Wow! Is it time already to wrap things up for the semester? It really zoomed by and as I read over my entrance essay, it's amazing how much I have learned this semester. First, I would say that my expectations were met as stated in my entrance essay for this course. I wanted to learn familiarity with the ACPL's genealogy department and I do feel competent now using this department. I feel that I have improved my writing skills and I created a useful project to deliver to my family. I am very pleased about that. Second, I have learned so much about service learning than what I initially believed. I thought service learning was more like volunteerism and instead I found it is a learning venture for students and service to the community. At the beginning of the semester, I was apprehensive about writing the blog, but I have enjoyed writing and reflecting on my progress throughout the semester. I found that writing the blog was a very useful tool in my research for both projects as it helped me keep focus and on track. I actually think a blog is easier to keep than a written journal. Of course, in many respects, a blog is an online journal. I even think keeping a blog would work for other classes as a reflective writing tool, not just for service learning.
The family project was in its own way a service learning project. I felt that I was preparing a project that would fulfill a need for my family by preserving a piece of our family history. I learned for myself how to research family history and how to develop a story from the research. When I interviewed family members, I was surprised at how pleased everyone was at the prospect of having a story written about two of the grandmothers. When I had my mother proofread my story, I was also surprised at how much she learned of things she didn't know before about both of her grandmothers. It seems like most families have someone that will research family lines, but it isn't as common to have someone write a story incorporating the genealogy research. The stories help make the ancestors more relevant to the descendants and keep the memories of those in our past alive. I also learned just how much women are the story keepers of the family which ties in with why the women are often the center and glue of the family.
With the Lake James service learning project, I learned that research doesn't always give you the information that you are looking for. I also learned that not finding something still contributes to the research. I had to be more creative in thinking of other ways to find information for James Riley. I probably learned more about research with the service learning project and I learned more about organizing and writing with the family project so it was a nice balance. In writing about James Riley, I still am not sure what Jim and Flaime are looking for exactly. I talked with Jim and he helped me with where he wants to go with this information. However, putting that into writing with what little I have found is more difficult than I thought it would be. Since I don't have the final deliverable finished yet for this project, I don't yet how it will turn out. I think this particular research project on James Riley required a couple of trips to Angola, but I couldn't fit that in. I really needed more time for that. I can give my ideas to Jim so he can hopefully wrap up those loose ends when he has a chance.
We did go in somewhat of a different direction with Lake James that I expected when I wrote my entrance essay. I was thinking that I was going to learn more about the lake culture and the people that lived the lake culture. I did learn much about Lake James in very early history (at the beginning of white settlement), but it wasn't a focus on the lake culture itself since I had the project portion on James Riley. Of course, it was hard to learn from the other sections of the project since we did individual projects and we did have a time crunch. I did learn some about the lake culture with the presentation given by Jim and Flaime. The group discussions we had with Jim and Flaime were very edifying and helped me learn more too about the sections of the project and more of the lake culture.
I feel that the Lake James project was definitely a service learning project. It was a learning process for the whole class with service learning clarified by the graduate presentations. I think we all learned more about Lake James than what we knew before. We are helping to put together a history project and therefore fulfilling a need for Jim and Flaime by our work. This whole project is preserving the history of Lake James which ties in with the family history project too. Like I mentioned in a previous blog, just because on the surface, we aren't championing a cause with this project, I don't think service learning has to be just that. We don't know what will happen or who will be touched by the finished project.
I have definitely gained knowledge about genealogical and archival research. I am not intimidated like before with diving into the research. It is very fascinating and I want to continue with my family research and writing. I learned that this type of research is time consuming, but fun so time has a way of getting away from me. Organizing the material gained from research is harder than the actual writing process. If I teach again, I would like to eventually put service learning into a course. I think it is a valuable teaching tool and gives a fun and interesting opportunity for students to learn. I am looking forward to seeing the finished Lake James book. My family is looking forward to receiving their finished project hopefully by Mother's Day.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Winding down and thoughts on the class focus
When I read the articles on service learning for the annotated bibliography, I learned so much about the definition of service learning. I thought I knew what it was when the semester started, but after our class discussions, I wasn't so sure so I picked articles that gave varied views and topics on service learning. Many of the articles did mention that service learning has a civic component or "activism" idea to it. Hidi mentioned that we lack the civic participation to make this truly service learning. I don't agree with that view. From some of the articles, I found that a civic agenda is optional. What is more important in service learning, are the two components of service and learning. The student learns something from the project and serves a need even if it is not changing a social issue. Reflection needs to be part of the project usually ongoing throughout the project. One article I read even thought that including a civic angle only promoted a political agenda and should not be a part of higher education learning.
I feel that this class has fulfilled both those components of service learning. Even my family history project had service learning to it. I am helping my family with my writing to preserve our history, I learned a great deal not just about my topic, but about writing the history and how to use the library. I reflected throughout the project about my progress and the processes I used to find information. I didn't change anything within the family, no great social cause to take upon myself.
With the Lake James project, it was similar to that same process. I used the knowledge gained in genealogy research in the first project to help with research in the second project. I feel we are helping Jim and Flaime with their book and they are the community. It is a preservation of history about the lake. It might later fulfill a social cause, we don't know at this point where it could go. Reflection has been a major component of this project too just like our first project. The weekly blogs have been helpful to me to think about my progress with these projects and they have helped me to think about service learning overall. In researching James Riley, I learned quite a bit about the early history of Indiana. It has all been quite interesting.
Even when roadblocks are encountered, as long as learning takes place, then learning goals have been accomplished. In fact, usually it is our roadblocks that we learn the most information. I have had to search different avenues to find material for the Lake James project, much different than researching for my family project.
I do think that a semester is too short for two projects. I think this class could accomplish even more with the focus on either family history or another project like Lake James. I would have liked to had more time to visit Steuben County and Lake James. Still, I enjoyed both projects and I'm very happy with the knowledge I have gained from working on both.
I feel that this class has fulfilled both those components of service learning. Even my family history project had service learning to it. I am helping my family with my writing to preserve our history, I learned a great deal not just about my topic, but about writing the history and how to use the library. I reflected throughout the project about my progress and the processes I used to find information. I didn't change anything within the family, no great social cause to take upon myself.
With the Lake James project, it was similar to that same process. I used the knowledge gained in genealogy research in the first project to help with research in the second project. I feel we are helping Jim and Flaime with their book and they are the community. It is a preservation of history about the lake. It might later fulfill a social cause, we don't know at this point where it could go. Reflection has been a major component of this project too just like our first project. The weekly blogs have been helpful to me to think about my progress with these projects and they have helped me to think about service learning overall. In researching James Riley, I learned quite a bit about the early history of Indiana. It has all been quite interesting.
Even when roadblocks are encountered, as long as learning takes place, then learning goals have been accomplished. In fact, usually it is our roadblocks that we learn the most information. I have had to search different avenues to find material for the Lake James project, much different than researching for my family project.
I do think that a semester is too short for two projects. I think this class could accomplish even more with the focus on either family history or another project like Lake James. I would have liked to had more time to visit Steuben County and Lake James. Still, I enjoyed both projects and I'm very happy with the knowledge I have gained from working on both.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Social change and service learning
I thought I would write some thoughts about the discussion we will have this coming Monday in class based on Hidi's questions of this week.
Civic duty and social change seem to be connected with anything that smacks of service. Is service learning where these belong? Is it mandatory for true service learning to incorporate both of these or can service learning still be effective if these issues aren't addressed?
In the articles that I have been reading about service learning, there exists a multiple of opinions on this subject. Certainly a few articles believe that service learning does not do enough to promote activism for social change because service learning could be the ideal vehicle for this very thing within communities. Other articles don't mention social change at all, but focus on the partnership between college and community and the learning priority for students. One article even suggests that focusing on social change through service is not true learning, but merely an agenda for a socialist philosophy.
I think service learning exists separate from civic duty and/or social change, but either one or both could be a component of service learning. It really depends on the learning objectives of the class. For example with the Lake James project, the slant on the project was not about current issues such as the McMansions, but rather on the history of the lake before these mansions were in existence. If Jim and Flaime had wanted to include how the lake or the lake community has suffered because of modernization, then I could see the activist aspect becoming a part of the project.
We are making an impact because we are fulfilling the goals and ideas that Jim and Flaime have had. We are making a contribution to the preservation of history. With unlimited time, it would easier to include all kinds of angles to this project. There again pops up the idea of rabbit trails. It would be so easy to become sidetracked with current issues or the idea that we should have included this or that. It is helpful to discuss these ideas though for the future because as this project is still being completed after this class is done, then maybe some ideas can still be added to the project if it enhances the project.
For future classes, again the goal should be whatever the learning objectives are and what does the community partner need and also want to give back. It is a partnership with many different components. The service aspect and the learning aspect are equally important.
The classroom itself is a public type of service learning and when we are at the library, it is also public. I think our research on our time and our reflections tend to be the private side of service learning.
Civic duty and social change seem to be connected with anything that smacks of service. Is service learning where these belong? Is it mandatory for true service learning to incorporate both of these or can service learning still be effective if these issues aren't addressed?
In the articles that I have been reading about service learning, there exists a multiple of opinions on this subject. Certainly a few articles believe that service learning does not do enough to promote activism for social change because service learning could be the ideal vehicle for this very thing within communities. Other articles don't mention social change at all, but focus on the partnership between college and community and the learning priority for students. One article even suggests that focusing on social change through service is not true learning, but merely an agenda for a socialist philosophy.
I think service learning exists separate from civic duty and/or social change, but either one or both could be a component of service learning. It really depends on the learning objectives of the class. For example with the Lake James project, the slant on the project was not about current issues such as the McMansions, but rather on the history of the lake before these mansions were in existence. If Jim and Flaime had wanted to include how the lake or the lake community has suffered because of modernization, then I could see the activist aspect becoming a part of the project.
We are making an impact because we are fulfilling the goals and ideas that Jim and Flaime have had. We are making a contribution to the preservation of history. With unlimited time, it would easier to include all kinds of angles to this project. There again pops up the idea of rabbit trails. It would be so easy to become sidetracked with current issues or the idea that we should have included this or that. It is helpful to discuss these ideas though for the future because as this project is still being completed after this class is done, then maybe some ideas can still be added to the project if it enhances the project.
For future classes, again the goal should be whatever the learning objectives are and what does the community partner need and also want to give back. It is a partnership with many different components. The service aspect and the learning aspect are equally important.
The classroom itself is a public type of service learning and when we are at the library, it is also public. I think our research on our time and our reflections tend to be the private side of service learning.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Reflection on the continuing research on Riley
At the beginning of the week, it was quite frustrating in my research on James Riley because I couldn't find a direct connection to Lake James no matter what sources I looked at. Then I felt that maybe I was looking at the wrong link or maybe I had lost sight of the original purpose of what Jim wanted for the surveyor. It helped me to talk with Jim and to see just what he had in mind for the research on Riley. It would be nice to find that connection with Riley and Lake James, but if it is not found, that isn't so crucial. Jim is more interested in some background on Riley, his connection to Indiana, and possible leads to further sources for that specific connection.
It seems that when researching, I look through so much material that I start to forget the original purpose of what I am looking for. That is why it is important to stop once in awhile and refocus on the original quest. I had this same problem with the family project. It must be the nature of research itself and because of the large amount of material that a person has to go through that causes this problem.
There are definitely some similarities between the family project and the service learning project. I just mentioned the problem about the amount of material and forgetting sometimes the original quest. There is also the rabbit trails and getting off on some tangent. I did have that problem with the family project, but not so much with James Riley. I think since I was looking for such a specific item with James Riley, I was not so tempted to get sidetracked on something else. I am using some of the same resources in the genealogy department for both projects.
The family project helped me prepare for the service learning project. I was able to become familiar with the genealogy department at the Allen County Public Library. This saved time when I needed to find sources for Riley. I had an idea of more sources to check for information on Riley because of ideas I had while researching the family project. I will have trouble with writing and having the amount of information for the service learning project compared to the family project. With the family project, I had too much information. With the service learning project, I will not have enough information to feel satisfied with what I wanted to find as put forth in my proposal.
I still have a couple of weeks though to research and put together my deliverable. Perhaps I will be surprised at how much I am able to collect by the end of the semester.
It seems that when researching, I look through so much material that I start to forget the original purpose of what I am looking for. That is why it is important to stop once in awhile and refocus on the original quest. I had this same problem with the family project. It must be the nature of research itself and because of the large amount of material that a person has to go through that causes this problem.
There are definitely some similarities between the family project and the service learning project. I just mentioned the problem about the amount of material and forgetting sometimes the original quest. There is also the rabbit trails and getting off on some tangent. I did have that problem with the family project, but not so much with James Riley. I think since I was looking for such a specific item with James Riley, I was not so tempted to get sidetracked on something else. I am using some of the same resources in the genealogy department for both projects.
The family project helped me prepare for the service learning project. I was able to become familiar with the genealogy department at the Allen County Public Library. This saved time when I needed to find sources for Riley. I had an idea of more sources to check for information on Riley because of ideas I had while researching the family project. I will have trouble with writing and having the amount of information for the service learning project compared to the family project. With the family project, I had too much information. With the service learning project, I will not have enough information to feel satisfied with what I wanted to find as put forth in my proposal.
I still have a couple of weeks though to research and put together my deliverable. Perhaps I will be surprised at how much I am able to collect by the end of the semester.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Reflections on Chapter 6 and Lake James Project
I found chapter six to be interesting in making note of special jargon or insider language. That is a great idea for the Lake James project. It reminds me of when Jim and Flaime presented their material to us on Lake James and used the word, "summer kids." That would fall into this category. I'm sure there are other words too that could be unique to the lake culture. Making note of these words would help greatly to connect with an insider view. I could see where it might be hard for Jim or Flaime to think of language connected solely to the lake community because it would be so commonplace to them living at the lake year round. I think even words used for special places at the lake or events that only lake people would know what those words meant, would qualify to be in a glossary of the lake culture.
The research is moving along though it seems sometimes at a snail's pace to be moving. I can't seem to find the connection between Riley and Lake James. I have looked through a multitude of sources for anything that would indicate the origin of the name of the lake. Rivers were more important in early settlements while lakes were not important and rarely mentioned. I am learning a lot about early Indiana which is fascinating, but not really on the subject of Lake James. I have learned more about Pokagon than I have too about the lake itself. I feel like I am not really on the right track. I'm not sure if the important topic is Riley himself or just the point of contact between Riley and Lake James. Maybe the topic should be early Lake James rather than one man who seems to have very little documentation about the lake. I still have some books that I need to search though for information before I am ready to call this a brick wall.
I have tried even different searches for ways to find information on Lake James, but little is written about the lake in the beginning days of settling Indiana. Again, it is the towns and settlements and rivers that were important. From what I gather, the northeast section of Indiana was very swampy and hard to navigate through which might be another reason little is written or documented.
If I can't find some information this week, I will talk with Jim and Flaime and see what other direction they might like me to pursue. Jim did say last night at the library that he had an atlas with a notation of Riley and the naming of Lake James. He is supposed to send me an email about this. I wonder why that wasn't in the original folder on Riley. I probably should verify anyway with the two of them just what the main topic of research is again; Riley or history of Lake James or the name of Lake James.
It is interesting that when I started the research on this service learning project, I had a clear-cut idea that I was looking at Riley and his connection to the lake. I didn't expect the waters to be muddied so soon for lack of material. I thought that I was going to find plenty of information and my biggest challenge was going to be documenting everything. It just shows that you never know quite how research will go or what direction it takes you sometimes.
The research is moving along though it seems sometimes at a snail's pace to be moving. I can't seem to find the connection between Riley and Lake James. I have looked through a multitude of sources for anything that would indicate the origin of the name of the lake. Rivers were more important in early settlements while lakes were not important and rarely mentioned. I am learning a lot about early Indiana which is fascinating, but not really on the subject of Lake James. I have learned more about Pokagon than I have too about the lake itself. I feel like I am not really on the right track. I'm not sure if the important topic is Riley himself or just the point of contact between Riley and Lake James. Maybe the topic should be early Lake James rather than one man who seems to have very little documentation about the lake. I still have some books that I need to search though for information before I am ready to call this a brick wall.
I have tried even different searches for ways to find information on Lake James, but little is written about the lake in the beginning days of settling Indiana. Again, it is the towns and settlements and rivers that were important. From what I gather, the northeast section of Indiana was very swampy and hard to navigate through which might be another reason little is written or documented.
If I can't find some information this week, I will talk with Jim and Flaime and see what other direction they might like me to pursue. Jim did say last night at the library that he had an atlas with a notation of Riley and the naming of Lake James. He is supposed to send me an email about this. I wonder why that wasn't in the original folder on Riley. I probably should verify anyway with the two of them just what the main topic of research is again; Riley or history of Lake James or the name of Lake James.
It is interesting that when I started the research on this service learning project, I had a clear-cut idea that I was looking at Riley and his connection to the lake. I didn't expect the waters to be muddied so soon for lack of material. I thought that I was going to find plenty of information and my biggest challenge was going to be documenting everything. It just shows that you never know quite how research will go or what direction it takes you sometimes.
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