All this talk about creating community and how that empowers people - hopefully to make positive, educated decisions.
I feel like there is a missing peice - that being any support systems or safe places for students that do not fit the norm - specifically GLBTQ - or queer students.
I am very intersted in finding a space for this, in turn being able to support a whole group of often-brilliant, enviro-friendly folk in a SAFE environment.
-faculty stlouie@alg
Hi,
Just a thought! As a professor, I reuse the envelopes that come from CSD once students have written exams. Since it is only a label sticker attached to the envelope, perhaps these envelopes could be re-used in CSD and attach new stickers for confidentiality.
It is unfortunate that with so many well-educated people in Information Technology, Algonquin's ITS department still lives in the dark ages with regard to sustainability and environmentalism. Examples of this range from the simple -- they still use virgin paper instead of post-consumer recycled paper for all their copying and printing --, top the wasteful requisition of server systems that are never deployed.
As a grudate and now employee, it is interesting to see the difference between the academic and coporpate atmospheres at Algonquin College. Our professors, industry expecters and leaders are central points of retention and motivation for students to understand the implication of the learning on the greater community; while many of our professors are unknown to the general college community. Who are our best and brighest educators?
From a corporate perspect, it's just that...business. There is no sense amongest the student population that the college is promoting the unity of the college student. What is our central focus for students to rally around? Is it sustainability? Is it technology? Is it industry leading programming? Algonquin is a large institution with a diversified set of offerings that reach every type of learning, but how can we help those students network and support each other in every aspect of their time here? Some broad questions as we move into a new place of focus and purpose as a community college.
Algonquin College could significantly decrease its environmental footprint (and reduce its costs) by allowing students to complete their course assessments online. I was part of a trial version of an online system 4 or 5 years ago, and nothing has happened since. In the past four years in just in one course in which I am involved approximately 7000 sheets of paper have been used getting feedback. Even if we can't make online assessments available in every course, we could certainly make a major dent in the amount of paper we waste.
As an Algonquin student I have completed many course assessments. I believe that the difficulty lies with trying to find the right balance between saving paper and ensuring that the assessments get completed. Some of us may not realize that a portion of our government program funding is based on the results of these assessments. My fear is that we may not get as many students filling them out if the format was changed to online forms. Perhaps I am wrong ... The way it has been done until now is that the School gives the prof the forms in an envelope - the prof asks a student to administer the approx. 15 minute process while the teacher leaves the room. Going online could present some issues including maintaining student annonymity, ensuring the forms are completed, timing, etc... I was not made aware of a trial version of such an online system a few years ago.
I completely agree with you. There is really no excuse considering the course assessments are already in a bubble sheet format the same as it would be online. Also there are always extra blank sheets in the envelope which never get filled out! Instead of filtering them out and scanning the forms in later, all the information would be already in the computer! What a novel idea!
The recycling system at the college is attrocious. There should be recycling facilities in every single classroom, and less garbage cans everywhere, b/c garbage cans just encourage people to throw things away when really most things can be recycled. I think it's ridiculous that Algonquin still sells bottled water and buys and provides bottled water for events. Bottled water within Canada is one of the biggest problems there is currently with our environment. Get rid of the bottles!
I agree with the above. Media and Design studies added recycling containers in the classrooms they use about a year ago. We need them everywhere. The classroom garbage cans are full of potentially recyclable material. We need to encourage more responsible behavior within the Algonquin community.
Comments
Creating community
All this talk about creating community and how that empowers people - hopefully to make positive, educated decisions.
I feel like there is a missing peice - that being any support systems or safe places for students that do not fit the norm - specifically GLBTQ - or queer students.
I am very intersted in finding a space for this, in turn being able to support a whole group of often-brilliant, enviro-friendly folk in a SAFE environment.
-faculty stlouie@alg
Re-use envelopes in CSD
Hi,
Just a thought! As a professor, I reuse the envelopes that come from CSD once students have written exams. Since it is only a label sticker attached to the envelope, perhaps these envelopes could be re-used in CSD and attach new stickers for confidentiality.
regards, Donna Serafini
Information Technology Services - Waste Leader
It is unfortunate that with so many well-educated people in Information Technology, Algonquin's ITS department still lives in the dark ages with regard to sustainability and environmentalism. Examples of this range from the simple -- they still use virgin paper instead of post-consumer recycled paper for all their copying and printing --, top the wasteful requisition of server systems that are never deployed.
Perhaps someone can give them a wake-up call?
The Campus Atmosphere
As a grudate and now employee, it is interesting to see the difference between the academic and coporpate atmospheres at Algonquin College. Our professors, industry expecters and leaders are central points of retention and motivation for students to understand the implication of the learning on the greater community; while many of our professors are unknown to the general college community. Who are our best and brighest educators?
From a corporate perspect, it's just that...business. There is no sense amongest the student population that the college is promoting the unity of the college student. What is our central focus for students to rally around? Is it sustainability? Is it technology? Is it industry leading programming? Algonquin is a large institution with a diversified set of offerings that reach every type of learning, but how can we help those students network and support each other in every aspect of their time here? Some broad questions as we move into a new place of focus and purpose as a community college.
Core Values
We should start by having the students focus on our four key values:
Caring
Learning
Respect
Integrity
This could help build a real feel of comminuty.
Course Assessments Online
Algonquin College could significantly decrease its environmental footprint (and reduce its costs) by allowing students to complete their course assessments online. I was part of a trial version of an online system 4 or 5 years ago, and nothing has happened since. In the past four years in just in one course in which I am involved approximately 7000 sheets of paper have been used getting feedback. Even if we can't make online assessments available in every course, we could certainly make a major dent in the amount of paper we waste.
As an Algonquin student I
As an Algonquin student I have completed many course assessments. I believe that the difficulty lies with trying to find the right balance between saving paper and ensuring that the assessments get completed. Some of us may not realize that a portion of our government program funding is based on the results of these assessments. My fear is that we may not get as many students filling them out if the format was changed to online forms. Perhaps I am wrong ... The way it has been done until now is that the School gives the prof the forms in an envelope - the prof asks a student to administer the approx. 15 minute process while the teacher leaves the room. Going online could present some issues including maintaining student annonymity, ensuring the forms are completed, timing, etc... I was not made aware of a trial version of such an online system a few years ago.
online course assessments
I completely agree with you. There is really no excuse considering the course assessments are already in a bubble sheet format the same as it would be online. Also there are always extra blank sheets in the envelope which never get filled out! Instead of filtering them out and scanning the forms in later, all the information would be already in the computer! What a novel idea!
The recycling system at the
The recycling system at the college is attrocious. There should be recycling facilities in every single classroom, and less garbage cans everywhere, b/c garbage cans just encourage people to throw things away when really most things can be recycled. I think it's ridiculous that Algonquin still sells bottled water and buys and provides bottled water for events. Bottled water within Canada is one of the biggest problems there is currently with our environment. Get rid of the bottles!
Algonquin Recycling
I agree with the above. Media and Design studies added recycling containers in the classrooms they use about a year ago. We need them everywhere. The classroom garbage cans are full of potentially recyclable material. We need to encourage more responsible behavior within the Algonquin community.