment.
Not only should these perspectives be taken into account when analyzing the
challenging situation, but also the characteristics of the 21st century students.
According to a recent study, teachers in every strata of education are increasingly
dealing with a student population that is not only more wired than they are, but also
grew up in a techno-drenched atmosphere that has trained them to absorb and
process information in three different ways. This generation of students is more
likely to be armed with cell phones, laptops, and iPods than with spiral notebooks
and No.2 pencils (McHugh, 2005).
To comply with the most contemporary standards of the 21st century teaching
and learning, the courses on History and Literature of the English Speaking
Countries in Cuban universities (at any time possible) are developed through
interactions and the use (limited) of powerful tools like ICTs (Information and
Communication Technologies), the use of recordings and visuals like movie
adaptations of literary works, and class presentations aided by visuals like power
point, among others. Notwithstanding, at Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las
Villas there is still so much to learn about it and to progress. Mainly the lack of
motivation from the part of students due to the characteristics of these subjects, their
traditional lecture-centered teaching approach, the restricted availability of valuable
2
teaching aids for these subjects like maps, and the situation with the bibliographical
material are still some gaps to be filled in the teaching of those courses at
Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas.
Therefore, the previously described situation led to the scientific question: How
can the teaching and learning process of History and Literature of the English
Speaking Countries to English language students at Universidad Central “Marta
Abreu” de Las Villas be improved?
Thus, the scientific object of this diploma paper is the teaching and learning
process of History and Literature of the English Speaking Countries, being the field
of action the improvement of the teaching and learning process of History and
Literature of the English Speaking Countries to English language students at
Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas.
The overall aim of this diploma paper is to propose an interactive atlas for
improving the teaching and learning process of History and Literature of the English
Speaking Countries for the English Language Studies with a Second Foreign
Language (French) at Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas.
In order to achieve the previous aim, the following scientific tasks were
accomplished:
Setting the theoretical foundations to support the creation of an interactive
atlas for improving the teaching and learning process of History and
Literature of the English Speaking Countries for the English Language
Studies with a Second Foreign Language (French) at Universidad Central
“Marta Abreu” de Las Villas.
Diagnosing the current situation of the teaching and learning process of
History and Literature of the English Speaking Countries for the English
Language Studies with a Second Foreign Language (French) at Universidad
Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas.
Creating an interactive atlas to improve the teaching and learning process of
History and Literature of the English Speaking Countries for the English
Language Studies with a Second Foreign Language (French) at Universidad
Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas.
3
Assessing the proposal by specialists´ criteria.
For the achievement of the previously mentioned tasks, the following methods
were used:
Theoretical Methods
- Analysis and synthesis: to develop the whole process of research, to analyze,
select and make a synthesis of the most relevant elements related with the object
and field of the research.
- The induction and deduction: to establish the research process foundations
through generalizations from particular elements.
- Historical and logical: to analyze the evolution of concepts related with ICTs for
education, an interactive atlas and the teaching and learning process of history
and literature.
- Structural-systemic: used throughout the whole research process and in the
design of the proposal from a logical and systematized view.
Empirical Methods
- Analysis of documents: to analyze the main documents relevant to the field of
the research in order to find out the regulations and needs of the teaching and
learning process of History and Literature of the English Speaking Countries, to
identify accordingly the potential of the proposal.
- Surveys: to be applied to current English language students and experienced
professors for the advantages, disadvantages and feasibility of using ICTs like
an interactive atlas to study History and Literature of the English Speaking
Countries; for opinions about the topic, and suggestions.
- Specialists´ criteria: to specialists in the area of Scientific and Technological
Information and to professors with some experience in the field of History and
Literature of the English Speaking Countries for the assessment of the
Interactive Atlas of the History and Literature of the English Speaking Countries.
Statistical and mathematical methods
- The percentage analysis and graph representation used to process data
obtained from surveys.
4
- The frequency analysis used to identify the level of relevance of different
information from the analysis of the frequency results.
Practical Contribution
An Interactive Atlas of the History and Literature of the English Speaking Countries
can improve the teaching and learning process of these subjects for the English
Language Studies with a Second Foreign Language (French) at Universidad Central
“Marta Abreu” de Las Villas, by providing an up-to-date, organized, interactive and
portable tool under which valuable knowledge covering and going beyond the scope
of the syllabi of the aforementioned subjects is subsumed facilitating the preparation
of both teachers and learners. Additionally, students’ attention as well as their
retentive memory and motivation will be caught and enhanced, respectively, with
visuals, videos, information tables and textual information concerning the literature
and history of the different countries chosen to be studied, considering geography
as a way of contextualizing and organizing the relevant information of the two main
subjects.
This diploma paper is structured into three chapters. Chapter 1 deals with the
theoretical foundations of the teaching and learning of History and Literature of the
English Speaking Countries aided by an interactive atlas.
Chapter 2 is concerned with the assessment of the current situation of the
teaching and learning process of History and Literature of the English Speaking
Countries for the English Language Studies with a Second Foreign Language
(French) at Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas, based on the surveys
to students and professionals, the characterization of the sample, main methods
and instruments used, as well as the analysis of the results obtained at this stage of
the research.
Chapter 3 consists of the proposal of an interactive atlas for improving the
teaching and learning process of History and Literature of the English Speaking
Countries for the English Language Studies with a Second Foreign Language
(French) at Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas, and its assessment by
specialists´ criteria. Finally, conclusions, recommendations, and bibliography in
addition to appendixes are provided.
5
Chapter 1. Theoretical Rationale behind the Design of an Interactive Atlas for
Improving the Teaching and Learning Process of History and Literature of
the English Speaking Countries
Introduction
Designing an interactive atlas for the teaching and learning process of History and
Literature of the English Speaking Countries requires a theoretical-methodological
basis in order to support the proposal with strong foundations. In this chapter the
main points about this matter will be exposed in different sections. These central
ideas will be regarding: the use of ICTs in foreign language teaching and learning
process through an interactive atlas and the teaching of history and literature.
1.1 Information and Communication Technologies
1.1.1 Defining Information and Communication Technologies
According to UNESCO: ICTs are a scientific technological and engineering
discipline and management techniques used in handling information in application
and association with social, economic and cultural aspects (Sharma, S et al., 2011).
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are often associated with
the most sophisticated and expensive computer-based technologies. But ICTs also
encompass the more conventional technologies such as radio, television and
telephone technology. While definitions of ICTs are varied, it might be useful to
accept the definition provided by United Nations Development Program (UNDP):
‘‘ICTs are basically information-handling tools- a varied set of goods, applications
and services that are used to produce, store, process, distribute and exchange
information. They include the ‘old’ ICTs of radio, television and telephone, and the
‘new’ ICTs of computers, satellite and wireless technology and the Internet. ICTs
can be studied in terms of the technologies, i.e. the delivery systems or in terms of
their content’’ (Vyasulu, 2003).
As to delivery systems, they are based upon their characteristics, media
technologies and can be grouped into two categories, namely, synchronous and
asynchronous (see Table 1). Synchronous media require all participants to be
together at the same time even though in different locations. Asynchronous ICTs
6
allow for participants in the learning process to be at “different times” and “different
places”.
Synchronous Media Asynchronous Media
Audio conferencing E mail
Teleconferencing Virtual conferences
and Internet telephony
Multimedia products, off line
Web based learning formats
Also, the content of these types of media used in education can be categorized
into two different types - educational and instructional content. Table 2 describes
the different features of each type of content.
Table 2. Types of Educational Content.
Educational Instructional
Broad audiences
Awareness orientation
Multidimensional, even incidental
Evaluation critical, though formative,
When a decision is made to use ICTs for educational purposes, it is important to
define and describe for what purpose the content will be used and also be very clear
7
as to what delivery system is going to be used. Such a decision should not be based
on the technologies but on the conditions and contexts in which the ICTs are sought
to be used; e.g. access to media by the learners, etc.
Therefore, considering the previously mentioned elements, the proposal
described in this paper can be labeled as an asynchronous media for being a
multimedia product to be used off-line, with instructional content for being aimed at
developing specific purposes to satisfy the demands of target users in the context
of the teaching and learning process of History and Literature of the English
Speaking Countries for the English Language Studies with a Second Foreign
Language (French) at Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas.
1.1.2 Role of ICTs in education
In the past years the development of the ICTs has opened a lot of possibilities in
education. Students and professors from all over the world can be connected in
order to share their knowledge and experiences with the rest.
ICTs enable self-paced learning through various tools such as assignment,
computer, etc. As a result of this, the teaching and learning enterprise has become
more productive and meaningful. ICTs help facilitate the transaction between
producers and users by keeping the students updated and enhancing teachers´
capacity and ability fostering a live contact between the teacher and the student
through e-mail, chalk session, e-learning, web-based learning including internet,
intranet, extranet, CD-ROM, TV, audio-videotape (Sharma, Gandhar, Sharma &
Seema, 2011).
ICTs promote active learning, sharing of ideas, discussion and also provide
immediate feedback. This activates paced learning and allows effective mapping of
learning path ways. Appropriate use of ICTs can transform the whole teaching and
learning process leading to paradigm shift in both content and teaching
methodology. ICTs integration in the field of education has impacted hugely in
improving the quality of education.
8
One of the major advantages of using ICTs in the classroom has focused on
enhancing the professional skills. The present and next generation of students for a
workplace where ICTs particularly computers, internet and others related
technologies are becoming more and more important. These computer savvy and
technologically literate students possess the desired competencies to use ICTs
effectively and the competitive edge in an increasingly uncertain globalizing job
market.
There are three ways in which ICTs in education are considered in current
thinking. These are ICTs education; ICTs supported education, and ICTs enabled
education (Vyasulu, 2003). (See Appendix I).
Moreover, there have been new approaches to promote ICTs in education taken
into account by the UNESCO in the past years – holistic and comprehensive ones.
UNESCO has tried to address inclusion and quality among their main challenges.
In order to accomplish this, they are implementing the use of the new state-of-the-
art technologies like the FaceTime platform on cellphones and computers to
enhance communications so the teacher can be delivering a conference just miles
away from its receiver. This can be done thanks to the work of three of its main
sectors: Education, Science and Communication & Information.
It is widely believed that ICTs integration will help making education more
accessible and affordable. Increasing role of ICTs will make education more
democratic that is improving the quality education services available to even
students sitting in far- flung remotest corners of a country.
In Cuba, since the implementation of the Batalla de Ideas program at the birth of
the 21st century, the Revolution made sure that Cuban educational system was
improved with the massive use of computers, TVs and a new television channel
Canal Educativo aimed at broadcasting instructional programs to make the most of
the availability of technologies to enhance the quality of the education nationwide.
Furthermore, with the aid of another program the Plan Turquino, these advantages
have reached even the most inaccessible communities of the country (Enciclopedia
Cubana en la Red, 2019).
9
The prevailing characteristic of ICTs is that they have the potential for improving
the quality of education and facilitating the acquisition of knowledge, offering
extraordinary opportunities to enhance educational systems. According to Haddad
and Jurich (2002), ICTs are actually a tool that can enhance education´s quality in
two key ways: first in increasing learner motivation and engagement, and second,
in facilitating the acquisition of basic skills. In the case of language studies such
powerful tools like Power Points presentations, software, the World Wide Web,
webquests, an interactive atlas among many others, are used with academic
purposes in order to improve the language skills and the intercultural competence.
1.1.3 ICTs in higher education
As stated before, ICTs play such a crucial role in shaping key abilities for students
to enter the job market and they are valuable for keeping pace with the technological
advancements in society. Thus, since higher education institutes have always been
a privileged place to form the avant-grade generation that leads every society, the
use of ICTs to improve not only the general abilities but also those intrinsic to every
specialty cannot be neglected, and fortunately, it has not.
Associated with the students´ needs, many authors consider that conventional
teaching in higher education in the past used to emphasize content. Actually, for
many years, the courses have been written around textbooks, teachers have taught
through lectures and presentations interspersed with tutorial and learning activities
designed to consolidate and rehearse the content. However, contemporary settings
are favoring curricula that not only focus on the content, but also promote
competency and performance. Curricula are starting to emphasize capabilities and
to be more concerned for how the information will be used instead of for what the
information is (Oliver, 2002).
Therefore, universities have begun to develop ICTs strategies to deal with the
need to respond to rapid changes in technology, which affect content of nearly every
course; students must be up-to-date with the latest systems and software if they are
to keep pace with the current demands in the knowledge (Gallimore, 1996).
ICTs revolution brought about what has been called within the educational
environment as e-learning. Such tools, along with the pleasure produced by the
10
study of the English language and its oral as well as written expression, bound to
the advantages of the ICTs as a modern resource closer and closer to the everyday
life, turns this into the perfect combination necessary to arise the students’
motivation and meaningful learning process.
To meet these requirements, the curriculum must become more relevant to what
students will be exposed to in the 21st century. For that purpose, a combination of
different strategies can be effective. According to the official site of the University of
George Mason in Virginia, institutions of higher learning across the United States
are responding to political, economic, social and technological pressures to be more
responsive to students' needs and more concerned about how well students are
prepared to assume future societal roles. Faculty are already feeling the pressure
to lecture less, to make learning environments more interactive, to integrate
technology into the learning experience, and to use collaborative learning strategies
when appropriate.
Today, educators realize that computer literacy is an important part of students’
education. Integrating technology into a course curriculum when appropriate is
proving to be valuable for enhancing and extending the learning experience for
faculty and students. Many faculties have found electronic mail to be a useful way
to promote student and student or faculty and student communication between class
meetings. Others use list serves or on-line notes to extend topic discussions and
explore critical issues with students and colleagues, or discipline- specific software
to increase student understanding of difficult concepts.
The Cuban Higher Education professionals acknowledge the contribution of the
ICTs in the development of their different didactic process. They also provide the
possibility to approach the different language courses with a more communicative
perspective and profit from its many possibilities to improve the quality of such
process and meet the social requirements of todays’ world. Specifically, at
Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas every faculty has a laboratory and
various wireless services available for students to continue developing the acquired
technological skills and use them to the benefit of their professional training.
In respect to interactive atlases, their use in education goes beyond the obvious
practicality in terms of courses related to geography, but they have become a tool
11
to make up for the lack of bibliography and the deterioration of the printed materials.
In this case, it becomes a different tool that is portable and contains all the necessary
bibliography and even more materials. Besides, they are used to introduce pupils
and students to the world from a given position or point of view. That position can
refer to a geographical position, to an educational viewpoint (what is the necessary
basic knowledge all students should have), or to ideological or political views.
1.2 Integrating ICTs into foreign language teaching and learning process
through an interactive atlas
1.2.1 Historical account on the use of an interactive atlas
Although people have been using maps for thousands of years, civilizations really
did not begin producing large atlases until the 1500s. During this time, European
and Asian countries were exploring the world through trade and colonization. They
depended on atlases to guide them through unfamiliar territory. As European
explorers mapped the "New World" (the Americas), they also updated atlases with
their discoveries. Abraham Oertel, named Ortelius (1527–1598), published his
“Theatrum Orbis Terrarum” as the first map collection satisfying the atlas definition,
and in 1585, Gerhard Kremer, called Mercator (1512–1594) was the first to give his
map collection “Atlas sive Cosmographicae Mediationes de Fabrica Mundi et
Fabricati Figura” the name “Atlas” (Lechthaler, 2009).
In 1981 the first digital atlas was developed, the Electronic Atlas of Canada
(Ramos and Cartwright, 2006). While the first digital atlases were characterized by
hardware and software limitations, they did offer a glimpse into what was to come –
for example, the digital Atlas of Switzerland, which defined a standard for national
atlases when its first interactive version was published in 2000 (Hurni, Bar, & Sieber,
1999).
During the last two decades several traditional national atlases have witnessed a
renaissance in digital form. In the beginning, the concept of a view-only atlas was
widespread used with rasterized map images and limited spatial and thematic
navigation interactivity (Ormeling, 1995). In the meantime, some of them evolved
12
into mature products with tailor-made visualization techniques and extended
interactive map and user interface functionality. Concerning the publication platform,
atlases shifted from CD-ROM and/or DVD products to Internet sites or portals
(Sieber, Geisthövel & Hurni, 2009).
Nowadays, digital national and regional atlases have expert competences in easy-
to-use functionality, interactivity, and high-level visualization techniques. Geo-data
and statistical data can be manipulated in multiple ways, and on-hand navigation in
space and time, as well as various views of thematic maps in 2D and 3D, are
realized. There are various examples of such mature atlas systems. Among these
the Atlas of Canada can be mentioned. The Atlas of Canada was the first web-based
atlas worldwide. Another example of an atlas system is the web-based ÖROK Atlas
of Austria (Sieber, Hollenstein, Odden & Hurni, 2011).
In the case of Cuba, national atlases have been published in 1970 (the first), 1979
and 1989 which have received national and international prizes. Moreover, there
are thematic atlases like Atlas Demográfico, Atlas Etnográfico de Cuba, Atlas
Biológico Pesquero de la Langosta comercial Panuliris argus, Atlas Climático and
Atlas Lingüístico. In 2019, the most recent version of the Atlas Nacional de Cuba
will be published to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution. This
atlas will be the first designed only by Cuban specialists and it will be presented in
web multimedia (Asociación Cubana de Noticias, 2019).
To meet the current challenges and developments in the field of geo-visualization,
new ideas are required for the concept of next generation atlases. On the one hand,
conceptual ideas of 3d technology, geo-data viewers and geo-portals, navigation
systems, and the Web 2.0 have to be considered. On the other hand, an assessment
of user needs and requirements with respect to a new atlas generation is necessary
(Sieber et al., 2011).
Various types of digital atlases exist (Ormeling, 1995). Kraak and Ormeling (1996)
define digital atlases as ‘‘intentional combinations of specially processed spatial
data sets, together with the software to produce maps from them’’. They see the
maps in digital atlases as an interface for an atlas database. The database (which
can be file-based and accessed through an internet connection) contains
cartographically treated data that the atlas information system loads and renders.
13
Atlas information systems can offer a variety of functionality for data exploration
and can be in the form of traditional software applications or browser-based web
applications (Jenny et al.,2006). In these respect, digital atlases resemble a
Geographic Information System (GIS), but Kraak and Ormeling (1996) also point
out the difference from a GIS, which is that ‘‘special care is taken to relate all data
sets to each other, to allow them to be experienced as related, to let them tell, in
conjunction, a specific story or narrative’’. This narrative structure is seen as a
cornerstone concept that defines both paper and digital atlases.
Another definition may be found in in the Lexicon of Cartography and Geomatics
(Bollmann and Koch, 2002), an atlas map work is understood as a target and
purpose oriented systematic set of maps in book form or as an Atlas Information
System (AIS) with global, regional and local character, which offers static and
dynamic maps (2.5D and 3D), texts, tables, pictures and graphics as well as
computer-aided sequences like language, sound, animations and videos.
In accordance to formal and relevant features, Bollmann and Koch (2002)
distinguish among atlases with regard to:
• output medium/presentation form (paper, haptic, electronic, multi-media atlas),
• thematic contents (complex thematic atlas, special atlas),
• format and content size (giant-, hand-, book- and pocket atlas),
• representation area (world-, countries-, regional-, town-, space-, moon atlas).
Beside these traditional classifications of atlases, digital atlases are classified
more specifically. Considering the level of interactivity and the analytic potential,
Ramos and Cartwright (2005) and Ormeling (1996) categorize digital atlases as:
• view-only atlases (print-only atlases or digital static maps without interactivity or
dynamics),
• atlases that generate maps on demand (interaction with data sets, changes of
color schemas, classification methods or number of classes), and
14
• analytical atlases based on GIS capabilities (database queries through a map as
a graphical interface, in addition to provided map possibilities to create, analyze and
visualize new data sets).
Brunner-Friedrich (2004) presents the concept of a school atlas and postulates
that users of interactive and multimedia atlas information systems MI-AIS show
different abilities and preferences within their scientific information perception. Each
individual student needs a different approach to the learning matter (in this case
cartographic topics) and a different kind of presentation to improve his memorization
skills.
1.2.2 Features and principles of an interactive atlas
The design of an interactive atlas can be made in different formats and following a
wide scope of criteria, among these are Lechthaler (2009), Hurni et. al, (1999),
Ormeling (1995), Sieber et al. (2009), Kraak and Ormeling (1996), Jenny et al.
(2006), Jacobson, Booch & Rumbaugh (2004), Eumednet (2011), Roth (2013) and
Jordan, Saul, Kriz, Riedl & Partl (2015). Therefore, the designer materializes the
idea that suits better its goals and resources. Regardless of these great variety of
possible outcomes, two main elements are common ground: the interface design
aspects including the functional requirements and acting elements and the
interactivity (user-software) with the navigation diagram. The criteria chosen by
the author of this diploma paper was that of Jacobson et al. (2004), Roth (2013),
Eumednet (2011) and Jordan et al. (2015).
According to Jordan et al. (2015), the design of a user interface is of great
importance to the process of the development of an interactive cartographic
application. The role of an interface as a visual "communication center" is to allow
the user access to digital data; the most important point being, how spatial and
thematic data are presented to the user. It is important to realize that the user
perceives the interface not only as far as its functions are concerned but also
aesthetically.
Users´ satisfaction can only be guaranteed by optimizing the variety and
interrelation of contents and the presentation acceptance of the product. The most
15
important tasks of an interface include the distinct and transparent presentation of
digital data, the intuitive design of tools and the possibility of interaction with the
user. To ensure clear differentiation, it is especially important the design and
position of the visual elements (tools, contents, decoration).
Various conceptual factors are indispensable for the implementation of these
tasks; especially the planning of the overall structure of the contents and of the
interactivity of the product has to be pointed out. Apart from these conceptual
aspects, design factors play an important role. The interface's usefulness and
acceptance is not only determined by its technical and conceptual realization, but
even more so by the design of the single elements. The use of colors, typography,
icons, and pictures is an important design aspect that has strong influence on the
interface's usefulness and transparency by ensuring ease of use (user friendly
interface).
According to the design of the interface, Eumednet (2011) includes the
requirements description as vital for the design of any software development
process. These requirements are divided into functional and non-functional. To
achieve compliance with the objectives and functionalities that the system must
meet, the functional requirements are of great importance because they represent
declarations of the services that the system must provide, they specify the way in
which they must react to certain entries, they specify how the system should behave
in particular situations, they can explicitly state what the system should not do
(Eumednet, 2011). Among these requirements are: Authenticate User; the system
must show information about the services it has available (Home, Content, Help); it
must allow the search and it must allow users to contact the representatives of the
project, when there is any doubt or problem with the software.
The Eumednet research group also includes the non-functional requirements.
Non-functional requirements are properties or qualities that the product must
have. They represent the characteristics that make the product attractive, usable,
fast or reliable, allowing to make the difference between a well-accepted product
and one with little acceptance. Non-functional requirements are restrictions of
services or functions offered by the system which generally apply to the system as
a whole. They arise from the user's needs. Some of these requirements are: the
16
appearance or external interface; the usability that states that the system´s users
must have knowledge of the theme of the product and with basic knowledge of
computers to ensure ease of use (user friendly interface); the support which
guarantees an easy maintenance, simple configuration and feasibility for customers;
the reliability which is related to the availability of and access to the product and the
security which establishes specific system roles for different users such as the
administrators and the anonymous users, defined by Jacobson et al. (2004) as
system actors or acting elements. Each of them will have access only to execute
the actions that correspond to them.
Jordan et al. (2015) also believe that the design of the interface is closely
connected to the definition of the user group. The interface does not stand on its
own, but is designed for a special task and for a special target group. What follows
is that the developer's ideas have to be adjusted to the user's demands. According
to Roth (2013), a user characteristic requiring consideration is motivation, or the
desire one has to use the cartographic interface either out of necessity (i.e., to
complete a work task) or out of interest (e.g., curiosity, entertainment, popularity,
recommendation). Motivation differs from expertise in that users with low levels of
motivation are not necessarily incapable of using a complex cartographic interface,
they simply do not wish to do so (see Fig. 1). While user preference and satisfaction
do not always result in effective and efficient interactions, there is growing evidence
that users are more likely to be successful with interfaces that they like (user friendly)
and thus want to use. User motivation therefore should be cultivated at any time
possible to promote both initial use (e.g., offering incentives, demonstrating utility
through real world examples) and continued use of a cartographic interface (e.g.,
rewarding positive interaction strategies, offering easy ways to correct mistakes).
17
Fig. 1 Relation between interface complexity and user motivation
Finally, another feature of an interactive atlas, as it is explicitly stated in its name,
is interactivity. Jordan et al. (2015) explain that the number of functions
characterizes the interactive behavior of an application. The way that the functions
are presented determines the way they are called. In the course of the development
of graphical user interfaces, different styles of interaction, that allow the user to
intervene in the application, have been developed. The interactions are visualized
with the help of tools like buttons, icons, scrollbars, menus, and windows, the
introduction of properties like zooming, differentiation of colors. Specially as far as
the design of icons is concerned, real-world objects that are recognizable for the
user and thus simplify the handling of the application should be used. These
elements interact with other elements and entities on the screen and influence the
perception reciprocally. Functions with logical connections should therefore be
presented in groups, so that their interrelation becomes clear from their
presentation. To these ideas, the Eumednet research group adds the navigation
diagram. The navigation diagrams are formed by a set of states and their
corresponding links, which open the way for users to move from one state to another
with the possibility of returning to the initial page at any time they wish. In this system
the links are varied according to the role played by the user.
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1.2.3 Building an interactive atlas
As analyzed in previous sections, interactive atlases have been delivered in
different formats (CD-ROM, DVD, web page, on-line etc.). However, most of the
interactive atlases are on-line and have access to the Google Maps, GPS, 3D
technology. Unfortunately, despite the increase in ways of access to the Internet in
Cuba, its cost is still high to allow a permanent availability of the service.
Furthermore, this Interactive Atlas of the History and Literature of the English
Speaking Countries is meant to be portable and used off-line considering the needs
of the target users. Notwithstanding, in the light of this conditions and acknowledging
the level of literacy of the author of this paper, the site was created with WordPress,
a Content Management System (CMS), that offers many advantages when
managing contents. WordPress is developed in php, a programming language and
the theme of the site was developed in HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript.1 Furthermore,
the maps were downloaded from amCharts, a maps library that works with vectors
with a high level of exactitude in the geographic coordinates and that offers
possibilities to be used off-line, too.
1.2.3.1 WordPress, a Content Management System and HTML5, JavaScript
and CSS3
WordPress, is the most popular CMS worldwide, having more than 50% of all the
CMS market share and it is the one preferred by many of the most successful and
world-wide known companies like the New York Times, CNN, People Magazine,
UPS and NBC, etc. (Barron, 2019). WordPress is a software designed for everyone,
emphasizing accessibility, performance, security, and ease of use. It works with
minimum set up, hence one can focus on sharing the story, product, or services
freely. The basic WordPress software combines simplicity, flexibility and
predictability, facilitating the work with it. Additionally, there are thousands of plugins
that extend what WordPress does, so its actual functionality is nearly limitless. It
also offers powerful features for growth and success allowing the user to manage
its product and even use it with commercial purposes without any licensing fees.
Therefore, it believes in democratizing publishing and the freedoms that come with
1 The site was developed with the assistance of Yenier Cruz who majored in Cybernetics and has experience in the field since the level of expertise required is beyond that acquired by the author of the diploma paper.
19
the open source software policy. Everything from simple websites, to blogs, to
complex portals and enterprise websites, and even applications, are built with
WordPress (WordPress Foundation, 2019).
HTML5, JavaScript and CSS3
Hypertext Markup Language revision 5 (HTML5) is a markup language for the
structure and presentation of World Wide Web contents. HTML5 supports the
traditional HTML and XHTML-style syntax and other new features in its markup,
New APIs, XHTML and error handling. HTML5 is an effort to bring order to web
development chaos by organizing common practices, embracing implementations
from various browsers. HTML5 is simply just an umbrella term for the next
generation of web applications and how functionality will be expanded with better
markup (HTML), better style (CSS), and better interactivity (JavaScript)
(Technopedia, 2019).
Moreover, modern JavaScript is a safe programming language. It does not provide
low-level access to memory or CPU, because it was initially created for browsers
which do not require it. For instance, in-browser JavaScript is able to add new HTML
to the page, change the existing content, modify styles. It can also react to user
actions, run on mouse clicks, pointer movements, key presses; it can send requests
over the network to remote servers, download and upload files; remember the data
on the client-side (“local storage”). Java Script offers full integration with HTML/CSS,
simplicity and support by all major browsers. JavaScript is the only browser
technology that combines these three aspects which makes it the most widespread
tool for creating browser interfaces (JavaScript, 2019).
CSS3 is the latest version of the CSS specification. Some of the most important
CSS3 modules are: Selectors, Box Model, Backgrounds and Borders, Image Values
and Replaced Content, Text Effects, 2D/3D Transformations, Animations, Multiple
Column Layout and User Interface (Quora, 2019).
Overall, HTML is the markup language that one uses to structure and give
meaning to one´s web content, as an illustration, defining paragraphs, headings,
and data tables, or embedding images and videos in the page. CSS is a language
of style rules that one uses to apply styling to the HTML content, for example setting
20
background colors and fonts, and laying out the content in multiple columns.
JavaScript is a scripting language that enables the user to create dynamically
updating content, control multimedia, animate images, among many other services
(Developer.mozilla, 2019).
1.2.3.2 amCharts Library of maps
With amCharts, just a few lines of code allow the user to add full-fledged interactive
maps to its web site or application. For its functionality, amCharts 4 uses GeoJSON
– an open mapping standard. The maps work with a technology of vectors, providing
exact geographical locations based on a sexagesimal coordinates system. If a map
exists, it probably exists in GeoJSON format, or at least is easy to convert to.
amCharts 4 comes with support for a lot of map projections which allow displaying
the same map in different ways. A single line of code adds neat control enabling the
users to zoom in and out the map. Another line enables the slider and all elements
can be controlled using mouse, touch, and since they are accessible controls,
keyboard control is also possible (amCharts, 2019).
All in all, either Word Press or amCharts proved to be useful and appropriate for
the available conditions in Cuba and for the easy-to-use and state-of-the-art features
that allow to integrate a variety of functional and aesthetics means to the Atlas.
Moreover, these technologies guarantee the fulfillment of two of the most important
requisites of the Atlas: comprehensive content (allow the integration of diverse
formats: images, texts, videos, etc.) and user-software interactivity (offers the
introduction of properties like zooming, differentiation of colors, icons, slide bars
etc.), and only require a computer program or server to run the site called Xampp,
that needs neither high RAM performance nor high hard drive capacity. Besides, the
widespread use of these CMS and maps library also reaches the field of educational
purposes, for instance: a project to develop interactive digital atlases of human
anatomy by the European Society of Radiology, the Interactive Atlas of Romance
Intonation by the Grup d´Estudis de Prosódia; UNESCO Interactive Atlas of the
World's Languages in Danger; the Atlas of the Columbia River Basin by the College
of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis,
21
USA and Interactive Atlas of Heart Disease and Stroke by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention of the United States of America.
1.2.4 Using an interactive atlas in the educational field
Interactive atlases are being created nowadays in various fields such as medicine,
geography, education, engineering, social studies, language studies and many
others. Technological developments of the last two decades have led to a wider
range of different cartographic media implicated in cartographic information and
communication systems (CICS). The most important and complex systems enabling
the user to search for new knowledge are interactive and multimedia atlas
information systems (MI-AIS), which include cartographic, linguistic, mathematical,
statistical, acoustical, and visual languages. Cartographic information in thematic
and/or topographic maps, virtual space maps, dynamic three-dimensional satellite
images, geo-texts, videos, photos, sound, computer simulations, statistical graphs,
and diagrams allow to construct individual worlds of space information (Lechthaler,
2010). This type of ICTs has become a valuable mean to organize information, to
manage diversely related contents and to make up for the lack of availability of
bibliographical material related to specific matters.
In education, atlases have always been a handy tool to teach important courses
like geography but interactive atlases go beyond the scope of geography and reach
courses that need a geographical reference to achieve their goals with more
proficiency. Atlases offer a compilation of data: images, text, video, that can easily
be used in teaching and improving the retentive memory of students; teachers can
better explain complex instructions and ensure students' comprehension; and they
can create interactive classes and make the lessons more enjoyable, which could
improve student attendance, motivation and concentration. Furthermore, the lack of
bibliographical material does not represent an obstacle for the learning process
because with the aid of technological means and a wide variety of resources,
students will have access to valuable knowledge to achieve the different goals set
for the intended courses.
Moreover, like other ICTs, atlases help the individualization of learning, allowing
each learner to relate to the medium and its content on their own; with the user-
22
software interactivity, learners can relate to the content, go forward and backward
and start at any point depending upon prior knowledge instead of following always
a sequential way; it can serve multiple teaching functions and diverse audiences:
ICTs, especially the computer and Internet based, can be useful in drill and practice;
to help diagnose and solve problems, for accessing information and knowledge
about various related themes (Vyasulu, 2003). With ICTs like an interactive atlas,
the classroom leaves the traditional teacher-centered approach and evolves to a
learner-centered one, in which the learner acquires new skills resulting from the new
level of independence or individualization, however, the teacher cannot adopt a
secondary role under any circumstance, he/she needs to stay as unnoticed as
possible but always leading the activity and controlling the discipline for learner
independence not to become abuse of confidence leading to failure of the desired
objectives.
Finally, an interactive atlas is a direct, organized and easy access to information
which meets the users´ requirements. For this reason, it could be a good
methodological alternative to be implemented in the foreign language teaching and
learning process, in a context in which higher education in general needs to keep
pace with the outside world in order to form professionals as capable and prepared
as possible.
1.3 Teaching history and literature. General considerations
The study of history has a particular contribution to make in delivering a vision of
national idiosyncrasy and commitment. The historical analysis provides tools and
lays the foundations for the personal growth and rational thinking of those individuals
who can master the intrinsic morals and lectures behind the different historical
events. Moreover, history offers insights into the complexities and diversity of past
human behavior; it fosters the ability to interrogate differing, even conflicting,
narratives; it requires that arguments are supported by an understanding of wide-
ranging evidence. But history in schools can only make such a contribution if what
is taught, how it is taught and the quality of the available resources enables it to do
so (Council of Europe, 2018). On the other hand, the study of literature is aimed at
enhancing students’ language proficiency, and it is also geared for the purpose of
23
generating the aesthetic part of the language that is personal response from
students. According to the Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Science, the
aim of literature is not only meant to address the interpersonal, informational
aesthetic value of learning, but also the learning of the language in general, about
people, culture, ethics, behaviors and other social norms. The introduction of
literature component into the educational syllabus is to enable students to improve
their proficiency through reading, respond to text, draw lessons and insights from
slices of life, understand and appreciate other culture, relate to events, characters
and own life, as well as expose students to models of good writing.
Traditionally, the teaching process of history and literature has followed a lecture-
centered approach due to its abstract but comprehensive nature. The arrival of the
technological era demands changes in that teaching approach, since according to
Kelly (2016), teachers are losing the rising generation of students because the
approach to the past seems increasingly out of sync with the students´ heavily
intermediated lives. Concerning history, the future of its teaching depends on the
teachers´ ability and willingness to accommodate themselves to the rapidly
accelerating, technology-driven cycle of change that is transforming the teaching,
learning, research, and production of historical knowledge. By giving students the
freedom to experiment, to play with the past in new and creative ways, whether
using digital media or not, they have the possibility of doing very worthy and
interesting historical work and of achieving significant learning gains. When students
work on topics they are interested in, in ways that make sense to them, the level of
their engagement not only with the assignment, but also with the fundamental
historical assumptions that the assignment raises, certainly goes up, and the
classroom contributes to more than the development of the most basic skills of
historical analysis.
Writing about the past is one way students acquire and demonstrate the desired
higher order thinking skills. Other methodological approaches can be learning
exercises that emphasize active learning, community-engaged learning, problem-
based learning, or other teaching methods demonstrated to engender the kinds of
historical thinking teachers strive for with their students. Additionally, a much higher
likelihood of producing the learning gains can be achieved by structuring the
teaching and learning about the past around ways that digital technology now
24
promotes active engagement with, rather than passive acquisition (and reading) of
historical content. Students ought to be taught the correct/important/essential facts
about the past and that any consideration of historical methods or analysis is
secondary to the acquisition of the proper set of the facts. Unlike the traditional
lecture/paper/exam model of history instruction, digital media offer the possibility of
creating new, exciting ways for students to be historians as they learn about the past
(Kelly, 2016).
As to literature, and following a traditional and conventional criteria, Carter, R. and
Long (1991) stated that there are three models in the teaching of literature: (1) The
Cultural Model which view literature as a teacher-centered and source of facts
where teacher delegates knowledge and information to students, (2) The Language
Model which allows teacher to employ strategies used in language teaching to
deconstruct literary texts in order to serve specific linguistic goals, and (3) The
Personal Growth Model where the focus is on a particular use of language in a text
and in a specific cultural context. These models have been incorporated in various
approaches in the teaching of literature. They are the (1) Language-Based
Approach, (2) Paraphrastic Approach, (3) Information-Based Approach, (4)
Personal-Response Approach, (5) Moral-Philosophical Approach, and (6) Stylistic
Approach. Not surprisingly, the teaching of literature in the new century requires the
inclusion of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) with the
purpose of connecting the old with the new in authentic ways to center the
knowledge demands of modern readers.
In the educational field, history and literature are usually merged into one
discipline due to the similarities and challenges in their teaching and learning
process and their connections to unveil the characteristics and peculiarities of
peoples in given contexts. As expressed before, they both entail the use of ICTs to
leave behind their traditional approach and to enter the new technological revolution,
and specifically they both benefit greatly from the use of maps which, though more
closely related with history, can also be valuable for the teaching and learning
process of literature. Using maps in the classroom invites curiosity, encourages
exploration and inspires problem solving. They can be used to explore a multitude
of topics and can incorporate visual learning, spatial thinking and quantitative skills
into a lesson. Their use provides context and relevance to topics covered in class
25
as students can more easily visualize complex ideas and situations
(Teachinghistory, 2019). Fortunately, thanks to the proliferation of digital
technologies, they are also exciting interactive resources for the classroom; visual
platforms that teachers and students can use to create, define, and understand
themes and concepts as well as the geography in which events unfold.
Partial Conclusions:
This chapter focused on giving a comprehensive bibliographical review on the
definitions, main features, purposes and role of Information and Communication
Technologies, Interactive Atlas and the teaching of history and literature. Therefore,
when analyzing the different sources, it was concluded that the technological
revolution reaches the field of education and the courses of history and literature
need to be updated to live up to the new standards, to increase the availability of
organized bibliographical resources, thus contributing to improve the learner´s
motivation, the teacher´s preparation and the quality of the courses in general, being
an interactive atlas a suitable technological tool for these purposes.
26
Chapter 2. Need of an Interactive Atlas for the History and Literature of the
English Speaking Countries Teaching and Learning Process at Universidad
Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas
2.1 Methodology and stages of the research
The methodology of the research corresponds to a qualitative paradigm since it is
based on the experiences, perceptions and suggestions of both, students and
professors regarding the teaching and learning process of History and Literature of
the English Speaking Countries for English Language Studies with a Second
Foreign Language (French) at Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas
Aided by an Interactive Atlas. Nevertheless, methods of the quantitative paradigm
were also used to complement the findings obtained.
This chapter will provide the necessary elements to describe the research process
and the methods used for collecting and processing the necessary data to achieve
the outcomes. The results to be presented here will show the limitations regarding
the available bibliographical material for the content courses of History and
Literature of the English Speaking Countries.
The research was divided into three main stages:
The first stage was devoted to establishing a theoretical background to
systematize the main concepts and the relationships deriving from them. At this
stage, the most important definitions such as Information and Communication
Technologies, Interactive Atlas and their influence not only on the world but also on
education, and specifically in higher education, as well as general considerations of
teaching history and literature were analyzed. Hence, a bibliographic review was
developed.
The second stage focused on the determination of needs concerning the
bibliography of the content courses of History and Literature of the English Speaking
Countries and the availability of ICTs to support these subjects in addition to the
research context for both, teachers and learners of 4th and 5th years of English
Language Studies with a Second Foreign Language (French). The main purpose of
this stage was to fulfill the second scientific task of the research. Accordingly, the
27
research tools for collecting information were designed and implemented. Then, the
analysis of the data obtained was carried out using different research methods.
Finally, the results were stated showing the need for the proposal of an interactive
atlas.
The third stage consisted in designing the Interactive Atlas of the History and
Literature of the English Speaking Countries. It was based on the principles,
features and technological resources for the elaboration of the Interactive Atlas
stated in the chapter of the theoretical analysis. Finally, the proposal was assessed
by the specialists´ criteria.
2.2 Description of the sample
The research was carried out at the Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas
in the context of the major English Language Studies with a Second Foreign
Language (French). Specifically, this study was undertaken in the courses of History
and Literature of the English Speaking Countries. Therefore, the selection of the
sample followed some reasoned and intentional criteria. The sample included
twenty-four (24) students of the 4th and 5th years of the English Language Studies
with a Second Foreign Language (French) who were taking these courses and also
six (6) professors including the main professors of the subjects and those with some
experience teaching these subjects or others subsumed under the same discipline.
Thus, there were thirty (30) participants in total.
To choose the sample, some aspects were taken into consideration:
Academic Level of students: Students of the fourth and fifth years of the
English Language Studies with a Second Foreign Language (French) at
Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas since they are the ones
taking or who took the courses on History and Literature of the English
Speaking Countries.
Academic and scientific degree of professors: these professionals hold
scientific degrees of Bachelor, Master of Science (MSc) and Doctorate (PhD)
and academic degrees of assistant professor, associate professor or full
professor and some of them are pursuing their MSc or PhD studies.
28
Literature of the English Speaking Countries or other subjects whose
contents are closely related with these two.
Willingness: All the students and professors surveyed were willing to
cooperate.
The main objectives of the research as well as the impact were explained to the
participants. The research work had all the support and collaboration from the
department authorities and staff in providing all the necessary information in respect
to the topic.
2.3 Research methods used and results
As mentioned before and stated in the introduction of this paper, in this research
some methods were applied to collect the data, such as theoretical methods
(historical and logical, induction and deduction), empirical methods (analysis of
documents, surveys) and statistical and mathematical methods (the percentage and
frequency analysis). As it was mainly a qualitative research, for the results analysis,
the method of content analysis was used accompanied with the interpretation of the
data and verbalizations of the participants supporting the results. Hence, in this
section, a descriptive analysis is carried out for each of the empirical methods.
2.3.1 Analysis of documents
Five documents were analyzed during the research process: Curriculum ‘‘D’’,
History of the English Speaking Countries Syllabi (Great Britain I and United States
II), Literature of the English Speaking Countries Syllabi (Great Britain I and United
States II) and the Computer Strategy of the course English Language Studies with
a Second Foreign Language (French).
The Curriculum “D” was analyzed in order to know the main objectives of the
academic course English Language Studies with a Second Foreign
Language (French), alumni profile, importance of the English Language
29
discipline and the subjects of History and Literature of the English Speaking
Countries.
History of the English Speaking Countries Syllabi (Great Britain I and United
States II) and Literature of the English Speaking Countries Syllabi (Great
Britain I and United States II) were analyzed to identify the general objectives,
assessment criteria, contents and system of skills to develop in the learners.
The Computer Strategy of the degree course of English Language Studies
with a Second Foreign Language (French) was analyzed to determine the
level of computer literacy which the students of 4th and 5th years must master.
Results of the analysis of Curriculum “D”
The Curriculum was the latest modification until the moment of this research2, and
includes 11 disciplines, from which two are considered to be basic: English
Language and French. The main aspects analyzed here were the general objectives
for the intended academic course, exercise of the profession, fields and areas of
action. According to Curriculum “D” bachelors of the English Language with a
Second Foreign Language (French) should be able:
To get acquainted with the international phenomenon and realities of
Anglophone world as well as of the second foreign language, and apply them
in the studies, taking into account, Cuban revolution´ s principles, reality and
point of view.
To apply the universal principles of translation and interpretation during their
professional performances. The translation and interpretation from the two
foreign language to the mother tongue Spanish and vice versa.
To work as translators and/or interpreters in a concrete historical situation.
To contribute to the communication between Spanish speakers and non-
Spanish speakers acting as mediators, as means of linguistic and
interlinguistic communication and as means of knowledge diffusion and
cultural development through the use of the three languages, English (as first
foreign language), French (as second language) and Spanish (the mother
tongue).
2 In the course 2018-2019 a new curriculum was implemented Curriculum “E” but the most important aspects of these courses remained unchanged.
30
To teach English efficiently in order to contribute to the cultural development
of a foreign language in our society.
Finally, the curriculum states that their professional performance will be mainly in
areas of tourism, international events and foreign affairs, etc.
Results of the analysis of the syllabi of History and Literature of the English Speaking
Countries I and II
According to the Curriculum D, this discipline has a multidisciplinary nature with the
aim of covering, in a general and panoramic way, the fundamental characteristics
of the country under study considering its geographical, economic, historical,
literary, political, social and cultural features. History and Literature of the English
Speaking Countries I and II are subjects helping graduates of the English Language
Studies with a Second Foreign Language (French) to play an outstanding role as
mediators between people in the communication process, since these subjects can
be used to develop their language skills and as an advantage to transcend the
intercultural barriers. This discipline requires abundant audio-visual support
including political, physical and economic maps, slides and videos, historical films,
tapes, tables and diagrams, among others. It also considers the use of novels and
illustrative stories of the contents of the subject.
The methodology for the delivery of the discipline and the forms of evaluation vary
according to the linguistic and communicative competence of the students, the
specific objectives of each level, the bibliographical availability and others.
Likewise, the discipline is based on the practical activity of the students through the
realization of research works linked to specific topics in which they are supposed to
deepen the content exposed with the support of ICTs and the appropriate use of the
corresponding language skills.
Both History and Literature of the English Speaking Countries I (Great Britain) are
currently studied within the 4th year of the academic course, in its second semester.
History I is delivered in 48 hours and Literature I in 64 hours. As for the form of
assessment in History I there is the suggested final portfolio, which is periodically
checked. Literature I uses a mid-term exam and a final paper or academic essays.
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In the case of the History and Literature of the English Speaking Countries II (The
United States of America), these are studied in the first semester of the 5th year of
the academic course. The course of History II has 48 hours and that of Literature II
has 64 hours. As to the assessment system, both have two mid-term exams and a
final paper or academic essay upon assigned readings.
History of the English Speaking Countries
The course on History of the English Speaking Countries has been designed to
provide a historical, social and cultural characterization of these nations. It consists
of two parts, History I (of Great Britain) and II (of United States), which allow
students: to acquire fundamental knowledge of the life in these countries throughout
different stages of their history; to learn about the cultural and social basis of their
development and about the legacy of these two in their idiosyncrasy. The countries
that are dealt with allow students not only to get familiar with the origins of the
English speaking countries ‘culture but also with its development in countries heirs
to English settlement that have also enriched the cultural overview of the English
speaking world.
This course is aimed at developing a set of skills subsumed under the previously
mentioned objectives. As an illustration, some of them are provided below:
To know the geographical location of the English speaking countries and
regions, as well as the geographical, economic, political, social and cultural
features of those nations that are more relevant to the Cuban reality.
To analyze the cultural legacy of the different ethnic groups of the English
speaking countries.
To explain the history of these countries and to find its nexus with the
characteristics of their present.
To find the similarities and differences among the different English speaking
countries regarding the culture, history, economy and politics.
To know the most important issues of the English speaking world and analyze
them considering the precepts of the dialectic materialism.
To identify the intercultural differences between the culture of the English
speaking countries´ culture and Cuba in order to perform better in the
professional career.
Literature of the English Speaking Countries
This discipline focuses on the knowledge of the major genres of the Anglophone
literary production and on the most significant peculiarities of these genres through
the works and authors of the two countries that are selected. It also includes the
study of the literary development of these countries, the knowledge of the spiritual
life of these nations through the analysis of their respective literary manifestations.
The importance of this discipline lies on the fact that it can bring students closer
to the traditions, art and socio-cultural life of the peoples studied. Furthermore, it
allows a development of literary appreciation and the abilities of analysis and critical
assessment of students on a more solid basis. Moreover, the subject is addressed
to contribute to the enrichment of the student´s sensitivity and creativity as well as
to their cultural, linguistic and aesthetic competence.
This course also includes a set of specific objectives as it follows:
• To analyze and assess the scientific and objective approach of the world based on
the Marxist-Leninist philosophy through the study of the literary expressions of the
target countries, in order to raise the student´s political-ideological, cultural and
aesthetic formation.
• To perform a serious literary analysis that contributes to the development of logical
thinking, critical reasoning.
• To recognize the characteristics of literary language in different genres and literary
trends.
• To value and criticize literary works considering the socio-historical context in
which they originate and the message of the author.
• To educate the student´s aesthetic taste by appreciating the genres, authors and
the most significant literary works of literature in the English speaking peoples
studied.
• To continue to develop the students´ linguistic skills on the basis of academic
language in the debates and essays that are assigned.
Concerning the bibliography suggested for these courses, each subject has its
basic textbooks: History I, British History by Harold Schultz; Literature I, English
Literature: An Anthology by M. E. Rodríguez; History II, Historia de los Pueblos de
Habla Inglesa II (Estados Unidos de América: Historia y Actualidad) by Paul Boyer,
et al; and Literature II, An Anthology of Famous American Stories by Burrell and
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Cerf. However, none of this is enough to meet the curricular goals for each subject,
because most of those textbooks are not available any longer, some are out of date
and even obsolete, and in general, fail to motivate 21st century learners. For that
reason, the Local Network of the Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas
allocates folders where teachers develop, keep and make available all the
necessary information and resources to study them all.
Overall, the analysis of these documents allowed identifying the priorities and
peculiarities of the intended subjects as well as their input to complete the
professional training of the learners.
Results of the analysis of the Computer Strategy
The overall aim of the strategy is to develop the students’ computer skills to prepare
a more competent professional who lives up to the standards of the demands of the
working world. According to this strategy, it is crucial to master skills concerning the
use of text processors, Microsoft Office, text tabs and email. It is also important to
elaborate and use databases and surf the web (Local Network or Internet) looking
for specific information. In addition, this document highlights the importance of using
professional software and tutorials related with the specialty as well as using
information from servers and Remote Databases in the students´ research
component of the curriculum.
Specifically, the students of the 4th and 5th years of the degree course (who are
the ones selected for the sample of this research) must use monolingual and
bilingual encyclopedias and dictionaries, search information through the Internet
and use programs either for automatized or computer assisted translation, all of
them in line with the subjects of Literature of the English Speaking Countries I and
II, Computer-Assisted Translation, Translation of Socio-Economic and Socio-
Political Texts and Bilateral Interpretation. The development skills related with the
two latter are critical for an outstanding performance in the State Exams.
In order to meet the objectives of this strategy the university offers various
resources at the disposal of students: computer laboratories, a Local Network,
wireless and cable connection. In the Local Network, there is site which has
available (organized by faculties, degree courses, years, semesters and subjects)
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different folders with the bibliography needed collected by the main professors. In
the case of the Faculty of Humanities, there is a computer laboratory for the English
Language with a Second Foreign Language (French), Journalism and Philology
courses equipped with several computers, though not all of them are fully
functioning and there are some tables at the disposal of those students who have
personal computers. Specifically, the degree course of English Language Studies
with a Second Foreign Language (French) has available two more laboratories:
CAELTIC and the French laboratory which are specialized, however, duly
programmed, they can be used to the benefit of other subjects.
All in all, having computer literacy, of ICTs in general, offers countless
opportunities to manage a wide scope of resources and information. The subjects
of History and Literature of the English Speaking Countries have most of the
bibliography in digital form which means using an interactive atlas as part of the
computer strategy developed in this university, can be of valuable help to increase
the level of availability, organization and access to updated bibliography to improve
the teaching and learning process.
2.3.2 Survey to English language students
As previously described, the study involved twenty-four (24) students of 4th and 5th
years of the English Language Studies with Second Foreign Language (French) at
Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas. The survey was carried out in order
to explore the students´ views concerning the teaching and learning process of
History and Literature of the English Speaking Countries and their knowledge of and
opinion and recommendations regarding the use of an interactive atlas to enhance
the quality of such content courses.
The questionnaire given to the students (Appendix II), consisted of five (5)
questions of various formats but all aimed at facilitating the answering and data
analysis process and at getting honest opinions and suggestions. Therefore, the
types of questions chosen by the author were dichotomous scale questions (Yes-
No or Sufficient and Insufficient responses), multiple choice questions with delimited
answers decided in advance and open-ended questions.
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Once the data collection process finished, the next step was the analysis of that
data. Percentage as a relative frequency calculation