Business and governments in western society can no longer play in our own sandbox. The changing competitive nature of the global environment provides both challenges and opportunities for growth.
As a business or government leader, how has your company or government changed in the last ten years? What types of new challenges and opportunities do you see emerging in the next ten?
As educators, what role should global, student-based collaborative projects play in your classroom? How is this helping to prepare our kids to be effective and productive global citizens?
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for business wise . My father runs a construction company and the only technology used there so far is just the secretary keeping all the workers payroles and notes in there. The equipment itself isn't run by computers,maybe the engine is computerized but still run by man. I have noticed a slowdown in the company but not due to technical difficulties, due to lack of work from other contractors.
In the next ten years I also see in any construction work no slowing down. The computer will not take over that as well. Some things man has to do . but it is a scary thought though to see peoples jobs being taken over by technology. When I watch movies that are in the future, like when I used to watch "Star Trek". They had no idea of what the future was like, but had it in their skits what they thought it would be and not too long after it ended up that way. So now when I see movies that are in the future it's sorta scary to think what will become of humans. Just like the other movie called "Total Recall" with schwartzenegger acting. The people were deformed and they were being suppiled a limited amout of air and had to buy water. Wont be too long before we have to buy our air and we are already buying our water.
In my community more and more people are setting up businesses. I went away for two years and when I came back there was a lot of businesses that had succesfully made Elsipogtog into the only place within 75km that is open 24 hours. It's created attraction to my community not only for that one gas station but many things. Tourism is now an issue that could generate a lot of revenue for our community. People used to be afraid to come to this reserve but that name is going away. People are now realizing that this is a community that is striving to become a self sufficient community.
With all these changes it all came from our government officials such as our band and council. People don't want to live in the past anymore they wanted change and I can see it first hand that things are changing for the better. Native Americans have and advantage just the same as you might say we have a disadvantage in this world. I see the glass always half full and people are coming out and getting educated and learning thier rights. This is also something that is being taken advantage of. For example Mi'mmaq people have the right to buy from the US without paying duty on their merchandise as long as its for a business. Lets say if you owned a clothing store then you are eligable not to pay duty.
Those are just some thoughts and examples that are first hand for me and some knowledge that I have learned.
Teaching children on how to be global citizens is very important.
Some schools have projects on how to keep the earth clean, like here at elsipogtog and i think all around new brunswick maybe even canada not really sure, schools have a day decated to the earth called earth day, were students go around the schools teritory and clean it all around, also classes have a bin to put in the empty bottles and have them recycled. Which is the start on teaching children on being global citizens.
Personally, I've never owned a business, but I do see what has been happening in our community economically. In the last ten years, I've seen no change within our community, meaning we have been lacking job opportunities for the past 20 years. And when we do get job opportunities, they are temporary janitorial job placements, seasonal jobs, and never permanent or jobs that are already being paid for someone else to do. Why should we do someone else's job when they are already getting paid for doing it. Another thing is, we have very low wages and job opportunities are not meant for people with families due to low wages. So, what's the point of working if we're not going to be making ahead? And we need real jobs, so we could build our resume and to help us look outside the reserve afterwards to find a job,at the least. So, these are the challenges that we are being faced with today in our community. I'm hoping to see improvement in increased wages for temporary job placements, permanent jobs avaialibilty and mentorship, and to grow economically and to lessen the high rate of dependency of social assistance. The governament leader has a lot of say to what expectations they have for our community and working together, we possibly could make a rich community, which I believe in could happen.Also, to get more involved in business technology!
I think at an early age students should be taught leadership skills and how to start a business ( I forgot that word), Anyhow, this world is changing so rapidly, in a technological sense that they will be ready and not trying to get into schools when they are 50, trying to get a business going, they will have their business plan and what not skill they learned at an early age, and be on their way.
Teaching our students to be efficent readers and to be considerate towards computer techonology will help students to be global citizens.Parents should be particapating in there childrens education at school and at home.Maybe have a student-parent collaborating together on a project as part there learning and activities.Students should be introduced to hands on,formal approach to there way of learning and to have parents learn along with them.
Gone are the days when being a local business owner means that your competition is just down the road. With the introduction of world wide web, the idea of local becomes obsolete. In the past ten years the way we conduct business has changed immensely. We have gone from going to our local pharmacy, to calling in the prescriptions, and picking them up later, to calling in the prescriptions to an automated machine where the messages are later pick up by the pharmacy, all the way up to getting your prescriptions filled online, and in some cases delivered right to you're door. This type of competition can cause a lot of problems for a little town small timer. Instead of seeing the internet as a way to deter business, its best to think of it as a way to bring business right to your door. The web can be used to ones benefit not to ones disadvantage. In oder to keep up with competition you must be competitive. Get a website, and make all your products available online, find a target market, and go for it. It is so much more important today to expand you're market, because, even if you don't want to admit it, the world does go beyond your own front door. With the world changing so fast it is possible that one day a trip to the doctor won't even be necessary. We, as the patient, would select an online time, log on then, and visit the old doc via website. She would ask us a few questions, and boom! You got you're annual refill. Of course you would need some sort of key code to print it with, then just submit it to the pharmacies. It sounds far fetched, but completely plausible. Just imagine the possibilities.
In the last ten years my community has grown, we have alot of small businesses within and the more jobs are available, I agree that technology plays a small role but I really don't think that technology has changed that factor too much, I think the marshall decision changed that for most communities, but alot of changes didnt occur I think that with DIAND its alot easier to do reporting when it comes receving our funds, because we do electronic reporting now, payroll is all computerized, of course back then the band's didnt have much employee's, less paper since most of the correspondance is done through email. In the next ten years, I'm not sure what lies ahead, but i'm sure it will be mind blowing....
This is a very difficult question to answer. In the last ten years much has changed in terms of types of new challenges and opportunities in our community. Listuguj Band Council is more involved industry like forestry and fisheries. But has it really? The Marshall decision paved opportunity in access to commercial fishing. This is significant from a surface perspective, meaning if one takes a reality check and audits the true economic benefits. Yes Listuguj now fish Snow crab, Shrimp among other species which generates marginal revenues and more employment. Some of the dollars was for capital purposes and created short term jobs, the bulk of the agreement went to the Region through consultants, purchasing of equipment at outrageous prices and buy-out to licenses of retiring fishermen etc. In logging Listuguj again generates marginal revenues and some long term employment. Again these all seem significant but I ask when a fisher form Gaspe goes out to fish his over head consists of insuring enough dollars is saved for his business. Then he pays his crew. The rest is his. For Listuguj the same applies except the remaining dollars has to feed a community. And considering political factors not all community members’ benefit. First Nation challenges go far beyond what non native belief systems see. Listuguj and other FN communities struggle with trying to maintain sovereignty as a Nation, while moving parallel with modern times. The Canadian people see us as having all the advantages. No Taxes Paid schooling free handouts. Well this is just not so. Our access to the outside is restricted. To have access we have to consider giving up our inherent and collective rights due to a legislative document called the Indian Act. Each time I shop I pay taxes, if I work off my community I pay taxes. The duty fees apply to us also. To start a business I need permission from DIANA, to build a home I need permission from the Minister. Education is paid but the cost has gone up but funding hasn’t and so has the cost of living. I wonder how technology can help if in the next ten years our political and social structures don’t change keeping in mind the need to respect our sovereignty as a Nation we’ll be left behind. As to the last question I think what Listuguj needs to explore is does it want to create effective and productive global citizens? This to me is a new term of assimilation. Or do we create and prepare effective productive community members using globalization to benefit our Nationhood? I welcome comments.
I have read some classroom blogs. There are some very complex issues that have been raised. I am happy to see students bringing up and thinking about such strong points in regards to their communities. This is an importnat first step towards working towards solutions to some of hese important issues. I do not have all the answers to these questions, however I really like the idea of having blogs and class discussions go on like this to have the ability to network and work an and build off one anothers ideas as an effort to find possibilities for the future of all nations. As far as education there is no doubt that students have a much wider range and access to information from which to participate in project based learning in the classroom. Technology is useful if the user makes it so- doing our best is one thing-knowing what to do and then doing our best is another. Thanks everyone for your great ideas and thoughts-all of you get me thinking
I believe that if we as educators have to educate the youth today about what they can do to help in their own communities, they will be a proud global citizen. i know that all students in our community always participate on earth day. They all go out in groups and pick up any garbage and debris that someone has left out in our community. This encourages them to be aware of how important it is to keep our environment clean. I'm sure that every school does the same and they should all be commended. hey also have started a recycling project where they all recycle any plastic and glass containers.
well, I would think that having students work together in projects is great, because not only do they share their thoughts with everyone, they are hearing from everyone elses thoughts too. This will help them be effective and productive global citizens because they will have the ability to listen and speak to others about their thoughts, since that is how most of the world works today, through blogs, and wikispaces, everyone reads other peoples thoughts and comments on them. That way people will be able to work together to make the world a better place.
within the last 10yrs. in tobique I have seen the good in our education and all the graduated students.very proud of them all. Last week their has this woman at the school and she was setting up a pen pal on-line for our school to be interacting with near by schools and I thought that was cool.That should be interesting. I think that these blogs are very interesting and its a way to communicate with other people and share thoughts and ideas. I asked my son if he tried these before and he said that he has seen them but wasn't quite sure about them or he says. He prefers his facebook and msn.
Personally I feel the need to plead the fifth on this one! “Your Dammed if you do your dammed if you don’t.” Reserves are a place you seem to not be able to say what your thinking with out bruising someone ego. I can say I loved the progress our reserve had made over the last four years. Six years. New band office, working towards economic growth. We installed a farm that grew Organic Vegetables and sole them in the stores. The pride that our people can be seen in a new way other than a negative view most seen on TV or in Bars. We had a gas station up and running that brought profit to one and a few jobs, and a beautiful building that serves as a adult school, fisheries and natural resources, and is rented out for community and non-community members that also brings in a profit. But in the term of one new chief and council everything can change and so this is were I plead the fifth, because if you want something you need to keep your mouth shut, you need smile and pretend you agree. Mutiny my friends Mutiny!!!!!
In order to have well rounded global citizens, you have to involve them in group activities and some sorts of technology. Earth day is a great way to involve children with todays issues, it also keeps them interacting with their peers and the community around them. The world is changing and will continue changing, we have to assist our children in changing with it, by interacting with them in their school work , not only does this help them but also , it helps us.
Ten year age the Band that I worked for has changed/evolve somewhat..
..the business, has gone from manual accounting system to computerize ones, databases install from goverment officals allows immediate requests for services, reports correspondence being e-mail instead of mail. The band employed a few individuals permantly, now has secure many seasonal employment opportunities and access the different departments and servcies. Without the right leadership they can't hear what the community wants and needs are, aand the Old form of government then rules...
Without looking at what the problems in the past and talking to the people as waht their needs are then you can't go forward. It's nice to have this new economic growth but without fixing\examining other issues of our community then it's seems pointless, we are now having higher alocol drug addictitons rates suicide are on the rise, the Health of our communities are increasing but the community have nice buildings and more businesses that might one day have to be runned by our non-natives counterparts because our community member aren't interested in going to school to get higher education. We need to educated our community members and using these types of course without the technicals difficulites is what we needs to promote.
Reach out and Touch Someone...
The nature of the global environment has always been competitive, that has not changed. The opportunities and the challenges might be changing for some, but not for all.
As for being a business or government leader, I’m not, so it appears that this part of the discussion would be more relevant to those people.
What I know about global student based collaborative projects at this point is mostly what has been shared with us in class. Jeff is very enthusiastic when he talks about the projects he is involved with. It has been interesting sharing bits and pieces of his experience. Like he said, it’s his passion, which happens when something is or becomes meaningful. I believe that student based collaborative projects do have a place in the classroom for many reasons, including the need or desire of people to reach out and touch someone, to be connected.
It is inspiring to hear about people like Jeff’s Mom who found purpose, meaning and fulfillment in this way.
Just what does it mean to be an effective and productive global citizen in today’s world?
A rather philosophical question considering the fact that every nation in the world has a different mindset based on their worldview. There is no real uniformity. The fact that nations exist within nations adds other complexities. We may all live in Canada, but in terms of citizenship and what it means to be an effective and productive global citizen, the realities are different for some of us. My thoughts for the day.
Earth day and recycling are an excellent start for kids to become global citizens. It also teaches the kids to help the parents to become more aware of the enivorment they live. Schools are always thinking of new ways to educate kids and parents about being enivormently friendly. This is so important because the world is changing so much around us.
I think the ideas of student-based collaborative projects are a great idea for the classroom. It gives the children a first hand look or experience into the life of another classroom, society, and/or culture. It is helping to prepare our kids to be effective and productive global citizens by teaching them how to be critical thinkers and how to be a team player, giving them the skills that they will need once into the workforce. Our grade four class here at Mah-Sos is starting up a student-based collaborative project with a grade four class in Membertou via the video-conferencing. They had there first “meeting” on Friday and I guess the polycom was not working the best so it didn’t go the greatest. The children from Membertou got to see the students from here but our students couldn’t see the students in Membertou because the picture got blurry and it wasn’t working the best. But what the project is about is the classes get to learn about each other’s community and the things they are doing at their school. And I think they are going to be writing to each other like pen-pals. I think it’s interesting that technology can bring two schools to come together to work on creating an experience these children probably will not forget.
Starting a business is extremly hard and I have always wanted to start one myself but I`m scared of all of the liability that come with it.(Money) So I plan on making a small business for myself as a personal hobby not as way to sustain a future. My business is making poker tables and technology is a major factor in making it successful. It allows my customers to pick and choose designs by a click of a mouse. I rely on word of mouth to create interest but I use technology to reel them it.
Having your students in a business set up a website for a business project we help them create new ideals on how to keep their potential customers coming back for more. doesn`t matter where is business is located (Los Angeles or in your basement).
I've noticed in the past few years, that are community has grown. New buildings have been built and more jobs have been created. In the last ten years, a few things have changed and one of them is working with the internet. Everything isn't done manually, but done electonically. I see in the next ten years, that if we continue to encourage our children they will be our future. They will be far more advanced and have learned all the new technology that will given to them. We just need to give them a little push and tell them that it is very important to have their education.
I believe that our community has changed a lot in the last ten years, in terms of technology, but i do believe that it has created more jobs especially for the younger generation who has the skills for the new technologies. So I think it's very important for us to teach our students about technology and try to keep them up to date with everchanging side of it.
this helps us become aware of what is going on in other areas of the world. its a way for students in your classroom as well in other classrooms around get a sample of what going to school in another part of the world is like.its a great way for students to exsprince another part of the world with out leaveing home.
In our community, the Band Council has grasped technology in certain aspects, such as through the financial accounting, however, it sadly misses the mark in other areas. I feel that it could use its resources more diligently to network with all its membership, both living within the community and outside through the use of the internet. It could ensure an updated website and provide useful information to its membership.
The local school is engaging in many innovative projects and is continuously challenging our kids to go global. The Grade 5 French Immersion class recently started an Eduportfolio, so their little class has gone global. I’m a really big supporter of our school and admire all the dedicated people who work there that always have the best interest of our students in mind, and also to the visionaries of our community for forging ahead to build the school in spite of difficulties. Our school, with 300+ students will be the leaders taking us into the global environment.
As an educator I feel that our children of the future can benefit from the technology that is out there for them , if used in the proper ways. So by teaching them how to use it as a tool and talking to other schools would show them that they can communicate easily with oyher students would give them the insight they need to explore. I feel that with the right skills and guidance, our children can learn to be great buisness people of our future.
Business and governments in western society can no longer play in our own sandbox. Is i dissagree, I believe that they have to join us in the play box.
Which creates the next challenge of keeping up in the web. Also the opportunities are endless.
As a First Nation business in the last ten years has changed by us adding a web site. However there is the challange of the updating and keeping the system modern.
As educators, you have just opened the world wide open for all your students. Allowing your students to connect with students all over the world.
As an educator, I think that student-based collaborative projects play a big part in our classrooms, it helps to prepare them for the "real world". It gets them comfortable with technology because they are going to need it when they get out on thier own!
For more things to get done, things have to move in a faster pace. Technology has contributed vastly to that.
Really everything society is today, is because of technology.
I would say this community has advanced a whole lot because it continually grows. I have personally seen a major advancement just in the past 5 years or so. I would love to see how much this community can advance in ten years.
As First Nations people, being preservationists and conservationists, this is inate, therefore, we have to play an enormous part in preserving what is left of our Mother Earth. Businesses today are striping the land and its rivers of its natural resources. The trees play a huge part in providing something as simple as oxygen to human beings, the forests are being over-cut and greed is taking over. If this continues, where r we going to be in ten years from now. We will have businesses, such as pulp and paper mills, polluting our air we breathe this has an effect on the atmosphere and our weather.
As educators, we can instill in our young people the importance of preserving our land, rivers, and air. By promoting an earth day or earth friendly activities we can encourage our kids to play a role in conserving and preserving their futures.
Well I can't really say how it has grown in the last 10 years because I haven't been here for that long, but through the years I have been here I can say the resrve is starting to florish, new building became erected, more jobs are opening up for people in different buildings...the next 10 years I can see alot more changes and advancements for our future.
Well the government has changed over the past 10 years for sure.. they have become more computered based in all areas of their program. Answering machines have replaced front desk workers; they replaced even workers.. So the new generation of people will have no problem with this fast paced world.. its our older generation is having the problems.. We need to start teaching more technology courses to all generations so we dont leave anyone behind,
Opportunities will be endless in the next 10 years.. the way I see it.. anything is possible.. I have learnt that in this course!
As an Educator global, student- based collaborative projects should play a big role in our classrooms today. I believe by exposing our students to this type of learning environment early, is key to their success in the future. In the past you only needed to know about your local community. Now on the other hand we must have projects that allow our students to learn about the world. By creating a collaborative project with teachers around the world and through video conferencing, skype, and other on-line resources, the world has become small. A depth of information lay within our finger tips. We need to teach our students responsibility and a whole new set of morals and values when dealing with on-line community. Educators and students alike can be exposing themselves to a whole new set of dangers and vulnerabilities, when dealing with global environments.
Our government here In Indian Island has changed in the last year and a half, my father was chief of Indian Island for the last 18 years and when he decided to retire, a new chief came in and changed alot of my fathers governmental policies. I dont want to offend anyone by saying it was for the better or worse. But there have definitely been some big changes in Indian Island...and we will all see what those changes are very soon... I would say that the changes that have occured in Indian Island are not going to to prepare our kids to productive global citizens because of the lack of leadership skills among our new administration. I believe that when you are in a position of leadership you should be doing your best to be a positive role modle.
I absolutely love the idea Jeff mentioned in class, where students work with other students from other country’s, other schools. To have teachers trying to educate students in that way seen to be amazing. My own daughter has a pen pail, who met with letters, and they exchanged msn to be able to communicate faster than snail mail. Although she did not put it in those words. Denise
REACH OUT AND TOUCH SOMEONE:
In questions and articles on business and government, it is terms such as “competitive”, “growth” and “productive” that worry me. I realize that there are very important positive connotations with these terms but being a frugal anti consumer, an environmentalist and socialist at heart, my first impression of these terms is the pursuit of economic growth where financial gain comes first at the cost of environmental and social degradation.
Also an optimist, I hope that there are enough people who think like me and can use the potential of global connectedness to counteract these negative aspects and use the opportunities offered to grow wisely.
For example, the global awareness promoted by Al Gore using computer technology, about global warming, has done more to change policy and public opinion than decades of sporadic and biased news coverage of scientific reports.
In education, student based collaborative projects might be the answer to wipe out prejudices and fears. Talking to each other and working together, students from all over the world have the potential to break down cultural, linguistic, religious barriers formed by past generations, by developing understanding and trust and collectively forming a global vision.
I feel that students should collaborate with other studets in other countries not only does it give the children a better sense of interacting with other cultures and different ethnic backrounds I feel by using this new technology in the classroom not only will the students be more interactive with newer technology that will help them in the future but will cause less racism in the upcoming generation of the future.
As educators, we should have our students learn languages from all over the world. Or maybe have our students communicate with students from far away places, that way they can understand their way of life, and gain more knowledge.
I think that technology plays an important part in everyones life without the individual even realizing it. Now a days when a job is given exspecially to the young generation all they seem to think about is the internet. I think that if used right then it can be a big part in the educaton. But in order to do that then not all but at least some schools and parents ahould get together and help eachother come up with better ways to teach students about technology and computers so that they ain't always thinking aboiut msn and facebook etc...there are better constructive ways that a computer can be used for!!
Today was Earth Day. Our school had a little celebration to commemorate the day. This day originated over a period of 7 years and had its awakening at a conference in Seattle in September 1969. Even back then deteriorating conditions of the environment was a concern. It seems that our priorities have wandered over the years and we forgot that it is not just our generation that will live here on this earth but our children’s children, and so on. It’s like a bulb finally went off, (one of those eco kind) and we finally get it. Everywhere we look, we see more and more advertisements about cutting down on what we throw away or use. At our school we have been reducing, reusing, and recycling for a number of years now. The teachers do activities with the younger children that make them aware of how they can do their part to help save the earth. The children are really concerned and are full of questions on how they can help.
I went to the post office on yesterday and in my mail box was a pair of gloves and garbage bags for earth day.By having everyone in our community to participate on earth day makes them all a global citizen.
My local government hasn't changed much in the last 10 years. They don't take advantage of time and money saving technologies such as Polycom video conferencing. The Social Services department have a nice smartboard, still sitting in its box on the floor.
The Education department is using today's technology as much as they can, smartboards in the class, mobile computer lab, video conferencing, up to date web site.
As educators, we should encourage the students to learn as much as they can about the other countries, because the technology is bringing everybody closer, whether we like it or not
Yes a lot has changed in the last ten years and strongly believe it'll change in the next ten as well more jobs and buildings have been created and technolog is now here.. The thing is that we are learning it now and our children seem to know more than we do.. I strongly believe that they will become very important when they are older and what they have come with .. things change so much and we should expect lots more change in the next ten years....
qpbvbuIn the past 10 years they was we conduct business has changed enormously. There are more independent businesses being set up. I don’t own a business personally but I manage a business. I’ve only been there for 4 years, although there has been many changes. The company has went from doing everything manually to being connected to the web 2.0 and doing everything on a computer. There are always ways to improve your work environment. I am sure the way things are operated today will not be the same in the next 10 years. One challenge I see for the business; is keeping up to date with the ongoing changing technology.
I’ve seen the government in our community move away from the Indian Act in the past 10 years. They have set up community planning and setting goals. I believe that the government has come a long way and has brought a lot of good things to our community. The Marshall decision was a big turning point for all Mik’maq First Nation Communities. The decision has created many jobs and given the communities more revenues to help members of the community. I see the Indian Act being the biggest challenge in the next 10 years. We have moved away from in a sense of self-governing our communities, but there are aspects of the Indian Act that’s still being followed and which holds the community back. I won’t turn this into a political blog though.
the way businesses have changed??? well I've worked in a grocery store and I fell they have come along way in the past ten years....back Ten years ago you had carry-out and the option of paper, bag, or a box. Now to see carry-out personnel is becoming obsolete. Now cash registers are hooked all together to one main computer which is in the main office. Today you also see the self checkouts where you scan your own groceries and swipe your own debits, credit cards..Can you imagine how this chain have business will change in the next ten years???
Global citzen?? in today's age we need to teach outr student's children, generations to come to be enviromentally safe in order to maintain and make life better. I once heard a quote that hit very close to home! " The World was not given to us by our parent but lent to us by our grandchildren!". So basically with us becoming teacher is good to be role model and set exmaples so keep your yard clean work with the stuents and keep the school enviroment clean as well as practicing recycling at home and at school with the students.
I believe that global, student-based collaborative projects because this helps create a smaller world. What better way to learn about other people and their culture. This is helping our kids be productive global citizens because by being student-based they help students to recognize their leadership abilities. Children love the web and why not let them learn with what they love.
Technology has grown so much in the last 10 years in every way possible. I use a blackberry and this keeps me in touch with different organizations that I play a part in. I may not always be sitting at my desk or a normal office, since I have 3 different jobs and are often away out of town for meetings. So the immediate emails that I receive, I respond to immediately without delay.
My sons classroom is hooked up with a smart board. We no longer have to get our education in a University standard classroom, but very comfortably in your own town only minutes away from home. Many of the meetings we hold are through teleconference, another added tech tool for the 21st century.
I often do all communication work through email and if it requires more complex and back and forth discussion then will I pick up the phone and call. I feel that if I use email as a way of transmitting information, I am helping my business save money on long distant costs. We do use technology today in every way. its called evolution.
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