Lecture 1: Introductions

Module 1 Lecture 1

A bit more about CSL:
Community Service-Learning (CSL) makes learning come alive by linking academic course work to community-based experiences. Active engagement with non-profit organizations allows students to explore relationships between course concepts and ‘real world’ contexts. When enrolled in a CSL class, students participate in a community project that is both relevant to the course content and useful to the partnering organization.

By completing a number of courses with a CSL component, including our CSL-designated courses, students can earn a Certificate in Community Service-Learning upon graduation


CSL Partners for our ALES204 Class:


Voices for Choices

Alberta Caregivers Association

InfoLink Academic and Information Services

At InfoLink we strive to be a comprehensive student information source for all things university related. We specialize in academic information but are able to assist with any campus related question; if we don’t know the answer, we’ll find someone who does! By exploring this website you’ll be able to access our Tutor Listings,Exam Registry, Volunteer Opportunity Listings, Used Book Listings, Housing Listings and our Rideboard Listings. Students who participate in this term's CSL placement will be able to assist in the promotion of our annual Involvement Week, which is a celebration of volunteering, and the new SU Tutors program, which aims to provide tutors with the skills and resources that they will need to help their fellow students succeed. 

Writers Guild of Alberta

Nichole Quiring, the program coordinator for the Writers Guild of Alberta is looking for a CSL student to assist with a few tasks related to administering Alberta Arts Days events (Sep 30 – Oct. 2). This would include attending the events and helping with hosting and marketing the events through Twitter and Facebook. As well, there are three events coming up in November and December that a CSL student could assist with planning and coming up with a small Social Media marketing plan for each event. Lastly, we could also use a little help in updating the Guild’s media contact list.  

Sustain U

SUSTAIN SU is a service of the Students' Union that provides peer-to-peer learning and support for all undergraduate students to incorporate sustainability into every aspect of their university experience.  This includes providing sustainability-based services to the entire campus community, as well as opportunities to facilitate change on a larger scale.  SUSTAIN SU defines sustainability as a decision-making process and lifestyle that balances economic, social, and environmental responsibility in a just and equitable manner.

As a CSL student with SUSTAIN SU, you will aid in communicating our organization's recent redevelopment from the Environmental Coordination Office of Students (ECOS) to SUSTAIN SU: The Student Sustainability.  You will have much creative control over how you do this, but you will have access to our website and social media sites as possibilities.

Important Tasks and Due Dates for CSL Students:

Teaching Assistants:

This term there are 6 TAs who will be running your lab sessions. They have each written an introductory blog post too - have a look:

Courtney Hughes

Marie Claude Roy 

Obi Durunna 

Pamela Bentley 

Kaustav Majumder 

Angie Chiu 

Homework due before next class (Friday September 9th):

Go to the class blog, find my post for Module One, Lecture One (this one!) and in the comments section write a short blurb introducing yourself and your current use of social media. Include any links to blogs or other online presence that you would like to share.

Join Twitter and follow me: @JessL

TA: Kaustav

Hello all,

I am Kaustav, a 3rd Year PhD student. I am working in the area of food science and technology and my interest is developing functional foods for the treatment and management of cardiovascular diseases.

I am from Kolkata, India and had completed my bachelor of technology from India in biotechnology with a specialization in bioinformatics.

I am really excited to be a part of this course and hope it would be a great learning experiences for all of you.

Join twitter and follow me @iJoykaustav

TA: Angie Chiu

Hello, my name is Angie. I'm a graduate student in Agricultural and Resource Economics and am one of the TAs this semester for ALES 204. I grew up in Edmonton and completed my undergraduate studies at UAlberta in Economics. My research is focused on the impacts of economic development and employment on food consumption and harvesting patterns in northern Canadian communities. Outside university halls, I enjoy travel, Spanish language and culture, and have recently taken up knitting.

TA: Pamela Bentley

Greetings!

My name is Pamela Bentley. I am a 2nd year PhD student working in Animal Science.

I am originally from Vermont, where I completed my Bachelors in Biology and a Masters in Animal Science.

My research interests include: Molecular biology, photoperiod, circadian rhythms, and cancer.

You can find out more about me at about.me/Bentley.Pamela

I think this course is going to be a great learning experience and I hope you all enjoy it.

TA: Obioha (Obi) Durunna

Obi was born in Nigeria where he completed his undergraduate degree in Animal Science and Technology from the Federal University of Technology Owerri, Nigeria. He proceeded to University of Manitoba in 2004 for his MSc degree. While at the U of M, he worked as a facilitator with the International Centre for Students (ICS), helping international students to acclimate to the Canadian environment. He also worked as a Teaching Assistant in several courses while pursuing his Masters degree. He joined the AFNS in 2007 where he served as a GSA councilor for the department. He had also been part of the ALES204 team since then. Obi also assists Action for Healthy Communities Edmonton (AFHC) in training their facilitators as well as conducting cross-cultural workshops in several high schools in Edmonton. He just completed his PhD program in Statistical Genomics.

TA: Courtney Hughes

Hello All!

My name is Courtney Hughes and I am one of the lab TA's for this course. I am very excited to be part of the CSL family and look forward to the semester ahead!

Here's a bit about me, so we can begin to get to know each other:

I hold a Master's degree in Environmental Education, where my research was conducted in Namibia with cheetahs at the Cheetah Conservation Fund. I explored the lived experiences of children (and to some extent adults) who visited CCF and participated in their educational programs on cheetah conservation. I also conducted a content analysis of the CCF's curriculum materials. In addition to this, and appeasing my BSc degree in natural science, I assisted with cheetah and leopard field captures and exams, releases of rehabilitated cats, camera trapping and analysis, and tending to the goats and guarding dogs on site.

So, as I've mentioned, I also hold a BSc in natural science and I am a certified teacher, with a BEd in science education. I taught in the formal school system, grade eights mostly (ack!) for three years and loved it; prior to this, I was the Director of a non-profit science, engineering and technology camp and outreach program for children and youth. All this as done at Lakehead University, Thunder Bay ON.

When I moved to Alberta I began my career at Inside Education, an NGO dedicated to environmental education in schools and for teachers; I then moved onto Alberta Environment where I am still employed as a Program Coordinator. My work is very diverse, ranging from the climate change file through to monitoring, evaluation and reporting. Most recently I have begun working on social science-related issues in environmental management, including social network analysis, which is very interesting.

In addition to working at AENV, I have also been a course Instructor in the Faculty of Elementary Education, in Science Curriculum and Instruction. Furthermore I am pursuing my PhD (second year, yay!) in Conservation Biology, where I am interested in using the social science to understand and find possible solutions to grizzly bear conservation in the province. My supervisor is Dr Scott Nielsen.

I love to travel and have been to four different African countries, a host of western Caribbean countries and throughout some of North America and Europe. I currently volunteer with my local Rotary District, where I lead the development and implementation of the national Science Curriculum for Belize, as well as teacher PD on science education. I love it!

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to share. I have an office in Education North, #330 and I am available by appointment Tuesday and Thursday before 12pm and after 2pm, generally speaking. Email is also great to contact me, and I tend ot answer quickly.

Looking forward to this co-learning experience!

Thanks! :)

TA: Marie-Claude (MC)

Hello!

My name is Marie-Claude (MC). I'm from Québec city and I graduated from McGill University in Applied Zoology.

I'm currently a PhD student working on wetland reclamation in the oil sands in Fort-McMurray, Alberta.

I also volunteer with the organization Dog With Wings as a puppy raiser. I'm currently taking care of 11 ten day old puppies who will be guide dog!

I'm looking forward to meeting you!

Welcome

Welcome to ALES 204. This is the class blog where class updates, changes, assignments and general discussion will take place.

Calendar Description

This course covers the principles of professional communication, including written, oral, and electronic components. Prerequisite: A minimum of *24 credits in university courses (approval by Dr. Laccetti is required for fewer than *24 credits). Open only to Faculty of Agriculture, Life, and Environmental Sciences students. Credit will be given for only one of ALES 204 and AGFOR 204.

Objectives

By the completion of this course a student will be able to:

Identify and describe a variety of approaches and strategies of an effective communicator;

1.              Apply strategies towards developing effective written work (online and offline) and oral speaking;

2.              Provide constructive written and oral feedback on specific elements of the course;

3.              Use reflective practise for improving her/his own communication style; and

4.              Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of and competency in professional communications.

The overall objective of this course is to make you to want to be a better communicator, both online and offline. If you truly want to be a better communicator, you will be, because you will make the effort to read over and improve what you write (or tweet or blog) and think carefully before you speak (or present). The purpose of communication is to convey information, so being a better communicator means conveying it more clearly, something that comes with reflective practice.