8812+integration+and+Collaboration+Reports

=Integration Report 1= toc The main reasons and expectations that I had of the unit was to gain a new level of understanding into the major relationships that people share in light of globalisation and the emerging sustainability dogma. How this globalisation influences everyday decision making processes and how sometimes people can achieve far more than they imagine, just by creating a belief for something (objectively). Whether this is leadership or not, I am not sure, so my pseudo-unit-goal was to try and see whether I could learn to lead people in a way that would be beneficial to their and my own life goals and thus learn more about myself and others, sustainably (at a certain rate)… I expected to come up against a lot of obstacles, and I did. Many of the things that I proposed and said were highly controversial but I was trying to stir up people’s passion. I believe that by getting to the hilt of the issue as soon as possible the solutions to such may become more apparent. Although this was not always seen and heard I nonetheless accepted the challenge set by Neville and have since been trying to offer my best scientific voice in relation to integrating my ideas with others. In the first 3 weeks of 8812 I attempted integration in this Unit around seeing the through people’s issues by trying to get people to get to the point of their issue. I learned quickly that this was not going to solve anything, so I needed to change my attitude toward the unit and my outlook. In the first few weeks we focused mainly on action from a 3rd person perspective. Although possibly this had something to do with an individuals experience in relation to a particular issue, to become accustomed to examples where people have taken action in relation to an environmental issue for example. The main areas of focus were; A major challenge was to take examples where human action has been used, without necessarily looking at the best interests of a particular group of people (a minority). For example in my first assignment essay I wrote about Environmental Politics and the Global Food Crisis Debate (Society and Environment). This is of particular interest for me because of my scientific background. This topic enabled me to discuss my area of expertise in soil science and environmental science (Land and Water Management and chemistry). I found myself integrating with other students at a more explanatory level, whereby I tried to explain the issue to engage a discussion about the list of ways that action may be taken, but usually ended up explaining the science of the issue rather than the ‘action needed’ side of things. From this I learned that it is not always just about telling people about an area of interest, rather integration can only be achieved through setting common goals and working towards them at a level that is common to both parties. I focused particularly on salinity in the wheat belt as a direct result of unsustainable European farming practices, and the cultural implications that occurred to the indigenous population (a sustainable civilisation of people-little population change over a long period). I tried to integrate at a non specific level that because of what happened in the early 20th century in relation to policy formation around the time of the establishment of the white Australia policy, that this has given Australia a bad name. Many countries still consider Australian’s to be racist in general. One not read far into the arguments for and against this view point however. I tried to show how policies like the White Australia Policy, served the majority but also put significant pressure on other minorities. I tried to show how this was related to the injustices of removing aborigines’ from their land and putting them into camps, by association with the White Australia Policy because there were no policies in Australia that gave aborigines’ rights to their lands at the time. Unfortunately this area in my argument was lost and I couldn’t back up my claims. Funnily I thought this was a great example where using integration between two separate examples (in relation to action) could be used to show that the minority sometimes and will fight back for their rights to be heard, Mabo for example. This led me to discuss the environment in the media. How the politicisation of environmental issues are often used as mechanisms of inaction rather than integration and action. Cultural and environmental issues are often very difficult to ascertain as their causes are not just as simple as determining the pH of water for example. There are many examples where integrating environmental and cultural issues can be used as mechanisms for change. So my main goal was looking at the sustainability of the farming sector. “W e need to understand that integrated management of soil is the only way forward, and this means sanctioning farmers who although have the final say of their soil treatment and management aspects it is in the best interests of humanity to integrate all the areas and aspects of humanity into the global distribution of food. And this means the soil management too.” This was my attempt at taking action. It was not received with much regard. That’s OK. I believe it was because many of the establishment of Australia’s political economy and politics and economics rests on the backs of Australian’s who at one stage or another were or lived on farms in Australia. After three weeks, the unit became more intensive where integration involved looking at the ways of integration of issues into actions. I chose to focus particularly in relation to humanistic endeavours that are not always renowned. Many are forgotten; however the point of it all lingers on. Individual action that I chose to discuss was silent action. Local and state was the Franklin Dam action directed towards the politicians of Australia, and High court ruling that finally gave Australia, a reason to celebrate action for the environment. My most poignant and complex characterisation of humans as the invasive species led me into a huge argument, one that I would argue gave me the label of ill-conceived, however in my explanation in relation to farming the wheat belt and also in relation to human beings being the invasive species I only ever took the 3rd person in my description of the issues associated with being human, and never directed my assertions towards one particular group over another. This I think is an important aspect of the integration side of 8812 that people are encouraged to explore. Most importantly in the integration of issues that are related to the environment and culture and society, is to be able to apply directly the philosophies that are directly unique to our individual personas. The more I think about what I have done, the more I see that objectivity is not always shared, because it is something that may be something that can only occur from within first. Whether directly related to one’s personal objectives of change, or more general ones, then main thing that I tried to achieve was an understanding about the major issues associated with the change itself. I read about people in history who have always struggled within to find a balance between the outside change occurring to the environment, their culture or their society and look for meaning in an objective light. People that I read about included Socrates, Kant, Galileo, Copernicus, Tesla, Gandhi and Einstein. These people are all unique because they brought about much change in the way society lived around their time; however it was not through their acceptance of society at the time that led to the changes. The integration of many of their works into my own and in particular in relation to “Scenarios for the future and action plans” I found that many of the similar things that the abovementioned people struggled with were catalysts for the mechanisms that led them to be influential in history itself. More of a reflection of integration techniques of others, I learned. This allowed me to attempt the idea of objective, selfless thought as a catalyst of change within myself… This was not very easy for me, thus the possibility of leadership must increase as ones sees change within one’s self as good more often, possibly? In this unit I have developed a number of skills and tools, that I have been able to use particularly in relation to my professional business relationships and I have also been able to share much of the things I learn with my friends and family to my delight. Much of my success in relation to others of my study can be attributed to the things that I have learnt in 8812 and vice versa. For example I was able to use my knowledge about climate change policy and now more recently integrated coastal management to look at how these disciplines are related to the direct philosophies that they are grown from. This lead to learn about Kantian philosophy, which I understand now, is the cornerstone of almost all social and natural scientific philosophies’. Integration of multiple disciplines incorporates an emulsion of different philosophies and principles; however the most important part is in achieving solid integration for a basis of understanding them and applying them (the philosophies). I learned how to manage my time better and I also found that in general people are more willing to help you if you offer objective information that attempts to guide others. I would have liked to be able to explain myself a little better, but I sometimes was not sure about the details of what was required and that led me to criticise others work rather than embrace it and offer sound scientific advice. But at the same time, I sometimes wanted to be heard more and not told that I cannot do this or do that too. In terms of development, I wish to contribute to the unit and provide my scientific advice, but I also want to be able to find people to reflect more on the philosophy of the information that we are being provided with. Because, without being able to examine the question first, it has sometimes felt like “the blind leading the blind,” this is not common in my Master’s area but one that gives me great concern. If we cannot discuss the finer details of the nature of the unit objectives from a common ground, then integration is very difficult. Only through communication can a better balance be found and achieved. I would have liked it if Neville had have been a little more objective in his criticism of me in particular my knowledge of the aerospace engineering side of things and in my knowledge of environmental observation decision making skills particularly in relation to the wheat belt. I found that although he has farmed there, I cannot support his decisions in relation to sustainability principles (as I have had other advice from someone in my experience with more sound environmental observational decision making knowledge than him). That I was not able to reason let alone discuss the issue, led me to believe that although he is a busy man, his philosophy is set thus objectivity was not an option here which leads me to my conclusion. I took this unit to learn philosophic principles that would enable me to enhance my future employment perspective. I have learned many things from other’s in the unit and hopefully I have been able to integrate with them, from an objective view point. Particularly in relation to the idea of change I believe that change first come from within. That is fundamental in learning integration with others. Culture, religion and society often change at different rates to that at the individual level but at the end of the day we are all created equal, of the same stuff. How we support each other and ourselves is up to us to maintain. Sustainability to me is more about maintaining the change rather than an idealistic world or anything like many people think it is. That is all. Globalisation is in a way directly proportional to sustainability principles, and indirectly related to our culture, conscience and environment. = = =Integration Report 2:= Since my first integration report my experience has changed somewhat, I have had to delve into areas that I did not think I would have to especially in relation to the topics covered over the weeks after week 5. This was particularly in relation to the weekly assignments from an action point of view possibly an antiauthoritarian perspective who knows. The major focus of what was actually achievable was really brought into question by the group and by the tutors, how I could actually undertake such a project in relation to week 10 (the culmination of the unit) were really seen by myself as a challenge, as the questions that I asked posed were the ideas and thoughts of over 10 years of reading, learning and studying at UWA. I have been trying to turn this experience into one large facet of knowledge to expand the philosophy of life. Particularly the natural and resources sciences, which are of integral significance to WA, and the world both in relation to WA as being a player in the future and as a reflection of the past history. Taking action and leadership has I have discovered must come from a desire within to make the change within one’s self before any other action can happen. Every time that I did the research in this unit I always ended up asking questions I think this was a focus for me. Asking questions, my supervisor once said to “just keep asking questions, you can never ask too many questions.” So I asked myself “what sorts of things are happening in the world right now that affects us all. How does my person influence this bigger picture and what can I do in my small little space to influence those around me in my circles of knowledge that may influence this change, or challenge these people to see in a new light.” The main reasons and expectations that I had of the unit was to gain a new level of understanding into the major relationships that people share in light of globalisation and the emerging sustainability dogma and I then chose to focus on the future, a tried to create a vision of what I think the future may be like and since then I have been trying to live out this vision. How globalisation influences everyday decision making processes and how sometimes people can achieve far more than they imagine, by creating a belief for something (objectively). The importance of objective thought and subjective thought were major influences in creating my vision. Whether this is leadership or not, I am not sure, so a pseudo-unit-goal was to try and see whether I could learn to become a better person in a way that would be beneficial to their and my own life goals and thus learn more about myself and others, sustainably (at a certain rate)… At first I was told that I may have been missing the point, looking too broadly. So I focused on trying to understand why. To do this I have focused on the final aspect mainly weeks 9 and 10 because of their integral importance in shaping my expectation of the future what I want to do in the future and how I will use my resources to achieve this. In relation to integration the Unit has taught me to describe how to use integration to other people. As was in the case of my first report in my first integration report I have many new had the following expectations and experiences.” I just know a lot more about what is expected of me. Integration Report 1 Recap and Furthering: In Integration Report 1 I expected to come up against a lot of obstacles. Many of the things that I proposed and said were highly challenged to the rest of the people studying within the unit. I tried to stir the water. To bring out peoples passion, this was met with mixed reaction however I used this as a challenge to see whether I could effect change through the group by giving my best effort in explaining what I meant. In the first few weeks we focused mainly on action from a 3rd person perspective. Although possibly this had something to do with an individual’s experience in relation to a particular issue, to become accustomed to examples where people have taken action in relation to an environmental issue for example. The main areas of focus were; A major challenge I focused on after the first integration report, was to take examples where human action has been used, without necessarily looking at the best interests of a particular group of people (for example a minority). The refugee crisis, the increasing violation of the Palestinian people in the Middle East, and the war in Afghanistan are 3 examples of humanity, human rights and international law and policy related to the geo-political environment that need constant attention and generate much debate in the community. These are all suitable examples of where people need integration in the community but are faced with the indecision of beaurocracy that threatens peace. From this I learned that it is not always just about telling people about an area of interest, rather integration can only be achieved through setting common goals and working towards them at a level that is common to all parties. The problem is establishing this common ground first; many of the above problems globally don’t have this common ground at all. Environment in the Media: The environment in the media is one of the most controversial and important challenges in the 21st century. How the politicisation of environmental issues are often used as mechanisms of inaction rather than integration and action. Cultural and environmental issues are often very difficult to ascertain as their causes are not just as simple as determining the pH of water for example. There are so many examples where integrating environmental and cultural issues can be used as mechanisms for change. So my main goal is to look not only at the sustainability of the farming sector as in my MSc but to learn how to integrate all the scientific knowledge that I have learned into one main framework for learning about the environment in relation to the word sustainability and to report on the findings in my final. “We're handing them [young people & future generations] a climate system which is potentially out of their control. We're in an emergency: you can see what's on the horizon over the next few decades with the effects it will have on ecosystems, sea level and species extinction - Prof Jim Hansen, Nasa (2012). This will be integration at a real attainable level, because what kind of steps we take today on a path we choose into tomorrow will be the footprints that we leave behind. The corporations of the future are the ones that chose to incorporate globally integration reflecting positive change of all people and not just their share holders. Globalisation and the Human Condition: In the unit 8812 I chose to focus particularly in relation to humanistic endeavours that are not always renowned. Many are forgotten; however the point of it all lingers on. There is no doubt that we are an invasive species. A species where we believe that we are at the top of everything, however how can this be backed up without subjective knowledge? One might argue this is ill conceived, misguided thought. How so? In my explanation in relation to farming the wheat belt and also in relation to human beings being the invasive species I only ever took the 3rd person in my description of the issues associated with being human, and never directed my assertions towards one particular group over another. Many wicked problems stem from the lack of in depth self criticism that is required for contemplation, and issue resolution. The first step towards integration is self analysis I believe. This I think is an important aspect of the integration side of 8812 that people are encouraged to explore I feel. Most importantly in the integration of issues that are related to the environment and culture and society, the vision is to be able to apply the philosophies that are directly unique to our individual personas and prevent catastrophe within ourselves and that if this works inside then theoretically it should work amoungst others too. Whether directly related to one’s personal objectives of change, or more general ones, then main thing that I tried to achieve was an understanding about the major issues associated with the change itself. I read about people in history who have always struggled within to find a balance between the outside change occurring to the environment, Week 8 when there was the opportunity to design a course I their culture or their society and look for meaning in an objective light. It was quite interesting I felt that in feedback I was told that this unit would not be able to be taught without prior knowledge of the information provided. However, unless someone took the unit how would they know this to be the case? Within context of sustainability itself I merely tried to show that it is a context not difficult to understand and that although the readings were in way difficult topics, within the context of sustainability these do not alter the definition of the word. Integrating topics into a sustainability framework is something that anyone can do with respect to whatever it is that they know about, the teachings were not set to mean any one thing more than another. People that I have read about, seen places where they came and from and in my life include Socrates, Kant, Galileo, Copernicus, Tesla, Gandhi and Einstein these people have shaped humanity and civilization over the last 2000 years the most to me, not necessarily to all other people but most likely to some extent other people. These people are all unique because they brought about much change in the way society lived around their time; however it was not acceptance of society at the time that led to the changes being made as a result of them leading it was, challenges that resulted in them leading. The integration of many of their works into my own and in particular in relation to “Scenarios for the future and action plans” has led me to influence others. More of a reflection of the integration techniques of others, this allowed me to attempt the idea of objective, selfless thought as a catalyst of change within myself… This was not very easy for me, thus the possibility of leadership must increase as ones sees change within one’s self as good objective thought more often possibly, but, if there is subjectivity within the mind then it is always going to be more difficult. In this unit I have developed a number of skills and tools, that I have been able to use particularly in relation to my professional business relationships and I have also been able to share much of the things I learn with my friends and family to my delight. Much of my success in relation to others of my study can be attributed to the things that I have learnt in 8812 and vice versa. For example I was able to use my knowledge about climate change policy and now more recently integrated coastal management to look at how these disciplines are related to the direct philosophies that they are grown from. This lead to learn about Kantian philosophy, which I understand now, is the cornerstone of almost all social and natural scientific philosophies’. Integration of multiple disciplines incorporates an emulsion of different philosophies and principles; however the most important part is in achieving solid integration for a basis of understanding them and applying them (the philosophies). I learned how to manage my time better and I also found that in general people are more willing to help you if you offer objective information that attempts to guide others. Sustainability and Consumerism: In the case of sustainability and sustainable living it is imperative that integrative techniques are used to benefit the community, particularly in relation to farming which is the major theme of my Masters Degree. Consumerism and its implications is a major theme in moving forward especially from an integration perspective too, because capitalist societies such as the USA and Australia and Canada are such large consumers < [] > in relation to their emissions and consumption of fossil fuels per capita. We are on the verge of a possible great change in our global attitudes and values on what it means to have a footprint, this idea is an extension from the previous 8801 unit. The ideas there gave me the tools I needed to begin exploring another angle in relation to the consumer debate from the perspective of consumers and farmers and the roles big chains and supermarkets play in the our every day decision making processes. An important factor that the UNFCCC and IPCC (major global authorities on Climate Change) suggest, in their latest reports, they make definite leaps towards the significance and the importance on having a vision for long term futures in the increasing population, which no doubt will change the dynamics of our planet more so than it has in the past century which was already unheralded. The last week of my course was - Week 8: Final examination… Students would be asked to devise a sustainability plan for themselves that will enable them to interact in their natural world. How they chose to live at the rate they live at decides their level of sustainability. It was hoped that they will have seen whole point that being the “incorporated into today relies on a continuation of time at the rate which is sustainable.” If time and space are continuing to evolve faster than us then how will we survive if we cannot do the simple things that we require? So the take home was not so much about learning how to y will take away from the unit an acceptance or disbelief. Neither is incorrect but both have merit and the choice is ours and theirs together as human citizens of the future in sustainability itself. I found the comment below quite interesting in the feedback, “ I think your name could be changed to "Understanding the Principles of Sustainable Living in the 21st Century and beyond" but this is not exactly the course 'Community action for world futures’.” I would think that community action should be directly to sustainable practices in our lives, not just sometimes and that the future of the world is related to this practice. Hence the title, understanding the principles etc… and beyond is more a description, I was searching for a message to entice people to want to learn about this topic. I believe this is a way I would be able to integrate my vision with other peoples, because our lives are becoming more globalised every day. Unit Integration development logical context and dairy technology future: In terms of development within the unit and integration as whole I provided my scientific advice wherever possible but I also wanted to be able to help people find their own way too. To do this I focused on the philosophy of the information that we are being provided with. Without being able to examine the question first, it is hard to define the context. For sustainability and farming this was been difficult for me. Trying to learn this sort of framework is not common in my Master’s area but one that gives me great concern, because if consumers are told one thing and farmers another then the finer details of the nature farming and community itself are not on a common ground, then integration is very difficult. Only through communication can a better balance be found and achieved. I took this unit to learn philosophic principles that would enable me to enhance my future employment perspective. To learn about how I might become a leader and what sorts of things are necessary for leaders to do and to try and implement these things as I went along. I have learned many things from other’s in the unit and hopefully I have been able to integrate with them, from an objective view point. I do understand that objective thought is not inherent in all others in relation to all things we might like them to be. Take for example this, in relation to GM and climate change. Logic has been used to prove that by growing GM crops it could lessen the impacts of climate change. Therefore research GM, implement its development and sell it to the public. The Issue: not everyone likes this logic, but it seems logical. From the presentation I studied Dairy Australia’s own climate change/ecological sustainable development report card. I asked whether this was an example of educating farmers the ways forward to achieving sustainable development, in relation to farming and the issues of climate change and soil problems too. It was hoped that I could then incorporate some of this into my Master’s thesis and publications, such that it aids would provide the scientific community and the farmers and hopefully consumers too wise to the decision making processes of farmers and and also as a reliable source of information in relation to microbial populations. As at this point there is no mention of this sort of thing in the literature. So back to the logical argument on GM. GM is changing the face of farming. Microbial DNA of bacteria is being incorporated into plants to change the DNA of nature and management itself, but is this a natural thing and should it be happening? Change must come from within oneself first. Opportunity and constraints are subjective in nature. Change is objective… This is reflected in our governmental system but the impacts of it are far reaching in society, philosophically by logic it would seem like the right thing to do, for humanity however a similar logical argument against it would probably be just as feasible. The political system and the environment and society of humanity are complex systems within themselves. Essentially change must come from within ourselves first, leadership and action will follow. This must be brought about by objective thought as well as change within. The leadership of the 21st century must come from within one’s own nature. If society and people are informed about issues such as climate change, sustainability of soil environments and technology that governs and determines decision making processes, then as an informed society we are wiser. Integration Summary and Future Directions: In terms of ecologically sustainable development of soil ecosystems and dairy farming, I wish to contribute my scientific advice, but I also want to educate people to be able to reflect more on the philosophy of the information that we are being provided with. Without being able to examine the question first, it sometimes feels like “the blind leading the blind.” If we cannot discuss the finer details of the nature of the science and the ethics of the management decisions that determine our choices we are at the peril of directionless chaos. Only through communication can a better balance be found and achieved. The limit of my technological background in relation to dairy science and into learning how to describe my skills and knowledge was tested upmost, I used the skills given and shown to me to then apply integrative techniques to expand this limit. Over a 4 year period of learning at UWA I have come a long way. My goal is to learn and a further goal is publication in scientific journals. My broader goal is to educate this sort of knowledge right through the community, to achieve awareness on what my science means and where it will lead us into the 22nd century. It is cutting edge and will hopefully fill a scientific gap in the literature. How we support each other and ourselves is up to us to maintain. Sustainability to me is more about maintaining the change rather than an idealistic world or anything like many people think it is. That is all. Integrated management is in a way directly proportional to sustainability principles, and indirectly related to our culture, conscience and the environment. Farming in the future will be somehow integrated within this space. Particularly in relation to the idea of change I believe that change first come from within. That is fundamental in learning integration with others. Culture, religion and society often change at different rates to that, at an individual level but at the end of the day we are all created equal, of the same stuff. How we support each other and ourselves is up to us to maintain. Sustainability to me is more about maintaining the change rather than an idealistic world or anything like many people think it is. That is all. Globalisation in a way is directly related to forwarding the future. If we incorporate sustainability principles, and indirectly relate this to our culture, conscience and the environment, then the future will be bright. However if the people are not educated about all the things that are important in relation to the environment and the change that can be easy to implement with a will, then it might be harder than I first anticipated. In the end, this unit has taught me that you cannot just use knowledge to succeed, one must first realise that there needs to be a change shown to the people in the unit that reflects positive, hopefully objective conscience thought. Through my knowledge of dairying and sustainability and ecological sustainable development I have tried to educate others and will continue this into the future. = = =Collaboration Report 1= Most of the collaboration that I have been doing is in the area of discussing people’s projects, and trying to understand whether their ideas on environmental science are feasible in the world that we live in as of today. This has mainly been in the form of forum posts, about how I thought that their ideas fit into the broader scaleand at times in the discussions with tutors, and Neville in relation to the structure of the unit, the technical issues that were experienced and also in relation to what is expected as proper conduct in the forums and what is not, as such. I have also doing a lot of application of my knowledge learnt in the course to my other units at UWA and in the community too. My collaboration efforts this Semester revolved around the following. 1.) Discussions with Neville and the other tutors 2.) Discussions with the various students in forums 3.) Discussions with the general public 4.) Discussions in other classes that have a similar outlook in relation to the themes underlying those in 8812 5.) Discussions with family and friends Specifically in relation to each of the above from the list: 1.) Initially I needed to sort out with Neville the technical issues associated with computers and the wiki site and the Moodle site in terms of how the unit was being delivered to the students. I also had to discuss the issues with Mark and seek advice from the other tutor Angela in relation to the term sustainability. From my long discussion with Neville I was given a direction to follow and although it seemed important at the time it has worn off a little bit, possibly due to the lack of follow up in light of 3rd party events that are happening around the Globe…
 * § Human action: shaping the 21st Century
 * § Past impacts of human action
 * § Scenarios for the future and action plans
 * § Action local to global
 * § Agents of change: civil society and the business sector
 * § Agents of Change: government institutions and religious and kindred organisations.
 * § Human action: shaping the 21st Century
 * § <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Past impacts of human action
 * § <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Scenarios for the future and action plans

2.) In the forums I tried to stick to my own guns. I maintained my position and did not back down. Although at times I probably upset some people I did not do this intentionally. I think that honestly I was trying to provide them with genuine information but in such a short semester it is often quite easy to just talk about things on the surface and not get into depth on the subject matter. Such was the case in relation to various comments made that led to my poster being taken down by the unit coordinators. Now in response (I will give here). I make no suggestion as to ascertain in light of what being taken out of context means to me, however only by showing your true nature you find out whether what you say or do is acceptable. I need not explain why Martian habitation or the discovery of life on Mars would lend itself to a whole can of worms (as someone wrote in a forum) especially when taken out of context. This could be seen in any light and taken out of context in so many different ways it is not acceptable to just flag it off as a racist slur. And also from my POV I took it as an insult. To be accused of racism in a multicultural class is a bit rich when I come from a Multicultural background myself. Which I have clearly supported in my Wiki, my background information and in many of my topics defending people who I believe have been treated in a manner that defies belief. Put it in plain black and white “Liberty, Fraternity and Equality”. 3.) I have in my short stint during the unit delved into the social media scene and have used my experiences outside the Unit to portray my studies in a manner that would give the unit a good name. Particularly in recent discussions with a friend in China, my father and mother and other friends from my high school. I found that by using social media I was able to convey my experiences in the forums to people in many countries and also educate them at the same time. Many of the topics are current and are very applicable in the social media and general public domain!

4.) I have been able to use much of the skill sets gained in both 8801 and 8812 to apply them interactively with other units and with other areas of my Thesis that I am writing this is specifically because I have been able to use the Unit to learn and research my philosophies and also bounce my philosophies with other students, the tutors and also Neville. Only through these channels did I find that collaboration happened at a level that I was able to include myself in objective thought.

5.) I always try to tell my friends and family about the work I do at University because I think it is fundamental in the education of others. If there is a way that I can promote things I have learnt in the 8812 unit then I think that is not only of benefit to me but also of benefit to the Unit, the University and to the people I am talking to. In a way one can always take the subjective argument and say that every thought is subjective unless it comes from within, however I believe that if I can educate people about trying to use objective thought they, might see for themselves that there is a great deal of things that people are doing to help themselves to help others in a mutual understanding. That is essentially how I have come to see my collaboration at this point in time.

In conclusion it would be far easier to just talk about how people have collaborated and how I collaborate in the unit to submit something of substance. However, I feel a deep sense of need to fulfill my own conscience with as much information as possible whilst in this unit. Whether it be arguing or integrating or collaborating with others or myself too. Such is the way humanity learns from its mistakes and avoids things like nuclear war, genocide and others atrocities. This unit has shown me all these things and more.

=Collaboration Report 2= Throughout not only 8812 but also in 8801 and in other units that I have done this year, (Integrated CoastalMarine Management; Climate Change Policy and Planning) I have learned about the very importance of the need to collaborate with many people including the following people through discussions; 1.) Neville and the other tutors 2.) Various students in forums 3.) The general public 4.) Other students and lecturers in classes that have a similar context in relation to the themes underlying those in 8812 and other HIS units 5.) Discussions with family and friends 6.) The boss These I found most important from a collaborative POV, not only in context of the need to reflect my opinions more clearly but throughout the unit I found that by being more engaging and by seeking to identify areas where my knowledge and skill might help people I became more aware of how to interact with people. This became evident in that at first I was not sure what collaboration was to start with, I thought that it was poorly defined, and that communications between staff and students was difficult to come by, I had always thought that generally staff members were the academics and that students were the students, however throughout the year I learned that we are all people and that collaboration is an essential part of being an academic from both perspectives, without it one cannot be at University. I thought that the marks for collaboration were directly related to the thoughts and the comments added in the forums; however it was more through the various interactions and positive outlooks that enabled people to change their opinion or share an opinion that was most rewarding. So through the first collaboration report I received feedback that was directly related to the fact that my efforts… “are growing, evolving and becoming more apprecitated by other students in the unit. This is apprarent through the forums where you are becoming better at expressing your views, particularly those that challenge the ideas of others.” And this suggested that “your persistence and willingness to take advice is a step positive in IHS.” So in this report I am attempting to give a full reflection of the unit, in relation to my collaboration throughout the course from week 1, but mainly focus on the weeks that were related after those dates. Collaboration up to Week 5 Summary: Most of the collaboration that I have been doing up to week 5 was in the area of discussing people’s projects, and trying to understand whether their ideas on environmental science would be feasible in the world that we live in as of today. This was mainly in the form of forum posts. I was usually the first person to add comments and issue responses to others, about how I thought that their ideas fit into the broader scale of environmental sustainability and ecological sustainable development given that much of the work and effort that I am taking part in, in my MSc is in this area. At the very start of the Semester I took part in discussions with tutors, and Neville in relation to the structure of the unit, the technical issues that were experienced and also in relation to what is expected as proper conduct in the forums and what is not, as such, I learned a great deal from this and I think that I made steps towards becoming a better collaborator and also in relation to helping others too. I have also doing a lot of application of my knowledge learnt in the course to my other units at UWA and in the community too in relation to the following pillars of philosophy; (1) Climate change, (2) justice and its importance, (3) evolution, (4) creationism and religion, (5) speciation, (6), altruism, (7) adaptation and mitigation, (8) the great transition and (9) globalisation and modern technology. Funnily enough these were the major themes in 8801 but I was able to directly apply many of the things that I studied in this unit to 8812 and those mentioned earlier. This is because I have learned that all knowledge is related and important however, choosing the right forum to speak and collaborate is most important. Weeks 6 – 10: (1) Weeks 6 and 7: Agents of Changing Hearts and Minds: In week, I chose to have a real look at consumerism in Australia and throughout the world and in relation to advertising. I learned that there are 3 types of citizens corporate, government and national essentially every person is all and none of these citizens however due to our society, in relation to collaboration the difficulty is defining the relationships that the three tiers have in relation to have with each type of citizen, and assigning responsibility amoungst them. For example if there is a time when people would not forced into making decisions in relation to what is best for their children, based on a television commercial it would herald a new time in humanity. Corporations rely on propaganda and society uses the technologies to spread it. Governments use policy and law to rule over society and somehow the average person must either fit in or face the consequences. From a collaborative point of view there is significant difficulty in establishing the facts over the myths. In my forum posts in relation to this topic people were divided and even argued with each other, in relation to what they thought was the best example of how to bring up their children in the face of marketing strategies and corporate behaviorisms that seek to control our personal equilibrium. From a collaborative point of view this was a significant step forward for me, because it meant that I was able to get people actively involved in debate, and also show people that my ideas were valid in relation to the week’s tasks. I also entertained the following idea in someone’s forum that I know many people know about in my close circle of family and friends. This being, anywhere you go in life your problems will follow you, if you leave them somewhere they will be waiting for you when you get back no matter what you do. I defended Australia and Australian’s by saying that I love living in Australia, and that I did not like people bad mouthing everything we have here, that we have built together and the simple fact that this is what makes Australia a fantastic place to be. Maybe I was wrong to suggest such a thing, however I love it here. It is where my family is and at the end of the day I would quite happily lay down my life to defend it. That is at the heart what being a citizen is, being able to adapt to change and also being able to understand that not everything is greener on the other side of the fence; this assertion is more a Confucius suggestive, or a subjective assertion! (2) Week 8: Facilitating action: new opportunities Taken partly from my forum, a perfect example of the description of collaboration, social media is collaboration in the modern form. (3) Week 9: Integration: resolving complex world problems Probably my most important week in relation to the topic I chose to discuss that being Freedom of Speech in Australia. I believe that it is a wicked problem in Australia. Based on our political justice system and freedom of speech legislation, the Sedition Act is a serious Law with significant implication that may and probably will determine the future of many people. From the forum words of Anna Tran, =“I think freedom of speech comes with sub laws around defamation, harming others etc. I also think it comes hand in hand with the freedom to react. I do agree however, Alan Jones is a twit with a mic! Media technology is making big changes to how impactful we are with our speech and reactions. Should we review our laws so they are more relevant to how we communicate in the 21st Century, or should they stay as they are?”=
 * Social media is a way of bringing people closer together, the skills that I have learned in IHS have been integral in how I learn about international issues from the [|perspective] of my online friends in other countries and how I share my knowledge about issues with them. In discussions with my online community I then share with the HIS community.
 * IHS is in a way a supplementary social media tool, we discuss issues online and learn in a social environment, we are encouraged to share our skills and wisdom on the issues of modern times and suggest solutions to these. Sharing this knowledge is collaboration. Sharing knowledge and skills on issues brings people closer together and helps bridge information gaps from a 3rd person perspective.
 * I use social media to post information and have shared my social media information on IHS too.
 * IHS is a more defined and perscribed version of social media than websites such as Wikipedia, facebook because HIS has core goals and objectives, where social media is a more genereal and personal.
 * Most importantly both globalised, and have implications in being related to facilitating action and creating new opportunities that might once have not existed for many people in the world.

How we collaborate in the media, social or not is nowadays the making of many a very important society, educated within a growing global economy free to make its own choices and decisions based on what it thinks is best. How we manage our corporations and who we elect are decisions that revolve around collaboration, the choices we make are also based on this education. Recently the Asian Century White Paper has been released. This will need careful consideration, China’s human rights record and many other factors will influence the way Australia and the world views freedom of speech policy in developing and developed nations. Collaboration is crucial whether it be in the UN, or in National debates.

(4) Week 10: A blueprint for personal action <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The last week was more an individual effort. From a collaborative point of view, I learned that it is important to be able to apply the efforts of research and develop my next step. This was to look at the relationships between the possibility of somehow volunteering my time to seek international investment through building business partnerships overseas and local investors to backup and put into motion my multidisciplinary action plan, for creating a market for efficient usage of environmental resources, towards technological advancement. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">In relation to collaboration, this I see it as having an important link in finishing my MSc, because many of the technologies and the discussions with farmers and my boss rely on the information that are contained in many reports and policies that are involved in maintaining this level of professionalism. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">In relation to the comments about a drop in the water and in relation to comments about the lack of voluntary commitment, the thing is holistically the collaboration efforts come from a desire to aid humanity. From this perspective, the philosophies are the collaboration mechanisms and the goal is for creating a philanthropic environment that would sustain the investment and not seek capital gains that are outside the bounds of ecological sustainable development and climate change models. Hence collaboration would need one vision. My MSc collaboration integrations: The MSc has taught me discipline in the area of Dairy Science, however 8801 and 8812 have taught me that collaboration works towards a bigger picture. How society lives and works reflects the needs of our globe and by collaborating and educating each other the bigger picture/vision may be achieved. Conclusion: I have found the unit a very good way to talk to peers with similar views and to question my own views by trying to look at perspectives from other point of view in relation to the set tasks; I hope that others did the same. I was able to most of the time listen to other’s after considering what they were saying. At times it was challenging, however this is life. I felt that many people collaborated with me in their question lines and sometimes they didn’t. This is not a bad thing. Engaging in a forum is a choice and not a command. That is what makes integrated learning and collaborative techniques so important and practical. Maybe if it was specified that people must try to see things in a different way, it would be more challenging and people would gain more out of it. When at University I have always tried to be the first person to share my thoughts and collaborate with others, spontaneous decision making and thought is often objective when the background is understood. I feel that I have been a good contributor although I know that I may have over stepped the mark on the odd occasions I do not make any condolences for this, because that is what makes me uniquely me. I feel that it is important that we can feel free to share our thoughts and feelings freely without the fear of persecution or marginalization, but also that we not live in fear of having thoughts that may challenge the consensus. In conclusion it would be far easier to just talk about how people have collaborated and how I collaborated in the unit to submit something of substance. However, I feel a deep sense of need to fulfill my own conscience with as much information as possible whilst I was in the unit. Whether it was arguing or integrating or collaborating with others or myself too. Such is the way humanity learns from its mistakes and avoids things like nuclear war, genocide and others atrocities. This unit has shown me all these things and more, and aims to make my vision and Week 10 project a reality.