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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bellaroselearningjourney/chapter/beliefs-and-values/#chapter-63-section-1
|
Beliefs and Values
NURSING PHILOSOPHY:
I believe that nursing is the foundation for ethical and accessible healthcare across the globe. Nurses are at the core of providing holistic care to their patients that is considerate of their lived experiences and applicable to their daily lives. I feel nurses must strive to act with integrity and honesty, while maintining an excellent work-ethic and ability to adapt to their surroundings to best serve their patients. I believe nurses play a key role in delivering the competent care necessary to foster a safe space where healthcare is accessible and equitable. Nurses have the responsibility to continually learn and grow with society to bridge the gap to accessible healthcare through a holistic approach.
NURSING BELIEF STATEMENT:
I believe nursing to be a foundational role within the healthcare team that requires individuals with impeccable work-ethic, who are adaptable, work with integrity and are honest. Nurses have an obligation to deliver competent, compassionate care to their patients. To achieve this, nurses must be culturally competent, and willing to learn at every stage in their career. I hope to embody these traits and learning affinity as a student-nurse, careful to bring that into my future career as a nurse.
MY VALUES:
INTEGRITY
To me, integrity describes being true to your word, and acting in a way that is true to who you are as a person, no matter who is or is not looking. Integrity involves showing up for people in the way you promised you would, completing tasks you set out to complete on time and to the best of your ability. Integrity means acting with truth in your work and acting in a way that is truthful to you personal values and ethics. This is a quality I value in myself and will strive to behave in a way that reflects this.
Acting with integrity in nursing means giving the correct medication and interventions to your patients, when you said you would. It means taking responsibility for the promises you make to yourself and your patients, delivering on them with great care. In nursing, this also means maintaining a strong relationship with your patient, giving great consideration to their circumstance and privacy. Integrity outlines the CNO’s 5th guideline to the Code of Conduct, ensuring patients are receiving competent care that is equitable (CNO, 2023). Nursing care, to me, should be free of bias, and to a high standard for all patients. Nurses should ask themselves; Am I being true to my values and treating this patient to the best of my ability?
HONESTY:
Honesty is the ability to act with truth and integrity with one’s daily ongoings. To act with purpose and truth in all aspects of life, personal, spiritual, and working interactions. Acting with honesty involves acting with truth in one’s self-dialogue and interactions with others. When acting in an honest manner, a person will be truthful to their own values and beliefs, be truthful in the work they put forth, be truthful in making mistakes, learning from those mistakes and making a valiant effort to improve.
I believe nurses need to act with honesty in their work, to be honest to themselves and everyone around them. They must be honest with themselves, in their evaluation of their knowledge and skills, to know when something is within their scope. They must be honest with their patients, being upfront about the level of care they are able to deliver and to put an honest effort into following-through with that promise. They must be honest with their colleagues and mentors, asking for help when they need, to ensure patients get the best possible care. Nurses should be honest when they make mistakes, and put truthful efforts into improving.
WORK-ETHIC:
A strong work-ethic, to me, means having a strong attention to detail, an unrelenting perseverance, and a willingness to put the maximum effort to which you are capable into every endeavour. Having this work-ethic involves striking a balance between giving something your all, and ensuring you maintain a high quality of work completed. This also involves taking on only how much you can reasonably do, to ensure you are able to give your 100% to everything you said you would. In my eyes, this also applies to working with integrity.
I believe nurses need to have a strong work-ethic to be able to deliver the best possible care to their patients. Nurses should view each patient and working task as valuable to their practice and learning. Nurses should take great care to ensure they are able to give 100% into their work when they are responsible for the care of patients, as patient safety is paramount. To ensure they are able to put maximal effort into their work, nurses should engage in regular self-reflection, and take care of themselves in order to show up wholly for their patients. Nurses should persevere in the face of difficulty and strive to find solutions that are patient-centered. Nurses should maintain a high quality of care, and work hard to maintain that quality, advocating for patients and themselves when that quality is not met.
ADAPTABILITY:
Adaptability is the ability to change and grow according to the difficulties and challenges in one’s life. Adaptability dictates the ability to quickly change in order to meet the demands of the environment and circumstances in which a person might find themselves. This is rooted in the ability to tailor one’s responses to the demands of the circumstances to be successful. This ability relies on using difficult circumstances as tools for growth, both personal and professional. A key aspect of adaptability comes from self-reflection and honesty, using reflection techniques to honestly evaluate an experience and how it can apply to growth and future experiences.
Nurses respond to health circumstances that are ongoing and ever-changing. The social, scientific and healthcare environments are constantly evolving and continue to learn and grow. Nurses must be adaptable to these changes, learning and growing alongside them. Nurses will see patients of all different cultures, lived experiences and health backgrounds, and must be able to adapt their care model to these changing needs. To effectively adapt to these changing circumstances, I believe nurses must use consistent self-reflection and evaluation of best practices to critically determine the best care model for each patient. Nurses must adapt to each patient and working landscape, to deliver the highest possible quality care.
Feedback/Errata
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:20.407195
|
11-18-2024
|
{
"license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
"url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bellaroselearningjourney/chapter/beliefs-and-values/#chapter-63-section-1",
"book_url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bellaroselearningjourney/front-matter/a-brief-introduction-a-note-from-the-author/",
"title": "Bella's Nursing Journey",
"author": "Bella Rose",
"institution": "Trent University",
"subject": "Education"
}
|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bellaroselearningjourney/chapter/beliefs-and-values/#chapter-63-section-2
|
Beliefs and Values
NURSING PHILOSOPHY:
I believe that nursing is the foundation for ethical and accessible healthcare across the globe. Nurses are at the core of providing holistic care to their patients that is considerate of their lived experiences and applicable to their daily lives. I feel nurses must strive to act with integrity and honesty, while maintining an excellent work-ethic and ability to adapt to their surroundings to best serve their patients. I believe nurses play a key role in delivering the competent care necessary to foster a safe space where healthcare is accessible and equitable. Nurses have the responsibility to continually learn and grow with society to bridge the gap to accessible healthcare through a holistic approach.
NURSING BELIEF STATEMENT:
I believe nursing to be a foundational role within the healthcare team that requires individuals with impeccable work-ethic, who are adaptable, work with integrity and are honest. Nurses have an obligation to deliver competent, compassionate care to their patients. To achieve this, nurses must be culturally competent, and willing to learn at every stage in their career. I hope to embody these traits and learning affinity as a student-nurse, careful to bring that into my future career as a nurse.
MY VALUES:
INTEGRITY
To me, integrity describes being true to your word, and acting in a way that is true to who you are as a person, no matter who is or is not looking. Integrity involves showing up for people in the way you promised you would, completing tasks you set out to complete on time and to the best of your ability. Integrity means acting with truth in your work and acting in a way that is truthful to you personal values and ethics. This is a quality I value in myself and will strive to behave in a way that reflects this.
Acting with integrity in nursing means giving the correct medication and interventions to your patients, when you said you would. It means taking responsibility for the promises you make to yourself and your patients, delivering on them with great care. In nursing, this also means maintaining a strong relationship with your patient, giving great consideration to their circumstance and privacy. Integrity outlines the CNO’s 5th guideline to the Code of Conduct, ensuring patients are receiving competent care that is equitable (CNO, 2023). Nursing care, to me, should be free of bias, and to a high standard for all patients. Nurses should ask themselves; Am I being true to my values and treating this patient to the best of my ability?
HONESTY:
Honesty is the ability to act with truth and integrity with one’s daily ongoings. To act with purpose and truth in all aspects of life, personal, spiritual, and working interactions. Acting with honesty involves acting with truth in one’s self-dialogue and interactions with others. When acting in an honest manner, a person will be truthful to their own values and beliefs, be truthful in the work they put forth, be truthful in making mistakes, learning from those mistakes and making a valiant effort to improve.
I believe nurses need to act with honesty in their work, to be honest to themselves and everyone around them. They must be honest with themselves, in their evaluation of their knowledge and skills, to know when something is within their scope. They must be honest with their patients, being upfront about the level of care they are able to deliver and to put an honest effort into following-through with that promise. They must be honest with their colleagues and mentors, asking for help when they need, to ensure patients get the best possible care. Nurses should be honest when they make mistakes, and put truthful efforts into improving.
WORK-ETHIC:
A strong work-ethic, to me, means having a strong attention to detail, an unrelenting perseverance, and a willingness to put the maximum effort to which you are capable into every endeavour. Having this work-ethic involves striking a balance between giving something your all, and ensuring you maintain a high quality of work completed. This also involves taking on only how much you can reasonably do, to ensure you are able to give your 100% to everything you said you would. In my eyes, this also applies to working with integrity.
I believe nurses need to have a strong work-ethic to be able to deliver the best possible care to their patients. Nurses should view each patient and working task as valuable to their practice and learning. Nurses should take great care to ensure they are able to give 100% into their work when they are responsible for the care of patients, as patient safety is paramount. To ensure they are able to put maximal effort into their work, nurses should engage in regular self-reflection, and take care of themselves in order to show up wholly for their patients. Nurses should persevere in the face of difficulty and strive to find solutions that are patient-centered. Nurses should maintain a high quality of care, and work hard to maintain that quality, advocating for patients and themselves when that quality is not met.
ADAPTABILITY:
Adaptability is the ability to change and grow according to the difficulties and challenges in one’s life. Adaptability dictates the ability to quickly change in order to meet the demands of the environment and circumstances in which a person might find themselves. This is rooted in the ability to tailor one’s responses to the demands of the circumstances to be successful. This ability relies on using difficult circumstances as tools for growth, both personal and professional. A key aspect of adaptability comes from self-reflection and honesty, using reflection techniques to honestly evaluate an experience and how it can apply to growth and future experiences.
Nurses respond to health circumstances that are ongoing and ever-changing. The social, scientific and healthcare environments are constantly evolving and continue to learn and grow. Nurses must be adaptable to these changes, learning and growing alongside them. Nurses will see patients of all different cultures, lived experiences and health backgrounds, and must be able to adapt their care model to these changing needs. To effectively adapt to these changing circumstances, I believe nurses must use consistent self-reflection and evaluation of best practices to critically determine the best care model for each patient. Nurses must adapt to each patient and working landscape, to deliver the highest possible quality care.
Feedback/Errata
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:20.419585
|
11-18-2024
|
{
"license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
"url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bellaroselearningjourney/chapter/beliefs-and-values/#chapter-63-section-2",
"book_url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bellaroselearningjourney/front-matter/a-brief-introduction-a-note-from-the-author/",
"title": "Bella's Nursing Journey",
"author": "Bella Rose",
"institution": "Trent University",
"subject": "Education"
}
|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bellaroselearningjourney/chapter/beliefs-and-values/#chapter-63-section-3
|
Beliefs and Values
NURSING PHILOSOPHY:
I believe that nursing is the foundation for ethical and accessible healthcare across the globe. Nurses are at the core of providing holistic care to their patients that is considerate of their lived experiences and applicable to their daily lives. I feel nurses must strive to act with integrity and honesty, while maintining an excellent work-ethic and ability to adapt to their surroundings to best serve their patients. I believe nurses play a key role in delivering the competent care necessary to foster a safe space where healthcare is accessible and equitable. Nurses have the responsibility to continually learn and grow with society to bridge the gap to accessible healthcare through a holistic approach.
NURSING BELIEF STATEMENT:
I believe nursing to be a foundational role within the healthcare team that requires individuals with impeccable work-ethic, who are adaptable, work with integrity and are honest. Nurses have an obligation to deliver competent, compassionate care to their patients. To achieve this, nurses must be culturally competent, and willing to learn at every stage in their career. I hope to embody these traits and learning affinity as a student-nurse, careful to bring that into my future career as a nurse.
MY VALUES:
INTEGRITY
To me, integrity describes being true to your word, and acting in a way that is true to who you are as a person, no matter who is or is not looking. Integrity involves showing up for people in the way you promised you would, completing tasks you set out to complete on time and to the best of your ability. Integrity means acting with truth in your work and acting in a way that is truthful to you personal values and ethics. This is a quality I value in myself and will strive to behave in a way that reflects this.
Acting with integrity in nursing means giving the correct medication and interventions to your patients, when you said you would. It means taking responsibility for the promises you make to yourself and your patients, delivering on them with great care. In nursing, this also means maintaining a strong relationship with your patient, giving great consideration to their circumstance and privacy. Integrity outlines the CNO’s 5th guideline to the Code of Conduct, ensuring patients are receiving competent care that is equitable (CNO, 2023). Nursing care, to me, should be free of bias, and to a high standard for all patients. Nurses should ask themselves; Am I being true to my values and treating this patient to the best of my ability?
HONESTY:
Honesty is the ability to act with truth and integrity with one’s daily ongoings. To act with purpose and truth in all aspects of life, personal, spiritual, and working interactions. Acting with honesty involves acting with truth in one’s self-dialogue and interactions with others. When acting in an honest manner, a person will be truthful to their own values and beliefs, be truthful in the work they put forth, be truthful in making mistakes, learning from those mistakes and making a valiant effort to improve.
I believe nurses need to act with honesty in their work, to be honest to themselves and everyone around them. They must be honest with themselves, in their evaluation of their knowledge and skills, to know when something is within their scope. They must be honest with their patients, being upfront about the level of care they are able to deliver and to put an honest effort into following-through with that promise. They must be honest with their colleagues and mentors, asking for help when they need, to ensure patients get the best possible care. Nurses should be honest when they make mistakes, and put truthful efforts into improving.
WORK-ETHIC:
A strong work-ethic, to me, means having a strong attention to detail, an unrelenting perseverance, and a willingness to put the maximum effort to which you are capable into every endeavour. Having this work-ethic involves striking a balance between giving something your all, and ensuring you maintain a high quality of work completed. This also involves taking on only how much you can reasonably do, to ensure you are able to give your 100% to everything you said you would. In my eyes, this also applies to working with integrity.
I believe nurses need to have a strong work-ethic to be able to deliver the best possible care to their patients. Nurses should view each patient and working task as valuable to their practice and learning. Nurses should take great care to ensure they are able to give 100% into their work when they are responsible for the care of patients, as patient safety is paramount. To ensure they are able to put maximal effort into their work, nurses should engage in regular self-reflection, and take care of themselves in order to show up wholly for their patients. Nurses should persevere in the face of difficulty and strive to find solutions that are patient-centered. Nurses should maintain a high quality of care, and work hard to maintain that quality, advocating for patients and themselves when that quality is not met.
ADAPTABILITY:
Adaptability is the ability to change and grow according to the difficulties and challenges in one’s life. Adaptability dictates the ability to quickly change in order to meet the demands of the environment and circumstances in which a person might find themselves. This is rooted in the ability to tailor one’s responses to the demands of the circumstances to be successful. This ability relies on using difficult circumstances as tools for growth, both personal and professional. A key aspect of adaptability comes from self-reflection and honesty, using reflection techniques to honestly evaluate an experience and how it can apply to growth and future experiences.
Nurses respond to health circumstances that are ongoing and ever-changing. The social, scientific and healthcare environments are constantly evolving and continue to learn and grow. Nurses must be adaptable to these changes, learning and growing alongside them. Nurses will see patients of all different cultures, lived experiences and health backgrounds, and must be able to adapt their care model to these changing needs. To effectively adapt to these changing circumstances, I believe nurses must use consistent self-reflection and evaluation of best practices to critically determine the best care model for each patient. Nurses must adapt to each patient and working landscape, to deliver the highest possible quality care.
Feedback/Errata
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:20.431965
|
11-18-2024
|
{
"license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
"url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bellaroselearningjourney/chapter/beliefs-and-values/#chapter-63-section-3",
"book_url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bellaroselearningjourney/front-matter/a-brief-introduction-a-note-from-the-author/",
"title": "Bella's Nursing Journey",
"author": "Bella Rose",
"institution": "Trent University",
"subject": "Education"
}
|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bellaroselearningjourney/chapter/goals/
|
WI25 SMART Goals
Here is a list of my goals for the WI25 semester that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely
Goal #1: Develop excellence in the introduction to clinical practice by achieving a grade of 85% or higher in NURS 1020 by April 23rd, 2025.
Goal #2: Develop the habit of ongoing self-reflection by completing weekly 30-minute journaling sessions throughout the winter semester. This should be a weekly habit by April 23rd, 2025.
Goal #3: To perform a full-body assessment and report necessary vital signs in a patient report within the first month of clinical and lab-based student nursing practice. This goal should be accomplished by February 1st, 2026.
Feedback/Errata
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:20.440438
|
11-18-2024
|
{
"license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
"url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bellaroselearningjourney/chapter/goals/",
"book_url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bellaroselearningjourney/front-matter/a-brief-introduction-a-note-from-the-author/",
"title": "Bella's Nursing Journey",
"author": "Bella Rose",
"institution": "Trent University",
"subject": "Education"
}
|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bellaroselearningjourney/chapter/reflection/
|
Reflection on my Journey into Nursing
This is a reflection on the events in my life that have brought me to nursing. I use these events to reflect on my experience thus far in the Trent program, and where I would like my studies to lead me in the future.
I have had a very non-linear journey to get into the Trent nursing program. Out of high-school, I was accepted to Queen’s University for their Biochemistry program. I loved it there. I spent four years diving deep into organic chemistry, biochemistry, protein structure and function. In my fourth year, I was fortunate enough to participate in a research thesis in Dr. Edmond Chan’s lab. As much as I loved (and still love) biochemistry, I knew research wasn’t exactly for me, I craved a high-intensity healthcare setting.
I was also a residence don for three-years, a position where I was supporting students living in residence, responding to crisis situations, intervening in poor student conduct, and getting woken up about a million times to the on-call phone. Throughout this experience, I had a small taste of what it was like to respond to emergency medical situations, respond to mental health crises and engage in teamwork and problem-solving. This was the closest thing to healthcare I experienced, and even throughout the sleepless nights, I couldn’t let it go – something told me I was supposed to end up in healthcare.
In my summers, I am a tree-planter. This job involves planting as many trees as you physically can in a day, all the while you are covered in mud, slept in a tent on the cold ground, it’s snowing and raining at the same time, and your entire body hurts. Most days we were upwards of a 2-hour drive away from the nearest medical professional. In response to this, I was also the primary first-aid attendant. Most of the time my job was straightforward, providing physiotherapy taping modalities to planters with tendonitis. This role taught me the acute importance of the interdisciplinary team approach, as I was able to use first-aid and physiotherapy techniques. Through this experience, I anecdotally found planters had better outcomes when I was educated in both disciplines. Unbeknownst to me at the time, the multidisciplinary education approach in healthcare is well-utilized, particularly in the rural setting, where resources may be limited (Reed, et. al., 2021). I had gained firsthand experience of this benefit, being in a remote setting applying my education beyond my first-aid scope, only to then solidify this in the first semester at Trent. My job became even more interesting when a crew member had an anaphylactic reaction to a wasp sting and had to be air-evacuated by helicopter to the nearest hospital. This is when I knew this was the area in which I wanted to dedicate my future. This lit a fire in me, so I applied to medical and nursing school.
From there, I decided nursing fit into my lifestyle better than any other career in healthcare. For the next year, I learned to fly helicopters because I wanted to get as much experience in the field I could. I only got 14 hours into my 100-hour licence until I got a job as a patient-transfer attendant. One of my first jobs in this role was transporting a spinal-fracture patient off the air ambulance from Sudbury, ON originating in remote QC. I received report from an flight paramedic and flight nurse. This experience brought together aspects of paramedicine and nursing for me, where both can occupy pre-hospital roles to deliver critical care (Jansson et. al, 2021). Jansson et. al. suggest that by continually learning, both nurses and paramedics contribute a unique pre-hospital environment that leads to better health outcomes for patients extracted from extreme circumstances, which is positively correlated with increases in education (2021). This aspect of nursing, particularly flight nursing, fits within my passion to continually learn throughout my career. Although I struggled further with the debate between nursing and paramedicine, I consulted current nurses and paramedics and found that nursing was the right way to accomplish my goals.
In my future self-regulating practice, I would like to include multiple ways of knowing, particularly, the storytelling way of knowing, a key tool used in flight nursing teams (Myers, 2022). A qualitative study conducted by Myers suggests that, although there are many empirical ways to share knowledge, flight nurses use more ambiguous cues from patient information, and often share with other nurses how to determine these findings through storytelling (2022). I would like to combine this technique with the CNO’s guideline for for therapeutic nurse-patient relationships, where the CNO describes this relationship to involve trust, respect, power, professional intimacy and empathy (CNO, 2006). From my own experience in personal and professional relationships, I rely heavily on trust and respect in my communication style. This is something I want to be able to apply to my practice, and incorporate into the storytelling model. So far in the Trent nursing program, I have seen these reflected in the course material, which has excited me to continue on this path, continue to challenge myself and strive for excellence in this and future programs.
For me, all these experiences have contributed puzzle pieces into the image I have in my mind for my future practice as a self-regulating nurse. I would like to incorporate the rural and remote areas of pre-hospital care I saw while tree-planting. I would like to utilize the science and research behind human disease. I would like the environment of ever-shifting, intense pre-hospital care, combined with the critical aspects of hospital care. I would like to engage in interprofessional collaboration between healthcare disciplines. I would like to lead the respectful, healing patient relationships. I would like to participate in continual learning. Where do all of these things intersect? Nursing.
The further I get into nursing, the more I know it is for me. I am excited to continue on this path, contribute in a meaningful way, deliver competent, compassionate care, and participate in lifelong learning.
Feedback/Errata
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:20.450686
|
11-18-2024
|
{
"license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
"url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bellaroselearningjourney/chapter/reflection/",
"book_url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bellaroselearningjourney/front-matter/a-brief-introduction-a-note-from-the-author/",
"title": "Bella's Nursing Journey",
"author": "Bella Rose",
"institution": "Trent University",
"subject": "Education"
}
|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bellaroselearningjourney/chapter/artefacts/
|
Artefacts
ARTEFACT 1: My Undergraduate Thesis
I was fortunate to have been accepted into the lab of Dr. Edmond Chan as part of my 4th year undergraduate thesis. We were investigating the mitochondrial fusion protein OPA1 and how it plays a role in the metabolism of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. We wanted to know if it could be removed in these cells – that are otherwise resistant to other chemotherapeutic drugs – and we could artificially induce apoptosis. I learned so much throughout my studies. I also learned much about myself. This endeavour showed me how passionate I am about health and disease, and how therapeutics play a key role. I loved the research, but I wanted something more, I wanted to be interacting with patients themselves and play an active role, a key moment driving me towards seeking out nursing school. I hope to use this foundational knowledge of research I learned in my future nursing career.
ARTEFACT 2: Camp Primary First-Aid Role
Through my experience as a tree-planter I participated in many first-aid evacuation situations from remote locations in BC and AB. My supervisor suggested I take the occupational first-aid course level 3 (OFA3) to become the crew and camp primary first-aid attendant. This course involved patient packaging, assessment of vital signs, transport decision, emergent medical and trauma identification and response, and pre-hospital documentation. This course is very applicable to pre-hospital care of workers in remote regions. I loved the course and learned so much. The position also allowed me to lead emergency response situations of trauma such as having an ATV flipped over or evacuation of a person in anaphylactic shock needing helicopter evacuation to the hospital. This training and these events ignited a passion in me. I knew immediately I wanted to work in remote locations in Canada, doing emergency evacuations and pre-hospital care as a nurse. This helped me understand my passion for working on the air ambulance and deepen my knowledge of patient evacuation and pre-hospital care.
ARTEFACT 3: Student Helicopter Pilot
As soon as I understood my passion for working on the air-ambulance I knew I needed to get a head start. The more I understood about helicopters, the better. I decided to pursue a commercial helicopter pilot’s licence to understand the machinery and flight mechanisms involved with flying. I gained some amazing experience and understanding of flight dynamics. I hope to apply this knowledge to patient comfort during transport. My next step is to take Ornge’s aeromedical course, to understand the specifics of patient care in the air. This experience illustrates my dedication to continual learning, something I am excited to continue to do as a future nurse! I hope to bring this into my knowledge as a future self-regulating nurse.
ARTEFACT 4: Aegis Healthcare Solutions
In the past year, I gained some working experience in the pre-hospital setting on an ambulance. My job was to transport patients either from a hospital setting to long-term-care facility, to the home, or from the home or long-term-care to the hospital. Through this experience I was able to gain a deeper understanding of the emergency response through the completion of my Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) certificate, pictured above. This increase in knowledge and awareness for the pre-hospital environment allowed me to understand the circumstances patients face in their homes, and some of the unique challenges that are experienced by patients who do not have a reliable mode of transportation to their care appointments. I also began to understand hospital dynamics much more, interacting with nurses responsible for patient care in the hospital. I fell in love with this nurse-patient relationship and the presence nurses hold in the hospital. I knew this was a workforce in which I wanted to take part, strengthening my decision to pursue nursing. I also was able to participate in a patient transfer from the air ambulance from QC. This experience solidified my desire to participate in both the pre-hospital environment in the flight aspect, and within the hospital environment in the critical care or emergent care sector.
ARTEFACT 5: Residence Donning
Throughout years 2-4 of my undergraduate degree, I worked to be able to cover my living expenses. My job was a residence don, my biography (posted above) stayed on my door to inform students I was a resource should they need it. This job involved a lot of administrative tasks and community-building tasks, but it was built upon an overnight, on-call schedule where dons had to respond to code of conduct violations, violence and harassment within residence and medical crises. My experience here also involved being a team-lead, where I maintained the schedule for the dons and provided support to dons where they needed it. This was my first experience handling crisis and emergency situations. I knew that, no matter how overwhelmed I was, I felt unmistakably rewarded after having providing someone with the support they needed in a time of crisis. This experience led me to the medical field in general – which I later on used to apply to my desire to pursue nursing, where nurses respond to critical situations and find solutions on the fly. The overnight shifts allowed me to get used to the inevitable night shifts in nursing, where there may not be as many resources around to support your decision-making, which I understand can happen in nursing situations as well.
ARTEFACT 6: Volunteer Experience
Being engaged in the community has become extremely important to me, especially as someone whose family needed to access these community resources to survive as a young person. I have focused my volunteering at the Newmarket Food Pantry and the Peterborough Humane Society. My experience at the Food Pantry demonstrated to me the magnitude of food insecurity in Canada and allowed me to engage in hands-on work attempting to provide support and resources. I met some wonderful volunteers and clients through the service and heard many family stories. The photo I have included is of a ‘volunteer angel’ pin that was gifted to me by my colleagues at the Food Pantry after I left to attend nursing school. My volunteer work at the humane society is new to me, but I have been involved in greeting patrons, helping with cleaning and walking dogs. This experience has shown me how important it is to do things in life that make you happy (like getting a pet!) and how it can be therapeutic. In nursing, I feel it is important to be an active member of the community, as such, it is important to engage in activities that support the community, both in and outside the hospital setting. These experiences have allowed me to appreciate a broad range of stories and experiences, which I hope to include in my future self-regulating practice as a nurse.
Feedback/Errata
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:20.465278
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11-18-2024
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bellaroselearningjourney/chapter/references/
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References
College of Nurses of Ontario. (2023). Practice standard. Code of conduct. https://cno.org/Assets/CNO/Documents/Standard-and-Learning/Practice-Standards/49040_code-of-conduct.pdf
College of Nurses of Ontario. (2006). Practice standard: Therapeutic nurse-client relationship, revised 2006. https://cno.org/Assets/CNO/Documents/Standard-and-Learning/Practice-Standards/41033_therapeutic.pdf
Jansson, J., Larsson, M., Nillson, J., (2021). Advanced paramedics and nurses can deliver safe and effective pre-hospital and in-hospital emergency care: An integrative review. Nursing Open. 8, 2385-2405. DOI: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1002/nop2.866
Myer, C. G., (2022). Storytelling as a tool for vicarious learning among air medical transport crews. Administrative Science Quarterly. 67(2), 378-422. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00018392211058426
Reed, K., Reed. B., Bailey, J., Beattie, K., Lynch, E., Thompson, J., Vines, R., Wong, K. C., McCrossin, T., Wilson, R. (2021). Interprofessional education in the rural environment to enhance multidisciplinary care in future practice: Breaking down silos in tertiary health education. The Australian Journal of Rural Health. 29(2), 127-136. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.12733
Feedback/Errata
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:20.474078
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11-18-2024
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"institution": "Trent University",
"subject": "Education"
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/brittanysnursingjourney/chapter/my-values/
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My values are vital in my nursing care. They shape how I connect with my patients, advocate for their needs, and deliver care that is compassionate, equitable, and holistic. I’ve prioritized my values and chose to discuss the following four. My top four values include Advocacy for our vulnerable population, therapeutic rapport, equitable and equal care for all as well as holistic healing. With these four I ensure that patients feel heard, respected, and genuinely cared for. These values not only guide my professional practice but also align with nursing’s core principles of empathy, integrity, and continuous improvement, allowing me to make a meaningful impact in every life I touch.
Advocacy for Vulnerable Populations Advocacy would be my front runner. I am very passionate, and I believe this allows me to aid others in standing up for the rights and needs as vulnerable populations, ensuring their voices are heard, and their care needs are met. I want to be involved in addressing social determinants of health, removing barriers to access, and protecting the dignity of those who may be marginalized or undeserved.
Therapeutic rapport is crucial in nursing because it builds trust, which is the foundation of effective patient care. When patients feel understood and supported, they are more likely to communicate openly, follow care plans, and engage in their own healing. This connection fosters emotional safety and helps nurses address not only physical health but also the psychological and social aspects of care. Ultimately, strong therapeutic rapport enhances patient outcomes, satisfaction, and overall quality of care.
Equitable and Equal Care for All
Providing equitable and equal care means ensuring every patient receives the resources and attention they need, regardless of their background or circumstances. I recognize the unique challenges faced by individuals and seek to eliminate disparities in healthcare access and outcomes. I want to make a difference I want change.
Holistic Care In my nursing practice holistic care means addressing the interconnected needs of the mind, body, and soul. It involves treating patients as a whole, considering not just their physical symptoms but also their emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being to promote comprehensive healing and wellness. This value made it here as I am personally aware that there are so many facets to a human being and not all of them present physically.
As a nurse, my values form the foundation of my practice, guiding my actions and decisions to provide compassionate, patient-centered care. I am committed to holistic care, ensuring that every patient is treated as a whole person with interconnected physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. By practicing culturally sensitive care, I honor the diverse backgrounds and beliefs of those I serve, fostering trust and inclusivity in every interaction.
Equitable and equal care remains at the heart of my practice, as I strive to eliminate disparities and ensure all patients have access to the resources and support they need. Above all, I am a steadfast advocate for vulnerable populations, standing up for those whose voices may not always be heard and championing their dignity and rights. Together, these values shape my nursing philosophy, allowing me to make a meaningful impact on the lives of my patients and contribute to a more just and compassionate healthcare system
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:20.490273
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11-23-2024
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/brittanysnursingjourney/chapter/my-beliefs/
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I believe that every patient, regardless of their condition, background, or life circumstances, deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. This means honoring their autonomy, listening to their needs, and offering care that is empathetic and non-judgmental. In providing respectful care, I strive to foster a safe environment where patients feel empowered to participate actively in their healthcare decisions.
I believe that one of the core roles of the nurse is to advocate for patients. This includes advocating for their physical, emotional, and psychological needs as well as ensuring they have access to the resources and information necessary to make informed decisions. As a nurse, I will stand up for my patients’ rights, ensuring that they receive the care they deserve while working to eliminate barriers to their health and well-being.
I believe that health equity is a fundamental human right. I am committed to advocating for policies and practices that reduce health disparities and promote equitable access to healthcare for all people, regardless of their socioeconomic status, race, gender, or geographic location. As a nurse, I will work to identify and address the social determinants of health that affect my patients and strive to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to achieve their best possible health.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:20.497696
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11-23-2024
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{
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/brittanysnursingjourney/chapter/my-goals/
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Setting goals as a nurse is essential for both my professional and personal growth. Professionally, goals will provide clear direction, continuous learning, and support career advancement, ensuring I stay current with healthcare advancements and continue delivering quality, patient centered care. Goals also promote accountability and motivation to improve competencies, directly benefiting patient outcomes. For myself it is very important to achieve goals. It helps with building confidence and having a better positive self-image, allowing to thrive and not just be alive both in my career as well as my personal life.
Short Term SMART Goal
Over the next three months, I will enhance my therapeutic communication skills by practicing active listening, empathy, and open-ended questioning, documenting three positive patient interactions per week, reflecting on what worked and what didn’t and seeking feedback from colleagues.
Long Term SMART Goal
Within the next two years, I will obtain my Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (RN) by completing the required coursework, working long hours, completing clinical hours, and finally writing my certification exam to advance my expertise and career opportunities.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:20.505620
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11-23-2024
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{
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/brittanysnursingjourney/chapter/artifact-1-where-i-started/
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Obtaining my Personal Support Worker (PSW) license serves as a critical artifact in my journey toward becoming a nurse because it provides a strong foundation of hands-on experience in patient care. I believe It also represents where I have come from and my commitment and dedication. Through my work as a PSW, I feel like I developed skills such as patient communication, administering daily care routines, and understanding the physical and emotional needs of individuals. This experience began my journey through the healthcare system and allowed me to work directly with patients, which was invaluable while I transitioned into nursing. By mastering the basics of patient care and gaining exposure to various healthcare settings, my PSW role has not only refined my clinical skills but also fostered a deep sense of compassion, empathy, and professionalism — all of which are crucial qualities for a successful nurse.
License
To the extent possible under law, brittanymetzger has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to Brittany's Learning Journey!, except where otherwise noted.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:20.515669
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11-23-2024
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{
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/brittanysnursingjourney/chapter/aritifact-3-rpn-deans-list-position/
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Initially, I chose to pursue my Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) diploma for one reason, I thought my little PSW advocate voice would be stronger as an RPN advocate. Literally that was it, I wanted my patients to be treated better and if they weren’t I wanted to be able to stand up for them, and I thought with better letters attached to my name, I could. This was my sole focus until I entered clinical. Every clinical placement I fell in love with. I realized it wasn’t my specific patients that I had grown attached to that fulfilled me it was all patients I wanted to help. I fell in love with every aspect of nursing. I wanted to provide compassionate care and to advocate for those in need……attach stronger letters to my name. My experiences as an RPN deepened my passion for nursing and inspired me to continue my education.
License
To the extent possible under law, brittanymetzger has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to Brittany's Learning Journey!, except where otherwise noted.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:20.524959
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11-23-2024
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{
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/brittanysnursingjourney/chapter/where-i-am-headed/
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This will be the last artifact I include in this book…. for now. I have fought numerous obstacles to get here, and I have no choice but to succeed. This right here is evidence that I am a fighter and a survivor…I cannot be stopped.
License
To the extent possible under law, brittanymetzger has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to Brittany's Learning Journey!, except where otherwise noted.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:20.533265
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11-23-2024
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{
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/brittanysnursingjourney/chapter/aritifact-1-indigenous-perspectives-designation/
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I chose my Indigenous Perspectives Designation as a meaningful artifact in my nursing journey because it represents my commitment to providing person-centered and culturally competent care. I chose to take extra courses through Fleming college to deepen my understanding of Indigenous histories, worldviews, and health practices, enabling me to approach care with greater sensitivity and respect for cultural diversity. The more cultures and practices I can familiarize myself with along the way the better toolbox I have as a nurse. By incorporating this knowledge into my practice, I aim to foster trust and create safe spaces for healing, particularly for Indigenous patients and communities but also marginalized groups everywhere. I believe it symbolizes my dedication to equity in healthcare and my belief that honoring cultural identity is essential to holistic nursing care.
License
To the extent possible under law, brittanymetzger has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to Brittany's Learning Journey!, except where otherwise noted.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:20.542525
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11-23-2024
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/brittanysnursingjourney/chapter/course-2-reflection/
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Reflection on My Journey to Becoming a Registered Nurse
My journey to becoming a Registered Nurse (RN) stems from a deep commitment to personal growth, professional excellence, and a desire to provide holistic care. Starting from the bottom as a PSW I learned what it takes to provide exemplary care regardless of if no one even really cared. As a Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) I have immersed myself in patient care and developing even more foundational skills while cultivating my passion for nursing. Over time, I recognized the potential to make a broader impact as an RN, with opportunities to take on advanced responsibilities and advocate more effectively for vulnerable populations. This decision also reflects my commitment to lifelong learning, as continuing my education is essential for providing the best care in an ever-evolving healthcare landscape.
The commitment to becoming an RN requires adapting to the dynamic trends shaping nursing practice. For instance, there is an increasing emphasis on evidence-based care and advanced technology integration in patient care settings. The World Health Organization (2020) highlights the critical role of nurses in leading healthcare innovations and meeting the challenges posed by aging populations and chronic illnesses. By pursuing my RN degree, I am preparing to contribute meaningfully to these advancements, aligning my skills with the current and future needs of the healthcare system.
Moreover, the demand for nurses with advanced education is on the rise due to the growing complexity of patient needs. According to the Canadian Nurses Association (2019), RNs are uniquely positioned to address health disparities through leadership, advocacy, and clinical expertise. This aligns with my aspiration to provide equitable care and advocate for vulnerable populations. My journey is not just about achieving a credential but about expanding my ability to contribute to a profession that is vital to society’s well-being. Becoming an RN will enable me to grow as a leader in healthcare and meet the challenges of tomorrow with resilience and compassion.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:20.549788
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11-23-2024
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/brittanysnursingjourney/chapter/add-more-course-2-assignments/
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World Health Organization. (2020). State of the World’s Nursing 2020: Investing in education, jobs, and leadership. State of the world’s nursing 2020: investing in education, jobs and leadership
Canadian Nurses Association. (2019). The roleof nursing in advancing health equity. Advanced Practice Nursing – Canadian Nurses Association
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:20.556800
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11-23-2024
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|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/lesson-1-exploring-terms-that-define-working-together/
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Lesson 1: Exploring terms that define ‘working together’
License
Building Sustainable Communities: Collaboration Copyright © 2022 by Ryan Plummer; Amanda Smits; Samantha Witkowski; Bridget McGlynn; Derek Armitage; Ella-Kari Muhl; and Jodi Johnston is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:20.566362
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08-15-2024
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/chapter-1/
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A Terminological Quagmire
At the outset of the lesson it is important to acknowledge that terminology associated with ‘working together’ in relation to sustainable communities is vast. This includes: strategic alliance, collaboration, coordination, partnership, coalition, co-management, adaptive co-management, co-governance, and so on. Often, these terms overlap and intersect in a variety of ways. While the imprecise or interchangeable use of terms may not appear to be cause for concern, it is of paramount importance in science and society. In science, precision is required regarding the phenomena being studied. In application, each term carries vastly different connotations. For example, the expectations of participants in a strategic alliance may be very different from co-management. Further muddling this situation is that terms associated with working together are not mutually exclusive. We next consider a few of the most frequently used terms with specificity and then examine their positioning along key conceptual dimensions. Expand the following terms to learn more about each approach:
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:20.576394
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08-15-2024
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|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/power-process-representation-cube/
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Power, Process, & Involvement
Up to this junction in the lesson a deliberate attempt has been made to be precise with terminology. While the terms partnership, collaboration, and co-management (governance) are definitely not synonymous, they are certainly related. Plummer and FitzGibbon (2004) suggest the umbrella term co-operative to signal increasing participation by civil society in management and decision-making. This is very much in the spirit of our focus on community engagement for building sustainable communities.
Adapted from Plummer and FitzGibbon (2004).
Conceptually, it helpful to consider the dimensions which underpin terms under this co-operative umbrella. The first dimension is representation and addresses who is involved. The second is power and specifies some of the many ways in which it manifest. The third dimension regards the process. It illustrates the spectrum of formality and implications for negotiation and timing. These dimensions help us to precisely consider the arrangement of ‘working together’ that we are describing, and by extension the most appropriate term. Explore the diagram above. Each example is a case study we will explore throughout the coming lessons.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:20.586913
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08-15-2024
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|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/why-are-co-operative-approaches-essential/
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Why are Co-operative Approaches Essential?
Having worked our way through some of the common terms used for working together and considered key underpinning dimensions, we turn our attention to why co-operative approaches are essential.
The ‘command and control’ approach conventionally employed by the state has been successful in many aspects relating to the environment and sustainability. For example, regulations in many jurisdictions led to reduced pollution and in some instances even better biodiversity outcomes, at least in the short term. While necessary in some situations, command and control approaches have also been shown to, at times, have steep social and environmental costs (Armitage et al., 2011).
Holling and Meffe (1996, p. 328) observed that this situation has led to the ”pathology of natural resource management”, which they describe as “…a loss of system resilience when the range of natural variation in the system is reduced encapsulates the unsustainable environmental, social, and economic outcomes….” In reflecting upon how to address this pathology, Armitage and colleagues (2012, p. 2) argue that “decision making must now accommodate diverse views, networks and hybrid partnerships among state and non-state actors, and must include opportunities for shared learning.”
Co-operative approaches, which collectively signal increasing participation by civil society in management and decision-making, are especially well suited to navigating the contemporary problem domain for several reasons.
The contemporary problem domain is characterized by complexity, uncertainty and change. Co-operative approaches have been highlighted in response to these characteristics because they can be flexible, iterative/adaptive, and learning oriented (Folke et al., 2005; Armitage et al., 2009).
Knowledge to meet complex and uncertain circumstances is widely distributed and “the emphasis on collaborative process is intended to help overcome the institutional (e.g., power differences among actors) and epistemological challenges associated with the ”integration” of traditional and scientific knowledge” (Armitage et al., 2012, p. 7).
As identified previously, the contemporary problem domain necessitates a mechanism to accommodate a variety of actors who hold diverse perspectives as well as distinctive (and often contrasting) interests. Co-operative approaches provide just such a mechanism. Backstrand et al. (2010) explain the rationale for greater involvement includes increased legitimacy, enhanced effectiveness and equity, and greater access to expertise. In fact, Grêt-Regamey et al. (2021, p. 290) have recently demonstrated that “ … the number of actors (actors richness) and the diversity of the abilities and skills that characterize their management capabilities (actors’ functional diversity) are key determinants of the resilience of social-ecological systems to global change.”
Finally, expectations regarding legitimacy and accountability are changing (Armitage et al., 2012). Mutual accountability is integral to co-operative approaches. Legitimacy stems from both the actors involved as well as the integrity of the process. Beyond formal regulatory mandates, both accountability and legitimacy comes from informal relationships of trust (Brinkerhoff, 2005).
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:20.597725
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08-15-2024
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/lesson-2-the-process-of-collaborating/
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Lesson 2: The process of collaborating
License
Building Sustainable Communities: Collaboration Copyright © 2022 by Ryan Plummer; Amanda Smits; Samantha Witkowski; Bridget McGlynn; Derek Armitage; Ella-Kari Muhl; and Jodi Johnston is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/process-of-collaborating/
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Elements of Collaboration
In building upon the first lesson, we now explore to how collaboration occurs. Understanding how collaboration takes place in the contemporary problem domain has been of keen interest to scholars. We start this lesson by presenting general elements of collaboration. These common elements are synthesized from scholarly works that have conceptualized various forms of working together (e.g., Selin & Chavez, 1995; Plummer & FitzGibbon, 2004; Ansell & Gash, 2008). Thereafter, we shift our attention to features specific to a type of collaboration and consider how they occur in practice through a series of case studies.
Three elements of how collaboration occurs.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/context/
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Context
At the outset, it is important to acknowledge that all collaboration occurs within a particular setting or context. In this course we concentrate on the setting of sustainable communities. This is one of many settings in which collaboration may occur and sustainable communities themselves are understood in different ways. Context matters (Honadle, 1999; Edwards & Steins, 1999; Plummer et al., 2020; Sargent & Waters, 2004) and shapes collaboration (e.g., Plummer, 2009; Plummer & Hashimoto, 2011).
We can unpack the context of collaboration in sustainable communities (a social-ecological system) by asking some key questions, which direct attention to several considerations (Honadle, 1999; Edwards & Steins, 1999; Sargent & Waters, 2004):
- What is the problem or resource context?
- Here we draw attention to discreteness, temporal, natural, mobility and other boundaries.
- What is the spatial boundaries of the collaboration?
- Here we draw attention to collaboration occurring in a specific area and how that area is defined (i.e., by political jurisdictions, physical landscapes, etc.)
- What is the social context?
- Here we draw attention to culture, power, salience and governance.
- How embedded is the situation?
- Embeddedness, here, considers the centrality to the sustainable community. Consideration is directed to the dependency upon the resource, psychological attachment, and openness to opportunities.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/initial-conditions/
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Initial Conditions
While scholars have labeled it differently, there is broad agreement about collaboration involving a point of inception. Examples of this departure point include ‘antecedents’ (Selin & Chavez, 1995; Plummer et al., 2017); ‘pre-condition’ (Plummer & FitzGibbon, 2004); and ‘starting conditions’ (Ansell & Gash, 2007). In synthesizing across conceptual and empirical models of collaboration, we can discern some common guiding questions.
1. What circumstances led to the initiation of collaboration?
There are several such circumstances from which collaboration has emerged. A real or imagined crisis may precipitate actors to collaborate, such as wildfire events (Bodin & Nohrstedt, 2016) or legislative changes (Kallis et al., 2009). A new opportunity for individuals to contribute in a way not previously possible may present itself. Collaboration may be incentivized. Collaboration may itself be legally required. The spatial extent of the collaboration may be influenced by geographic space of a crisis or by political boundaries.
2. Who is (or should be) involved?
In asking this question consideration is given to different types as well as actors at different levels or jurisdictions.
3. What activities, practices and interactions are evident?
Here, attention is directed to what is occurring ‘on the ground’, the manner or way it customarily takes place, and previous interactions among actors. Leaders, existing networks and trust (or lack thereof) from may or may not exist.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/process/
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Process
Particular characteristics of the collaborative process can be specific to process type, but we can also synthesize some common aspects general to all:
Interactions
Interactions among individuals (often face-to-face) is the quintessential characteristic of the collaborative process. Attention to all aspects of respectful communications and openness are key. For example, the timeline of communicating with Indigenous rights holders, which needs to occur prior to other stakeholders.
Establishing a shared basis for collaboration
Common problem definition, recognition of mutual interdependence, and shared understanding are characteristics early in the process and galvanize the rationale for collaboration.
Inclusiveness of participation, procedural transparency, and transactive decision-making
Extensive scholarship has been dedicated to the design of collaborative processes. Characteristics here entail inclusiveness of participation, procedural transparency, and transactive decision-making.
Commitment by actors to the process
As the collaborative process evolves, the commitment by the actors to the process and group identify may deepen. Here we see characteristics of direction setting (establishing goals), structuring (formalizing relationships), engaging in shared actions, learning, and ultimately monitoring and evaluation.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/outcomes/
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Outcomes
A final aspect of conceptualizing collaboration entails the consequences from the collaborative process. Terminology and conceptualization by scholars in this regard varies considerably. The term outcome is often used in this regard. Sargent and Water (2004) for example, identify three categories of outcomes: objective outcomes, subjective outcomes, and learning outcomes. Other scholars (e.g., Plummer et al., 2017) have differentiated outcomes into results (tangible and intangible) and effects. Broadly, outcomes from collaboration refers to “what is produced as well as the effects on those directly involved, or the resulting changes or impacts from the collaboration” (Plummer et al., 2020; 2021).
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/process-of-collaborating-2/
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Process of Collaborating
In bringing the information presented thus far in the lesson together, we can conceptualize how collaboration generally occurs. In addition to bringing together the individual components of collaboration, the arrows in the diagram above illustrate important relational aspects. Especially important is the iterative feedback that occurs in which the outcomes from collaboration shape the future process. The next module highlights the important of monitoring and evaluation.
With this broad understanding of how collaboration occurs, we now turn our attention to details which distinguish approaches employed in sustainable communities. We specifically focus on higher education institution (HEI)-community partnerships, collaboration, and adaptive co-management.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/niagara-adapts/
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Partnership Case Study
Niagara Adapts: Collaborative Climate Change Adaptation, Planning and Implementation
Niagara Adapts was an innovative 2-year partnership between 7 municipalities in the Niagara Region and Brock’s Environmental Sustainability Research Centre that began in 2019 and was led by Dr. Jessica Blythe. The partnership was designed to build innovative climate solution and implement them into municipal climate change adaptation plans to build resilience for future generations. Throughout the partnership, the Environmental Sustainability Research Centre and 7 climate change coordinators and managers met for 8 educational workshops on topics such as climate impacts and risk assessments, vulnerability assessments, interpreting climate research, stakeholder engagement, monitoring and evaluation, and implementing climate change adaptation plans, to name a few. The partnership came to a close in the summer of 2021, but all municipalities now have the tools to implement effective climate adaptation plans that will allow their communities to thrive.
Overview of Niagara Adapts
What circumstances led to the initiation of the initiative?
Canadians are feeling the impact of climate change, and in Niagara is experiencing flooding, heatwaves, and climate extremes. Municipalities have been identified as key players in the fight for climate solutions.
Who is involved?
The Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, Brock University and 7 municipalities in the Niagara Region.
Outcomes of the Partnership
Municipalities worked together to pool resources to engage in a climate adaptation process tailored to the Niagara Region, which included several workshop led and facilitated by researchers at Brock University.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/collaboration-case-study/
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Collaboration Case Study
Collaboration for Climate Change Adaptation in the Wolastoq River, New Brunswick
Simon J. Mitchell, Vice President Resilient Habitats, World Wildlife Fund-Canada, has been leading collaborative relationships between WWF-Canada and local actors in the Wolastoq River Basin for almost ten years in order to address a variety of pressing environmental concerns surrounding river health. Recently, they have collaborated with multiple municipalities to produce regional climate change adaptation plans.
Overview of WWF’s collaboration in the Wolastoq
What circumstances led to the initiation of the initiative?
Small municipalities were concerned about the impacts of climate change but did not have the capacity to address climate change at the local level. WWF-Canada, having worked in the region for some time, was in a position to facilitate relationships to begin collaborative regional vulnerability assessments.
Who is involved?
World Wildlife Fund – Canada in collaboration with municipalities in the region.
What are the outcomes?
Vulnerability assessments have been completed, and adaptation plans are ongoing with the explicit goal of implementation.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/adaptive-co-management-case-study/
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Adaptive Co-management Case Study
Ecosystem Based Management (EBM) in Gwaii Haanas
The EBM Working Group is an on-going partnership of the Council of Haida Nations, Parks Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, along with other academic and non-academic collaborators.
The project objective is to co-develop an evaluation framework to assess fisheries and marine resources in Gwaii Haanas and support collaborative and adaptive ecosystem-based management
The Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve, and Haida Heritage Site Gwaii Haanas is a recognized leader in integrated and adaptive management, ensuring that protection, restoration and ecologically sustainable use opportunities are mutually achieved.
Overview of EBM in Gwaii Haanas
What circumstances led to the initiation of the initiative?
Who is involved?
The Gwaii Haanas Agreement, which was signed in 1993, describes how the terrestrial area of Gwaii Haanas will be managed cooperatively by the Haida Nation and the Government of Canada through the Archipelago Management Board (AMB). Although the two parties have differing views on ownership of Gwaii Haanas, they agree that:
What are the outcomes?
- With reference to LSP objectives and guidance from the AMB, a technical team has collaboratively developed a suite of governance, socio-economic, cultural and ecological indicators.
- A process of testing and evaluating fisheries of cultural and economic importance is underway in collaboration with Haida rights holders, government, and industry.
- Outcomes of evaluative process will determine status of key stocks in Gwaii Haanas and support AMB efforts to collaboratively and adaptively manage fisheries and other marine resources.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/collaboration-process-conclusions/
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Collaboration Process Conclusions
This lesson has brought together our conceptual understanding of how collaboration generally occurs in the contemporary problem domain with illustrative examples in practice. In concluding this lesson, we highlight some aspects about how collaboration occurs that have thus far been implicit, including:
- While conceptualizations are heuristic to identify elements and their relationships that manifest collaboration, they are an abstract and/or ideal representation of how they occur in practice.
- Conceptual presentations of collaboration often take on a cyclical appearance as a reflection of their highly interactive and non-linear nature (Ansell & Gash, 2008). The dynamism of collaboration is widely recognized (e.g., Plummer, 2009).
- Finally, as Caffyn (2000) observes, partnerships have a lifecycle. Upon reaching the conclusion of the intended collaboration the participants may elect to continue, revise the collaboration or discontinue. Sometimes even when collaboration stops, the capacity built endures and may be activated if required in the future.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/resources-for-further-learning/
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Resources for Further Learning
Resilience: What is adaptive co-management?
Fikret Berkes, Natural Resources Institute, University of Manitoba and Canada Research Chair, explains adaptive co-management.
Supplementary reading
Read the Assembly of First Nations’ Co-Management Definitions Guide.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/lesson-3-what-makes-collaboration-work-or-not/
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Lesson 3: What makes collaboration work or not?
License
Building Sustainable Communities: Collaboration Copyright © 2022 by Ryan Plummer; Amanda Smits; Samantha Witkowski; Bridget McGlynn; Derek Armitage; Ella-Kari Muhl; and Jodi Johnston is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/what-makes-collaboation-work/
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What Makes Collaboration Work?
The first lesson in this module gave precision to use of key terms (partnership, collaboration, co-management, governance) and identified key dimensions underpinning their manifestation. It highlights why “co-operative” approaches are essential to the contemporary problem domain under study. The second lesson addressed a general conceptual model of working together for building sustainable communities as well as case studies of specific forms by which it occurs.
As alluded to in the first two lessons, it is imperative to be aware of the differences between analytical specificity in academic scholarship and messiness apparent in reality. Both are important for learners wishing to engage community for sustainability.
In an effort to gain insights into qualities that influence collaboration, both positively and negatively, we sought out individuals with extensive experience across various contexts. We posed two questions to each person and asked them to illustrate their answer using an example from their experience:
- What qualities or ingredients are most important for collaboration to succeed?
- What qualities or ingredients cause collaboration to go horribly wrong?
Please proceed to the next page to find the responses to these questions across three unique case studies.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/partnership-case-study/
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Partnership Case Study
Niagara Adapts Case Study: An Interview with Dr. Jessica Blythe
What qualities or ingredients are most important for collaboration to succeed?
Inclusion, trust, and mutual respect are critical for successful interdisciplinary collaboration (Blythe & Cvitanovic, 2020). Research is showing that these feelings are essential for building effective interdisciplinary research teams and organizations (Ledford et al., 2015). Critically, qualities of trust and respect are vital for nurturing innovative solutions (Blythe et al., 2017). In general, people do not feel safe sharing innovative ideas unless they are among trusted colleagues.
Strong leadership is another essential quality of successful collaboration. This quality can be closely linked to the first. For example, in reflecting on more than a decade of collaborative water research, Brown et al. (2015) attribute successful collaboration to leaders who nurtured empathy and respect between team members. Female leaders may be particularly well suited to fostering collaborative environments built on inclusion, trust, and mutual respect. For example, Nielsen et al. (2018) recently found that gender diversity can drive scientific discovery. They attribute the boost in innovation to the cognitive diversity associated with gender balanced teams. They describe cognitive diversity as the varied ways in which women frame problems, which can drive creative solutions for complex challenges (Nielsen et al., 2018).
Finally, clear and shared goals are essential for successful collaboration. Joint framing of the purpose and objectives of a partnerships enables a successful process (Lang et al. 2012). This phase can consist of the co-identification and description of the real-world problem, the joint formulation of research objectives, the co-design of a conceptual and/or methodological frameworks, and the building of a collaborative research team (Lang et al., 2012).
What qualities or ingredients cause collaboration to go horribly wrong?
Managing expectations is very important. Without clear and shared expectations or expected outcomes, partnerships may be set up for disappointment. You can mitigate these risks by transparent about all aspects of the partnership. For example, clear memorandums of understanding (MOUs) can be a useful tool to manage expectations. Before beginning a partnership, conducting a survey with partnerships about expectations can be another useful way to understand what each partner is hoping to achieve. Plummer et al. (2021) identify four essential inputs for partnerships: financial resources, human resources, motivations for partnership, and transparency. These attributes are a useful touch point for avoiding miscommunications or conflict associated with poorly managed expectations.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/collaboration-case-study-2/
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Primary Navigation
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Book Contents Navigation
Course Introduction
Acknowledgments
The Teaching Team
Module 3 Introduction
Learning Objectives
Lesson 1: Exploring Terms that Define ‘Working Together’
A Terminological Quagmire
Power, Process, & Involvement
Why are Co-operative Approaches Essential?
Lesson 2: The Process of Collaborating
Elements of Collaboration
Context
Initial Conditions
Process
Outcomes
Process of Collaborating
Partnership Case Study
Collaboration Case Study
Adaptive Co-management Case Study
Collaboration Process Conclusions
Resources for Further Learning
Lesson 3: What Makes Collaboration Work or Not?
What Makes Collaboration Work?
Ingredients for Successful Collaboration
Qualities that Negatively Influence Collaboration
Lesson 4: Benefits and Challenges of Collaboration
Collaboration for Building Sustainable Communities
Partnership Case study
Adaptive Co-Management Case Study
Benefits of Collaboration
Challenges to Collaboration
Module 3 Reflection and Assessment
Module 3 Learning Check
Module 3 Key Takeaways
Module 3 Assessments
Module 3 Reflection
References
Previous/next navigation
Building Sustainable Communities: Collaboration Copyright © 2022 by Ryan Plummer; Amanda Smits; Samantha Witkowski; Bridget McGlynn; Derek Armitage; Ella-Kari Muhl; and Jodi Johnston is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
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|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/adaptive-co-management-case-study-2/
|
Primary Navigation
Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.
Book Contents Navigation
Course Introduction
Acknowledgments
The Teaching Team
Module 3 Introduction
Learning Objectives
Lesson 1: Exploring Terms that Define ‘Working Together’
A Terminological Quagmire
Power, Process, & Involvement
Why are Co-operative Approaches Essential?
Lesson 2: The Process of Collaborating
Elements of Collaboration
Context
Initial Conditions
Process
Outcomes
Process of Collaborating
Partnership Case Study
Collaboration Case Study
Adaptive Co-management Case Study
Collaboration Process Conclusions
Resources for Further Learning
Lesson 3: What Makes Collaboration Work or Not?
What Makes Collaboration Work?
Ingredients for Successful Collaboration
Qualities that Negatively Influence Collaboration
Lesson 4: Benefits and Challenges of Collaboration
Collaboration for Building Sustainable Communities
Partnership Case study
Adaptive Co-Management Case Study
Benefits of Collaboration
Challenges to Collaboration
Module 3 Reflection and Assessment
Module 3 Learning Check
Module 3 Key Takeaways
Module 3 Assessments
Module 3 Reflection
References
Previous/next navigation
Building Sustainable Communities: Collaboration Copyright © 2022 by Ryan Plummer; Amanda Smits; Samantha Witkowski; Bridget McGlynn; Derek Armitage; Ella-Kari Muhl; and Jodi Johnston is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/ingredients-for-success/
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Ingredients for Successful Collaboration
The responses to our questions provide many rich insights into the key ingredients that make collaborative successful. Equally important is learning from such experiences about the qualities that erode collaborative. How do the observations from these rich experiences align with the work of scholars studying collaborative?
Understanding the qualities which influence collaborative initiatives aimed at the environment and/or sustainability has been the subject of much scholarship. In fact, there have been multiple reviews undertaken for this purpose. A comprehensive meta-analysis on collaborative governance across domains was conducted by Ansell and Gash (2007, p. 543). They identified variables influencing success to include “prior history of conflict or cooperation, the incentives for stakeholders to participate, power and resources imbalances, leadership, and institutional design.”
Another example comes from the review of adaptive co-management by Armitage et al. (2009), who synthesize 10 conditions for success.
Recently, a systematic mapping review of collaboration in environmental management and governance was conducted by Feist et al. (2020). They a long list of qualities, with the most prominent being “… trust building, social learning, dialogue, and active involvement…” (Feist et al., 2020, p. 1).
Finally, Plummer et al. (2021) conducted a Canadian national study to identify the aspects and qualities that make up a good partnership between HEIs and communities. They list multiple aspects and qualities of a high-performing HEI-community partnership, breaking down the qualities between inputs that are dedicated to the partnership, the actual process by which the partnership operates, as well as the outcomes or resulting impacts from the partnership.
As you can see from the bolded text in these tables, there are multiple ingredients for success that are common across different types of collaborative efforts. For example, going into a new initiative it is important to clearly define the problems and aims of the initiative. Factors that affect the process are also similar across initiatives, such as building trust, mutual respect, shared-decision making, commitment to the project, and so on. Having a successful collaborative initiatives can be hard work, but working to keep these qualities in check will make the process enjoyable as well as rewarding.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/qualities-that-negatively-influence-collaboration/
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Qualities that Negatively Influence Collaboration
The absence of a prominent quality or condition may mean the collaborative initiative will not realize its’ full potential. Perhaps most alarmingly, the absence of the key ingredients for success can “… have strongly negative implications for the sustainability and resilience of the social–ecological system” (Armitage et al., 2009, p. 100).
Social capital has perhaps garnered the most attention in this regard. Social capital encompasses “networks together with shared norms, values and understanding that facilitate cooperation within or among groups” (OECD, 2001, p. 41). Dale and Newman (2008, p. 18) offer a cautionary observation: “As community approaches to sustainable development initiatives grow in popularity, it can be observed that many such initiatives begin with high hopes and large commitments of social capital only to slowly fall apart in the face of individual long-term stress, a lack of access to external resources, and sometimes conflicting government policies and incentives that actually hinder or destroy the existing social capital at the community level”.
Finally, it is imperative to be aware of feedback from present participation to future involvement. Ansell and Gash (2007, p. 557) observe the cycle or iteration through collaborative stage “… can positively or negatively influence further collaboration.” Our next lesson explores this process of collaboration in detail.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/lesson-4-benefits-and-challenges-of-collaboration/
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Lesson 4: Benefits and Challenges of Collaboration
License
Building Sustainable Communities: Collaboration Copyright © 2022 by Ryan Plummer; Amanda Smits; Samantha Witkowski; Bridget McGlynn; Derek Armitage; Ella-Kari Muhl; and Jodi Johnston is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/co-operation-for-building-sustainable-communities/
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Collaboration for Building Sustainable Communities
In the final lesson in this module, we turn our attention to the benefits that can be gained from collaboration to build sustainable communities. Of equal importance, we consider some of the challenges to anticipate. Collaboration can be very rewarding and fruitful, but it can also be extremely frustrating and unproductive.
We continue our efforts in this module to provide perspectives on the benefits and challenges of collaboration from practice and theory. To start, we again turn to individuals with extensive experience across various contexts. We again pose two questions to each person and asked them to illustrate their answer using an example from their experience:
- What is the greatest benefit from collaboration to building a sustainable community?
- What is the greatest challenge of collaboration in the context of sustainability?
Please proceed to the next page to find the responses to these questions across three unique case studies.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/partnership-case-study-2/
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Partnership Case study
Niagara Adapts Case Study: An Interview with Dr. Jessica Blythe
What is the greatest benefit from collaboration to building a sustainable community?
Sustainability in general, and climate change in particular, are complex, dynamic, and cross cutting challenges. It is difficult, if not impossible, for any single individual or disciplinary group to identify and understand climate solutions and the dynamics of potential impacts and unintended consequences they may entail (Brondizio et al., 2016).
Therefore, one of the benefits of collaboration is that collaboration can support the development of robust and nuanced, rather than overly simplistic, solutions. This is essential in climate research and practice in order to account for the multidimensional nature of climate change and avoid maladaptation (Barnett & O’Neill, 2010). Working together allows us to tackle bigger questions and challenges than we could as individuals. Developing robust and nuanced climate adaptation plants requires collaboration and the inclusion of a range of stakeholders, perspectives and knowledge systems. Collaboration between individuals with widely different, even polarized, perspectives has been shown to generate higher quality research than traditional disciplinary approaches alone. As Crow and Dabars (2017, p. 482) effectively point out, “biologists alone cannot solve the loss of biodiversity, nor chemists in isolation negotiate the transition to renewable energy.”
What is the greatest challenge of collaboration in the context of sustainability?
In my experience, the benefits of collaboration greatly outweigh the challenges. However, there are some challenges of co-operation in the context of sustainability that are important to account for in project planning. First, collaborative projects take longer. For example, most collaborative projects begin with a team building phase, in order for team members to become familiar with one another, to foster a culture of inclusion, trust, and respect, and to co-identify relevant sustainability challenges (Lang et al., 2012). This phase can take months or years to complete effectively. Knowledge in collaborative partnerships is co-created, which is often a slower process in comparison to disciplinary approaches. In partnerships like Niagara Adapts, for example, that aim to develop climate change adaptation plans, knowledge co-creation involves iterative cycles of research, stakeholder engagement, formal council meetings and approvals, among other activities. Finally, collaborative projects often aim to create knowledge that can be applied in the real world. Developing effective implementation strategies and effective monitoring and evaluation protocols requires an additional investment of time.
A second key challenge is that collaborative, or interdisciplinary, projects can be more difficult to fund than classic disciplinary research (Bromham et al., 2016). Therefore, diversifying your funding sources and investing in the team’s capacity to secure funding (e.g., through grant writing workshops) are potentially useful activities for collaborative partnerships.
Summary of Niagara Adapts
Town of Lincoln
- Corporate Climate Change Adaptation Plan accomplished through the Niagara Adapts partnership
- Video highlighting the importance of the partnership and adaptation plan
City of St. Catharines
- Corporate Climate Change Adaptation Plan accomplished through the Niagara Adapts partnership
- Video highlighting the importance of the partnership and adaptation plan
Town of Pelham
- Corporate Climate Change Adaptation Plan accomplished through the Niagara Adapts partnership
- Video highlighting the importance of the partnership and adaptation plan
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/collaboration-case-study-3/
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Collaboration Case Study
Collaboration for Climate Change Adaptation in the Wolastoq River, New Brunswick
Summary of Overview of WWF’s collaboration in the Wolastoq
WWF-Canada is working in collaboration with small municipalities to complete and implement climate change adaptation plans. This collaboration is providing the necessary human and financial capital for this work to be completed.
For collaboration to succeed, actors need to be adaptable and develop shared goals. The facilitator needs to be a good listener as different groups may speak about the same topic differently. For example, climate change impacts different groups in different ways, so understanding differences in goals and priorities among diverse actors is essential for pursuing projects that address community needs and produce meaningful outcomes.
Collaboration can assist in producing tangible outcomes as the involved parties have contributed to the plan and be invested in implantation. Productive relationships among diverse group can assist in creating an environment for long term solutions.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/adaptive-co-management-case-study-3/
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Adaptive Co-Management Case Study
Ecosystem Based Management (EBM) in Gwaii Haanas
Summary of EBM in Gwaii Haanas
The Gwaii Haanas context provides an excellent example of adaptive and collaborative management framed by principles of Indigenous governance. The experience with Gwaii Haanas provides a model for successful collaboration in other contexts. The Land Sea People plan is a fundamental document as it is an outcome of collaboration between the Haida, the Government of Canada, and industry. Initiatives guided by the LSP plan, like the EBM evaluation framework, reflect the collaborative principles and aim to meet cultural, socio-economic, governance, and ecological objectives
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/benefits-of-collaboration/
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Benefits of Collaboration
Our interviewees bring to life some of the benefits and challenges of collaboration in building sustainable communities. Their insights are complemented by researchers who have studied collaboration in the contemporary problem domain of focus.
With due acknowledgement of the overlap between outcomes and impacts presented in lesson three, we highlight the benefits of co-operation that are well established by scholars.
We start with the outcomes (results) identified in the recent systematic mapping review by Feist et al. (2020).
Another example comes from the successes identified through the systematic review of adaptive co-management by Plummer et al. (2012).
Finally, Caldwell et al. (2015) provide a summary of the benefits realized through community-based participatory research partnerships, touching upon both personal challenges one might experience, organizational challenges, as well as challenges working with the community.
As you can see from the bolded text in these tables, there are multiple benefits that can occur through collaboration. These benefits can be seen on the physical and/or social environment, and they may also directly impact the people involved in the co-operation. For example, collaborative efforts often promote the participation and involvement of relevant stakeholders and rights holders in matters that affect them. By involving all relevant stakeholders and rights holders in a project, the outcomes can be applicable to a variety of people (Estrella & Gaventa 1998). Additionally, through a collaborative process, decision-making strategies have a higher likelihood of being implemented, as people learn to negotiate and agree upon solutions (Emerson et al., 2012; Ulibarri, 2015). Although many of the outcomes of collaborative initiatives are context specific, there are multiple benefits that can be realized from any project.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/challenges-to-collaboration/
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Challenges to Collaboration
Collaboration offers many benefits and has been identified as “… a pathway for sustainability” (Lozango, 2007, p. 370). Despite the positive upside of collaboration, it also comes with numerous challenges and failures.
The systematic review by Plummer et al. (2012) identify several factors contributing to failures of adaptive co-management.
The Challenges of Collaboration in Environmental Governance (Margerum & Robinson, 2016) dedicates an entire volume to detailing these matters and their resolution.
Finally, Caldwell et al. (2015) also look at the challenges of community-based participatory research partnerships from the community partners perspective. Again, they list personal, organizational, and community challenges often experienced in this context.
A few interesting and important words of caution when critically assessing the benefits and challenges of collaboration from both practice and scholarship. Often these can stem from a particular experience or come from a particular case study. Context may be critical, and transferability may be problematic. Speculation regarding benefits and challenges is also commonplace, with systematic reviews revealing the amount of claims absence of empirical evidence (see Plummer et al., 2012; Feist et al., 2020). The bolded text in these tables displays the multiple challenges that are common across different types of co-operative efforts.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/module-3-reflection-and-assessment/
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Module 3 Reflection and Assessment
License
Building Sustainable Communities: Collaboration Copyright © 2022 by Ryan Plummer; Amanda Smits; Samantha Witkowski; Bridget McGlynn; Derek Armitage; Ella-Kari Muhl; and Jodi Johnston is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/module-3-learning-check/
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Module 3 Learning Check
Learning Check
After reviewing each of the lessons in this module, you should now be able to:
- Comprehend terminology associated with ‘working together’ and why it is essential to navigating contemporary sustainability challenges.
- Describe the qualities that influence (positively and negatively) ‘working together.’
- Illustrate the process by which partnerships evolve.
- Explain different approaches to ‘working together’ for community sustainability.
- Critically assess the benefits and challenges of ‘working together.’
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/module-3-key-takeaways/
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Module 3 Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
- Terminological quagmire
- Terminology associated with ‘working together’ is messy and often imprecisely employed
- These terms are not synonymous but are closely related and it is helpful to create distinction by considering underpinning conceptual dimensions
- Collaboration (all approaches addressed) are imperative to navigating the contemporary problem domain of sustainable communities
- A variety of qualities make collaboration effective and efficient as well as unproductive
- The process of collaboration
- Important components include: context, initial conditions, process, outcomes/impacts
- Feedback shapes the iterative process of collaboration
- Many approaches to collaboration are employed for sustainable communities
- A series of case studies shared experiences with different approaches to collaboration for sustainable communities, highlighting distinctions and similarities among the approaches
- Collaboration is not a panacea
- Collaboration offers many benefits and challenges
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/resources-for-further-learning-2/
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Resources for Further Learning
Supplementary reading
Academic journal articles:
Cradock-Henry, N. A., Greenhalgh, S., Brown, P., & Sinner, J. (2017). Factors influencing successful collaboration for freshwater management in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Ecology and Society, 22(2).
Hamdan, H. A., Andersen, P. H., & de Boer, L. (2021). Stakeholder collaboration in sustainable neighborhood projects–A review and research agenda. Sustainable Cities and Society, 102776.
Collaboration – a path towards a more sustainable future
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/module-3-assessments/
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License
Building Sustainable Communities: Collaboration Copyright © 2022 by Ryan Plummer; Amanda Smits; Samantha Witkowski; Bridget McGlynn; Derek Armitage; Ella-Kari Muhl; and Jodi Johnston is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule3/chapter/module-3-reflection/
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License
Building Sustainable Communities: Collaboration Copyright © 2022 by Ryan Plummer; Amanda Smits; Samantha Witkowski; Bridget McGlynn; Derek Armitage; Ella-Kari Muhl; and Jodi Johnston is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule5/chapter/lesson-1-making-connections-to-engage/
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Primary Navigation
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Book Contents Navigation
Course Introduction
Acknowledgements
The Teaching Team
Module 5 Introduction
Learning Objectives
Lesson 1: Making Connections to Engage
Policies for Engagement
Ethical Considerations
Social Identities and Intersectionality
Power and Privilege
Representation
Problematic Histories of Engagement: The "White Saviour" Complex
Exploring Techniques and Technology for Collaboration and Engagement
Mobile Applications
Social Media and Community Engagement
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Important Considerations for Engaging with Communities
Sustainable Communities in Action: Brock-Lincoln Living Lab
Sustainable Communities in Action: The Global Transition Movement
Lesson 2: Future Considerations
Higher Education Institution- Community Engagement
Where to Go Next?
Future Opportunities
Module 5 Reflection and Assessment
Module 5 Learning Check
Module 5 Key Takeaways
Resources for Further Learning
Module 5 Assessment
Module 5 Assignment
References
Previous/next navigation
Building Sustainable Communities: Creating Connections for the Future Copyright © 2022 by Ryan Plummer; Amanda Smits; Samantha Witkowski; Bridget McGlynn; Derek Armitage; Ella-Kari Muhl; and Jodi Johnston is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
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2025-03-22T05:09:20.986678
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08-18-2024
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule5/chapter/chapter-1/
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Policies for Engagement
Communities operate in the context of federal and state policies that can affect local government decisions relevant to health through laws and regulations, through the allocation of resources, and by shaping political will on issues and approaches. Among the more widely recognized policies are those that fund or regulate health care delivery services. But policies in a variety of areas, ranging from education to land use and housing, the environment, and criminal justice, can be relevant to health disparities. Policies can vary significantly across geographic areas and over time in establishing priorities, providing funding, or encouraging collaboration. They can provide important opportunities or constitute barriers to promoting health equity. The policy context shapes the levers that are available to communities to address change.
It seems reasonable to assume that the better informed communities are about the implications of federal and state policy and policy changes, the greater their ability will be to respond effectively to address health disparities and help achieve change in the determinants of health. And, conversely, the more the needs of communities are considered in decision making at the federal and state levels, the more effective those policies will be. In other words, policy makers have the opportunity to lay the groundwork for community success.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule5/chapter/ethical-considerations/
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Ethical Considerations
As discussed throughout each module, working in a community is far from simple. Responsible community engagement begins with a consideration of ethics. Entering your project with a conscious focus on ethical considerations related to your work will help you minimize unintended negative consequences of your work. We will be discussing three considerations:
- Social identities and intersectionality
- Power and privilege
- Representation
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule5/chapter/social-identities-and-intersectionality/
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Social Identities and Intersectionality
Community engagement provides us with the exciting opportunities to create change with others. Because our engagement in communities requires extensive interpersonal interactions, it is important that we explore our social identities.
The term social identity originated in the 1970s and is attributed to two social psychologists, Henri Tajfel and John Turner. These scholars were interested in developing language and theories to help better explain the way people’s identities, and their relations to each other, are affected by their belonging, or perceived belonging, in different social groups.
Social identities (first explored in Module 1) are often defined as one’s group memberships shaped by individual characteristics, historical factors, and social and political contexts. While we all belong to many different groups, from sports teams to families, social identity groups refer to those that are part of large power structures in society. Because they are defined by societal structures, these group memberships shape the way we experience and interact with our social world.
Intersectionality
Social identities, or our social group memberships, shape our perceptions, interactions, and choice. Rather than personality traits or interests that make up your identity and sense of self, social identities describe the socially constructed groups that are present in specific environments within human societies. Our social identities are deeply connected to the social issues with which we may be engaging during our experiences.
Our multiple identities are connected in ways that uniquely shape our experience. They may overlap and interact with each other in complex ways. It is especially important to be aware of the social identities that are important to you and the complex ways in which your different identities intersect, and recognize how certain social identities may carry unearned advantages or disadvantages with them (Crenshaw, 1989). For example, a young person with a disability may experience discrimination differently than an elderly person with a disability; women of colour experience discrimination in a completely different way than men of colour, or than white women.
Implications in Community Engagement Work
Social identities inform our perceptions of ourselves, but they also inform our interactions with others. It is important to be aware of these identities when entering a community, as it can influence the way we interact with others in social contexts. The way a community perceives your social identities can impact your engagement experience. Conversely, the way that you perceive the community will also influence your relationships, the outcome of your work, and everyone’s satisfaction with the experience. Social identities can also create power dynamics, especially when working with rights holders and/or minority groups. This is why it is so important that you conduct research ahead of time to better inform how these factors might impact your work, making you better prepared to handle any situations that arise due to social identities. An important question to ask when you conduct your research is, “What is the community’s historical experience with people who have my social identities?” Then ask yourself, “How do I perceive the social identities of the people in the community?” And finally, “How would they perceive my social identities? Would these perceptions change as a result of engagement and interaction?”
Take a few moments to think about your own identities.
Which social groups do you belong to?
Consider the Circle of Power presented on page 2 of this workbook. Use the wheel diagram to explore areas where you have experienced advantage or disadvantage in your life.
This is an important consideration when conducting community engagement projects. You may even consider including this as an individual activity among actors when you first start a project together.
Remember the discussion of Respectful Engagement and the Social Identify Wheel from Module 1 Lesson 3.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule5/chapter/power-and-privilege/
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Power and Privilege
Power provides the ability to influence people and make decisions that impact others.
Privilege refers to unearned access to resources (e.g., power) that individuals receive because of social groups they are perceived to be a part of.
In our social world, the personal and social identities we hold create dynamics when we engage with others. Within each social identity category, some people have greater access to power and privilege based on membership in their social group. In our community engagement experiences, we might engage with people who are similar and different from us in various ways.
The community with which you will be working has a set of power structures, and it is vital that you understand how your presence impacts that power structure.
Understanding the dynamics of power that we operate in can help us to work better with others to meet the goals of our projects or interactions.
Read through this case study by Williams and Nunn (2016) on the dilemmas of power and privilege in community engagement work.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule5/chapter/representation/
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License
Building Sustainable Communities: Creating Connections for the Future Copyright © 2022 by Ryan Plummer; Amanda Smits; Samantha Witkowski; Bridget McGlynn; Derek Armitage; Ella-Kari Muhl; and Jodi Johnston is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule5/chapter/problematic-histories-of-engagement-the-white-saviour-complex/
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Problematic Histories of Engagement: The “White Saviour” Complex
The term ‘white saviour’ is itself a notion of altruism that follows the contemporary desire to ‘help others’ based on the idea of a universal human “compassion in us for others, sometimes despite a risk and cost to the self” (Burr, 2010, p. 1). Hughey (2014, p. 7) further described the ‘white savior’ as “characters whose innate sense of justice drives these tales of racial cooperation, nonwhite uplift, and White redemption” that ultimately reinforce “normal and natural White paternalism.”
The term is meant to draw attention to the way this approach reproduces the problematic dynamics of colonialism. It refers to when privileged, often white, individuals enter communities (both domestically or abroad) with the intention of “saving” them. It is harmful because it patronizes communities by suggesting they need outside intervention to identify and solve their problems.
While the conversation about the saviour complex often centres around privileged, white individuals going overseas, this concept also applies more broadly. The same issues can arise for outsiders with various identities going into any community that is not their own.
As Teju Cole (2012, p. 5) succinctly puts it:
“One song we hear too often is the one in which Africa serves as a backdrop for white fantasies of conquest and heroism. From the colonial project to Out of Africa to The Constant Gardener, and Kony 2012, Africa has provided a space onto which white egos can conveniently be projected. It is a liberated space in which the usual rules do not apply: a nobody from America or Europe can go to Africa and become a godlike savior or, at the very least, have his or her emotional needs satisfied. Many have done it under the banner of ‘making a difference’.”
Real-world Example of the White Saviour Complex: Voluntouring
‘Voluntouring’ — is a slang word used to describe taking a short trip which combines volunteer work with tourism. However, it often focuses more on what the volunteer gains from the experience than any lasting benefit to the communities they aim to help.
Volunteers often attempt to support communities without any researched knowledge, meaningful collaboration, or consideration of what those communities need. Often, they also lack specialized experience or skills.
For example, building a house or school is an undertaking that requires specialized knowledge and skill, in order to ensure the integrity and safety of the building. Using a different example, spending just a few short weeks volunteering in an orphanage or children’s home may have more negative side effects for children who’ve already experienced plenty of grief and loss. Children who become attached to volunteers might experience further trauma and separation anxiety when those volunteers return home.
Before taking a voluntour trip, ask yourself:
- Have community members openly expressed their need?
- What kind of support have community members asked for? Does it align with this initiative?
- Do I have the skills and experience needed for the job?
- Could I use the money I’m spending more efficiently by directly donating to the organization I want to support?
- Am I taking paid work opportunities from people in the community?
How you approach your work and knowledge of a community matters. As discussed earlier in this course, it is critical to remember that community members are the experts about their community and what may need to be done. Moreover, individuals should never do anything in another community that they would not be permitted to do back in their home community.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule5/chapter/exploring-techniques-and-technology-for-collaboration-and-engagement/
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Exploring Techniques and Technology for Collaboration and Engagement
Techniques to Support Collaboration and Engagement
There are a number of methods and innovative tools that can help support collaboration and engagement efforts.
Digital technology is often used to collaborate and/or engage communities because it can:
- Connect people across geographic locations
- Reduce overall costs (traveling, meeting locations, acquiring information, etc.)
- Produce automatic records/analyses that help overcome information barriers
- Increase efficiency and productivity
- Encourage community members who would otherwise be apprehensive of engaging to ‘find their voice’
Technology to Support Collaboration and Engagement
Technology has changed the way we collaborate and engage with communities. It has impacted the way we connect with one another, and it has also enabled the facilitation of community engagement in new ways. Now more than ever, we are relying on technology to help us collaborate when in-person gatherings cannot take place.
A few examples of technology that is often used in collaboration and engagement efforts:
-
- Mobile Applications
- Social Media
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule5/chapter/mobile-applications/
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Mobile Applications
- Project management
- Communication
- Data collection (see Module 4, Lesson three on citizen science)
- Outreach
- Education
Examples of mobile applications include collaboration apps such as Slack and MS Teams, and feedback apps such as Mentimeter.
Example: SitePodium for Community Engagement in Construction Projects
This is an example of an app that is utilized within the construction industry to be able to engage with communities while completing construction projects. Please keep in mind, this video was produced as an advertisement for the company but it does provide a good example of ways in which technology are being used to engage with communities.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule5/chapter/social-media-and-community-engagement/
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Social Media and Community Engagement
Social media can be a powerful tool for community engagement and collaboration.
- Spread information
- Reach a wide audience
- Provide interesting and thought-provoking visuals
- Collect more data (e.g., through sharing or advertising surveys)
Examples of social media for collaboration and engagement include Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.
Utilizing social media to communicate is directly linked with your knowledge mobilization strategy that should be in place when engaging with communities. It is important to ensure that you build a social media plan that is integrated with your KMb strategy and makes sense for the work you’re doing and the knowledge you are aiming to mobilize.
Barriers and Conflicts to Social Media
Social media is not the only way to communicate with your audience and it is important to note there are barriers and conflicts that can arise when utilizing social media to engage with communities. Taking into account the ideas of power relations, white saviour complex, confidentiality and privilege when communicating via social media is critical.
Social media can also be used to highlight these false narratives. Below we highlight one account that is doing us that!
- In order to raise awareness of the white savior complex, one Instagram user created a satirical profile for Saviour Barbie, also known as “the doll that saved Africa.”
- Barbie’s posts include photographs of herself saving the children and wildlife in the country of Africa.
- These posts are intended to point out mistakes that individuals may make during community engagement work.
Click here to take a look at the account. What thoughts and questions does this page raise for you?
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule5/chapter/geographic-information-systems-gis/
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Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
GIS is a geospatial technology used to collect, organize, analyze and visualize data tied to a specific location. It can be used to visualize both spatial (e.g., the geographic location of a trees) and non-spatial or attribute data (e.g., tree species type). It allows many users to participate, share, and collaborate, and works best when users are participating, sharing, and collaborating. It can be a powerful tool to empower communities and influence decision-making.
A range of information products can be produced from a GIS environment, including maps and graphs showing land-use/land-cover types; population density and income distribution; the location and spread of vector-borne diseases, homeless populations, the extent of the urban tree canopy, etc.
GIS mapping can also highlight community sensitive information that my be confidential, such as the location of endangered species. GIS data may need to be protected for some projects.
GIS Case Study from Avis et al. (2020)
This project took place in Nairobi, Kenya in 2009.
In the settlement of Kibera, a group residents mapped their community using an online mapping platform called OpenStreetMap (OSM). The aim of the project was to generate a local, up-to-date map of the community (including local amenities and resources), empowering citizens through this process.
This aim was accomplished using a variety of engagement practices, including using multiple types of information and technologies, forming local networks, building relationships across community members and settlements, etc. As a result, local amenities and resources were mapped and continue to be updated when required.
Information was subsequently shared across communities (offline and online) using the OSM platform/website, targeted outreach, and news platforms.
As the project has grown, community members have now expanded communication efforts using media resources, including online video, blogging, and reporting on the Ushahidi “Voice” platforms.
Read more about this initiative, and other similar projects related to GIS mapping in Community Engagement in Digital Innovation: Evidence from past experience in the Global South.
GIS Community Engagement Initiative
tree0code Niagara is a Geospatial community engagement initiative designed to crowdsource data about the Urban Forests of Niagara’s 12 municipalities. tree0code Niagara focuses on environmental, educational, economic, and social benefits of citizen engagement and active participation. The associated application provides an easy-to-use public inventorying platform that encourages the public to contribute to an interactive and dynamic map of the region’s tree population. All data collected is shared openly to private citizens, institutions, researchers, the Region, and Municipalities. The information collected can be used to make key decisions about our urban forests.
Read more about this initiative, it’s benefits, and view Niagara’s tree map at this link!
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule5/chapter/important-considerations/
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Important Considerations for Engaging with Communities
1. The capacity and ability for different actors and rights holders to participate.
Does the use of technology exclude certain people from engagement activities? For example, it is important to consider whether the group or community you are engaging with has reliable access to technology and online internet services. Before you begin any community engagement work, take some time to consider:
- Remote communities
- Marginalized groups
- Rights holder groups
- Cultural considerations for using technology
2. The knowledge or skills to efficiently use technology
Additionally, some groups may be harder to reach, or not have the knowledge or skills to efficiently use technology (e.g., certain age demographics). Unclear communication via technology can lead to misunderstandings between those engaged in a project.
3. Digital safety and critical thinking is NECESSARY
Technology can be a powerful tool, but it also comes with some risks.
- It is important stay vigilant about protecting your privacy, and keeping personal information limited and professional.
- Although technology is a useful tool for spreading awareness or information, there is just as much likelihood that misinformation is posted about online as well. You should always consider the validity and credibility of information that you are viewing, using, or promoting. When looking at information from a study online you might ask yourself ‘who funded this study?’, ‘how long was the study?’, ‘who were the participants?’, and so on.
In reflecting on these considerations, you can revisit Module 1 Lesson 3: Who is involved with community engagement?
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule5/chapter/sustainable-communities-in-the-21st-century-in-action/
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Sustainable Communities in Action: Brock-Lincoln Living Lab
Here we learn from Dr. Marilyne Jollineau, Shannon McKay, and Mike Kirkopolous discussing the Brock-Lincoln Living Lab.
Dr. Marilyne Jollineau, Micheal Kirkopoulos, and Shannon McKay are part of the Brock-Lincoln Living Lab, a unique partnership between Brock University’s Environmental Sustainability Research Centre and The Town of Lincoln, both of which are located in Ontario, Canada. These individuals bring different perspectives to the topics discussed in this video, covering a wide array of experiential knowledge bases. They discuss the importance of community engagement in building sustainable communities using tangible examples from The Town of Lincoln, and how community partnerships can streamline communities toward sustainability. Their hope is that more innovative partnerships will soon be a community norm.
Key Takeaways from the Panel Discussion
- A sustainable community is a balanced interface between the economic, social, and environmental needs of a community (7:35).
- Engaging and connecting to all the voices in a community assists with creating innovative solutions to complex issues (12:18).
- Engagement between different entities (stakeholders, organizations, municipal government, etc.) can create opportunities for sharing and redistributing resources to ensure efficient use of resources (17:00).
- It is important to create engagement strategies that are specific to the individuals that you are wanting to interact with; The Town of Lincoln used innovative engagement strategies to ensure individuals of all ages were involved with community services projects (22:00).
- Transdisciplinary engagement in communities can lead to more pertinent academic research that is topical and useful to communities and supports building sustainable communities (27:10).
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule5/chapter/the-global-transition-movement/
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Sustainable Communities in Action: The Global Transition Movement
Transition is a movement of communities coming together to reimagine and rebuild our world. Since 2006, community-led Transition groups have been working towards a low-carbon, socially just future with resilient communities, more active participation in society, and caring culture focused on supporting each other.
Characteristics of the Transition Movement:
- Focused on the Transition Principles
- Uses participatory approaches
- Collaborating with municipalities
- Rooted in the reality of community members
- Informed, evidence-based decision making
Transition Town: What’s it all about?
Learn more about the movement at these links:
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule5/chapter/lesson-2-future-considerations/
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Primary Navigation
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Book Contents Navigation
Course Introduction
Acknowledgements
The Teaching Team
Module 5 Introduction
Learning Objectives
Lesson 1: Making Connections to Engage
Policies for Engagement
Ethical Considerations
Social Identities and Intersectionality
Power and Privilege
Representation
Problematic Histories of Engagement: The "White Saviour" Complex
Exploring Techniques and Technology for Collaboration and Engagement
Mobile Applications
Social Media and Community Engagement
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Important Considerations for Engaging with Communities
Sustainable Communities in Action: Brock-Lincoln Living Lab
Sustainable Communities in Action: The Global Transition Movement
Lesson 2: Future Considerations
Higher Education Institution- Community Engagement
Where to Go Next?
Future Opportunities
Module 5 Reflection and Assessment
Module 5 Learning Check
Module 5 Key Takeaways
Resources for Further Learning
Module 5 Assessment
Module 5 Assignment
References
Previous/next navigation
Building Sustainable Communities: Creating Connections for the Future Copyright © 2022 by Ryan Plummer; Amanda Smits; Samantha Witkowski; Bridget McGlynn; Derek Armitage; Ella-Kari Muhl; and Jodi Johnston is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
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08-18-2024
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule5/chapter/higher-education-institution-community-engagement/
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Higher Education Institution- Community Engagement
HEI-community partnerships for sustainability specifically coincide with HEIs’ expanded mission to address real-world societal challenges. These types of engaging partnerships aim to:
- Use multiple ways of thinking and knowledge to generate unique solutions to complex problems
- Develop relevant solutions for the local community
- Provide an informed evidence-base from which to make critical decisions
- Build the capacity of local community members
- Inform both research and practice
HEI-Community Engagement Work in Action
The Environmental Sustainability Research Centre at Brock University currently has 7 formalized partnerships, each with their own purpose and collaborative team.
- Brock-Lincoln Living Lab
- The Prudhommes Project
- Trails, Assets, and Tourism Initiative
- World Wildlife Fund
- Brock University Project Charter
- Excellence in Environmental Stewardship Initiative (EESI)
- Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT)
- Niagara Adapts (currently wrapping up)
Click here to learn more about HEI-community engagement from Brock University Environmental Sustainability Research Centre’s Innovative partnerships!
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pressbooks
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08-18-2024
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule5/chapter/where-to-go-next/
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Where to Go Next?
Now that we are nearing the end of the course, we need to start thinking about how you are going to apply what you have learned. These lessons and topics are transferable to many aspects of your academic, social, and professional development. For example:
- In your current undergraduate courses
- Possible thesis (graduate) thesis
- Influencing future career choices
- Continuing education (post-secondary diplomas, professional development, etc.)
In Current Courses
- To learn more about Experiential Education at Brock Visit: Experiential Education at Brock
- Case Studies: A Step Towards Solving the Climate Crisis
Thesis Research
- Exploring perceptions, attitudes, values, etc., of community members
- Tools or frameworks to increase community engagement
- Effects of community engagement in a program or initiative
A Community Engagement Focus in Student Research
DeCock-Caspell, M., & Vasseur, L. (2021). Visualizations as a tool to increase community engagement in climate change adaptation decision-making. FACETS, 6: 240-251.
McGlynn, B. (2020). Student Research Highlight: Participation in Trail Monitoring & Evaluation [blog post]. Available at: https://brocku.ca/esrc/2020/03/18/student-research-highlight-participation-in-trail-monitoring-evaluation/
Kapeller, B. (2021). Exploring Environmental Stewardship in the Niagara Region [online resource]. Available at:https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/7d796bbda08940faa287c925ba5a90b2?fbclid=IwAR1L48o2pLoGXtJaR4cQ_yb9MEeQlwtk8uvM6LZVsx5cG3jgzt5cnvk8DfM
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08-18-2024
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule5/chapter/future-opportunities/
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Future Opportunities
Career and Job Opportunities
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Community engagement coordinator, advisor, or assistant
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Non-profit organization worker
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Community researcher
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Digital community engagement and communication specialist
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Knowledge mobilization and/or science communication specialist
Continuing Education Programs
- There are numerous post-secondary degree options available on this subject.
- Many post-graduate programs focus on leadership in community engagement, social justice and social change, and more.
- You may also notice that many sustainability or environmental-focused programs place a large emphasis on community engagement.
- More recently, programs are implementing/exploring experiential education opportunities, and highlighting community engagement techniques that can take place in a virtual world.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule5/chapter/module-5-reflection-and-assessment/
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Module 5 Reflection and Assessment
License
Building Sustainable Communities: Creating Connections for the Future Copyright © 2022 by Ryan Plummer; Amanda Smits; Samantha Witkowski; Bridget McGlynn; Derek Armitage; Ella-Kari Muhl; and Jodi Johnston is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:21.194109
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08-18-2024
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule5/chapter/module-4-learning-check/
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Module 5 Learning Check
Learning Check
After reviewing each of the lessons in this module, you should now be able to:
- Define a truly sustainable community
- Demonstrate how to engage actors in appropriate ways to foster sustainable communities
- Develop and support the implementation of an engagement plan with diverse communities
- Move knowledge into action for a sustainable future
- Deepen your understanding of why engaging actors is essential to building sustainable communities
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:21.203092
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule5/chapter/module-5-key-takeaways/
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Module 5 Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
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Each component of community engagement work is essential and interconnected.
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There are numerous ethical considerations that practitioners must acknowledge throughout all community engagement projects.
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Technology can be a supportive asset, if appropriate for the community.
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There are multiple avenues to utilize the knowledge gained from this course to create more sustainable communities.
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2025-03-22T05:09:21.212264
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08-18-2024
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule5/chapter/resources-for-further-learning/
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Resources for Further Learning
The urgency of intersectionality | Kimberlé Crenshaw
Decolonizing Methodologies for Sustainability Research
This is the first of three workshops organized by University of Waterloo students on decolonization, identity and intersectionality at the university and in research process. The session is moderated by Lowine Hill and Dr. Ranjan Datta, Canada Research Chair- II in Community Disaster Research at Indigenous Studies, Mount Royal University, Calgary presents “Decolonizing the Meanings of Research: A lifelong process of learning, unlearning and relearning responsibilities”.
Sessions 2 and 3 are included below.
Panel Discussion on Innovative Partnerships and Sustainability
This discussion highlights innovative partnerships that aim to co-create solutions for urgent sustainability challenges. These partnerships are a core component of sustainability science and the work of the Environmental Sustainability Research Centre. This seminar will highlight the mutual benefits that can be realized for people and planet when Brock teams up with the community.
Featuring: Dr. Ryan Plummer (panelist), Amanda Smits (panelist), Samantha Witkowski (panelist), and Dr. Jessica Blythe (moderator).
Supplementary Reading
Read Chicago Beyond’s Why Am I Always Being Researched? A guidebook for community organizations, researchers, and funders to help us get from insufficient understanding to more authentic truth
Academic journal articles:
David-Chavez, D. M., & Gavin, M. C. (2018). A global assessment of Indigenous community engagement in climate research. Environmental Research Letters, 13(12), 123005.
Szetey, K., Moallemi, E., Ashton, E., Butcher, M., Sprunt, B., & Bryan, B. (2021). Participatory planning for local sustainability guided by the Sustainable Development Goals. Ecology and Society, 26(3).
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2025-03-22T05:09:21.225058
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08-18-2024
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule5/chapter/module-5-assessment/
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License
Building Sustainable Communities: Creating Connections for the Future Copyright © 2022 by Ryan Plummer; Amanda Smits; Samantha Witkowski; Bridget McGlynn; Derek Armitage; Ella-Kari Muhl; and Jodi Johnston is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:21.234990
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08-18-2024
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule5/chapter/module-5-assignment/
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License
Building Sustainable Communities: Creating Connections for the Future Copyright © 2022 by Ryan Plummer; Amanda Smits; Samantha Witkowski; Bridget McGlynn; Derek Armitage; Ella-Kari Muhl; and Jodi Johnston is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:21.244259
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08-18-2024
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/lesson-1-ethical-considerations-for-data-collection-and-information-sharing/
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Lesson 1: Ethical considerations for data collection and information sharing
License
Building Sustainable Communities: Information Gathering and Sharing Copyright © 2022 by Ryan Plummer; Amanda Smits; Samantha Witkowski; Bridget McGlynn; Derek Armitage; Ella-Kari Muhl; and Jodi Johnston is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:21.253385
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08-17-2024
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/chapter-1/
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Ethical Considerations for Engagement
Community engagement is often related to processes of social change or interventions. As a result, there are almost always ethical considerations for both communities and individuals within communities. The ‘community’ (however defined) has a stake in the knowledge or data that is produced through engagement processes because it affects their resources and environment. That relationship varies if they are rights holders or stakeholders. Therefore, a principled approach is crucial to reduce the potential for any harm (e.g., lost income, increased conflict) and to mitigate against systems of continued oppression.
Key ethical considerations we will discuss relate to:
- Integrity of the process of engagement.
- Transparency with regard to who is involved in consultation.
- Ownership of information or data collected as part of any engagement activity.
- Developing effective data collection and sharing strategies.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:21.263647
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08-17-2024
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/ethical-considerations-for-data-collection-and-sharing-principles/
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Ethical Considerations for Data Collection and Sharing: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Principles
A suite of general principles for ethical consultation and engagement are widely recognized, regardless of the setting (e.g., research, assessment):
- Honesty
- Trust
- Fairness
- Respect
- Responsibility
Unethical or irresponsible processes violate these core principles. Examples of unethical data collection and sharing might include:
- Recording or capturing data/information through means of deception
- For example, certain forms of ethnographic research with Indigenous communities in the absence of full consent would be considered unethical
- Improperly altering or otherwise changing information and data
- Plagiarism or data/information without attribution
- Using confidential data/information without consent
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Ethical considerations in data collection and sharing include transparency and opportunity for all groups (see also Module 1). However opportunities or equity in opportunity may differ between stakeholders and rights holders. Broad-based engagement processes should be designed to consider different rights (e.g., inclusive rights vs sovereign rights) as well as equity-deserving groups.
Depending on the engagement context, sovereign rights groups can include (but are not limited to):
- Indigenous groups in the land we now know as Canada, including First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities (e.g., sovereign nations with inherent rights)
- Two-spirit peoples as part of Indigenous communities
- Any intersection of these identities
Depending on the engagement context, equity deserving groups can include (but are not limited to):
- Women
- Racialized peoples or people who identify as members of a racialized community
- Members of 2SLGBTQ+ communities
- People living with disabilities
- Individuals or groups who exercise cultural and/or religious practices
- Indigenous groups in the land we now know as Canada, including First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, who are sovereign nations with inherent rights
- Any intersection of these identities
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:21.276073
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08-17-2024
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/principles-and-actions-for-ethical-data-collection-and-sharing-data-sovereignty-and-ownership/
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Ethical Considerations for Data Collection and Sharing: Data Sovereignty and Ownership
Data ownership and sovereignty is defined as the ability for communities (including Indigenous communities) to participate in the collection, stewardship and control of data that is created with or about themselves.
Concerns about data ownership and sovereignty must be considered as they are foundational to principles of integrity. Data ownership and sovereignty issues are not the same in all situations. Where research and engagement includes Indigenous communities and sensitive knowledges about place and space, clarity about data ownership is crucial.
Engagement processes take many forms. In many research projects data ownership may be more straightforward (e.g., it is owned by the funder or researcher). However, it is important to acknowledge that funder and researcher-ownership does not or should not supersede Indigenous sovereign rights to data. Data ownership and sovereignty issues may be less clear in other settings, for example in the context of engagement to assess perspectives about a waste management location. Ethically grounded discussion should address who owns or determines access to data/information. Where does the power sit in relation to data as knowledge (i.e., data is power)? And how will the data be shared, with whom, and in what format?
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:21.285603
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08-17-2024
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/ethical-considerations-for-data-collection-and-sharing/
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Ethical Considerations for Data Collection and Sharing: Key Principles and Actions
- Involve individuals and groups (especially sovereign rights groups and equity deserving groups) early and often in engagement efforts
- Visit communities to engage residents (e.g., presentations) in advance of more formalized engagement efforts – engagement processes involving contentious issues and various groups of people must be sensitive to realities on the ground
- Recognize that in many engagement processes, communities have limited capacity and may not have a great deal of technical knowledge
- Use plain language wherever possible to improve communication, especially when communicating technical and academic language, as well in situations where English may be the second language in Indigenous communities or in recent newcomer and/or refugee communities
- Take the initiative – engagement processes can be demanding on peoples time and energy; working with local organizations is an important approach but lead-times are crucial
- Consider the life cycle of the engagement process (from developing initial aims to taking action); equally important to consider who designs the engagement process (e.g., if working with a sovereign nation have they been fully consulted on the best design strategy
- Develop a statement of shared principles for ethical engagement which is agreed to and supported by all parties
- Knowledge co-production (KCP) and knowledge mobilization (KMB) are valuable (and distinct) approaches to ensure that engagement is more ethical
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:21.296625
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08-17-2024
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/visual-activity-to-be-made/
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License
Building Sustainable Communities: Information Gathering and Sharing Copyright © 2022 by Ryan Plummer; Amanda Smits; Samantha Witkowski; Bridget McGlynn; Derek Armitage; Ella-Kari Muhl; and Jodi Johnston is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:21.306457
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08-17-2024
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/lesson-2-methods-for-gathering-community-data/
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License
Building Sustainable Communities: Information Gathering and Sharing Copyright © 2022 by Ryan Plummer; Amanda Smits; Samantha Witkowski; Bridget McGlynn; Derek Armitage; Ella-Kari Muhl; and Jodi Johnston is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:21.315235
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08-17-2024
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/before-data-collection/
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A reminder of some important ethical dimensions
Before data collection, consider:
- Your identity and positionality and who you are working with.
- What is your purpose or goal for collecting data?
- What is the focus of the data collection?
- What kind of data will be collected and why?
Answering these questions allows for a relevant dataset to move forward with a community project, plan, or activity.
Think about your research or your community engagement process:
- What impact are you planning to achieve?
- Who should be involved? Why?
- Are there rights holders or stakeholders involved?
- Would they use your knowledge?
- How would they contribute/use the knowledge?
Supplementary readings
For further reading, explore Creating Communities of Practice, a resource from the Edmonton Regional Learning Consortium (2016)
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:21.326240
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{
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"url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/before-data-collection/",
"book_url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Building Sustainable Communities: Information Gathering and Sharing",
"author": "Ryan Plummer, Amanda Smits, Samantha Witkowski, Bridget McGlynn, Derek Armitage, Ella-Kari Muhl, Jodi Johnston",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Sustainability, Social impact of environmental issues"
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|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/different-type-of-knowledge/
|
Different Types and Sources of Knowledge
Local knowledge – Formal or informal knowledge held by a group of people (e.g., fishers in bay, farmers in a watershed) about their local ecosystems
Scientific knowledge – Knowledge gained through the application of the scientific method (e.g., formal hypothesis testing)
Traditional ecological knowledge(s) – The cumulative body of knowledge, practice, and belief, evolving by adaptive processes and handed down through generations by cultural transmission, about the relationship of living beings (including humans) with one another and with their environment (Berkes, 2000)
Despite their differences, there are many common features of most knowledge systems (adopted from Stephens, 2000):
Shared principles
- Honesty
- Inquisitiveness
- Perseverance
- Open-mindedness
- Knowledge open to modification and adjustment
Shared skills and procedures
- Empirical observation
- Pattern recognition
- Verification through repetition
Shared knowledge areas
- Plant and animal behavior, cycles, habitats, and linkages
- Properties of objects and materials
- Position and motion of objects
- Ecological and physical cycles and changes
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:21.337542
|
08-17-2024
|
{
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"institution": "",
"subject": "Sustainability, Social impact of environmental issues"
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|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/a-knowledge-co-production-process-for-equitably-gathering-data/
|
A Knowledge Co-production Process for Equitably Gathering Data
Knowledge co-production provides an approach to collect data in a participatory way that also benefits local communities.
Knowledge co-production can provide a foundation to address common problems and uncertainty. The aim of knowledge co-production is not ‘more’ knowledge but new ways of defining, reflecting on and resolving challenges. There are various modes of knowledge co-production; some modes focus on researching solutions, some on empowerment, and some on navigating power differences (Chambers et al., 2021).
Knowledge Co-production Rationale
There is a growing urgency to address ‘wicked’ and complex social-ecological issues. Knowledge co-production holds significant promise for sustainability challenges. Knowledge co-production promotes a reciprocal relationship between knowledge creation and knowledge users. The current system is failing to practically address issues on the ground.
Decision-making is largely influenced by western scientific methods and top-down governance that excludes other forms of knowledge. A way forward that can bridge multiple users, stakeholders and rights holders is through knowledge co-production – knowledge co-production will allow for more ways of knowing to be seen as equal. As such, researchers and practitioners are gravitating towards knowledge co-production as a pathway forwards that incorporates participatory and transdisciplinary approaches for sustainability outcomes. To address these challenges, multiple groups of people with different forms of knowledge relative to governance issues need to be collaborate to successfully address social, political, ecological and behavioural uncertainty (Cash et al., 2006).
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pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:21.347658
|
08-17-2024
|
{
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"book_url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Building Sustainable Communities: Information Gathering and Sharing",
"author": "Ryan Plummer, Amanda Smits, Samantha Witkowski, Bridget McGlynn, Derek Armitage, Ella-Kari Muhl, Jodi Johnston",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Sustainability, Social impact of environmental issues"
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|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/using-kcp-for-gathering-data-process-framework/
|
License
Building Sustainable Communities: Information Gathering and Sharing Copyright © 2022 by Ryan Plummer; Amanda Smits; Samantha Witkowski; Bridget McGlynn; Derek Armitage; Ella-Kari Muhl; and Jodi Johnston is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:21.358249
|
08-17-2024
|
{
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"url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/using-kcp-for-gathering-data-process-framework/",
"book_url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Building Sustainable Communities: Information Gathering and Sharing",
"author": "Ryan Plummer, Amanda Smits, Samantha Witkowski, Bridget McGlynn, Derek Armitage, Ella-Kari Muhl, Jodi Johnston",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Sustainability, Social impact of environmental issues"
}
|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/selected-participatory-methods-and-tools/
|
Example Participatory Methods to Support KCP
There are a wide range of participatory methods available to support effective data collection. A few examples include:
- Participatory maps and mapping: to show the location and types of changes in the area being monitored.
- Venn diagrams: to show changes in relationships between groups, institutions, and individuals.
- Flow diagrams: to show direct and indirect impacts of changes, and to relate them to causes.
- Diaries: to describe changes in the lives of individuals or groups.
- Photographs: to depict changes through a sequence of images.
- Matrix scoring: to compare people’s preferences for a set of options or outcomes.
- Network diagrams: to show changes in the type and degree of contact between people and services
Supplementary readings
For an overview of diverse methods and examples, check out the open access book:
The Routledge Handbook of Research Methods for Social-Ecological Systems
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:21.369791
|
08-17-2024
|
{
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"url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/selected-participatory-methods-and-tools/",
"book_url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Building Sustainable Communities: Information Gathering and Sharing",
"author": "Ryan Plummer, Amanda Smits, Samantha Witkowski, Bridget McGlynn, Derek Armitage, Ella-Kari Muhl, Jodi Johnston",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Sustainability, Social impact of environmental issues"
}
|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/knowledge-co-production-a-success-story/
|
Knowledge co-production: A success story
Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge: Working together
From iwi and hapū, scientists to stakeholders to environmental groups, councils and central government, the challenge works with many different groups and over 30 organizations throughout Aotearoa, New Zealand to co-develop knowledge for ecosystem-based management (EBM).
Specifically, the Kāhui Māori ensures Vision Mātauranga and te Ao Māori principles are embedded across the research. EBM was selected as it is a holistic way used to successfully manage marine environments that aligns with Aotearoa, New Zealand values.
There are 250 researchers across 71 projects, who have co-created 309 tools and resources. These are used to help to assess impacts on marine ecosystems and associated resources, activities, values and cultural significance.
Read more about the Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge:
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:21.380641
|
08-17-2024
|
{
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"url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/knowledge-co-production-a-success-story/",
"book_url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Building Sustainable Communities: Information Gathering and Sharing",
"author": "Ryan Plummer, Amanda Smits, Samantha Witkowski, Bridget McGlynn, Derek Armitage, Ella-Kari Muhl, Jodi Johnston",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Sustainability, Social impact of environmental issues"
}
|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/lesson-3-what-is-knowledge-mobilization/
|
Lesson 3: What is knowledge mobilization?
License
Building Sustainable Communities: Information Gathering and Sharing Copyright © 2022 by Ryan Plummer; Amanda Smits; Samantha Witkowski; Bridget McGlynn; Derek Armitage; Ella-Kari Muhl; and Jodi Johnston is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:21.390935
|
08-17-2024
|
{
"license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
"url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/lesson-3-what-is-knowledge-mobilization/",
"book_url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Building Sustainable Communities: Information Gathering and Sharing",
"author": "Ryan Plummer, Amanda Smits, Samantha Witkowski, Bridget McGlynn, Derek Armitage, Ella-Kari Muhl, Jodi Johnston",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Sustainability, Social impact of environmental issues"
}
|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/what-is-knowledge-mobilization/
|
What is Knowledge Mobilization?
Knowledge mobilization (KMb) brings knowledge, people and action together to create value. KMb goes far beyond the dissemination of knowledge from source to beneficiary, researchers to community. It is not just knowledge transfer, and while dynamic knowledge brokering is essential in terms of identifying stakeholders, building networks and relationships, and designing actives to nurture knowledge sharing, this is still not enough. KMb embeds knowledge generation (creation) and knowledge use within the core structure of communities and organizations (Bennet & Bennet, 2007).The application of university research to the broader community can be traced back to the agricultural extension practices developed in the 19th century to support farms in adopting more effective practices and adjusting to changing social needs and conditions ( Jones & Garforth, 1997). The increased emphasis of KMb in recent years is due (in part) to the realization that the failure to use the available evidence (or knowledge) is costly and harmful – this is especially true in a health setting. Traditionally, KMb was seen as a one-way ”push” process. The ‘if I publish it, they will come” mentality has proven to be ineffective. If KMb does not happen, knowledge will simply sit on a shelf or in an academic journal.
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:21.407187
|
08-17-2024
|
{
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"url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/what-is-knowledge-mobilization/",
"book_url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Building Sustainable Communities: Information Gathering and Sharing",
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"institution": "",
"subject": "Sustainability, Social impact of environmental issues"
}
|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/the-sea-of-jargon/
|
The Sea of Jargon
It is widely recognized that the field of KMb has so many terms that are used interchangeably within the field, which are illustrated in the graphic above. This can complicate things as different fields use different types of terminology to talk about the overall process. For example, ‘knowledge translation’ is often time used in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields, while ‘knowledge mobilization’ is used in the social sciences and humanities. A 2014 study found that there are more than 100 terms related to knowledge translation being debated amongst research and stakeholders (Mathew et al., 2014). This module is meant to be an introduction to the overall concept and therefore it is just important to note the wide variety of jargon used.
At the end of the day, we are going to focus on the similarities between all of these terms and concepts, which really tend to be about raising awareness, bringing people together and putting knowledge into action, as noted by the Knowledge Institute on Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions. This organization has also created an online toolkit available to the public that assists individuals in mobilization valuable knowledge and information in your community.
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:21.419355
|
08-17-2024
|
{
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"institution": "",
"subject": "Sustainability, Social impact of environmental issues"
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|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/why-is-knowledge-mobilization-important/
|
Why is Knowledge Mobilization Important?
The Story of Ulcers
I’ll never forget reading the story of ulcers when I started the first knowledge mobilization course a few years back and was introduced to the book Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die (Heath & Heath, 2008). In Chapter 4, the story of ulcers is introduced and their cure examined. Ulcers are an extremely painful and debilitating condition that are somewhat common, with one in ten people experiencing an ulcer over their lifetime. Until about 25 years ago, it was suspected that causes of ulcers included stress, spicy food, and or/ alcohol – many of us still believe this to be the case! However, in the early 1980s Barry Marshall and Robin Warren (medical researchers in Australia) made an unexpected discovery. They found that ulcers were actually caused by a specific bacteria. This finding had huge implications for anyone living with ulcers as it meant that they could be cured with a standard regimen of antibiotics. You would probably think that this finding would spread quickly, but in fact no one cared or believed both of these researchers. They were actually laughed out when they presented their findings at a medical conference. The medical community held on to conventional wisdom that ulcers were caused by stress and argued that acid in the stomach was too potent for any bacteria to survive. Marshall actually went as far as deciding to drink a glass filled with the specific bacteria that causes ulcers and after doing this he went on to develop an ulcer, which he cured by using antibiotics. It was only after this real-life experiment that other scientists and the medical community began to take notice and in 1994 (10 years after their initial discovery) the National Institutes of Health finally endorsed antibiotics as a treatment for ulcers. In 2005, Marshall and Warren were awarded the Nobel Prize for their discovery.
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:21.432252
|
08-17-2024
|
{
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"book_url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Building Sustainable Communities: Information Gathering and Sharing",
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"institution": "",
"subject": "Sustainability, Social impact of environmental issues"
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|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/knowledge-to-action-k2a-gap/
|
Knowledge to Action (K2A) Gap
Just because knowledge exists and is available it does NOT mean it will be used. KMb is designed to identify where knowledge and evidence are not being used and rectify the situation. For example, a 2011 research paper reported that only 14% of health care research is very mobilized into practice and on average that mobilization takes 17 years (Morris et al., 2011).
Important to Note
Sometime Indigenous communities may not welcome knowledge mobilization activities due to variety of reasons. For example:
- Cultural barriers
- It may conflict with Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)
- It may conflict with Indigenous ways of knowing or doing, or their rights
Therefore, rectifying the knowledge gap may not happen or folks may not be open to it. This is important to keep in mind when engaging in this type of work within communities.
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:21.443257
|
08-17-2024
|
{
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"url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/knowledge-to-action-k2a-gap/",
"book_url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Building Sustainable Communities: Information Gathering and Sharing",
"author": "Ryan Plummer, Amanda Smits, Samantha Witkowski, Bridget McGlynn, Derek Armitage, Ella-Kari Muhl, Jodi Johnston",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Sustainability, Social impact of environmental issues"
}
|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/creating-a-kmb-strategy/
|
Creating a KMb Strategy
How do we create a KMb Strategy to tackle the gap?
We can ask 3 main questions:
Where are we now? What knowledge do we have to share? Have we created outputs? Do our culture and systems either serve or hinder our KMb plan moving forward?
Where do we want to be? How will we measure our KMb strategy and whether or not it’s had an impact?
How do we get there and who will be involved? What resources do we have to execute our plan? What tools and practices will we use? The answer to this question should include people and technology.
By answering these three questions we aim to close the knowledge to action gap. We’ll now take a look at how we address each of these questions.
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:21.457956
|
08-17-2024
|
{
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"url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/creating-a-kmb-strategy/",
"book_url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Building Sustainable Communities: Information Gathering and Sharing",
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"institution": "",
"subject": "Sustainability, Social impact of environmental issues"
}
|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/barriers-to-knowledge-use/
|
Where Are We Now?
Barriers to Knowledge Use
Important Note: While Bennett and Jessani (2011) notes these four barriers to knowledge use, it is also important to recognize that some of the knowledge that may be shared may conflict with the traditional knowledge of Indigenous peoples, which can also be a barrier.
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:21.471066
|
08-17-2024
|
{
"license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
"url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/barriers-to-knowledge-use/",
"book_url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Building Sustainable Communities: Information Gathering and Sharing",
"author": "Ryan Plummer, Amanda Smits, Samantha Witkowski, Bridget McGlynn, Derek Armitage, Ella-Kari Muhl, Jodi Johnston",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Sustainability, Social impact of environmental issues"
}
|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/approaches-to-kmb/
|
How Do We Get There?
Knowledge-to-Action Framework
When thinking about “how do we get there?” is also important to note that scholars have studies how to close the knowledge to action gap for decades now. Graham et al. (2006) lay out an easy to follow knowledge-to-action framework that is available in their paper, Lost in knowledge translation: Time for a map?
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:21.483601
|
08-17-2024
|
{
"license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
"url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/approaches-to-kmb/",
"book_url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Building Sustainable Communities: Information Gathering and Sharing",
"author": "Ryan Plummer, Amanda Smits, Samantha Witkowski, Bridget McGlynn, Derek Armitage, Ella-Kari Muhl, Jodi Johnston",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Sustainability, Social impact of environmental issues"
}
|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/knowledge-to-action-framework/
|
Who is Involved?
Content vs. Context Experts
When we think about who should be involved within the KMb strategy it’s important to note the inclusion of both content, as well as context experts (Attygalle, 2017).
Content Experts are professionals, staff within an organization, service providers, and leaders with formal power who have knowledge, tools, and resources to address the issue.
Context Experts are people with lived experience of the situation, including children and youth. They are the people who experientially know about the issue.
What does a career focused on knowledge translation look like?
What is knowledge translation? Spoken word poem.
So it easy to read about KMb and what possible strategies look like but what would doing this work in the real world look like? This video was produced by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and illustrates what someone in a Knowledge Translation role strives to do through a spoken word powem. In our next lesson, you will watch an interview with Knowledge Translation Officer, Jayne Morrish, where she will discus her role in the Institute for Lifespan Development Research at Brock University.
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:21.494741
|
08-17-2024
|
{
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"url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/knowledge-to-action-framework/",
"book_url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Building Sustainable Communities: Information Gathering and Sharing",
"author": "Ryan Plummer, Amanda Smits, Samantha Witkowski, Bridget McGlynn, Derek Armitage, Ella-Kari Muhl, Jodi Johnston",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Sustainability, Social impact of environmental issues"
}
|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/lesson-4-knowledge-mobilization-for-building-sustainable-communities/
|
Lesson 4: Knowledge mobilization for building sustainable communities
License
Building Sustainable Communities: Information Gathering and Sharing Copyright © 2022 by Ryan Plummer; Amanda Smits; Samantha Witkowski; Bridget McGlynn; Derek Armitage; Ella-Kari Muhl; and Jodi Johnston is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:21.507039
|
08-17-2024
|
{
"license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
"url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/lesson-4-knowledge-mobilization-for-building-sustainable-communities/",
"book_url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Building Sustainable Communities: Information Gathering and Sharing",
"author": "Ryan Plummer, Amanda Smits, Samantha Witkowski, Bridget McGlynn, Derek Armitage, Ella-Kari Muhl, Jodi Johnston",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Sustainability, Social impact of environmental issues"
}
|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/kmb-for-building-sustainable-communities/
|
KMb for Building Sustainable Communities
There are multiple ways to engage through KMb:
- Public participation
- Knowledge Co-Production
- Community-engaged research
It is important to recognize the role of KMb in sustainable community building.
All notes below are drawn from the UNESCO document on Imagining the Future of Knowledge Mobilization: Imagining the future of Knowledge Mobilization.
UNESCO Chair on Community Sustainability (pp. 97-109):
The KMb paper The Futures of Knowledge Mobilization: breaking down barriers to productive exchanges across diverse audiences by the UNESCO Chair on Community Sustainability: From Local to Global at Brock University explores issues of relevance to many fields. It explores the familiar challenge of translating complex research concepts into a format that general audiences can easily grasp and provides 3 key recommendations:
- Increased human and financial KMb resource capacity at universities
- Improved training and networking opportunities among researchers, communication staff, and the media to promoted collaborations and reduce tensions
- Better support for media to provide timely and direct access to research expertise, efficient research dissemination and translation
Knowledge Mobilization for deep societal transformations suggests scientists should (pp. 113-126):
- Engage in more public outreach activities, noting that public understanding of how science fundamentally works is a necessary condition for addressing today’s complex problems
- Assume the role of authentic partner in knowledge production with incentives and career rewards aligned with this function
- Move everyday practices and individual behaviour to the center of future knowledge mobilization strategies
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:21.523090
|
08-17-2024
|
{
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"url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/chapter/kmb-for-building-sustainable-communities/",
"book_url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/bscmodule2/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Building Sustainable Communities: Information Gathering and Sharing",
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"institution": "",
"subject": "Sustainability, Social impact of environmental issues"
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|
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