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The University Cannot Love You: Gendered Labour, Burnout, and the Covid-19 Pivot to Digital
No full textIn April, the UN warned about the specific costs to women of the emerging pandemic; in particular, it anticipated the increased unpaid labour in the home as a result of school closures falling disproportionately upon women, as well as concerns about women leaving the paid workforce entirely in order to cope with this labour (UN, 2020). This has an impact on women of all socio-economic and backgrounds, and certainly more dire impacts on more marginalized women and their families. But the early explorations into this moment in the academy should also give us pause, too. A recent study of publishing on Covid-19 itself shows a precipitous decline in women’s participation in journal submissions, as does a review of submissions in political science (Pinho-Gomes et al., 2020; Dolan & Lawless, 2020); academic women are increasingly speaking out about their inability to do their jobs completely, not only due to unpaid labour at home but due to unrecognized pastoral care work within the university (Burzynska & Contreras, 2020; Gabster et. al., 2020). Hannah McGregor, drawing on the work of scholars like Christina Sharpe and Billy-Ray Belcourt, asks us to consider critiques of care by Black and Indigenous scholars and think about when and where care should be refused or resisted: namely, where it props up the institution (McGregor, 2020). But for many of us who work in educational technologies and faculty or student support, resisting or refusing care has an immediate and harmful impact on our colleagues and students. And so, as the work of care in the pivot to digital – both at home and at work – falls disproportionately on women, we find ourselves facing burnout. If we can’t trust the university’s capacity for care, what happens next? Rooted in feminist ethics of care thinking and an embodied approach to pedagogy and scholarship, this talk reviews the most recent research into gendered participation in the academic labour force, care work, and the pressures on women academics at work and at home to argue urgently for a radical rethinking of how care is enacted within the university. References: Burzynska, K., & Contreras, G. (2020). Gendered effects of school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lancet, 395(10242), 1968. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31377-5 Dolan, K., & Lawless, J. (2020). It Takes a Submission: Gendered Patterns in the Pages of AJPS. American Journal of Political Science, 20 April 2020. https://ajps.org/2020/04/20/it-takes-a-submission-gendered-patterns-in-the-pages-of-ajps/ Gabster, B. P., et. al. (2020). Challenges for the female academic during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lancet, 395(10242), 1968–1970. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31412-4 McGregor, H. (2020). Guest Post: What Are We Talking About When We Talk About ‘Care’? Hook & Eye, 16 April 2020. https://hookandeye.ca/2020/04/16/guest-post-what-are-we-talking-about-when-we-talk-about-care/ Pinho-Gomes, A.-C., et. al. (2020). Where are the women? Gender inequalities in COVID-19 research authorship. BMJ Global Health, 5(7), e002922. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2020-002922. United Nations. (2020). Policy brief: The impact of Covid-19 on women. https://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/library/publications/2020/policy-brief-the-impact-of-covid-19-on-women-en.pdf
Asynchronous: The Power of Two Instructors
No full textWhen faced with the challenge of delivering our University Preparation Chemistry courses differently this Fall, we decided that two instructors are better than one. Together we created 261 instructional videos for two UPrep chemistry courses. Our goal for these videos was to create content that was engaging and meaningful for students. Having two instructors in one video allowed natural conversations to take place rather than having one instructor speak to empty space. The initial feedback from students was positive, they found that the light-hearted manner of the videos made them more enjoyable to watch and did engage them with the content. This presentation will describe how these instructional videos were created while maintaining social distance and reflect on how a challenging situation presented an opportunity that would not have occurred without having to deliver courses online
It Takes a Village: Building Faculty Connections to Support Student Learning in the Education and Skills Training (ESTR) Program During COVID-19
Full text linkQ: What do an ESTR Instructor, a Reference Librarian, a Coordinator of Educational Technologies and Innovation, and a Coordinator of Learning and Faculty Development have in common? A: A deep commitment to student learning! Due to COVID-19, ESTR students were unable to do in-community practica: instead, they engaged in transferable skill development in their safety bubbles. To broaden and enrich these experiences, small groups of students and their instructor had regular, structured consultations with a Reference Librarian. These sessions were, like all of the other content from the course, delivered virtually. While the technology and design of the course were ultimately the responsibility of the instructor, the development of both were supported and facilitated by the faculty development opportunities and one-on-one support offered by an Educational Technology Coordinator and a Coordinator from TRU’s Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT). Through the Facilitating Learning in Moodle course offered last summer, the Coordinator from CELT shared the Community of Inquiry Framework, which became the model for the ESTR Instructor’s course development. As well, the Educational Technology Coordinator provided training on the use of the WordPress platform, as well as other systems and tools—notably Moodle and H5P. Therefore, while the ESTR Instructor worked to build community with and for her learners, an informal faculty learning community was simultaneously forming around her and her course. In this session, we will share how our individual contributions built a whole that was greater than the sum of its parts. During the pandemic, faculty with various roles have done their part to ensure that students still have the best possible learning experience, and in the process we have discovered elements of virtual instruction that can be used to broaden and enrich educational experiences long after COVID-19. Finally, we have re-discovered how our roles are interconnected as we all work towards the common goal of student success
Tolerance for Law Violations and Social Projection
Full text linkTolerance to law violations (TLV) was measured in 60 male and female university students. In addition to this measure, engagement in social projection was assessed in 148 female students. Past researchers have found that people tend to project their attitudes on others, but less so on perceived “outgroups’. TLV and social projection were measured using a questionnaire comprising of 10 TLV statements, each followed by an estimation question that measured the participants’ engagement in social projection. Based on the gender differences in criminal behaviour, the masculation of criminality, and the male offender stereotype it is predicted that male students will have a greater tolerance for law violations than female students. Based on past research on in-group social projection, we hypothesize that female students will exhibit increased social projection when the target is described as sharing the same gender as the participant. Furthermore, similar to findings in a study conducted by Webster and Vermeulen (2011), we predict that if the target shares the same offender status as the participant (i.e. non- offender status) there will be greater social projection of TLV attitudes
Green Transportation: An Analysis of Sustainability and Cycling in Kamloops, With Recommendations and an Assessment of COVID-19 Impacts
Full text linkKamloops presents itself as a sustainable community that is dedicated to reducing its environmental footprint. Sustainability includes green transportation options, such as cycling: a low emission form of transportation. The objective of this poster is to evaluate Kamloops’ current sustainability by examining available biking infrastructure. Connections between good biking infrastructure and urban sustainability are discussed, as are people’s reasons for biking. Recommendations to increase Kamloops’ sustainability by encouraging cycling are also proposed. The methodology used for this project is a literature review and observations. Tentative results are that Kamloops is lacking in safe and connected bike routes that encourage more people to use biking as a method of transportation. Bike routes are usually only well connected in small concentrated areas, without many connections in between. The principal conclusion is that the current bike routes do not present the level of safety and convenience necessary to encourage cyclists, so urban sustainability is minimized.
Keywords & Terms: cycling, urban environmental sustainability, bike routes, cycling infrastructure, City of Kamloop
Investigating the Antimicrobial Properties of Cannabinoid Compounds
Full text linkAs bacteria are rapidly developing resistance against existing drugs, cannabinoids present a novel and exciting opportunity as a potential new source of antibiotics. Cannabinoid compounds have become an epicenter of research in recent years with numerous studies elucidating the therapeutic uses of a few of the numerous compounds such as Cannabidiol (CBD) and Cannabigerol (CBG). This study seeks to investigate the antimicrobial properties of these two aforementioned compounds on a number of gram-negative and gram-positive microbes such as Candida albicans, Streptococcus pyogenes and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Using spread plating methods, various concentrations and mixtures of CBD and CBG were applied to selected microbes in order to observe the effects (if any) on colony formation. Initial results have indicated a strong effect on gram-positive organisms and little to no effect on gram-negative organisms. These early results corroborate published literature reports. Ongoing work includes an investigation into the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) layer found on the gram-negative bacteria. Through enzymatic treatment, LPS layer removal will be facilitated, and testing performed to determine the role this layer plays in the observed decreased antimicrobial activity of these organisms
The Influence of Covid-19 on Sustainable Urban Food Systems: Recommendations for Kamloops, BC
Full text linkThis poster outlines sustainable food production in Kamloops, possible improvements, the benefits of urban agriculture, and the impact of COVID-19 on urban agriculture, both globally and in Kamloops. This analysis involves a literature review and general observations. The research shows that while urban agriculture is realistic and highly beneficial to food security, cities such as Kamloops are still in the early stages. While community initiatives are increasing, there is still room for growth. Research and personal observations also show that although the presence of COVID-19 has had plenty of negative consequences, it may be a catalyst in urging cities towards more sustainable food systems. Recommendations include an increase in local food cultivation, processing, distribution, and sourcing. This research concludes that whereas Kamloops is developing as a more sustainable agricultural community, its full potential has not yet been reached
Asynchronous: Antiracism in the Writing Centre: Collaboration and Activism in the Remote Work Environment
No full textDuring a time when Zoom fatigue, email exhaustion, and disconnection characterize our every day, BC Writing Centres have focused on building community and creating space to ask challenging questions about racism and antiracism in our work. This approach to collaboration across institutions and locations has the potential to bring structural change to our Centres. We strive to challenge the racism embedded in our institutions and spaces, our work in Writing Centres, and ourselves. What emerged from the collaborative planning among our impromptu committee were: two workshops, a joint statement of antiracism, and a community that is committed to centering antiracism practices through the following: Creating opportunities to learn from our communities about their experiences of injustice, especially as these pertain to the intersections of race and academic expectations. Engaging with faculty on issues, such as assignment design, academic integrity policies, and writing assessments, where inequity frequently lurks in the guise of standards. Ensuring that antiracist and decolonizing practices are actively incorporated into tutor training to intervene in the often unconsciously racist language myths that can be perpetuated through tutoring. Actively recruiting IBPOC staff and tutors by enacting best practices for recruiting, hiring, and retention. Critically evaluating our resources in an ongoing way to ensure antiracist, decolonial, and Indigenized approaches and content. This short session will highlight the collaborative process for change and how the TRU Writing Centre is centering antiracism in its work
Traditional Ecological Knowledge in Canada
Full text linkTraditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) is becoming more prominent in land management programs in Canada. While it was largely dismissed for quite some time since colonization began in Canada, it is increasingly valued for its integral understanding and accurate knowledge of local ecosystems. Canadian land management regimes were selected as case studies in order to broaden understanding of how TEK is used in modern land management scenarios. Discussion elaborates on other uses of TEK aside from land management and how further research and documentation of TEK could benefit ecosystems and humans in the face of a changing climate, declining biodiversity, threatened and endangered species, and increasing intensity and incidences of wildfire