VIURRSpace (Royal Roads University and Vancouver Island University)
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Assessing Young Children's Personal Constructs Of `Nature' Using A Modified Repertory Grid Test: A Case Study
No full text2013This paper presents a method for assessing the personal construct systems of young children (ages 4 to 6) regarding the notion of 'nature,' conducted at a Montessori Casa in Toronto, Ontario. Images from the participants' drawings of 'nature' were used in a card sorting exercise and as elements in a modified repertory grid test. Member checking was conducted through recorded conversations with the children throughout the process to minimize the influence of my own construct system. I conducted content analyses of the initial drawings, and made structural measurements and statistical analyses of the card sort and repertory grid data. The limited results indicate that this modified form of repertory grid test is reliable and useful for assessing the structure of young children's construct systems regarding 'nature.' Using Personal Construct Theory may facilitate the development of more participatory, engaging, and effective Environmental Education programs
Sustainable development and energy systems: shaping Canada’s energy transition
No full textCountries around the world are facing major disruptions to their established energy systems, and Canada is no different. The energy transition in Canada is shaped by economic considerations, environmental considerations, such as climate change, and social considerations, such as reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Given these diverse considerations, it is not always clear how to properly manage the tensions and trade-offs within energy transitions. My research examined how the concept of sustainable development could be used to navigate the energy transition in Canada towards a more affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy system.
My research findings identified challenges faced by energy practitioners in Canada, identified important and underexplored topics in Canada’s energy transition, and suggested that an Integrated Model of Sustainable Development could be a useful concept for energy transitions. This Integrated Model is grounded in reason, science, humanism, and progress, which enables energy practitioners to find common ground in a polarized environment and overcome existing impasses in the energy transition. Further research could investigate the usefulness of an Integrate Model of Sustainable Development in addressing other complex sustainability challenges.
This dissertation by portfolio includes four distinct portfolio products. First, a journal article published in Sustainability that conducted a case study of the Energy Futures Lab in Canada and introduced an Integrated Model of Sustainable Development as a guide to the energy transition in Canada. Second, a journal article submitted to Energy Research and Social Science that examined the challenges faced by Canadian energy practitioners and discussed how the three strategies of sustainable development could be useful in different energy transition situations. Third, a journal article submitted to FACETS that identified important topics and underexplored topics in Canada’s energy transition, and discussed how an Integrated Model of Sustainable Development could increase understanding of these topics and generate solutions. The fourth product is a white paper that shares the results of my research with energy practitioners in plain language
Exploring the relationship between parcel size and agricultural utilization in British Columbia
No full textAgricultural and rural area planning is an evolving topic and is increasingly important due to growing local food system and security concerns. There are many relationships yet to be researched relating to agricultural land planning, such as the relationship between parcel size and agricultural utilization of land, which this study explores. Due to limited research on this topic and the direct role parcel size plays in agriculture, this is a necessary relationship to explore and understand further. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used in this study. Parcel size and land use data was statistically analyzed for six communities across B.C. to explore what influence parcel size has on a parcel being actively used for agriculture. B.C. Assessment farm status classification was used as a proxy for agricultural use. As well, planners from each community were interviewed for their perspectives on the relationship between parcel size and agricultural utilization of land. Five of the six communities studied demonstrated that parcel size has a statistically significant influence on having B.C. Assessment farm status classification. As well, the findings from the interviews were used to develop policy and program recommendations to increase the utilization of agricultural land in B.C. These findings and recommendations support local governments in developing their own policies to support their agricultural community and activate more of their agricultural land base. This research is a starting point for the discussion on the numerous influencing factors for agricultural land use and is a catalyst for further research.https://viurrspace.ca/bitstream/handle/10613/27326/SmithThesis.pdf?sequence=3Thesis/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 Unviersity
Controlled environment agriculture vs. conventional agriculture: the break-even point
No full textThis thesis assesses the feasibility of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), or vertical farming, in six Canadian cities. Using available literature, data from model-based simulations were extrapolated and analysed against the backdrop of local Canadian energy grids. Scenarios ranging from 6,173 kWhe per tonne of lettuce produced (Eaton et al., 2023) to 19,676 kWhe per tonne (Ohyama et al., 2020) were compared to the environmental impact of shipping one tonne of agricultural product from traditional farming hubs in the southern United States to assess a break-even point. The data were further extrapolated to assess the electrical cost of production per kilogram of lettuce produced. I found that CEA could be effectively leveraged as a climate mitigation tool in four out of the six studied cities, and was economically superior versus agricultural import in three given certain conditions
"Doctors aren't familiar with your tissues": Self-examination and feminist health activism in 1970s Canada
No full textThis article was originally published as: Patton, K. & Wood, W. (2023). "Doctors aren't familiar with your tissues": Self-examination and feminist health activism in 1970s Canada. Canadian Historical Review, 104(2), 169-197. https://doi.org/10.3138/chr-2022-0032This article explores the impact of self-examination as a tool of feminist resistance, an act of preventive health care, and a site where mainstream and alternative health models were debated in late twentieth-century Canada. In the early 1970s, a range of women’s health groups increasingly turned their liberationist critiques towards the structures of mainstream medicine, and the self-exam became a vehicle that allowed women to push back against what they cast as the systemic power imbalances involved with the traditional doctor-patient relationship. Both breast and pelvic self-exams became staples of the women’s health movement as feminists encouraged women to take health care into their own hands, both figuratively and literally. As the decade progressed, breast self-examination transformed from a niche feminist technique to a relatively commonplace preventative health practice, increasingly discussed within popular women’s magazines across North America. Pelvic self-examination remained more controversial as the practice was denounced by a small but vocal group of Canadian physicians, resentful of lay incursions into medical practice. Drawing on women’s magazines and feminist newsletters, archival files from Canadian women’s health centres, and debates about self-examination in national newspapers, we reveal how shifting narratives about women’s liberation, responsibility for preventative health practices, and medical authority intersected in the feminist practice of self-examination.This research has been supported by the Canada Research Chairs program and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Project Grant, “Pelvic Health and Public Health in Twentieth Century Canada” (Grant no. PJT-186032). This research was funded in whole, or in part, by the Wellcome Trust (Grant no. 209519/Z/17/Z)
Associating sense of place and nature relatedness in the British Columbia Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region: A case study
No full textThis is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Cities & Health on 27 February 2023, available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/23748834.2023.2178363/.This case study is part of a project examining the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region – a UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. We aimed to understand the extent to which individuals in six communities experience psychological variables linked to pro-social and pro-environmental outcomes, such as sense of place – comprised of place attachment, place identity, and place dependence – and nature-relatedness. We also explored how these attitudes relate to residents’ perceived views of, and walkable access to, nature. Overall, sense of place was neutral; nature relatedness and perceptions of views and access to nature were significantly stronger than sense of place. Although these two variables, as well as sense of place and perceptions of views and walkable access to nature correlated in the region on aggregate, significant associations were not revealed per community. Over 60% of responses to an open-ended item about physical features that contribute to sense of place concerned the natural environment – rather than social or built amenities. Municipal planners may capitalize on restorative effects that arise when community members form connections with nature, and concentrate funding or public engagement on trails, parks, and other natural features to bolster sense of place in coastal and mountainous communities.This research was funded by the Canadian Mountain Network.Accepted Manuscript versio
El Camino de Santiago: a catalyst for transformative tourism in the secular space
No full textThis thesis explores the phenomenon of secular transformative tourism on the Camino de Santiago, identifying catalysts that facilitate the experience. As primary motivations for walking the Camino have shifted from religious and spiritual towards secular, this research corroborates that many modern pilgrims seek transformation rather than transcendence. Four main themes of catalysts were observed: communitas, liminality, physical elements, and Spanish elements. The catalysts identified allow individuals to address explicit issues in their lives and tap into unrealized potential for transformation. As the world emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals need to re-establish their physical, mental, and emotional health. For tourism organizations looking to enhance transformative experiences, the elements of motivation, catalyst, and transformation within this study may be incorporated into activities and events. Based on a sample of 15 Canadian participants, this study identified 25 catalysts that link motivations to walk the Camino with the transformations experienced by participants. Overall, this study offers a way forward for the emerging field of transformative tourism by providing insights into the importance catalysts have in facilitating transformative experiences for individuals seeking transformation and for tourism organizations wishing to create an environment that is conducive to transformation for their guests
Examining How Changes in Professional Development for Principals and Vice-Principals Improves Outcomes for Children with Special Education Needs
Get PDF2023This inquiry engaged principals and vice-principals in a school district in British Columbia to consider how could the Greater Victoria School District No. 61 further support principals and vice-principals who educate children with developmental disabilities. The action research engagement (ARE) model (Rowe et al., 2013) was used to identify existing challenges with professional development and preparation for in-school administrative leadership roles. This thesis shares the experiences of principals and vice-principals and their perceptions as to how their training and knowledge of special needs education impacts children with disabilities. The participants’ shared that: (a) professional development of principals and vice-principals in special education is inadequate for today’s schools; (b) generative dialogue as a professional development tool to address this knowledge gap has mixed results; (c) professional development for principals and vice-principals matters, as they influence special needs education outcomes; and (d) implementing recommendations for change in professional development practice can improve special needs education outcomes. Keywords: professional development, principals, vice-principals, generative dialogue, special needs education, inclusive education, engagement
"Hey, You're Muted" : Lessons Learned on Remote Onboarding During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Get PDF2023This thesis aimed to explore the experiences of organizational newcomers to a suddenly virtual workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic. A large Canadian employer granted me access to 12 individuals who remotely onboarded during the qualifying period, and a series of structured interviews took place. From the interviews, an analysis took place and information was able to be themed in the following categories: Overall views on remote onboarding, understanding of roles and responsibilities, understanding of organizational culture, and onboarding challenges. As a result of this research, it is recommended that employers in similarly structured environments place a heightened emphasis on training their leadership to be present and engaged, creating space and time for newcomers to develop connection with the organization and their peers, and streamline the process for quick and efficient technical support