ACCAHC Represents Whole Person Health and Complementary and Alternative …
SEATTLE, April 13, 2012 /PRNewswire-iReach/ — The Academic Consortium for Complementary and Alternative Health Care (ACCAHC-www.accahc.org) announced today that the organization is a proud founding sponsor of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Global Forum on Innovation in Health Professional Education.
The IOM Global Forum was established to help operationalize recommendations from two significant reports produced in the centennial year of the Flexner Report that both revolutionized and polarized health professional education after its publication in 1910. The Lancet Commissions Educating Health Professionals for a New Century (2010) and the IOM/Robert Wood Johnson Report on The Future of Nursing (2010) each stressed inter-professionalism, team care and the importance of educating professionals for leadership and as change agents The Lancet Commission also focused on the globalization of healthcare and the need to better integrate health professional education with primary care, healthcare delivery and community and public health.
ACCAHC is excited to bring our core values of whole person, wellness-focused, patient-centered, integrative practices to this Global Forum with our academic colleagues from other disciplines and other nations states Elizabeth A. (Liza) Goldblatt, PhD, MPA/HA, ACCAHC chair.
ACCAHC is an interprofessional collaboration, the core membership of which includes most of the councils of colleges and accreditation agencies for the 5 licensed complementary and alternative healthcare disciplines: chiropractic, acupuncture and Oriental medicine, massage therapy, naturopathic medicine and direct-entry midwifery. Members also include organizations representing Traditional World Medicine and emerging professions including Ayurvedic Medicine, Yoga therapy and homeopathic medicine.
Goldblatt will team with ACCAHC Executive Director John Weeks to represent ACCAHC on the IOM Global Forum committee. Weeks notes that another value ACCAHC brings to this table is the affirmative connection of many ACCAHC disciplines with the worlds healing traditions: A critical component of optimal healthcare throughout the globe is the intersection of biomedicine with the indigenous and local practices of diverse populations. Core ACCAHC values include respect for the traditional systems and their optimal integration with biomedicine. Weeks adds that in the United States, this approach is often framed as the integration of the use of complementary and alternative therapies, practitioners and disciplines with conventional medicine.
ACCAHC will join the American Association of Medical Colleges, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Association of Schools of Public Health and over two dozen other organizations representing other disciplines and their educators as sponsors of the 3-year IOM forum. The forums central work product will be collaborative development of themes and speakers for a total of six, two-day public forums during 2012-2014. In addition, the Global Forum will be shaped by the discoveries and challenges in four innovative, international pilot projects in Uganda, South Africa, India and Canada. The forum is supported by a significant grant from the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation.
This is the third Institute of Medicine project with which ACCAHC has been involved. Goldblatt was a member of the IOM committee that created the 2009 IOM Summit on Integrative Medicine and the Health of the Public. ACCAHC nominee Rick Marinelli, ND, LAc subsequently served on the IOM committee that produced the IOM report Relieving Pain in America (2011) that recommended an integrative, team strategy.
Goldblatt adds: We are delighted to join our colleagues from other health care fields. We anticipate significant dialogue via the richness of the themes the forums will present.ACCAHCs participation in the Forum is made possible through member dues and a $30,000 philanthropic grant.
*About the Academic Consortium for Complementary and Alternative Health Care (ACCAHC): ACCAHC is a 501c3 organization the mission of which is to enhance patient care through fostering mutual respect and understanding among diverse healthcare professionals and disciplines. ACCAHC is a leadership organization. Core membership consists of the councils of colleges, accrediting agencies and certification and testing organizations from the 5 licensed complementary healthcare professions with a US Department of Education-recognized accrediting body (chiropractic, naturopathic medicine, acupuncture and Oriental medicine, massage therapy, direct-entry midwifery together representing over 350,000 licensed practitioners). ACCAHCs leading projects include: publication of the Clinicians and Educators Desk Reference on the Licensed Complementary and Alternative Health Care Professions; assisting educators and clinicians in developing and enhancing Competencies for Optimal Practice in Integrated Environments; expanding evidence-informed education in ACCAHC schools; engaging the North American interprofessional education/care movement; promoting a real world, patient-centered approach to research; providing collaboratively-developed perspectives on key policy issues; integrating representatives of patient interest in whole person care into key national health dialogues; educating leaders in health-focused care; and developing a Center for Optimal Integration web portal. See Accomplishments at a Glance on the website. www.accahc.org; www.optimalintegration.org
Media Contact: John Weeks, Academic Consortium for Complementary and Alternative Health Care (ACCAHC), 206-932-5799, jweeks@accahc.org
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NCAA tournament: Southern Mississippi disciplines pep band mambers for …
NCAA tournament: Southern Mississippi disciplines pep band mambers for heckling Kansas State player with racist taunt
By
View Photo Gallery: Angel Rodriguez (No. 13) was the target of a racist chant in an NCAA tournament game last week.
Five members of the University of Southern Mississippi pep band have been disciplined for heckling a Kansas State player with a racist chant during an NCAA tournament game Thursday in Pittsburgh.
The students’ scholarships were revoked, they were kicked out of the band and must complete a two-hour cultural sensitivity training course.
The university apologized to point guard Angel Rodriguez, who was born in Puerto Rico, after he was taunted with a “Where’s your green card?” chant in the Wildcats’ 70-64 victory. He accepted the apology, saying he paid no attention to that “nonsense, especially because Puerto Rico is a commonwealth, so we don’t need no type of papers.” Video of the chant went viral.
“The students have been forthcoming, cooperative, contrite and sincerely remorseful. They acted rashly and inappropriately, and now see the gravity of their words and actions,” Dr. Joe Paul, vice-president for student affairs, said in a statement released by the school. Dr. Joe Paul said in a statement. “This is a teachable moment, not only for these students but for our entire student body and those who work with them.”
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02:04 PM ET, 03/20/2012
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Rule of law takes root
Party leaderships handling of Bo Xilais case is a solid example for the promotion of legal progress and discipline
The recent decision of the Communist Party of China Central Committee to investigate Bo Xilais serious discipline violations, and the police reinvestigation of Neil Heywoods death, have garnered wide support from all walks of life in the country.
These moves have been objectively reported by most international media. However, a few overseas media have placed excessive interpretation on them and even taken the chance to make inappropriate comments on Chinas politics.
In fact, the decision is another resolute move by the ruling CPC to strengthen the enforcement of Party disciplines and continue to unswervingly push forward the rule of law.
In 1996, the rule of law was written into the outline of the ninth Five-Year Plan (1996-2000) for national economic and social development and the long-range objectives to 2010, becoming an important principle for guiding Chinas modernization drive.
The rule of law does not only mean running State affairs according to law, it also indicates that administrators must obey the law and handle State affairs through legal means. It is a comprehensive and profound change from the tradition of rule by man, which had been practiced in China for thousands of years.
The rule of law can ensure that Chinas development is not affected by uncertain factors and avoid upheavals such as the cultural revolution (1966-76).
Although China has encountered many difficulties, the country is marching forward along the right road. In 2010, a socialist system of laws with Chinese characteristics was established as scheduled. Solving problems through legal means has become the consensus of the Party and the people.
As the ruling party with more than 80 million members, the CPC has stipulated strict disciplines to ensure the Partys advanced nature.
The current Party Constitution, adopted in September 1982 and revised five times thereafter, clearly stipulates that the Party must conduct its activities within the framework of the countrys Constitution and laws. The Party Constitution also says that everyone is equal in front of Party disciplines.
The CPC has issued key documents, such as clean governance standards for Party members and cadres and regulations on leading cadres reporting personal matters, to set strict restraints on cadres behaviors, and no one is allowed to violate them.
Nonetheless, violations of Party disciplines and lax enforcement of laws have occurred occasionally. In some places, there are some practices in which power and personal favor are put above the law, and disciplinary and law violations by a very small number of high-ranking cadres become a major public concern. In some places, there are top officials making decisions without seeking others opinions and thus violating the principle of democratic centralism. The spouses and children of some cadres have taken advantage of their power to seek personal gains, disregarding the law, thus stirring public outcry.
One of the reasons for this phenomenon is that China is still at the primary stage of socialism and has yet to totally get rid of the influence of obsolete notions, including feudal ideology. Further efforts need to be made to improve institutional construction and law enforcement.
On the other hand, many officials have not been able to resist various temptations in the market economy: with expanding selfish desire and inadequate sense of law and ethnics, they choose the road of abusing power for personal gains and impairing the Party and State interests.
Chinese leaders have stressed many times that whoever has violated Party disciplines and the law will be seriously handled and that their actions will never be tolerated, no matter who is involved and no matter what position they are in.
China investigated and handled many major cases in recent years, and some of them were related to high-ranking officials. In 2011, prosecutorial authorities investigated 18,464 major embezzlement and bribery cases. They also investigated 2,524 officials at the county level and above, including 198 at prefecture level and seven at provincial and ministerial levels.
It is a similar move for the CPC Central Committee to investigate the serious disciplinary violations of Bo Xilai, and for the police to announce the reinvestigation results of the death of Neil Heywood and the delivery of suspects to judicial organs.
Observers believe it is a normal procedure for China to handle its own affairs according to Party disciplines and the laws of the State, deserving no fuss, not to mention excessive interpretation behind colored glasses and with bias.
China has sent a positive signal with the move to properly deal with the Wang Lijun incident, the case of Neil Heywoods death and Bo Xilais serious disciplinary violations, and to release the information in a timely manner.
Facing problems, China sticks to Party disciplines and the laws of the nation and goes through the legal procedures of modern states, which will foster a healthy and stable environment for its own development.
Every step of Chinas progress is hard-earned, but visible to all. Party disciplines and the laws of the State were trodden during the cultural revolution, but have been restored in the new era. China has shifted from rule by law to rule of law and building a socialist country based on the rule of law. Intra-Party democracy and the peoples democracy have also developed.
The favorable situation must be treasured and safeguarded for the sake of future development. Such a notion is even more crucial in the current period which witnesses social transformation, interests pluralism and sharp contradictions.
The handling of the Wang Lijun incident, the death of Neil Heywood and Bo Xilais case of serious disciplinary violations is a major issue related to Party principles and the law. It has nothing to do with a so-called political struggle. Any modern state will certainly deal with such problems according to law.
Late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping used to raise a vision of Chinas institutions and laws not changing whenever leaders change, or whenever leaders change their views or shift their focus of attention. Such a vision will come true only when the rule of law is fully achieved.
Only in this way will China experience steady and long-term development and the world benefit from Chinas development.
What has happened in China recently gives people more confidence.
Xinhua-China Daily
(China Daily 04/16/2012 page8)
Feeling good before London Olympics
With 103 days to go for the London Olympics, there is a feel-good factor about the way Indian sportspersons have geared up for the tough challenges ahead.
Over the decades, the story of Indian athletes preparing for the Olympics has always been about how they could ensure participation at the last minute in various disciplines. Quite often, it had to do with just getting entries into the events and no realistic chance of coming anywhere near the medal bracket.
CareCore National Hosts Top Healthcare Reform Leaders and Policy Experts
“Healthcare reform is an extremely complex undertaking that will require the efforts of leaders fluent in multiple disciplines,” said CareCore National CEO Doug Tardio.
Learning from the masters
At Kalamandalam the emphasis is on preserving tradition. The institution imparts training in Kathakali, Kutiyattam (Sanskrit drama based on the Ramayana), Mohiniyattam, Thullal (semiclassical solo dance theatre) and Panchavaadyam (temple orchestra). Alongside the art forms of Kerala, Kalamandalam included Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi in its curriculum. Carnatic Music has also been taught for awhile, however, it became a full-fledged and independent course of study only recently.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Who finally makes it to these art-kalaries (open space in Malayalam)? Students in the ageL I G T S P O T group of 12-14 years and those who have cleared class VII are admitted for a course of study in an art-discipline , says N K Radhakrishnan , head, academic programmes. The pre-metric course is called Art High School Leaving Certificate (AHSLC), followed by +2, and then an undergraduate course which awards BA in Performing Arts. Students receive training in 14 art disciplines. A student has to choose one of the art-disciplines like Kathakali acting, vocal or instrumental music as the main subject. S/he can select a subsidiary subject as part of his curriculum , he elaborates. Students can continue to pursue PG and an integrated MPhil and PhD. Those who wish to join regular training in an art-discipline can submit applications to Kalamandalam in April. Training in performing arts begins at 4am till 11.15am with breaks. Thereafter, students learn academic subjects. The training is based on the traditional system of Gurukula and the medium of instruction is Malayalam. At Kalamandalam, 90% of the students are from Kerala who are not expected to pay for their tuitions. They, however , bear the daily expense for the mess. Till 1990 students who joined regular courses were awarded diploma and post-diploma . However , The diploma and post-diploma courses were stopped after Kalamandalam became a deemed-to-be university for art and culture. There are certificate courses offered under the Special Training Programme (STP) to inter-state and international students who undergo training in various art disciplines every year for a period of three months to one year, says V Kaladharan , assistant registrar.
These students will pay tuition fees around Rs 3,000 from June 2012. Currently, Kalamandalam has four international students. Danae Dugardyn from France is learning Mohiniyattam . I am on a mission to travel across the world and connect with the locals through their dance forms. Its only through the music and dance that the true essence of a person emerges. At Kalamandalam, I love the teachers and the infrastructure. My fellow dancers are especially exquisite, she shares.
Many internationally acclaimed artists in Kathakali, Kutiyattam and Mohiniyattam are the universitys alumni, says Kaladharan. They are Padmashree or Padmabhushan awardees. Ramankutty Nair and Kalamandalam Gopi are eminent Kathakali actors. Sivan Namboodiri and Rama Chakyar are distinguished actors in Kutiyattam , the traditional Indian Sanskrit theatre. Satyabhama, Kshemavathy, Sugandhi, Leelamma and Hymavathy are renowned teachers and performers of Mohiniyattam, he adds.
Facebook, Instagram and the Disciplines of Mergers and Acquisitions
For years, its been a popular pastime to decry the use of mergers and acquisitions (MA) as a colossal, ego-inflating, comp-expanding, waste-of-shareholder-money exercise. Most of these charges are either wildly exaggerated or absurdly simplistic. MA is a necessary means for companies to grow, particularly in a world so driven by change. Failures are unavoidable — its not easy — although measuring whats exactly a failure or a success given the complexities of large corporations is pretty difficult. But its very true that in overheating markets, when currency in the form of shares is highly inflated, lots of lousy, value-destroying deals can get hatched. This is particularly the case in intensely competitive technology industries, where the value creation of a given deal may lie not in the current organization but in a technique, a process, a piece of intellectual property still undergoing gestation: that is, in an opaque future. Thus the truism beloved of Warren Buffett: In MA, theres nothing riskier than tech deals.
And then theres Facebook and Instagram. Facebook is famously paying a cool billion dollars for the two-year-old app-based photo service. Instagram has 13 employees, 30 million users and no revenues. Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg decided the social media giant absolutely had to have the startup, and took a years worth of cash flow and offered it up, about twice Instagrams recently closed Series B venture round valuing the company at $500 million. There was no indication of other bidders, though everyone seems convinced that a Google or an Apple was lurking out there ready to make its own pre-emptive bid. In the developing meme about the Instagram deal, Zuckerberg didnt have a choice: He had to strike. It was eat or be eaten. The sheer uncertainty of the social media landscape cant tolerate hesitation; it demanded action. In California, venture capitalists, investment bankers and analysts cant praise the deal highly enough (of course, they all profit from the resulting euphoria). Zuckerberg showed brilliance, they said, by recognizing Instagrams potential and making the bid — despite the fact that this will further complicate Facebooks enormous and much-hyped IPO in a month or so.
That alone should cause one to pause along with the profound faith in a young CEO who hasnt done much dealmaking. The issue here is not that Zuckerberg made a good decision or not. Well find out in time whether Instagram is a PayPal or a Skype (both eBay acquisitions: the former, as The New York Times lays out today, a big success, the latter, a big loser) or a Flickr (a Yahoo! bomb) or a Flip (which Cisco, a regular and expert user of MA, shut down last year). Instagram most closely resembles some of the giant telecom deals from before the bubble burst in 2001, particularly in the size of the deal and the tiny number of employees. Billions of dollars in those deals were written off when the market collapsed. And let us not wallow in AOL-Time Warner again.
No, the issue with these sorts of deals is how any investor can make a rational judgment about a) whether this deal makes strategic sense, or b) whether the price makes any sense at all. The two are related, of course. The view from Silicon Valley seems to be that Facebook had the money so why not spend it. Cutting-edge tech companies need to bet big and make strategic deals, that is, deals that cant be be valued — the feeling is that Zuckerberg is a genius and if he doesnt know what Facebook needs, then nobody does. Facebook isnt even public so Zuckerberg can spend his money any way he wants and the reaction of users and the tech community seems to be so positive it cant go wrong. Well, of course, it can go wrong. Crowds change their minds, and Instagrams users in the Twittersphere dont seem to want to be enveloped into Facebook world, though this is about as scientific as a finger in the breeze. Apps (and social media sites) come and go. Instagram has very few employees, all of whom are now loaded with dough. They may stay and develop the product — though no one seems to know how itll make money — or they may drift off to start new companies or go into politics or try venture capital. There seems to be few barriers to entry in the app world, and its hard to imagine that Instagram, as nifty as it is, is unassailable. Moreover, its unclear whether Instagram boasts the kind of network effects that makes PayPal, YouTube, Google, Microsoft, Apple and Facebook so formidable. Remarkably, few seem to be asking.
Again, this could turn out to be a fabulous deal. But this is the kind of deal that gives MA a bad name. The notion that Zuckerberg can spend his money any way he wants is not only wrong — its not really his — but about to become a real problem when public investors buy shares. (Substitute, say, Bank of America for Facebook and see how that works.) A billion dollars remains a big number, no matter the market cap. Moreover, its pretty clear, as the Financial Times Lex column pointed out Tuesday, that despite Zuckerbergs statement that this is a one-off deal, what it really suggests — and that the tech crowd confirms in its comments — is that there could well be other Instagrams to be scooped up. Facebook is implicitly admitting that in a burgeoning and remarkably fluid app world, it cant really go it alone: It needs to buy and buy and buy. Again, thats not a shock (Google has been a busy buyer) — though Zuckerberg, prepping for public company status, should be more careful with statements about one-offs he may have to take back, and that will hurt him with investors once he goes public.
Will this deal hurt Facebook if it never works out? Not really. Its just a write-off, which Facebook can shrug off. By then there will be new hot apps, racking up millions of grazing users. But what this deal tells us most clearly is just how risky the Facebook enterprise is. For Zuckerberg to make a pre-emptive bid thats twice the venture valuation from two weeks ago — and one a month before a public offering — suggests two things: either hes undisciplined with all that money (were there negotiations or due diligence? whats the breakdown of cash and shares?) or that the powerful network effects that keep users coming back to Facebook may not be as strong as a relatively obscure two-year-old startups app.
Is this a sign of a bubble? I dont believe that, unless you define bubble in a very narrow sense. Social media is clearly heating up, but for rational reasons: new devices, new services, new apps, an exploding audience. Instagram might look like an old dot-com — lots of users that may come or go, no viable revenue model — but Facebook does not: Like Google, it has found a way to make a lot of money. But you dont have to have a full-blown bubble to lose your discipline as a buyer. You just need the sudden appearance of a lot of cash. Which is how MA gets a bad name.
Robert Teitelman is editor in chief of The Deal magazine.
School district disciplines Stamford High custodian
STAMFORD — The lead custodian at Stamford High School was suspended without pay for two days this week following allegations of inappropriate contact between him and a student there, city human resources officials said Thursday.
Board of Education officials disciplined Todd Williams on Tuesday following a hearing into the allegations. According to a letter from the school districts facilities manager, officials determined Williams confronted a student after school on April 2 and put his hands on the students shoulders and arms while bringing him to the main office.
Williams declined comment Thursday afternoon. He was suspended Thursday and Friday, and must report back to work at 2 pm Monday, officials said.
The student lodged a complaint against Williams the same day as the confrontation; school officials put the custodian on paid leave the following day, city Human Resources Director Emmet Hibson said. Officials held the disciplinary hearing Tuesday, Board of Education spokeswoman Sarah Arnold said.
Officials collected statements from witnesses and the student who made the complaint, Hibson said. The statements and other evidence substantiated the allegations of physical contact, he said.
School officials did not refer the incident to the Stamford Police Department because the allegations concerned inappropriate conduct rather than abuse or neglect, Arnold said.
In the disciplinary letter, Facilities Manager Kevin Iassogna warned Williams he does not have the authority to approach or discipline students, and that he should have reported any misbehavior to school security or administration.
jeff.morganteen@scni.com; 203-964-2215; http://twitter.com/
Zulu Must Come to Fight to Respect Living Legend Leonard
BOXING, like other sports disciplines, has over generations produced its own big-name athletes in various weight divisions, the most prominent class being the heavyweight division which is supposed to be the most lucrative for fighters.
Each era has had its own legends and, looking at the heavyweight division, the most colourful and recognisable champions were, in chronological order, if you like, Rocky Marciano the only man in boxing history who retired undefeated in 50 bouts and Joe Louis in the 50-60s and legendary Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and George Foreman who defined or symbolised the 1970s era.
Then we had the next era in which the baddest man on the planet, Iron Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis and Evander The Real Deal Holyfield were the torch- bearers of the heavyweight division.
But there is a division, the welterweight category, that has also produced legends at the highest level and this is the class to which Floyd Mayweather Jr, Manny Pacquaio, Sugar Shane Mosley, the late Vernon Forrest, Oscar De La Hoya and Miguel Cotto, among others, belong.
The best welterweights during the 1980s were Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas The Hitman Hearns, Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Panamanian Roberto Duran.
There was also Wilfred Benitez. Leonard 40-36- (25Kos) 3-1 fought epic battles against Hearns, Hagler and Duran.
He met Duran three times, losing once on points, but avenged the loss with an eighth round KO and a unanimous points decision in rematches.
Leonard defeated both Hearns, (not nick-named The Hitman for nothing via a 14th round TKO) and Hagler on a split points decision after 12 rounds.
Interestingly, although not among the better known fighters, Floyd Mayweather Snr, father of Floyd Jnr, was also a 10th round TKO victim at the hands of Leonard when they faced off in 1978.
The other men to defeat Leonard were Terry Norris (1991) and Hector Camacho in 1997.
Leonard is the man who is coming to Zambia in June for charity work for Jevenile Diabetes Research Foundation which chance he would use to grace the forthcoming International Boxing Federation (IBF) continental heavyweight title contest between Francis Galagata Zulu and Tanzanias Awadh Tamim at the new Government Complex Hall in Lusaka on June 2.
I commend Samson Boxing Promotions proprietor Mike Ferreira who announced the good news for the effort he and his team put in to invite living legend Leonard to grace the tournament.
June is two months away and I hope nothing will jeopardize the fight and Leonards visit to Zambia between now and then.
Ferreira was right when he said Leonards visit would boost the development of the sport and the tourism industry as it would etch Zambias name on the world map.
For me, this visit is important for the boxers themselves, and, in particular, Galagata.
When he enters the ring, I hope Galagata will remember that theres a high-profile spectator in attendance who will expect nothing short of a real fight.Leonard will not want to see wrestlers-cum-boxers in the ring on that day because, when he fought himself in his hey days, he went to fight.
I appeal to Ferreira, if its possible, to secure a tape of any of Leonards past fights, but especially one against Hagler and show this to Galagata (and other boxers) so that they can learn something about fighting.
I have always attacked Galagatas style which always puts off fans.
When you enter the ring, fans dont expect to see hugs but flying fists thrown with authority and in bunches. Not five or less punches per round and the rest is wrestling.
I trust that Galagatas trainer Mike Zulu will ensure that this time around his man will be adequately prepared in terms of conditioning (Galagata often appears to tire easily), heart, self belief and focus, among other things.
That way, we can look to winning the IBF crown.
Beyond disciplines: How Dalhousie blew up some silos
We asked Dr. Buszard, who will take up the helm as deputy vice chancellor at the University of British Columbia Okanagan in July, her views on the elements of the ideal classroom for fostering creativity.
Universities in the last century fell into disciplinary and technical training. We produced people who were experts in the content and skills of their field but who may not have broad skills and critical thinking. In todays world, where we get access to content pretty much for free on the Internet, content is not nearly as valuable to teach as it was 100 years ago. We need to be teaching students to think creatively and synthesize ideas from multiple perspectives.
Engaged teachers
The most fantastic teachers are people who really master their discipline and can inspire others to find it as exciting and fun as they are finding it. One of the great boons of our university system is that we have active scholars in their disciplines bringing an engaged, very up-to-date understanding of their discipline to their students.
Reflective learners
Students often come to university having been beaten into a narrow mould about how they expect to be taught and evaluated. We need to help students unleash their creative side in addressing their academic work. In addition to being given writing assignments, first-year students are also given creative assignments in which they can choose any medium that they wish to respond to a question or an issue. We get anything from a rap to a video to a piece of art work, to regular written material. We also encourage students to be reflective learners by asking them to reflect on material from lectures in small discussion groups, perhaps multiple times, which is better than just writing material down once then regurgitating it in a test.
Co-learning and peer-learning
Students from across the university work together in groups. It is very much like the world of work, where you work together with people from different disciplinary backgrounds to address a problem.
Problem-based learning
Typically in the third year, students are taking on real-life sustainability issues on campus. For example, we had a group of students work with the food services, looking at operations in our cafeterias. As a result, there have been a number of innovations, including going tray-less, which has reduced water usage and wasted food. The first group of fourth-year students are doing a sustainability situation analysis with Credit Union Atlantic and making recommendations.
Balancing content and understanding
Students combine sustainability alongside their discipline. Because we have freed ourselves from the obligation to deliver the standard disciplinary content, we can deliver intellectual skills and thinking habits to help students address complex, interdisciplinary sustainability issues. One wants both depth and breadth. As the students are developing their capacity as disciplinary scholars, they are learning to be more thoughtful and aware of the epistemological approach of their discipline. They gain the broad wisdom of recognizing other disciplinary approaches.
Large classes are okay
Large classes can be highly engaging. We have two or three professors in each class. I teach with a historian and an architect. We have a lot of different perspectives and we tend to debate them in front of the students. Its less of a lecture and more of a conversation. Our classes are interactive. Then we pair them with tutorials led by teaching assistants, where students do reflective and group work with 20 students.
Teaching for tomorrow
At the [World Innovation Summit for Education in Doha, Qatar] I heard many international educators say the same things Id been thinking. They said that education now is what will define what society is like in the future. The primary resource we have for future development is the intellectual capital of our country, and if we dont get that to be the best it can be, we will not be as successful with our innovation agenda.
Special to The Globe and Mail
