Mexico’s rich cultural heritage can help Americans deal with a subject that most avoid: death. The “Day of the Dead Blog” is an incredible resource of photographs and blog entries that allow the user to develop a deeper understanding of this uniquely Mexican tradition. As explained on the site,
“In 1987, Mary J. Andrade began a research project in Janitzio Michoacan, about the celebration of Day of the Dead. Every year she covers a different state of Mexico to gather information and to photograph a tradition that originated during the pre-Hispanic era. She has interviewed historians, anthropologists and experts in how Day of the Dead is celebrated in their communities, a tradition that has evolved through the centuries and has become an important element of the Mexican spirit and culture.” The site has a beautifully written introduction and background information to this Mexican celebration, titled “Mexico Celebrates Life” in English and Spanish. Throughout the site there are very engaging blog entries, photographs, a photo gallery, and an archive of past entries. The user has the option to access past blog entries according to theme as well as date. There is also a very useful “Related Websites” page with links to other blogs and sites celebrating the Day of the Dead. Much of the blog is available in Spanish and English.
Type of Material:
Reference material
Recommended Uses:
This site could serve as a resource for background research or craft activities to teach students about the Day of the Dead. Students could look at the photos of the altars in the “Photo Gallery” section to get ideas before creating their own altars. Another resource in MERLOT, Barbara K. Nelson's "Ofrendas" would be a nice complement to this site in a unit on the Day of the dead.
Technical Requirements:
General computer knowledge and access to the WWW
Identify Major Learning Goals:
This blog was developed to inform educators, students, and the public of the Mexican cultural tradition so that they may develop a richer understanding of the celebration.
Target Student Population:
Spanish culture or language class; High School; College General Ed; College Lower Division; College Upper Division; Graduate School; Culture, anthropology, and language courses at the college and high school levels could all profit from this site.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
Some Spanish language background is desirable.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
• Mary J. Andrade celebrates the Mexican celebration of the Day of the Dead reminding the user that this is truly a celebration of life. The blog does an exemplary job of capturing the spirit of the Day of the Dead in the design, the photographs and the writing.
• The site has a complete demonstration of this cultural phenomenon with current and accurate information.
• Additionally, the site exposes the user to an adequate quantity of information without it being overwhelming.
• The page of “Related Websites” is yet another useful resource for the learner. The linked sites are all very interesting and creative websites that other experts and writers have created about the Day of the Dead.
Concerns:
Some of the advertising on the site may be a slight distraction.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
• Andrade’s introduction, “Mexico Celebrates Life” provides interesting and useful background information to the user unacquainted with the Day of the Dead. The thematic organization of the blog entries helps the user establish the relationships between the information provided and builds nicely on previous knowledge.
• This site would be very easy for an instructor to write assignments for. An instructor could easily use this site as a resource for background research or craft activities to teach students about the Day of the Dead. Students could look at the photos of the altars in the Photo Gallery section to get ideas before creating their own altars.
Concerns:
An enhancement to the blog would be interactive activities which are important for active learning.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
• The blog is very engaging and visually appealing with blog entries that include high quality writing and photographs.
• The thematic organization of blog entries facilitates usability. Within the “Photo Gallery” there is a top navigation map allowing the user the track their location within the site.
• Within the “Related Websites” section, Andrade provides an introduction to the pages that she links to, which gives the reader appropriate background before leaving the blog.
• The “Photo Gallery” includes beautiful photographs with descriptions written in Spanish about Day of the Dead altars, other Mexican festivals, and historical sites throughout Mexico.
Concerns:
• There is no interactive element of the blog, but it would be very easy for a teacher to use it to spark ideas for class activities and projects.
Creative Commons:
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