MacEwan Open Journals (MacEwan University)
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Change in The Canadian Midwest: An Analysis of Land in Edmonton
No full textIn this paper, I analyse the usage and layout of land in Edmonton, its impacts on the city’s growth and future, and propose potential solutions to the city’s current problems. Zoning is one specific area that will cause the council many political issues in the coming years. In city planning, “zoning” refers to how cities divide land into areas called “zones.” These zones typically have different regulations regarding how developers can use land and what buildings they can build. Recently, outdated zoning laws have hindered Edmonton’s climate goals and development in urban areas, which I will show in this paper.
Even after zoning reform, the public remains concerned about the influence of big-money developers. However, Edmontonians are also uneasy about a more significant tax burden due to economic uncertainty. I propose regular 20-year zoning bylaw revisions, creating an inventory of unutilised and underutilised public land, and taking steps towards common land ownership. These solutions combine Edmonton’s future with current sustainability and development goals in mind. I also propose the creation of a land value tax and will show why it would be the most viable source of revenue for the city. This would reshape land ownership in Edmonton and Canada while boosting potential government resources.
Identifying Gaps in Care Upon Discharge from Inpatient Psychiatry Settings to the Community
No full textThis literature review examines gaps in care within healthcare systems that negatively impact service users as they transition from inpatient psychiatric settings to community settings. Topics such as historical contexts, readmission rates, intrapersonal factors, and institutional limitations are taken into account to explain the complex relationship between community and inpatient psychiatric services and how they influence current gaps in care. Interventions to address these limitations are explored, which is aimed at examining different models of care and their subsequent impact on gaps in care. In these interventions, concepts such as continuity of care and therapeutic relationships are then proposed as vital factors when addressing gaps in care. Finally, this literature review suggests areas for future research to improve upon gaps in care
Leaving the Party
No full textAlcohol use is a feature of Canadian society, as is alcoholism, which is currently defined in the DSM-5 as alcohol use disorder (AUD). While statistics may help estimate quantitative AUD data such as disease and all-cause mortality as well as the costs of AUD on government resources, they cannot convey the qualitative suffering AUD inflicts on users, users’ family and friends, and even strangers – i.e., innocent bystanders still lose their lives to drunk drivers. The intent of this essay is to weave some AUD data into a non-fiction story that relies heavily on anecdotes from my own personal struggle with AUD, as well as insights gleaned from my family, friends, and coworkers. If statistics cannot sway others away from substance abuse, maybe putting a few faces on a few of those numbers can. I have changed the names, but anyone familiar with Edmonton’s bar scene will know who I’m talking about
Two Visions of a Paper
No full textTwo Visions of a Paper guides students on how to write correctly for academic purposes based on principles and ideas from Plato\u27s Gorgias and Meno. The paper contrasts the dialectical with the rhetorical methods of speech that appear throughout Plato\u27s works and relates these methods to the paper writing process to illustrate which mode the student should pursue. The paper plays with ideas such as Socratic irony, when persuasive verbiage is essential, the movement between part and the whole and other ideas from Plato.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Gaelan Murph
Falling Down the Rabbit Hole: An Introspective Self-Portrait
No full textThe purpose of this arts-based learning project is to link personal perception of self to theories and ethics studied throughout the Child and Youth Care Program. Within the self-reflective project the topics explored include: relational ontology, paradigms and life positionings, theoretical frameworks, and finally ethical frameworks.
In participating, self-discovery and professional praxis were the focal points of the project. Part of this reflection relates to the characteristics of a relational Child and Youth Care approach; Being, Interpreting, and Doing (BID). Reflecting on how child and youth care practitioners function in supporting roles within the community.
The project connects all aspects of course content, personal and professional experiences, interwoven into a metaphorical representation of self. There’s many layers represented when viewing my art piece. The process in doing this required the willingness to allow oneself to succumb to vulnerability in order to intentionally understand oneself. Connecting many metaphors throughout my lifespan which highlights my understanding of self through multiple lenses relating to the child and youth care practice.
Faculty Mentors: Rebecca Stiller & Dr. Gerard Bellefeuill
Interdisciplinary Supports for Student Mental Health: Pets Assisting With Student Success - PAWSS at MacEwan University
No full textStudent mental health is a critical concern in academic environments, where the pressures of academic life can significantly impact well-being. This study investigates the effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy in alleviating mental health challenges. Collaborating with the Pet Assisting With Student Success (PAWSS) program at MacEwan University, we aimed to understand how interactions with therapy animals could benefit students. Employing a qualitative phenomenological approach, we gathered data on student experiences with the PAWSS program through Qualtrics. Through the survey, we explored the way in which the program influenced students\u27 daily lives and their ease of accessing these therapeutic interactions and considered improvements that could be made to make the program more accessible to students. Participants consistently reported reductions in anxiety and stress after engaging with the PAWSS events or encountering therapy animals in hallways. Our poster includes common themes about students’ experiences with the PAWSS program, which are visually reflective through NVivo. Our findings highlight the profound positive impact of animal-assisted therapy on student stress levels and overall mental health. The human-animal bond fostered through the PAWSS program not only provides immediate relief but also cultivates a supportive campus environment. This research underscores the value of interdisciplinary approaches to mental health support and the transformative potential of integrating animal-assisted therapy into university settings.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Anna Rissane
Exploring the Impact of Customized Academic Technology Resources on First-Year University Students’ Digital Competency: Preliminary Results
No full textIn response to the growing demand for digital competency among university students, this study examines the effectiveness of customized academic technology resources in enhancing first-year students’ technology skills within a Canadian post-secondary context. Many incoming students struggle with essential academic technology due to limited digital literacy or unfamiliarity with specific tools. To bridge these gaps, we developed tailored resources to support their learning. This research employs a pre- and post-test comparison study to assess the impact of these resources. An intervention group with access to the materials is compared to a control group without access. By measuring changes in students’ technology skills and confidence, the study highlights the potential benefits of targeted support and discusses implications for improving students’ transitions to university
Experiences with Experiential Learning: Learning from Our Own Experiential and Conceptual Insights
No full textUniversities have been moving for decades toward experiential learning, evidenced by the rise of co-operative education programs, study abroad, and the integration of community partners into university course projects. Yet, experiential learning can also be enacted by faculty and students on a smaller scale. Immersing students into new experiences is an excellent base for learning, but it must be supported by other learning elements as well (e.g., critical reflection, integration with abstract concepts, application of new insights). According to experiential learning theory, it is the process of navigating dialectical tensions in connecting and transforming insights from both experience (feeling) and thinking (abstract concepts) that lies at the heart of learning. The experiencing and applying aspects of the learning cycle can be accomplished in many different ways, as can the reflection and thinking aspects of the cycle, and the process of moving through all four modes can be supported by faculty who can flexibly adapt and join students in a learning journey. In this SOTL conversation, we, a mature student with rich life experiences and diverse educational experiences (Linda) and a faculty member educated in experiential learning theory (Tiffany), explore some of our own experiences enacting experiential learning and reflect on what we’ve found contributes to an integrative learning experience. Along the way, we discuss our views on how emotional and social intelligence competencies can support the learning process
Threading the Narrative: A Critical Discourse Analysis of LGBTQ+ Resistance to Heteronormativity Through Textile Arts
No full textThis critical discourse analysis explores how the act of creating textile art combats the erasure of LGBTQ+ narratives and experiences. In response to the confining power structure of heteronormativity, queer artists subvert and reshape traditional textile arts and crafts to resist heteronormative narrative dominance. By deeply reading three textile art pieces created by queer artists and examining heteronormativity as a power structure, this research aims to understand how textile arts can be a form of resistance. Through imagery, colour, materials, and practices, these textile art pieces authentically communicate queer narratives around love, sex, and marriage to challenge traditional heteronormative values
A Narrative of Wealth: The Nuanced Principles of Interior Décor and Roman Art
No full textThe study of Roman art during antiquity leads to a greater understanding of the cultural and artistic priorities of the time. The Alexander Mosaic and the frescoes from the Villa of the Mysteries are key examples of interior decor that explore the public and private spheres, wealth and power, and narrative and storytelling within ancient art. The essay acknowledges the nuances within these key aspects of interior decor and highlights the necessary balance between them. Through this lens, the influence of Greek culture and myth in Roman art becomes evident