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From my observations and understandings of road construction (through the eyes of the mother of a worker) there were a lot of inefficiencies in the construction process. There was no clear leader. Multiple companies were hired to work independently – with clear outlines of duties and responsibilities and crossover or collaboration between these companies was… Continue reading MASS: Field-Led Leadership

This course was one of my favorite courses. Even though I have no thoughts or intentions of going into administration, it spoke to me as a teacher. It identified my leadership role, encouraged me to use my strengths and talents and to advocate for change if I saw need. It broke down the building blocks… Continue reading 01:770, Issues in Educational Administration

The reason for constant construction in Manitoba is obvious. Our changing seasonal weather causes expansion and contraction in the road material and the underlying natural supports of the road. The constant shifting puts strain and tension on the strongest of structures and bonds. We see this as cracking and potholes. Temporary fixes and patches are… Continue reading Social Ecological Resilience

In geology, an inclusion is defined as, “any material that becomes trapped within a rock or mineral during its formation” (stonemania.co, October, 2022). Inclusions can be beautiful – like geodes, valuable – like oil and natural gas, or both – like diamonds. In road construction, inclusions in raw material require extra attention and effort. The course, Equity,… Continue reading 07:798, Selected Topics: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Huge amounts of lab testing goes into construction, but testing in “real life” can bring about unpredictable elements that labratory testing could not forecast – but, are valuable in the overall assessment. I discovered action research is a type of research that I could get on board with! Research has always appeared to me as… Continue reading 07.798, Selected Topics: Action Research

If the Educational Core courses were the raw materials of the construction process, then this course, Contemporary Approaches to Curriculum Studies is the bonding agent that serves to house the materials. This course started to make connections for me. It offered a space for collaboration with peers, theories, and space to explore how they are… Continue reading 02.783, Contemporary Approaches to Curriculum Studies

One thing I found fascinating in road construction what how many independent companies were involved in a single project. My son worked for a company whose sole concern was the quality and quantity of the raw materials. He weighed trucks coming into the materials site and weighed them again going out. He was not involved… Continue reading 02.782, Curriculum Planning and Implementa-tion

Residual effects of road construction often go unseen until the roar of progress is silent. Balancing community and environmental needs with construction and “progress” demands time and space that are often measured by monetary values. In August, I attended Ninette’s Town Wide Yard sale. This generates heart-warming excitement as people move around town – visiting… Continue reading 02.781, Innovative Pedagogies in Education

Who makes the decision on which roads are bad enough to be repairer or reconstructed. Are there municipal or provincial governmental influences? Are there connections between decision-makers and regions? Is it a regular timeline of assessing and scheduling? Is the decision to repair a road dependent on tax-payer’s complaints? This was the very first course… Continue reading 02:780, Curriculum Foundations

I have never considered the raw materials that go into road construction. Asphalt is a very precise mixture of aggregate (gravel), binder and filler. The mix of these three ingredients and the consistency vary for different types of asphalt and for different environments – based on the geology, climate and the purpose of the use.… Continue reading 07:751, Interpreting Educational Reasearch