Research Propoasl or Project Proposal??

So far from what I have learned about both sides, I believe I would enjoy doing a project proposal. I feel as though this would be my best choice because I do plan on building a campus organization relationship with the Outdoor Endeavors group and I plan to become more involved next semester when more convienient!

Progress..?

I feel as though I am still doing alright with the progress on my literature review. I know that I could try and concentrate a little bit more than I have been, but I feel as though the reviews I have doen have been successful. In the meantime of more literature review, reviews, I plan to do some more in depth research of the topic!

Finally Getting "There..."

I feel as though I am finally getting "there," there being in the correct spot I am supposed be in with our research project. Today I met up with Ivan, the leader of the Outdoor Endeavors group and it was a great time hearing all the information he was able to tell me about the organization and the facts on minorities involved. He was also able to give me pamphlets, etc. on the topic. After talking with him I felt more confident in my research as even him, a complete stranger, was greatly intrigued by this specific research topic I chose. Also I feel that I am finally getting to the spot I need to because after meeting with the professor for assistance..things were a little more clear. I am hoping and planning on staying on top of this research project, although at times it can be extremely frustrating and time consuming and I, at times get the feeling I do not have enough time!

Getting Ahead....or Falling Behind?

Before last week I felt as though I was extremely far behind in my IM 204 class, after Friday and meeting with Professor Wexelbaum I feel a little bit more up to speed. Since I met up with Professor Wex, I was able to get a better understanding of where I should be in class and what I should have accomplished by now. Since Friday when I finally asked for assistance, I feel that I have both feet on the ground rather than balancing on one. Now that I feel more stable, I think I will be able to more appropriately approach my Semester research project, etc. The most valuable thing I have learned after dealing the situation I encountered is that from now on, I will not hesitate to ask for assistance when I need it. This, I believe, should carry me along in class as I should be.

Lit Review #1

Although I hadn't done the literature review until now, I am glad that it is finished. I feel that for the first draft I accomplished the least minimum; for the second draft, I am planning on gathering more of what I need. At first I was extremely confused as to how and do the literature review, but after meeting with Professor Wexelbaum I feel more comfortable with what needs to be done for the second draft to be done correctly.

Literature Review

a) Carr, D.S., Williams, D.R. (1993) Understanding the Role of Ethnicity in Outdoor
Recreation Experiences. Journal of Leisure Research, Vol. 25, No. 1

b) In this research there was a lot of work done in finding how/what interests many minorites in the world to participate in outdoor activites. It says that ethnicity can be measured in many different ways; the research also says that when you want more minorities to join into outdoor activites, you need to look into their insite and interests when it comes to the outdoors. Basically it says not to only think of the "white mans" thoughts upon mother nature.

c) I believe the purpose of this literature review is to increase the knowledge of a very unknowledgable human being, on the topic of minorities and outdoor recreation use.

d) From what I can see it is qualitive work, where everything is organized to a specific way making sure what is trying to be portrayed in the article is clear to all readers. The researcher collected data from many sources (books, articles, journals, etc.) so he could inform us of what minorities current action rate in outdoor activites is.

e) The only one critical thinking skill I can think of that may have violated on of the criteria, would be annalyzing assumptions and biases. I believe this because when it comes to issues as this, many things can be taken incorrectly and informally as well as being bias. I think everything seemed good, but there are those few glitches that could be sought at differently.

Foster Family Characteristics & Behavioral & Emotional Problems of Foster Children: A Narrative Review

a) Bibliographic Information: John G. Orme and Cheryl Buehler Source: Family Relations, Vol. 50, No. 1 (Jan., 2001), pp. 3-15 Published by: National Council on Family Relations Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/585768 Accessed: 01/03/2009 14:08

b) This article was writeen to review on foster family characterisitics that are thought to contribute to the behavioral and emotional problems of foster children. It's shaped by an understanding of the personal and familial factors associated with childrens problem behaviors in the general population. The factors include parenting, family home environment, family functioning, marital functioning, family demography, child temperment, parents mental health and social support. Some limitations on teh research is noted throughout the article.

c) The article is organized very well by the way things are put. The article begins by giving statisitcs and then throughout the article in order giving resasoning behind the foster child life; the foster families, methodological overview, substantive review, parenting, home environment, family functioning, marital functioning, demographic characterisitcs, temperment, parents mental health, social support.

d) The purpose of this article review in the article is to show the types of studies they do with foster famlies so people can get a feel for what occurs. I also believe that the purpose is to inform those not very knowledgable about the subject of faoster parenting and foster children's lives.

e) I think if there was a critical thinking violation, it would have to be the violation of: don't use use either/or thinking or generalize. In this article there is a good possibility that some of the things read by those readers not very knowledgable could easily generalize what all foster children are like and what their idea of a true family is.

Sweet Google "tricks"

The one Google trick that I cherish most out of the few I have learned is using quotations around the exact phrase I am searching! I like this trick the best because when I search my topic, it gives me less (narrower) results. In this case though, less is more! I like that I can search my topic and find just the right amount of search results so that I can sucessfully accomplish my research topic!

Critical Thinking Gone Wrong

One of the many places I enjoy looking at for news articles is www.comcast.net. This is a very conveinient site for me to look at because it is also where I have an email account. The article I looked at for this post was an article about police officers clocking a male driver in a 1993 Honda Civic going approximately 137mph. In this article you will see that there are a few things gone wrong with the critical thinking factor; the one specific critical thinking factor that I will focus on that has been violated is asking questions; be willing to wonder. In this article it states that the 21-year old male was clocked going 137 mph on interstate 84 in Orange County, California. It also states that the driver was ticketed for reckless driving and illegal tint on his windows. In this, I would say it violates the asking questions; be willing to wonder factor on the means of, have they taken a look at the vehicle and did they ask the driver what he was doing and why he was driving the speed he was. Also I would say it violates the willing to wonder, because have you ever thought about a broken spedometer. (Although going 137mph is pretty obvious that you are speeding...)

Information found at:

http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-odd/20090219/ODD.Speeding.Ticket.137/

Research Challenges

My research challenge is in this class (IM 204), the struggles I am having is getting the information I am specifically looking for in able to successfully accomplish this project correctly. So far I have only been able to talk to one leader of the Outdoor Endeavors org, but am hoping to find more of the mutlicultural issues they are currently encountering in a future meeting I plan on setting up for next week. Another struggle I am having is figuring out the RIGHT kinds of questions to ask; I am very uncertain of the types of questions to ask in able to find out the information I need.

Campus Org/Research Progress

With the campus org/research progress I have been able to get a hold of Ivan, one of the organizations leaders in regards to assisting them in any multicultural issues they are currently experiencing. We have been communication via email, but I plan on setting up a meeting with Ivan or another member of the organization to see more in depth what I can do with the Outdoor Endeavors group. Slowly but surely things are moving along, as I hope things keep going smoothly and that there is significant progress in the near future.

Discussion #6

Q: Visit the Great River Regional Library OPAC and search for materials on your topic. What features were the same, and which were different? How many results did you get through the Great River OPAC compared to the Miller Center OPAC? Were they the type of books that you expected? Why or why not?

A: A lot of the features were the same with the SCSU library search device, the one thing that did stand out differently than SCSU was that once typed in the search you wanted a book would immediately be put at you. It would pick a book on or very similar to what you were looking for, it was a nice surprise because along with doing that you still have the option to search the catalog more. At the GRRL website I recieved many more book options than with the SCSU website; they were the type of books that I expected because of the broad topic I was given.

Unwinding All the Twist Ties of Life

Right now in life, I feel as though I am unwinding all the twist ties of life. In life you have many choices...do the homework or procrastinate? Talk to that long lost friend or avoid it? Study hard or go out for the night? Take that extra shift at work or say you have plans? When I think of some of these questions I ask myself, it's hard to answer some of them because everyday we contemplate similar if not the same questions in life! I feel that everyday I have to make almost a life threatening decision (which really it's not, that's just the dramatic part of me talking), it's almost like if you don't do one small thing, your world will come crashing in on you and leave you in the dust! Well, I guess that's how I feel sometimes...and right now to be totally honest, it sucks! I want to procrastinate when it comes to doing homework that's not due for a couple of days, I want to go out and enjoy life while I'm young...but I have that homework and studying that's holding me back. I guess truthfully I don't know where I'm trying to go with this blog in particular. But right now I feel like the stress is catching up to me and really creaping up on me quick! This being my first semester at the University, taking on a whole new way of living, on my own and have you not...it's really stressful! Right now, I just wish I was a little child and didn't have to make any "big kid" decisions! I believe would be much more simplar!

Stress is nothing more than a socially acceptable form of mental illness. ~Richard Carlson [http://www.quotegarden.com/stress.html]

New To This

Well...this whole blogging thing is new to me. Not really sure what to do or how to do it, but hopefully I'll get the hang of this soon! I am starting this up for one of my classes at college and am hoping to learn something about it all soon!