One of the required classes for the program is called "International Fieldwork Seminar" which helps with the more "practical" side of doing development work, such as....monitoring and evaluation, needs assessments, logical frameworks, grant writing and....problem and solution trees! I really look forward to it, although afterwards, we all agree that our brains kind of hurt after grappling with such intense problems in a rather short time. The idea was try to look broadly but don't forget that individuals make up the population.
Here is a photo from our group work from last class.
From left to right: me, Abby, Ranya and Ruju
We were using stickies to organize the problem tree and then the solution tree.
Problem tree: root causes, the problem, the effects
Solution tree: activities, the solution, hopeful outcomes
Also...WE ARE HALF-WAY THROUGH THE SEMESTER! And...we are all just chugging along and trying to push through the first test of our writing skills.
On Monday (wait, that was just yesterday!), we hosted the vice president of research at ETS, Scott Paris, discussing 10 global trends in assessment. (PS the 'light lunch' was quesadillas. nom nom.) Let's just say...the future looks a little scary, which even he admitted, with computers giving instant scores, increased testing for kindergarten through second grades, and apparently, kids taking tests on their smartphones. (Sidenote: I'm not sure why anyone would just take a break from playing with their friends to take a test, but...that's the image I had in my mind when he mentioned it. I wonder how much that app would cost...) In general, the topic of assessment is something that many people get really riled up about, and of course, our crowd was no exception. It was being heatedly discussed after the event, as many of us dashed off to a class that started 15 minutes later. However, it is always good to get a bit heated now and then. At Smith College in my undergrad years, someone said to me once that "Smithies aren't happy unless they're enraged." True true....Although that is how I choose paper topics. I just think "what riles me up the most?"
Let's hope all that energy will get me through a policy memo due on Friday...We have a facebook chat group a few of us in the class use to ask/answer questions, and having someone to stress out to sometimes can be helpful. Also---library parties!
The current trees: policy memo, position paper, paper proposals, etc etc.
The current forest: each paper is more knowledge and a step closer to...winter break!
The current raccoon: no really, there's a raccoon that has been sticking his paw out of my ceiling and has an oral fixation with electrical wires. Don't worry--I'm moving! If only professors would be more lenient when such situations (i.e. raccoons) occur (hint hint).
From left to right: me, Abby, Ranya and Ruju
We were using stickies to organize the problem tree and then the solution tree.
Problem tree: root causes, the problem, the effects
Solution tree: activities, the solution, hopeful outcomes
Also...WE ARE HALF-WAY THROUGH THE SEMESTER! And...we are all just chugging along and trying to push through the first test of our writing skills.
On Monday (wait, that was just yesterday!), we hosted the vice president of research at ETS, Scott Paris, discussing 10 global trends in assessment. (PS the 'light lunch' was quesadillas. nom nom.) Let's just say...the future looks a little scary, which even he admitted, with computers giving instant scores, increased testing for kindergarten through second grades, and apparently, kids taking tests on their smartphones. (Sidenote: I'm not sure why anyone would just take a break from playing with their friends to take a test, but...that's the image I had in my mind when he mentioned it. I wonder how much that app would cost...) In general, the topic of assessment is something that many people get really riled up about, and of course, our crowd was no exception. It was being heatedly discussed after the event, as many of us dashed off to a class that started 15 minutes later. However, it is always good to get a bit heated now and then. At Smith College in my undergrad years, someone said to me once that "Smithies aren't happy unless they're enraged." True true....Although that is how I choose paper topics. I just think "what riles me up the most?"
Let's hope all that energy will get me through a policy memo due on Friday...We have a facebook chat group a few of us in the class use to ask/answer questions, and having someone to stress out to sometimes can be helpful. Also---library parties!
The current trees: policy memo, position paper, paper proposals, etc etc.
The current forest: each paper is more knowledge and a step closer to...winter break!
The current raccoon: no really, there's a raccoon that has been sticking his paw out of my ceiling and has an oral fixation with electrical wires. Don't worry--I'm moving! If only professors would be more lenient when such situations (i.e. raccoons) occur (hint hint).
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