Educating for Community Resilience: How the Work of Thomas Homer-Dixon and JohnDewey's Pattern of Inquiry Can Help Us Prepare for the Ecological and Social Challenges of the 21st Century

Scientists have overwhelmingly concluded that global warming occurs as a consequence of human activities and that climate change, combined with the depletion of resources, could have catastrophic consequences for the human civilization later this century. However, in political circles and in the public sphere these conclusions are not taken seriously, or they are laid aside for future generations to deal with; at the same time, significant efforts are being deployed to discredit the scientific evidence. In this thesis I have studied the positions of climate scientists as well as those of climate change deniers, and I also examined how their points of view are likely to impact the interests and habits of corporations and citizens. The work of Thomas Homer-Dixon was used as an important source for analyzing the complex interaction between our natural, economic, and social systems, and John Dewey's pattern of inquiry provided the theoretical foundation for an analysis of the current crisis and its possible solutions. No concerted action to deal with climate change has yet been taken by the leaders of the Western world; I corroborated data from four reliable sources (Hansen, 2009; IPCC, 2007; Lynas, 2007; Steffen, 2011) regarding several development scenarios and their likely consequences on greenhouse gas emissions, and I concluded that a future temperature increase of more than 2°C appears now as unavoidable. In the light of this conclusion I argue that education for increasing the resilience of smaller communities is a realistic alternative that can offer some hope in dealing with the challenges ahead.

The 19th Century Tombstone Database Project Records, 1790-1890 (non-inclusive)

The 19th Century Tombstone Database project was funded by the program Federal Summer Youth Employment scheme in the summer of 1982 and led by Dr. David W. Rupp, a Professor at the Classics Department, Brock University. The main goal of the project was to collect information related to various cemeteries in Niagara region and burials that took place from 1790-1890. Data was collected and presented in the form of data summary forms of persons, tombstone sketches, photographs of tombstones, maps, and computer printouts. The materials created as a result of a research completed for the 19th Century Tombstone Database project are important as a number of the tombstones have been damaged or gone missing since the research was finished. Before Dr. Rupp retired from Brock University, he donated project materials to the Brock University Special Collections and Archives.

Photograph - Deputy Post Master and Letter Carriers, 1910

A photograph of Stanley George Smith (deputy post master in bowler hat) and eight letter carriers. The photograph is dated 1910.

The Effective Use of 21st-Century Learning iPad Applications in the Primary/Junior Literacy Classroom

The purpose of this major research project was to develop a practical tool in the form of a handbook that could facilitate educators’ effective use of technology in primary and junior classrooms. The main goal was to explore the use of iPad devices and applications in the literacy classroom. The study audited available free applications against set criteria and selected only those that promoted 21st-century learning. The researcher used such applications to develop literacy lessons that aligned with curriculum expectations and promoted 21st-century skills and traditional skills alike. The study also created assessment models to evaluate the use of iPads in student work and explored the benefits and limitations of technology usage in student learning.

The Implementation of Jenkins’s 21st-Century Skills in the Curriculum: A Cross-National Policy Analysis

This meta-analytic study sought to determine if cross-national curricula are aligned with burgeoning digital learning environments in order to help policy makers develop curriculum that incorporates 21st-century skills instruction. The study juxtaposed cross- national curricula in Ontario (Canada), Australia, and Finland against Jenkins’s (2009) framework of 11 crucial 21st-century skills that include: play, performance, simulation, appropriation, multitasking, distributed cognition, collective intelligence, judgment, transmedia navigation, networking, and negotiation. Results from qualitative data collection and analysis revealed that Finland implements all of Jenkins’s 21st-century skills. Recommendations are made to implement sound 21st-century skills in other jurisdictions.

Gender and Genre in 21st Century Visions of Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes has been one of the most-adapted characters in literature since his first appearance in A Study in Scarlet in Beeton's Christmas Annual in 1887. Each new adaptation must offer innovations that bring freshness and contemporary appeal to time-worn stories and concepts or risk irrelevancy; analyzing these changes closely sheds light on shifts in societal constructs. Taking this as a starting point, this thesis examines Sherlock and Elementary from a perspective of feminism and queer theory via methods of discourse and genre analyses, with texts ranging from 1931 to the present as objects of comparison. The research illuminates constructions of masculinity as they have changed over time, particularly the movement from an orderly, stable, rational construction of hegemonic masculinity to one that is chaotic, often violent, and anti-heroic in at least some aspects while still being invested in the status quo.

JR WB ba

Brown sediment with clasts ranging from small to large in size. Clast shape ranges from angular to sub-rounded. Rotation structures are common in this sample, especially around larger clasts. Lineations and grain crushing is also present within this sample. A few comet structures can also be seen.

J.R WB-3a

Brown sediment with two main domains; a coarse grained domain and a fine grained domain. Clast size in the fine grained domain is mainly small. The coarser domain contains clasts ranging from small to large in size. The clast shape ranges from angular to rounded. Necking structures are commonly seen in the coarser domain. This domain also contains many rotation structures and lineations. The fine grained domain exhibits multiple water escape pathways, along with lineations. There are also minor amounts of grain crushing present within this sample.

J.R WB-6c

Brown sediment with clasts ranging from small to large in size. Grain shape ranges from angular to rounded. Lineations are abundant within this sample. Rotation structures can also be seen. Necking structures, comet structures, and grain crushing can also be seen in minor amounts.

J.R WB-7a

Brown sediment with clasts ranging from small to large. Grain shape ranges from angular to rounded. Rotation structures and necking structures are common throughout this sample. Lineations can also be seen throughout the sample, along with minor amounts of grain crushing and comet structures.

J.R. WB-2

Dark brown sediment with clasts ranging from small to large. Clast shape ranges from angular to rounded. Comet structures and lineations can be commonly seen throughout the sample. There are minor amounts of rotation structures also present. The sample contains clasts that are generally well dispersed.

WB-3b

Dark brown sediment with well dispersed clasts. The clasts range from small to large in size and sub-angular to sub-rounded in shape. The sample is abundant in rotation structures and lineations. It also contains comet structures and minor amounts of grain stacking.

WB-4

Brown sediment with clasts ranging from small to large in size. Clast shape ranges from sub-angular to sub-rounded. Rotation structures are abundant in this sample. They are seen around small and large clasts. A few necking structures can also be seen. These typically occur between larger aggregates. Lineations, comet structures, and grain crushing can also be seen in minor amounts.

WB-6a

Brown sediment with clasts ranging from small to large in size. Clast shape ranges from angular to sub-rounded. Necking structures are abundant within this sample, mainly between larger aggregates. Some rotation structures and lineations can also be seen. Comet structure and grain stacking can be seen in minor amounts.