VIURRSpace (Royal Roads University and Vancouver Island University)
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Effective and individualized primary literacy programs through the use of blended learning
No full textPersonalizing student learning holds significance in the new British Columbia curriculum. Teachers are
expected to meet individual student needs while also providing them with flexibility and choice. This is
a challenging task and one that teachers have been striving to achieve for years. With the onset of the Covid-19 Pandemic, distance learning suddenly became much more mainstream, as schools all over the
world were forced to teach their students online. This was a real challenge for teachers who were not familiar with online teaching and for students and families who were used to learning face-to-face in a brick-and-mortar school. In order to meet future online learning as well as to personalize student needs, it is important that teachers begin to consider adding digital learning to their teaching skills. This project is designed to support teachers who wish to continue to work with some online learning opportunities to meet individual student requirements while still participating in the face-to-face learning needs of lower primary students. This project addresses the Critical Challenge Question: How can educators use Blended Learning to contribute to effective and individualized literacy programs in the lower primary classroom? I have created a website that will support teachers who want to continue to utilize or learn about the Station Rotation model of Blended Learning to personalize their students’ academic programs and to meet their students’ individual needs.https://viurrspace.ca/bitstream/handle/10613/26129/Wicks.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=
Supporting mental health in the classroom
No full textThe current study investigated the improvement and implementation of inclusive supports to reduce anxiety and improve mental well-being. Using a collaborative action research method, the researcher and a group of four participants from one suburban elementary school worked to identify gaps in their knowledge and skills and then to improve these gaps while also determining the barriers which affected implementation of useful practices. Data was collected through the use of an initial survey, four focus group meetings, and three questionnaires. The initial survey was used to understand current knowledge of anxiety symptoms and mental wellness or anxiety reducing practices, and the use of those practices. The four focus group meetings took place over three months, with the group completing three cycles of inquiry to identify current need, develop a plan to address the need, implement, then reflect upon the practices. The questionnaires were used at the end of each cycle to assess present learning and changes to practice. The survey was analysed using descriptive statistics. The meetings and questionnaires were coded and analyzed for themes. The study revealed the key findings of universality, flexibility, collaboration, and relationships, as well as illuminating some systemic challenges impacting the use of those principals in creating inclusive supports. The findings showed a wider implementation of flexible universal practices would support greater mental wellness for students and teachers.https://viurrspace.ca/bitstream/handle/10613/25836/Lawton.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=
Values-based leadership within the banking & financial services Industry. An international study of CEOs practicing values-based leadership
No full textThis exploratory study sought to examine, understand, compare, and contrast leaders’ career experiences and key moments that led to their choosing values-based leadership practices within the financial services industry. In this study, 6 chief executive officers (CEOs) from the banking industry across Europe and Canada provided insights into what led them to become values-based leaders and how they developed leadership practices working with values within their financial services organizations. The 6 leaders were CEOs of regional banks and credit unions, five of whom were members of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV). This is an exploratory study seeking to add to the literature of values-based leadership within the financial services industry and explore further areas of study from the preliminary key findings from this research. This research highlights themes identified from the values-based leaders interviewed. It also identifies priorities for further study that arise from comparing the experiences of the 6 values-based leaders, their values, their career experiences, key moments throughout their career, initial shifts to values-based leadership, sources of support, how they related to employees, and their advice to up-and-coming leaders in developing and sustaining their own values-based leadership practice. The research findings describe how differently the leaders view their own values, how they related to employees, how informal sources of support when in leadership are vital, and the importance of self-reflection throughout each of their own values-based leadership career. The leaders’ focus on leading with values is instrumental in developing leadership practices within financial services organizations enhancing working with values. Yet, there is a lack of documented research of values-based financial services leaders and their values-based career experiences and key moments. Finding values-based leaders in the financial services industry is not simple, but it adds to the relevance of determining the key features of the leaders’ career experiences leading them to become values-based leaders. Using comparative case study methodology, this research explores the career experiences and significant moments of 6 CEOs within the financial services sector. The study identifies common themes and differences in the values, career experience and formative moments experienced by the leaders along with their leadership practices that illustrate working with values. The themes explored are (a) the leaders’ stated core values and their meanings, (b) the leaders’ shifts towards a values-based perspective, (c) critical moments prior to and throughout the leaders’ initial shifts towards values-based leadership, (d) sources of support within their organizations throughout their values-based leadership careers, (e) the leaders’ relationships with their stakeholder groups, (f) critical leadership perceptions and practices in relating with employees, and (g) the participants’ advice to leaders about maintaining a practice reflecting their values. Current and emerging financial services leaders are likely to be interested in the similarities and differences of the values, career experiences and approach that characterize the leaders who have developed leadership practices that enhance working with values so that they too may understand how to do the same.
Keywords: values-based leadership, financial services, values, leadership, bankin
From resilience to ruggedization : a roadmap for building collaboration to address increasing natural hazard risk in Pemberton, BC
No full textThe field of disaster risk reduction aims to prevent, prepare for, and mitigate the worst effects of anticipated increased ferocity of natural disaster events. A collaborative approach features heavily in policy ranging from international guidance to provincial and federal disaster management plans, down to local bylaws. To understand the importance of collaboration for a rural area in British Columbia that is affected by drastically increasing flood risk from Canada's largest landslide, the broad community was engaged using innovative methods for dialogue. In speaking to businesses, non-profit organizations, first responders, medical and social health professionals, emergency managers, and elected officials, it was resolutely confirmed that collaboration is critical to increasing resilience. This is well-aligned with existing policy and literature in the field of disaster risk reduction. However, while collaboration is extremely valued, there are barriers that prevent effective collaboration including bureaucratic challenges in conflicting mandates, lack of resources, amplified risk aversion, and the sheer complexity of managing natural hazard risk in a changing climate. In some cases, the barriers identified are resulting in greater risk to the community. A series of recommendations for improving collaboration are presented, including a discussion on moving past the rhetoric of resilience into community ruggedization in order to adequately prepare for increasing natural hazard risk amplified by a changing climate
Creating a gamified learning environment focused on social emotional learning for adolescent students
No full textWith technology easily accessible, students are constantly immersed in a digital world. Gamification, which can be described as using game-based mechanics and game thinking to captivate audiences, inspire learning, entice action and solve problems, is a growing area of interest in educational settings. Adding gamification into the classroom requires thoughtful consideration and purpose to be effective in engaging and motivating students. Social Emotional Learning (SEL), which can be described as the ability to understand and control one’s emotions, solve problems in a constructive manner, and build positive relationships with others, is a skill all students should learn during their education. This project aims to offer a response to the critical challenge question, “In what ways can educators use gamification as a teaching strategy to provide adolescent-aged students with enhanced Social-Emotional Skills (SEL)?". This thesis applied gamification principles and game elements to a unit that followed SEL objectives from the British Columbia curriculum. Two websites were created in accordance with gamification design principles: a gamified SEL unit for students and a teacher toolkit. When building the student gamified unit, the most relevant gamification elements were included, such as quests, experience points (XP), and badges. The gamified SEL unit includes a series of Social and Emotional quests enabling students to earn points and rewards upon completion. The learning outcome is to equip adolescent students to gain Social Emotional skills by utilizing gamification elements. The teacher toolkit explains how to use the gamified SEL unit with students. This project provides recommendations and guidance for the use of gamification and SEL in BC classrooms, such as the exploration of various gamification element combinations to create unique learning environments.https://viurrspace.ca/bitstream/handle/10613/26115/Stuerle.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=
Medieval female mystics: superfoods, sickness, subversion and sainthood in Hildegard von Bingen and Christina the Astonishing
No full texthttps://viurrspace.ca/bitstream/handle/10613/26018/Dunlop.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=yWinning essay - English Department Competition 2021-2022Winning essay - ENGL 34
Rapid and accurate etizolam detection using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for community drug checking
No full textThis article was originally published as: Gozdzialski, L., Rowley, A., Borden, S.A., Saatchi, A., Gill, C.G., Wallace, B., & Hore, D.K. (2022). Rapid and accurate etizolam detection using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for community drug checking. International Journal of Drug Policy, 102, 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103611Background: In British Columbia, Canada, illicit opioids have been increasingly combined with etizolam, a benzo- diazepine analog, that continues to challenge popular portable drug checking technologies as it is often present in low concentrations as a result of its high potency. An unknown combination of opioids and benzodiazepines may have dangerous consequences due to unpredictable dosing, increased respiratory depression, and complicated overdose response measures. Methods: Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) using a portable Raman spectrometer is used to establish a univariate model for the detection of etizolam in opioid drug mixtures (n= 100) obtained from the Vancouver Island Drug Checking Project, where the presence of etizolam has been determined using paper-spray mass spectrometry. Benzodiazepine immunoassay test strips are also performed on all samples for comparison. Results: SERS is shown to detect etizolam with high sensitivity (96%) and specificity (86%). In contrast, benzodiazepine test strips demonstrate a low sensitivity (8%) for the detection of etizolam of the same samples (n = 100), with only small improvements when studied over a larger subset of samples (n = 506, sensitivity = 29%). Conclusion: We have demonstrated the potential of SERS for trace detection of etizolam within complex sample matrices. Since SERS is one of the few portable technologies capable of trace detection, further studies on its ability for quantification and discrimination of trace adulterants in street samples is of significant interest for point-of-care applications.https://viurrspace.ca/bitstream/handle/10613/25765/Gill.IJDP.2022.pdf?sequence=3This project was funded by a grant from the Health Canada Sub- stance Use and Addictions program, with additional support from the Vancouver Foundation
The Canadian Social Work Review: A Canadian character of social work?
No full textThis is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Progressive Human Services on April 11, 2022, available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/10428232.2022.2062695.Noting that scholarly journals represent a particular repository of knowledge, we use content analysis to explore the constructions of social work represented in the Canadian Social Work Review – Revue canadienne de service social over 2010–2019. This journal is the only formal bilingual (French-English), peer-reviewed social work journal in the country. Rather than broadly reflecting Canadian realities and contexts, the emerging trends imply specific regional and social work program dominance, both in terms of authorship and issues explored. In part this is related to English-French language parity having been achieved, though this has led to other unintended consequences. While the published articles represent critical discourses and qualitative approaches are preferred, many articles do not address power, oppression and representation, particularly with regard to Indigenous, racialized and gendered groups. We conclude that the journal, whilst leaning toward a critical representation of social work, also reflects mainstream, dominant views of Canadian social work, the journal thus portraying the contested nature of Canadian social work. Mechanisms that add to existing Editorial Board efforts for further strengthening a critically interrogative lens may be required.https://viurrspace.ca/bitstream/handle/10613/27445/SchmidJPHS2022.pdf?sequence=3Post-print versio
Relating the importance of psychological science in addressing climate change to cities and health
No full textThis is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Cities & Health on July 5, 2021, available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/23748834.2021.1939640.The Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) recommended that a task force draft its official position on how psychology can help to address climate change. The aim was to craft a position paper that underscored, for Canadian governments and for members of the public, literature at the intersection of psychology and climate change. The position paper also generated a clear list of recommendations for governments to consider as they make decisions about climate change mitigation, adaptation, and communication strategies. This commentary is a summary of the position paper’s message, focusing on topics germane to international urban living, city governance, and mental health.https://viurrspace.ca/bitstream/handle/10613/26900/McCunnCH2022.pdf?sequence=3Post-print versio
Advancing membership engagement in the sport and recreation industry using social relationships
No full textMembership engagement in the sport, recreation, and private club industry provides insights into membership value and organizational stability. The role social relationships play in membership engagement is not understood and relatively little research has covered this area. This thesis, designed using an appreciative inquiry methodology and action research engagement principles, centred around the question: How might The Glencoe Club, a private sport and social club, foster social relationships within the club to advance member engagement? It involved virtual circle way member focus groups with established and new members to uncover findings and develop conclusions and a virtual world café employee session to create recommendations. This research contributes to the literature on the role social relationships play in membership engagement and can provide a relationship perspective into future programs, experiences, and service planning in sport, club, and hospitality industries