Though we have not used McGuire’s text in our seminar she is a leader in metacognition and her work is important to our student’s development. Consider “attending” this webinar: Stylus, McGuire
https://stylus-author-webinars.teachery.co/saundra-mcguire
How much did you know about the subject before we started?
I had only heard about Industry City in passing and was very excited about the opportunity to visit and learn about the place as well as the area. When thinking of the âgreeningâ of an area it had always been something that I thought I understood. Â I looked at in very simple terms, everyone benefits by introducing more green and open spaces. I knew very little about the community of Sunset Park and the history and culture of the area. So, all in all, I knew very little going in on the specific subject and area. On the topic of development of green spaces I believe I came in with some common general biases .
What was especially satisfying to you about either the process or the finished product?
The satisfaction gained through this project was in the process and itâs ability to give a well rounded view of the subject matter. By being immersed in the subject we were able to live it more personally. In addition to the immersion in subject, we were also surrounded by others who brought different views and opinions, and this made us look at the subject from many different sides. The final product became an amalgam of this new knowledge and the differing viewpoints.
We were asked to âget out of our own headsâ and see, feel, hear and touch the subject. I believe this gave us all a better understanding of all the sides of the issue, thus making the finished product more valuable.
I came across this article and thought I wold share it. Does anyone use reflection in class on a regular basis?
What is True? Is it what we see? What we hear? What we learn?
What resources did you use while participating in this activity?
Quantified walk in Sunset Park
I used the walking app on my phone to track our walk in time and space. Quantifying my progress shows only where I went and when. It does not show the human resources of my colleagues, who continued to share their very thoughtful observations about the conditions of the buildings, street and sidewalk surfaces, transportation routes, and speculations on the need for such ample parking, as we made slow progress out to the feral cat colony at the end of 39th Street, and hasty progress back to meet other groups on time. Their thoughts contributed to my reconsidering my position on the feasibility of the greenway.
Have you changed any ideas you used to have on creating recreational open space?
We could see water from every point on our walk to the waterfront, but access to the water eluded us, even though it appears very close to our route. High chain-link fences separating a broken sidewalk from vast, empty paved areas kept us from getting close to the waterfront. Too close for comfort, however, was the rush of heavy truck traffic. Some vehicles sped along Second Avenue, while many made nearly blind turns onto or off of side streets. When I set off on the waterfront walk, I imagined a bi-directional protected bike lane on the west side of Second Avenue filled with cyclists harmoniously pedaling alongside motorized vehicle traffic. By the end of the experience, I began to doubt the feasibility of the greenway until truck traffic is calmed and rerouted and pedestrian- and bike-friendly crosswalks are established. For the greenway to succeed, it must serve all nonmotorized modes, abilities, and ages.
Sarah Ruth Jacobs, Ruth Marsiliani, Tracy Zimmerman
Community Centered Benefits
Business Centered Benefits
Loss
We know that developing the waterfront poses a possible loss of the sense of community, as new businesses and residents potentially seek to move in. Historically, Sunset Park has had very strong community engagement and planning, and we think that with the continued involvement of different stakeholders, the development of the waterfront does not have to threaten local businesses and residents.
Your participation during Fridayâs seminar contributed to a vibrant learning environment, one I hope will inspire you to take your own students out of your traditional classroom setting. As stated by Gregory Smith in Place-Based Education: Learning to Be Where We Are,
âteachers in such settings act as experienced guides, co-learners, and brokers of community resources and learning possibilities. Their expertise lies not so much in their stored knowledge – although this is important – as in their capacity to help students acquire the skills and dispositions of effective learners. (2002, p. 593).
To me this quote exemplifies how faculty can and should challenge their own teaching practices and venture outside of the classroom with students and seek to develop their studentâs knowledge and desire to learn. To complete our place-based learning activity, reflection is most beneficial, and some, including me, argue necessary. To practice reflection, I ask that you provide two forms of reflection for Fridayâs activity. First, one person from each group should post your stakeholderâs position on the proposed waterfront greenway along Second Avenue near Industry City, connecting Red Hook to Sunset Park and second, post your own personal reflection.
For the group reflection, log into the OpenLab and create a new post on our OpenLab site, choose the category âIndustry City 2018â and provide the information that was asked during the activity (see below).
The name of the people in your group.
Your stakeholder.
Who benefits, who loses, what is won, what is lost, what is the cost?
State your stakeholderâs position.
For your own personal reflection, review Edutopiaâs 40 Reflection Questions for the Classroom and choose two reflective questions. Log into the OpenLab and create a new post on our OpenLab site. Write the question you chose and then write your response. It would also be a beneficial practice to respond to another personâs post.
For more information about PBL in general or about the specific requirement to leave the classroom with City Tech students, take a look through the PBL page on the our OpenLab Site as well as the PBL page on the Faculty Commons Site.
I look forward to reading your reflections.
If you were intrigued about the Brooklyn Waterfront during our last session you would value the BWRC conference, see the information below.
The Brooklyn Waterfront Research Center presents
its Annual Spring Conference
Friday, April 20th
9:00am – 4:00pm
Brooklyn Borough HallÂ
Click here for conference information & registration.
Free admission; registration required.
I came across this article during a different research project and thought some members would find inspiration from the information (and it is authored by a colleague from CUNY). Through communication and service learning, Prof. Minei is bringing ethical reasoning into her course work.
http://insightjournal.park.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/7-Minei.pdf
The OpenLab is an open-source, digital platform designed to support teaching and learning at City Tech (New York City College of Technology), and to promote student and faculty engagement in the intellectual and social life of the college community.
