Week 10: Application of Knowledge

How can we help?

May 31, 2011

We finished up the quarter with student presentations on their final papers, which covered a variety of development and sustainable topics and included ways for students to become involved. Annie Goeke was in attendance and offered up comments, advice and feedback. The seminar concluded with a review of the quarter and an action plan for the future!

Thanks to everyone who made this seminar possible! It was an amazing experience and we hope the work we started here is continued into the future!

Week 9: Student Perspectives on Development

What have other UCLA students done?

May 24, 2011

Our final guest speaker, former UCLA student and USIE facilitator Edward Murphy, discussed his experiences at UCLA and after college. He is the past Program Director for UCLA’s Education for Sustainable Living Program as well as a current Heal the Bay employee. Students found this especially empowering since Edward was once in our footsteps and he is now making great change happen.

Homework: Post three questions for Mr. Murphy on the class blog by Sunday at 5pm.

The Final paper is due in class on Tuesday.

Week 8: Los Angeles Ecovillage

What? You can be sustainable in LA?

May 17, 2011

This week students had the opportunity to design their own Ecovillage in preparation for the class field trip to the LA Ecovillage. The class was broken up into three groups each geared towards one of the pillars of the Ecovillage model (Social/Economic, Cultural/ Spiritual, Ecological) with an emphasis on the following five categories of development: water conservation/waste management, education, agricultural production, the physical layout of the village, and the internal social structure). Through this activity, students realized the benefits of working together in a group but also the drawbacks associated with such a large-scale program.

LAEV- http://laecovillage.wordpress.com/

Homework: Research a sustainability program currently in progress describing the program and its importance in Los Angeles.

Post to class blog by Sunday 5 pm and bring note card to class with the information on it to use in class discussions.

Week 7: Guédé Chantier Ecovillage

Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food Processing

May 10, 2011

This past week, student facilitators and two participants in UCLA’s Travel Study program presented their experiences and research from two West African Ecovillages named Guede Chantier and Yoff both located in Senegal. Senegal is a leading example for African countries interested in becoming more self sustaining and eco-friendly. A PowerPoint including a variety of pictures was presented  to show students the physical and geographical make up of Senegal. After the research presentations, students were able to ask questions regarding studying abroad, the research conducted, and general development work. It was great for students to hear personal accounts about development work from their fellow peers and discuss the responsibilities students have to spread awareness of developing efforts.

Homework: Please answer the following question:

Do you feel students who have been involved with development (internship, community service, study abroad, etc.) have a responsibility to share their experiences with others to spread awareness? If so, in what ways can they accomplish this?

Please post here by Sunday May 8 at 5pm.

Week 6: UCLA Senegal Travel Study

Yoff and Guédé Chantier

May 3, 2011

This week focused on a more in-depth discussion of the Ecovillage model with a particular focus on Africa and Senegal.

With the help of the facilitators, students worked to define the three main dimensions of the Ecovillage model—Ecological, Social-Economic, and Cultural-Spiritual. In order to provide more contextual background to this discussion, students watched a short in-class video made by Ousmane Pame, mayor of the Ecovillage Guédé Chantier. In the video, Professor Pame discusses the UCLA Travel Study program and the development history of Guédé Chantier. Students then used the information they gained from this video and their readings from the week, to apply the Ecovillage model to current development issues.

Throughout this class session, students answered the following questions:

• What is the role of Ecovillages in development?
• What are a few of the causes behind Africa’s slow growth?
• Can the Ecovillage model be used to address these issues?

Homework: Write a short response (150-200 words) to this week’s reading.

Please post here by Sunday, May 1 at 5PM.