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The Art of Walking with the Animate Earth: A Heuristic Inquiry
No full text2024This thesis is a qualitative, phenomenological, arts and nature-based study of living as an artist amid a social and ecological emergency. By taking up a method of heuristic inquiry, which utilizes personal knowledge and experience as a foundation for exploring phenomena, this research was organized as a journey around the lunar and seasonal cycles of one year. My research focused on the cultivation of ecological perception and questions of how my art practice might become more ecological and, in turn, contribute to the transformation necessary to address the social and ecological crisis. Data was gathered from reflective writing and art-making and analyzed according to the five criteria for Creative Analytical Practice (CAP). While definitive answers were not the objective of the study, the research revealed creativity and imagination as inherent qualities of life and art-making as an act of cultural reflection and a means to remain connected and responsive to the complex, living web of life, death, and human/nature entanglement
Environmental education at Kwantlen Polytechnic University: Hidden curriculum, informal learning of Pro-environmental Values
Get PDF2024The purpose of this study was to identify if and how the hidden curriculum (informal teaching and learning) on Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) campuses influences students’ pro-environmental behaviour and ideas. The study aims to make the invisible visible. A phenomenographic approach involved interviewing 14 KPU students, individually, to collect their perceptions of pro-environmental examples on campus, and potential improvements. I grouped data from interviews into themes and also incorporated the lens of environmental worldviews into my analysis of the results. Consequent recommendations to KPU and post-secondary counterparts include environmental communications incorporating understanding of different worldviews, efforts to move towards zero-waste (making green behaviour convenient) as well as fostering stronger community and student sense of belonging. It is hoped the KPU community, as well as other post-secondary institutions, can better model environmentally responsible practices on all campuses to positively influence environmental literacy and pro-environmental values of students
Trail use in the Cowichan Valley: Social & economic impacts
No full textThe Cowichan Trail Stewardship Society (CTSS) is a dedicated group of volunteers focused on building, maintaining, and expanding trail systems in the Cowichan Valley. The CTSS approached the World Leisure Centre of Excellence at Vancouver Island University to research trails in the Cowichan Valley. The initial aim of this research was to understand better the users of trails on several mountain networks in the Cowichan Region and the economic and social benefits accrued from the trail systems. This evolved into a more extensive study that looked beyond the impact of mountain biking and included trails throughout the Cowichan Tourism Region.The Cowichan Trails Stewardship Society funded this research with support from Tourism Cowichan
DocuStory & Impact Campaigns: Examining the Dynamics of Cocreating Change through Digital Storytelling
Get PDF2024Digital Storytelling is a prominent element of modern-day culture that affects daily life and has the power to create impact on individuals, communities, and societies. Media practitioners and scholars are beginning to develop and evaluate strategic impact campaigns for documentaries with social calls to action, a process sometimes referred to as “impact producing.” This transdisciplinary participatory action research aimed to cocreate a strategic campaign for a DocuStory on liver wellness designed to spread awareness about hepatitis C, a blood-borne virus that disproportionately affects Indigenous communities. Using a media practitioner impact model, in collaboration with an Indigenous community & health leadership, iterative cycles of planning, action, and reflection in a conversational and accessible way, acted as a social intervention to explore how to cocreate impact. Through participatory action research, pragmatic inquiry was used to generate context-specific knowledge using a holistic and relational approach allowing for primary, secondary, and tertiary impacts to develop. Key learnings emerged in regard to enhanced understanding of cultural collaboration, respectful cocreation approaches, the importance of formal and informal relationship engagement practices, leadership within the impact campaign, and how collaborative storytelling for the purpose of generating impact can affect change. Keywords: impact campaign, participatory action research, documentary, cocreation, Indigenous/non-Indigenous collaboration, leadershi
Roots and Routes: Exploring Environmental Identity Among Chinese Immigrants in the Capital Regional District
Get PDF2024This study investigates the environmental identity of first-generation Chinese immigrants in the Capital Region (CRD), focusing on how age at immigration, years of residence, and interaction with the natural environment affect their environmental identity. Findings indicate that these immigrants perceive environmental awareness to be significantly higher in Canada than in China, and that their environmental awareness and behaviors have increased since moving to Canada. Quantitative assessments using the Environmental Identity Scale (EID) showed high scores, especially among older adults, suggesting that environmental identity is shaped by their experiences and adaptation to Canadian environmental practices and values. This study highlights the role of sociocultural factors in shaping environmental identity and emphasizes the need for culturally sensitive environmental policies that enhance the participation of diverse communities in environmental protection through targeted activities, tailored educational programs, multilingual resources, and intergenerational learning opportunities
We know very little about pollination in the Platanthera Rich (Orchidaceae: Orchidoideae)
No full textThis article was originally published as: Janes, J.K., van der Voort, G.E., & Huber, D.P.W. (2024). We know very little about pollination in the Platanthera Rich (Orchidaceae: Orchidoideae). Ecology and Evolution, 14(4). https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11223The Platanthera Rich. (Orchidoideae) comprise a speciose genus of orchids primarily in the northern hemisphere, with up to 200 known species worldwide. Individual species are known to self-pollinate, but many rely on insect pollinators with characteristics such as floral color, timing of floral odor emissions, nectar rewards, and spur length associated with particular pollination syndromes. As with many orchids, some orchid–pollinator associations are likely highly co-evolved, but we also know that some Platanthera spp. are the result of hybridization events, which implies a lack of pollinator fidelity in some cases. Some Platanthera spp. occur in large numbers which, coupled with the numerous Platanthera–pollinator systems, make them accessible as study species and useful for co-evolutionary studies. Due to the likely effects of climate change and ongoing development on Platanthera spp. habitats, these orchids and their associated pollinators should be a focus of conservation attention and management. However, while there is a fairly substantial literature coverage of Platanthera–pollinator occurrence and interactions, there are still wide gaps in our understanding of the species involved in these systems. In this systematic review, we outline what is current knowledge and provide guidance on further research that will increase our understanding of orchid–insect co-evolutionary relationships. Our review covers 157 orchid species and about 233 pollinator species interacting with 30 Platanthera spp. We provide analyses on aspects of these interactions such as flower morphology, known insect partners of Platanthera species, insect-Platanthera specificity, pollination visitor timing (diurnal vs. nocturnal), floral rewards, and insect behavior affecting pollination outcomes (e.g., pollinia placement). A substantial number of Platanthera spp. and at least a few of their known pollinators are of official (IUCN) conservation concern – and many of their pollinators remain unassessed or even currently unknown – which adds to the urgency of further research on these co-evolved relationships.The authors acknowledge funding support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Discovery Grant (RGPIN-2020-04475 to JKJ; RGPIN-2020-04891 to DPWH) and Canada Graduate Scholarship MSc (GEV)
Interpreter Agency Within the Economy of Language Services: Towards A New Paradigm for Community Interpreters
No full text2024This study investigates the evolving landscape of community interpreting services in Canada, in the context of increasing demand and expanding diversity of languages. Despite this growth, interpreters face stagnant or declining compensation, market awareness, and professional standards. Community interpreters endure precarious job security, inadequate remuneration, and lack of recognition. This paradoxical situation, where the demand for services rises while the profession remains undervalued, forms the basis of the research. The central question of this study seeks to identify factors contributing to the lack of professional autonomy and self-governance among interpreters, despite the industry's expansion. Utilizing Bourdieu’s theory of social practice, the research explores the interplay between individual actions (agency) and structured social contexts (fields), focusing on the dynamic interaction between a professional's habitus, field structure, and various forms of capital. Grounded in participatory action research (PAR), the study employed semi-structured interviews with 16 actively working interpreters from the Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley regions. The findings reveal an occupational field characterized by isolation and lack of coordination among interpreters, allowing other agents to manipulate the field. Despite efforts to influence language service agencies, interpreters face constraints imposed by existing field structures and a lack of standardization. The study concludes that community interpreters face both tangible and symbolic challenges. It emphasizes the need to reconsider organizing structures for community interpreting, rather than adapting community interpreting to fit existing frameworks. This study contributes to the field by exploring the foundational causes that maintain the status quo, advocating for transformative change rooted in realism
Let’s go to the park: Co-creating spaces to improve the suitability of playgrounds for children and caregivers
No full textThe purpose of this thesis is to examine ways to improve neighbourhood parks and playgrounds in Nanaimo, BC. The project uses two study areas in the Nanaimo area: Harewood Centennial Park and Beban Park. Caregivers over the age of 19 were engaged in the study through semi-structured interviews. The research explores the current issues that exist within parks, as well as strategies planners and caregivers can apply to make parks and outdoor spaces safe, equitable, and accessible for both children and caregivers. This thesis highlights the importance of engaging caregivers in planning processes to address the needs of both children and caregivers, contributing to the creation of inclusive, engaging, and well-designed outdoor spaces.Thesis/major project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Community Planning in the Department of Community Planning, Faculty of Social Sciences, Vancouver Island University
Positional accuracy of mobile phones under static and dynamic conditions
No full textIn this research, positional accuracy is examined using an Android Samsung S24 Ultra Phone. Four types of measurements were done in nine indoor and ten outdoor sites
The Beauty Of Bradner: Envisioning an Ideal Future to Inspire Environmental Stewardship
No full text2024Abbotsford’s rural agricultural Bradner – Mt. Lehman Neighbourhood (Bradner) sits on the precipice of transformation. Faced with pressures of increased industrialization, urbanization, climate change, and the gradual loss of small neighbourhood identity, some residents have expressed a desire to keep Bradner beautiful. But how can we conserve something like beauty when it is so subjective and difficult to describe? This phenomenological case study invited Bradner residents to examine the beauty of their neighbourhood using photovoice methodology and appreciative inquiry. Participants submitted photos and written description of how they found the neighbourhood beautiful. Then, in small focus group discussions, participants used photographs to investigate their perceptions of beauty in different areas and used this understanding to envision their ideal futures for the neighbourhood. My project revealed an inseparable link between the neighbourhood as a physical space, comprised of rural agricultural land with forests and streams, and the neighbourhood as a special place, held together by a strong sense of community. The land use practices and access to natural spaces go hand in hand with the experience of living in a connected, caring community. In the eyes of participants, keeping Bradner beautiful in the future meant protecting the community spirit alongside the land, which included indicators of healthy ecosystems such as mature trees, healthy streams, and vulnerable species. I suggest that inspiring environmental stewardship in the Bradner neighbourhood could start by bringing people together under the banner of appreciating the beauty of our connection to the land and our connection to each other. Keywords: Abbotsford BC, neighbourhood, agriculture, beauty, conservation, stewardship, environment, aesthetics, photovoice, appreciative inquir