VIURRSpace (Royal Roads University and Vancouver Island University)
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The Bridges and Barriers to Outdoor Place-Based Learning within Secondary Schools in Alberta
No full text2023My research focused on investigating what grade 7-12 teachers in Alberta believe outdoor place-based learning (PBL) to be and what they feel the bridges and barriers are to incorporating outdoor PBL into regular pedagogical practice. I found participants using the snowball sampling method after initially asking teachers and curriculum consultants I know and carried out individual semi-structured interviews with seven teachers, only five of which, due to scheduling difficulties, also took part in a focus group. I then used grounded theory to analyse my data as I collected it and developed a theory from the data gathered through thematic coding. My main finding was that my informants demonstrated a lack of understanding about what place-based learning is. Even with this lack of understanding, I was able to use my data to analyse the bridges and barriers to outdoor PBL. The topics I discerned fell into three broad categories: what a teacher can control, what a teacher can influence, and what a teacher cannot control, all regarding taking classes outside for PBL. Interestingly, the topics that fell under what teachers cannot control was the smallest category, indicating the majority of topics discussed either can be controlled or influenced positively by the teacher
A passive membrane system for on-line mass spectrometry reagent addition
No full textThis article was originally published as: Zarkovic, T.M., Borden, S.A., Krogh, E.T., & Gill, C.G. (2023). A passive membrane system for on-line mass spectrometry reagent addition. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 37(8), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1002/rcm.9487Rationale:
Post-separation addition of chemical modifiers in liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry is widely used for improving ionization sensitivity and selectivity. This is typically accomplished using a post-column T-junction, which can result in sample dilution and imperfect mixing. We present a passive semi-permeable hollow fiber membrane approach for the addition of chemical modifiers that avoids these issues.
Methods:
Model compounds were directly infused by flow injection to an electrospray ionization triple quadrupole mass spectrometer after passing through a polydimethylsiloxane hollow fiber membrane. Ionization enhancement reagents were introduced into the flowing stream by membrane permeation from aqueous solutions. Ionization enhancement from volatile acids and bases in positive and negative electrospray ionization was evaluated to assess the feasibility of this approach.
Results:
The membrane-based apparatus resulted in relative ionization enhancement factors of up to 14×, depending upon the analyte, reagent, and ionization mode used. Ionization enhancement signal stability is reasonable (relative standard deviation of 5–7%) for extended periods from the same reagent solution, and minimal analyte dilution is observed. A proof-of-concept demonstration of the chromatographic “trifluoroacetic acid fix” strategy is presented.
Conclusions:
An on-line mass spectrometry ionization reagent addition method with potential post-chromatography reagent addition applications was developed using a hollow fiber polydimethylsiloxane membrane. This approach offers a promising alternative to traditional methods requiring additional hardware such as pumps and T-junctions that can result in sample dilution and imperfect reagent mixing.https://viurrspace.ca/bitstream/handle/10613/26918/GillKroghRCMS2023.pdf?sequence=3This work was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Discovery Grant Program funding (RGPIN-2021-02981 and RGPIN-2022-05349)
Evergreen huckleberry
No full textPressed specimen of Vaccinium ovatumhttps://viurrspace.ca/bitstream/handle/10613/27234/Alsop.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=
A Pan-Canadian study of Montessori middle schools
No full textThis complex exploratory mixed methods study looked to determine the key elements of Montessori middle school programming and how these key elements were being implemented in Canadian Montessori schools. As a multi-phased study, quantitative phase one involved searching publicly available information (i.e., websites) to establish the first comprehensive list of independent (i.e., private) and public Montessori schools in Canada that have any combination of grades one through twelve. Concurrently, qualitative phase two consisted of a document analysis of primary and secondary literature in determining the commonly held key elements of Montessori at the middle school level (adolescents ages 12-14). The data gathered in the first two phases was used in the third phase to create a survey with a combination of closed-ended Likert-scale, and open-ended questions. Survey questions were created using the five key elements identified in the document analysis (phase two) of this study. The survey was sent to teachers and administrators in Canadian Montessori schools that offer programming for grade 7 and 8 students as identified in phase one of this study. Survey results captured the first pan-Canadian context of Montessori middle school programming and explored areas of programming strengths and areas for improvement
A dendrochronological analysis of Western redcedar sensitivity to climatic moisture deficit
No full textWestern redcedars (Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don) at Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC, were sampled for a dendroclimatological study investigating the relationship between radial growth and climatic moisture deficit (CMD), and visually assessed for vigor and dieback. Radial growth showed the strongest negative correlation to a CMD spanning current year May through June. Radial growth was negatively correlated with a CMD in October of the year prior to ring formation, and positively correlated to a CMD in April of the year prior to ring formation. The results indicate western redcedars are sensitive to moisture stress occurring at specific times during the growing season. Over one-quarter of redcedars assessed exhibited mild to severe signs of dieback, suggesting dieback has begun and is progressing on drier sites. Future growth is likely to be impaired by seasonal temperature increases and altered precipitation patterns projected as part of climate change for southern BC
Exploring homeowner wildfire mitigation adoption in British Columbia’s Cariboo Region
No full textBritish Columbia must adapt to a rise in wildfire disasters. Homeowner wildfire mitigation should be a part of this adaptation and is advocated by FireSmart. However, adoption remains low. This qualitative research project explored the adoption of wildfire mitigation activities by homeowners using field studies, interviews, and a focus group with participants from four communities in BC’s Cariboo Region. The research found that all participants were interested in wildfire mitigation. However, they varied in how they prepared their homes. Participants described being involved in three different wildfire mitigation processes. These processes were related, but had different motivations, considerations, and goals. Engagement with these processes over time resulted in reduced wildfire risks but could be impeded in several ways. The results indicate that supporting these different processes in different ways, and with consideration to how they are impeded, may lead to greater overall success with supporting community wildfire risk reduction
Rights + Capacity = Access to Justice: A Visual Exploration of Housing Precarity for Five Equity-Deserving Groups
Get PDF2023Five in-depth interviews paint a picture of housing precarity and bring a new visual model to life while illustrating the importance of addressing both rights and capacity as critical elements toward achieving more holistic justice outcomes. What does the axis of rights and capacity look like for five justice-deserving groups of people experiencing high vulnerability to housing insecurity? This study explores their stories and in the midst of an unprecedented housing crisis, a visual framework is offered to advance our collective understanding of the core elements necessary to achieve just outcomes. The product of this research is a graphic model that demonstrates how access to housing justice is achievable only in addressing both the capacity and rights barriers faced by those without safe, affordable housing
Exploring augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in the special education classroom
No full textThe primary question that emerged from a thorough review of the augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) literature related to school settings was how teachers can be provided with suggestions and resources for implementing AAC into the classroom in one easy-to-use location. The purpose of this project was to create a website with strategies, resources, tutorials, and video models for teachers who are working with children who have complex communication needs and want to add more augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) into their classrooms. It provides suggestions and resources for literacy, mathematics, science, core words, assessment and additional topics. The goal is to enhance the ability of teachers to create an environment in which students with complex communication needs can initiate and participate in communication activities when they want to, in the way they want, and with the partners they choose.https://viurrspace.ca/bitstream/handle/10613/26892/White.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=
Social work's colonial past with Indigenous children and communities in Australia and Canada: A cross-national comparison
No full textThis article was originally published as: Yu, N., Morgenshtern, M., Schmid, J. (2023). Social work's colonial past with Indigenous children and communities in Australia and Canada: A cross-national comparison. Child & Family Social Work, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.13070This article offers a cross-national comparison of social work in two countries, Australia and Canada, about the care of Indigenous children within the context of colonization and the evolving profession. The discussion is based on data from two empirical studies that examined professional discourse relating to the removal of Indigenous children from their families and Indigenous peoples more broadly within key historical time frames. The studies involved a content analysis of the flagship journals of the Australian and Canadian professional associations. It is argued that a critical interrogation of professional discourse within these historical and national particularities provides insights that can inform a broader understanding of how practices and constructions of social work are shaped within contemporary practice contexts. The studies revealed that very little attention was paid to problematizing colonial policies and practices, including the state-sanctioned forcible removal of countless Indigenous children from their biological families, while the professions in both countries were complicit in the oppressive treatment of Indigenous peoples that have left a legacy of intergenerational trauma. The findings suggest a way of understanding social work as a discipline beyond the historical specificities of the two countries that has relevance to social work across the globe
Making Community Gardens Thrive: A Systematic Study of Factors Affecting the Development of Community Gardens in Greater Victoria
No full text2023Community gardens around the world are increasingly recognized by the governments and the public for their socio-cultural and ecological benefits. They face a broad range of challenges, including land access, volunteer management, resources, and funding. By adopting the framework of agency and social capital, my research examines how community garden organizers in Greater Victoria overcome these challenges in establishing and sustaining community gardens. I conducted semi-structured interviews with fifteen research participants including community garden organizers, government officials, volunteers, and gardeners. The result shows that local community gardens mostly adopt informal structures and non-bureaucratic governance which renders them vulnerable to challenges during its establishment and development. While many community garden organizers are rich in social capital, it is found that individual agency is necessary throughout the process. The study also finds that the type of organizers’ motivation, quality of teamwork, and community support are the three main components conducive to community garden’s continuous development while succession planning and burnout are significant challenges to community garden organizers but rarely explored in the literature. The research result is not only applicable to community gardens, but also sheds light on how to support similar volunteer-led community initiatives