Here at Royal Roads, especially in the Science program, team work is stressed every single day. In fact team work is so prevalent that I don't know when I last had an assignment that I did by myself. This situation can be good and bad.
Good:
- Each person has a different background asnd is able to help someone out
- when someone is having problems in any aspect of their life the team can help them out with the expectation that the help will be returned
- Employers really love to see team work in your abilities
Bad:
- The lazy people ride on the coat tails of the rest of their group and don't get penalized for their actions
- After 8 months half the class doesn't get along anymore
- People do not contribute and add to the stress of the rest of their group.
Our classroom is a close community and if we don't support eachother equally we are going to lose the shared meaning of what a community actually is. To get around the busy schedules and schedule conflicts of each group the Moodle site was put into operation. I personally believe taht it is another added stress. On top of all the homework we have we are supposed to check work discussion groups and participate in these forums. Although in some communitys e-dialogues may work, in this type of setting it seems to fail.
Monday, June 2, 2008
University and Spiral Dynamics
After being in the so called "Real World" and then taking a step back to go back to school I have realized that the spiral dynamics model could work backwards in application to lives of adults that return to school.
Whil eworking I found I was in the "Acheivist /Scientific" or orange column in terms of Characteristics, decision making, education and life space. In the work place there was always the competition to be notice and excel abd upper management was used in consultation to advance. Now that I'm back in school I've noticed a shift towards the "Purposeful/Authoritarian" or blue column. This shows that in terms of characteristics my competition for success has now fallen back to the "one right way" to do things. Everyone is now just trying to make it to the finish line and not clobber eachother on the way there. In terms of decision making our ruling authority, the teacher, dictates our lives instead of the consultation seen while working. On the same level, in terms of education, the teachers word is be all end all of knowledge where as in the work place experiments for advancement was the catch phrase.
So why is it that school, which is supposed to advance and enrich your life, makes you fall backwards in terms of the spiral dynamics model? Is it because your way of personal thinking is taken away? Who knows. I am relaly looking forward to moving back of the spiral dynamics ladder towards a "Holistic/Collective Indiveidualism"life though.
http://www.spiraldynamics.org/
Whil eworking I found I was in the "Acheivist /Scientific" or orange column in terms of Characteristics, decision making, education and life space. In the work place there was always the competition to be notice and excel abd upper management was used in consultation to advance. Now that I'm back in school I've noticed a shift towards the "Purposeful/Authoritarian" or blue column. This shows that in terms of characteristics my competition for success has now fallen back to the "one right way" to do things. Everyone is now just trying to make it to the finish line and not clobber eachother on the way there. In terms of decision making our ruling authority, the teacher, dictates our lives instead of the consultation seen while working. On the same level, in terms of education, the teachers word is be all end all of knowledge where as in the work place experiments for advancement was the catch phrase.
So why is it that school, which is supposed to advance and enrich your life, makes you fall backwards in terms of the spiral dynamics model? Is it because your way of personal thinking is taken away? Who knows. I am relaly looking forward to moving back of the spiral dynamics ladder towards a "Holistic/Collective Indiveidualism"life though.
http://www.spiraldynamics.org/
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Green Mapping Music
So this past semester we have been learning all about community engagement and one thing that came up in class that is thought to promote community engagement is the green map. http://www.greenmap.org/ Expanding from my last blog, I propose creating a green map for all areas in which music exists. The map would include venues, types of music played at these venues, organizations and their headoffices in the area. This map would be a way for people who love music to get involved.
Since moving to Victoria I have had no musical exposure other than the singing group at Royal Roads Unviersity. This is unfortunate since my life used to always have something musical or artistic involved in it. If a musical green map existed I believe taht the arts would prosper in every area of the world.
Below are the links to some existing drum corps:
www.allegianceelite.org
www.regiment.org
www.yamatodrumcorps.org
These are just some examples of drumcorps that exist through out the worl that have made an impact on the life of someone who was a member or saw a show. If a musical green map existed, not only would music membership prosper, which, in terms of the Allegiance Elite drum and bugle corps, may help the corps keep their head above water with enough members, but peoples lives ina musical/fine arts area would be enriched.
Since moving to Victoria I have had no musical exposure other than the singing group at Royal Roads Unviersity. This is unfortunate since my life used to always have something musical or artistic involved in it. If a musical green map existed I believe taht the arts would prosper in every area of the world.
Below are the links to some existing drum corps:
www.allegianceelite.org
www.regiment.org
www.yamatodrumcorps.org
These are just some examples of drumcorps that exist through out the worl that have made an impact on the life of someone who was a member or saw a show. If a musical green map existed, not only would music membership prosper, which, in terms of the Allegiance Elite drum and bugle corps, may help the corps keep their head above water with enough members, but peoples lives ina musical/fine arts area would be enriched.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
International Perspectives
Music, like the United Nations Agenda 21, is a type of plan that occurs on a national scale where each member impacts the environment in which it exists. Take Drum and Bugle Corps as an example. This is a world wide music scene that personifies the word "community". Music is the same in every language, the notes don't change between country, race or religion. No matter what language you speak or god you believe in music is the same language to every person that listens to it.
Drum and Bugle corps (http://www.dci.org/) brings together every summer, people from all over the world to unite in one loud passionate display of community engagement. The corps jacket one wears is like the flag of their country. The gathering of anaudience to listen to parking lot warmups before the big show is like many communities joining together to give thanks to this one all powerful group that communicated to them in a certain passionate fashion.
Drum corps encourages it's community to "leave it all on the field". Every community should act this way, to have so much dedication that you show up to a community meeting fo sorts with one sole purpose. Everyone at that meeting has the same purpose and when all is said an done that purpose has been communicated in such a way that everyone who has been around to witness feel senspired to spread the word and carry on that passion.
If every community could be like drum corps I believe that each single community and nation could function as an integrated whole in which every member reaped the benefits it had to offer.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Vague Goals Give Poor Results
In a recent lecture by Judy Brownoff, a council member for the community of Saanich, it was stated that clear objectives were given to create a sustainable community plan. After a review of these objectives it was concluded that the clarity that they were supposed to provide was some what muddled. How do city and community councillors believe that they can achieve community engagement and sustainability if they do not lay out clear guidelines as to how they will achieve those objectives?
Yes we all strive towards a more vibrant and healthy community and that sounds really great, but how are we going to get that vibrant healthy community? What are the council people doing to initiate that change? This is seen in so many different forums around the world, not just on a community level.
The government wants us to cut back our green house gas emissions by 2010 or 2020 yet they do not set out guidlines as to how. There is no education program put in place as to why we are doing that or how we should go about doing that. Citizens are expected to educate themselves and make changes themselves without government prompting. The unfortunate fact of the matter is that if people do not care about what is going on or don't understand why they should be doing something, they will not educate themselves or take the necessary steps toward change.
If the governmnet does not enforce these grandiose plans that they have put in place to become a healthier community then is anything really going to get done? New leadership could put these current plans on a back burner. So how do we deal with that if it is so important? People need to stop thinking only about the here and now and start thinking about how that is going to affect the future and what needs to be done to make it better in 20 years.
Yes we all strive towards a more vibrant and healthy community and that sounds really great, but how are we going to get that vibrant healthy community? What are the council people doing to initiate that change? This is seen in so many different forums around the world, not just on a community level.
The government wants us to cut back our green house gas emissions by 2010 or 2020 yet they do not set out guidlines as to how. There is no education program put in place as to why we are doing that or how we should go about doing that. Citizens are expected to educate themselves and make changes themselves without government prompting. The unfortunate fact of the matter is that if people do not care about what is going on or don't understand why they should be doing something, they will not educate themselves or take the necessary steps toward change.
If the governmnet does not enforce these grandiose plans that they have put in place to become a healthier community then is anything really going to get done? New leadership could put these current plans on a back burner. So how do we deal with that if it is so important? People need to stop thinking only about the here and now and start thinking about how that is going to affect the future and what needs to be done to make it better in 20 years.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Community Engagement
Community engagement is such a huge deal to make a community function sustainably and successfully. The problem is that very limited people actually know how to become engaged. In the community I lived in in Calgary I never once was aware of a community engagement initiative. Right before I moved we finally got a community news letter in the mail. In the back in tiny print showed the results of an apparent community election for a community council. I had been living in that community for 4 years and not once was I made aware of the existence of a community council.
Although the newsletter is a good step in the direction of beginning community engagement I don’t think much effort was ever put forth to kick start I large community gathering or response initiative. The only way anyone would have heard about this community council if they shopped at one grocery store in the area and read the bulletin board. If the community could create a website and make it well known to everyone residing in that community that it existed and what it was for community engagement would probably sky rocket.
Although the newsletter is a good step in the direction of beginning community engagement I don’t think much effort was ever put forth to kick start I large community gathering or response initiative. The only way anyone would have heard about this community council if they shopped at one grocery store in the area and read the bulletin board. If the community could create a website and make it well known to everyone residing in that community that it existed and what it was for community engagement would probably sky rocket.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
The Unsustainable Nature of Hospitals
A graduation requirement for school is to participate in a major project created by a local business. I have had the gruesome job of doing a waste audit on a hospital out here. Our first waste audit was a couple weeks ago and I was absolutely appaled by things that we found in the garbage.
Bags upon bags of paper towel which were only used for washing hands. Thos don't need to go to the land fill they are compostable. Other compostables included all the food created by the kitchen.
On top of everything that was compostable were bags of recyclable plastics and paper. If those little things got changed it would make such a huge difference. The recycling measures are in place in the hospital but people just seem to be to FREAKIN' lazy to do anything about it. Then they give you this whole shpiel about how "One person doing on ething is like a ripple in the ocean, it doesn't make a difference." WHAT THE HECK!!! If a million people tdo a million small things it's like a freakin TSUNAMI so get off your but, take two extra seconds and separate your waste. You'll feel better when your kids aren't cursing you for screwing up a world that they are left to fix. IT'S COMPLETELY SELFISH!!!
Bags upon bags of paper towel which were only used for washing hands. Thos don't need to go to the land fill they are compostable. Other compostables included all the food created by the kitchen.
On top of everything that was compostable were bags of recyclable plastics and paper. If those little things got changed it would make such a huge difference. The recycling measures are in place in the hospital but people just seem to be to FREAKIN' lazy to do anything about it. Then they give you this whole shpiel about how "One person doing on ething is like a ripple in the ocean, it doesn't make a difference." WHAT THE HECK!!! If a million people tdo a million small things it's like a freakin TSUNAMI so get off your but, take two extra seconds and separate your waste. You'll feel better when your kids aren't cursing you for screwing up a world that they are left to fix. IT'S COMPLETELY SELFISH!!!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Community... what's that?
So I figured since this is for a course entitled "Sustainable and Community Relations" I would comment on the community that exists... or lack there of... at Royal Roads Unviersity.
There is a very small population of learners here that ACTUALLY attend classes on campus. This should make for a very tight knit community as there are so few people to mingle with right? WRONG!
It seems like each faculty member has more negative than positive things to say about opposing faculties which does not actually promote intermingling and community. On top of that we do not have any possibilities of getting to know these faculties as we are segregated into different buildings and have different classes.
If this University actually wanted to promote community... why not make all cohorts and faculties take a class like this TOGETHER and encourage us to work with each other instead of playing my boat is better than your boat in terms of program relevance.
There is a very small population of learners here that ACTUALLY attend classes on campus. This should make for a very tight knit community as there are so few people to mingle with right? WRONG!
It seems like each faculty member has more negative than positive things to say about opposing faculties which does not actually promote intermingling and community. On top of that we do not have any possibilities of getting to know these faculties as we are segregated into different buildings and have different classes.
If this University actually wanted to promote community... why not make all cohorts and faculties take a class like this TOGETHER and encourage us to work with each other instead of playing my boat is better than your boat in terms of program relevance.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
The Sheer Unsustainable Nature of Hotels
My Dad and Step Mom were in town this weekend and I stayed with them at their hotel. Beautiful hotel right on the water, what's not to love. First thing I see when we check in, a piece of paper on the front desk informing guests of the weather and other such things. I want to know the weather for the day just as much as the next person but do you HAVE to print it off every day?
So then we go to our room and like every hotel they have their little bars of soap and the little shampoos. Do those all go to the land fill even if they are used a little? How many rooms does a hotel have? How many little bars of soap and shampoos do they throw out a day? They even had a sign in the basket with the face cloth and disposable toiletries saying "we are trying to be sustainable, please place towels in tub to be refreshed.".... It's a start I guess...
So If you get anything from this. Observe earth day April 22nd and think of your actions in ways of disposal and recycling and how it will impact your community, whatever the community may be. And if you are in Victoria, Come down to Royal Roads University April 21 - 23 and engage in some earth day activities.
So then we go to our room and like every hotel they have their little bars of soap and the little shampoos. Do those all go to the land fill even if they are used a little? How many rooms does a hotel have? How many little bars of soap and shampoos do they throw out a day? They even had a sign in the basket with the face cloth and disposable toiletries saying "we are trying to be sustainable, please place towels in tub to be refreshed.".... It's a start I guess...
So If you get anything from this. Observe earth day April 22nd and think of your actions in ways of disposal and recycling and how it will impact your community, whatever the community may be. And if you are in Victoria, Come down to Royal Roads University April 21 - 23 and engage in some earth day activities.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Welcome!!!
To all you viewing this page, WELCOME!!!
This Blog has been started as an assignment for a class I am taking. I hope it sparks some hope in you and maybe some interesting debates.
After joining a group on facebook about community and filling out a survey on my community, I have come to realize that communities, at least the one that I reside in, are not very open. It asked questions that, to me, sounded like a referral to the compassion of the community. On this front I don't think anyone is really all that compassionate. Sure we smile and say hi as we pass on the streets but that is about it. People seem to exist for themselves and that is about it these days. So many opinions float around and no action.
On the front of sustainability one of the main things involved in sustainability is the Environment. As I walked home from the grocery store yesterday I say the streets littered with Tim Hortons cup. That's right it's roll up the rim to win and as everyone rushes to win that car they destroy the visual aspects of our community. IS IT SO HARD TO THROW YOUR CUP IN THE GARBAGE OR RECYCLE IT? Sure you didn't win anything but don't throw it on th ground. It's disgusting. When I went for my coffee at Tim Hortons with my togo mug.... They gave me a cup so I could roll the rim. If I wanted a cup I wouldn't bring my own. Of course I want to win to but couldn't you come up with a better strategy than giving those who are trying to consume less a cup. Can't they have a scratch card? Sure it's not that catchy "Scratch the card to win" but it's not quite as wasteful.
This Blog has been started as an assignment for a class I am taking. I hope it sparks some hope in you and maybe some interesting debates.
After joining a group on facebook about community and filling out a survey on my community, I have come to realize that communities, at least the one that I reside in, are not very open. It asked questions that, to me, sounded like a referral to the compassion of the community. On this front I don't think anyone is really all that compassionate. Sure we smile and say hi as we pass on the streets but that is about it. People seem to exist for themselves and that is about it these days. So many opinions float around and no action.
On the front of sustainability one of the main things involved in sustainability is the Environment. As I walked home from the grocery store yesterday I say the streets littered with Tim Hortons cup. That's right it's roll up the rim to win and as everyone rushes to win that car they destroy the visual aspects of our community. IS IT SO HARD TO THROW YOUR CUP IN THE GARBAGE OR RECYCLE IT? Sure you didn't win anything but don't throw it on th ground. It's disgusting. When I went for my coffee at Tim Hortons with my togo mug.... They gave me a cup so I could roll the rim. If I wanted a cup I wouldn't bring my own. Of course I want to win to but couldn't you come up with a better strategy than giving those who are trying to consume less a cup. Can't they have a scratch card? Sure it's not that catchy "Scratch the card to win" but it's not quite as wasteful.
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