Research Groups 

We will be working in Groups throughout this course.

We want to create groups as diverse as possible.

The idea is to put ourselves together in a way that allows each of you the opportunity to bring your unique perspectives, beliefs, experiences and more practical skills to your group.

As well, as much as  possible, I would like you each to experience 'difference' -- by 'being different' from the people you will be working with most closely.

In order to discover our differences, we'll work with a number of categories to 'identify' ourselves.

First, it would be really good if one person in each group has a good grasp of computer and digital literacy skills.

Then we can look at our 'essential differences' through the fundamental ways we create our identities. Such as culturally, ethnically, spiritually, politically, geographically -- and, these days, one might be wise to add 'materially', to the list.

So, please spend a little time before our first class reflecting on how you identify yourself through your experiences, your culture, ethnicity, spirituality, politics, where you come from, and your material lifestyle.

For an example:

• I am a north of the U.S. border American, proud to be a gentle and tolerant Canadian with Irish, Nordic, and accordingly Celtic ancestry.

• English is my 'mother tounge' and I speak a little Spanish as well.

• While my parents raised me to be an atheist, I am now a person of faith -- but no church.

• I believe we are the stories we tell ourselves and others: language does create reality.

• I have recently rejected out of hand, out of sight and hearing -- almost all media generated politics (to put it simply); it is all one big nasty story that I do not want to listen to anymore.

• But, I still have faith in the internet as a medium of social action.

• Geographically, I grew up in the east in a big city (downtown Toronto), lived in rural villages on the west coast most of my adult life (Quatsino, Sointula, and on Hornby Island).

• I began my university education when my kids were young teenagers; my educational background is in Theatre and Cultural Studies.

• I became a traveller at the turn of the century: living, working, and teaching in many other American countries --south of the U.S. border.

• I am not a Vancouverite. And, I am not typically a big city dweller. 

• I have always been a person of few possessions, I do not own a car or a house. I have no debts. I do not like this present environment of obsessive consumerism.

• And, I am deeply and daily concerned about the destruction of our natural envirnoment while remaining eternally optimistic; like I said, a person of faith.

We will work through all of this in the first week of class. So, please try to find some time to reflect on your identity in these terms