Cultivating Respect for Difference: Exploring the Enactment of Community at HOPE Garden in Parkdale, Toronto

The following MA thesis is based on research I conducted in the summer of 2010 at HOPE community garden, located in the gentrifying neighborhood of Parkdale, Toronto. Drawing on the literature on community gardens in North America, as well as anthropological theorizing on the subject of community, I explore how a sense of collective belonging is built around HOPE garden. Through an ethnographic study that focuses on the activities, interactions, and perceptions of gardeners, volunteers and coordinators involved with HOPE, this thesis shows how the differences and interpersonal conflicts that surface in the day to day working of the garden are embraced by those involved as an opportunity for strengthening community cohesion and feelings of belonging. Contrary to the popular and academic literature that tends to reproduce a romantic idea of a harmonious community when discussing group garden projects, the thesis reveals how conflicts and the negotiation of differences, as well as institutional practices premised on inclusion and anti-discrimination, play a significant role in the making of a successful, vibrant, and inclusive community project like HOPE

Implementing business continuity management – sharing good practice from an Irish context

ABSTRACT Never has the need for robust, resilient organizations been so evident as in recent times with more and more well-established, respected organizations becoming unstable or even perishing as a result of the global recession. Added to these challenging economic times we have the demands of managing increasingly complex organizations, which are often highly dependent on sophisticated Information Systems and technology. Perrow’s Normal Accident Theory (1994) points to the fact that “no matter how hard we try there will be serious accidents because of the interactive complexity”[1] of the organizations in which we work. The introduction of BS25999, the British Standard for business continuity management, draws on international good practice in this field and brings together a clear view of what should constitute effective business continuity management for organizations across all sectors. This has provided Business Continuity Managers with a benchmark against which this aspect of their organization can be measured. This paper provides an overview of the Business Continuity Management Lifecycle. It discusses the key steps which must be taken in order to establish a Business Continuity Management Programme. It then explores the various approaches and methods which may be employed to gain a greater understanding of the organization. The paper highlights how organizations need to determine the BCM strategy which should be implemented and how to plan for delivery of an effective response in the event of a disruption to normal business. This will involve giving appropriate consideration to key resources such as: People; Premises; Technology; Information; and Supplies. The paper includes a discussion on ensuring all arrangements are fit for purpose, and outlines the importance of high quality exercising and training initiatives. Finally the paper determines how Business Continuity Management can be embedded into the culture of organizations so that they continue to grow in terms of resilience and maintain key functions and outputs in times of crisis. The research for this paper involved the completion of a number of case studies which investigated how BCM is implemented in a range of organizations. As each phase of the BCM Lifecycle is discussed an example of good practice, drawn from these cases, will be outlined in order to illustrate how the various elements of the BCM lifecycle may be implemented within organizations across the public, private and voluntary sectors

Pregnancy-related school dropout and prior school performance in South Africa

Using data collected in 2001 in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, this working paper examines the factors associated with schoolgirl pregnancy, as well as the likelihood of school dropout and subsequent re-enrollment among pregnant schoolgirls. This analysis triangulates data collected from birth histories, education histories, and data concerning pregnancy to strengthen the identification of young women who became pregnant while enrolled in school and to define discrete periods of school interruption prior to first pregnancy. Given the increasing levels of female school participation in sub-Saharan Africa, our findings suggest that future studies will benefit from exploring the causal relationships between prior school experiences, adolescent reproductive behavior, and subsequent school attendance

Examining the Factors of a Technology Professional Development Intervention

This article discusses technology integration literature used to guide the design and implementation of a technology professional development intervention (TPDI) for secondary education teachers. Qualitative multiple-case research methods were used to examine teachers’ perceptions of the TPDI factors to provide a deeper understanding of which factors teachers’ perceived to be beneficial to the quality of the TPDI. A content analysis methodology was used to compare teachers’ perceptions at two different phases throughout the study: • Phase 1: while participating in the TPDI and, • Phase 2: after transferring the knowledge and skills taught in the TPDI to teaching practice. The results demonstrated seven beneficial factors to include when designing technology curriculum for adult learners: relevant, learning, access, reactions, interactions, clear and easy, and instructor. While this study examined a specific TPDI, the instructional design incorporated factors rooted in constructivist design principles, making the implications of the findings relevant to the instructional design of technology learning environments for higher education and business environments

A Design-Based Research Case Study Documenting a Constructivist ID Process and Instructional Solution for a Cross-Cultural Workforce

As the need for instructing a globalized workforce increases, instructional designers must embrace the constraints and the opportunities these projects provide in order to move the field of cross-cultural instructional design (ID) forward. Cross-cultural projects offer multiple avenues for growth in ID practice, overcoming cultural barriers, and a venue to apply and test contemporary models, methodologies, and theories in ID. This design-based research case study employed a rapid prototyping methodology and the constructivist ID model, Layers of Negotiation, to collect critical cultural information for the design of this cross-cultural instruction. Instructional strategies deemed effective for instructing an unskilled workforce in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, included job aids, situated learning and apprenticeship principles consisting of modeling, coaching and scaffolding. Use of the constructivist ID model and instructional solution for a cross-cultural workforce for The Dubai Mall are presented. Evaluation results indicate the success of the instructional strategies varied dependent upon worker culture, and the sequential nature of the instructional strategies

Evaluation of a Trustees Leadership Academy at the Medical University of South Carolina

Developing leaders in academic medicine has become a priority for many academic health science centers. The increased need for these leaders as well as the desire of individuals on such campuses to enhance their skills in teaching, research and leadership is driving the increase in faculty development programs

Evidence-Based Reading Instruction for Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Legislation mandates that all children, including children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), be taught to read in ways that are consistent with reading research and target the five components of evidence-based reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension strategies. This review synthesized the literature on reading instruction for children with ASD that encompassed one or more of the five components of reading. The review included 11 studies with 61 participants ages 4 to 17 years. Results indicated that children with ASD can benefit from reading instruction consistent with reading research. Research in this area is still preliminary, and more research is needed to guide practice. Possible directions for future research are provided