Below are examples of past projects from the past few years completed in Peterborough County through the Community-Based Education Program. To search the complete collection of past projects since 1995, use the Peterborough Public Library Online Catalogue. Better yet, drop by our office, browse the TCCBE Library and talk with our knowledgeable staff.

For past CBE projects completed in Haliburton County, use the Haliburton County Collection online catalogue or drop by the U-Links Centre for Community-Based Research office, browse the U-Links Library and talk with their knowledgeable staff.

2007 - 2008

Artist Profile and Grade 5 Art Program
Art Gallery of Peterborough
As a student, Thalia’s involvement with the CBE Program began in the fall as part of the ArtsWeek Event Support project for the first-year course Canadian Studies 100 (Producing Canada). Through contacts made during her short-term project, Thalia contacted the Art Gallery of Peterborough (AGP) to inquire about further volunteer opportunities. There she met Deidre Chisholm, who has a long history of involvement with the CBE Program. Together they developed an independent credit research project for the winter term titled ‘Artist Profile and Grade 5 Art Program.’  The project was to research art and contemporary issues related to the work of Kristi Malakoff who was exhibiting at the AGP in May/June 2008. The research would contribute to the gallery’s Grade 5 Program and support a balance between the needs of the gallery’s education program, the students’ curiosity and the teachers’ learning objectives.

Caroline Langill, the faculty supervisor trained Thalia in interviewing techniques, helped to structure the interview questions and supported the craft of writing. From the host perspective, the impact of the student continues to resonate:

·         The project brought together various stakeholders and supports within the gallery;

·         The way the project (organically) was structured presented a new way of working amongst these stakeholders and volunteers;

·         The student report and reflection has been used for promotional aspects of promoting the exhibit and the gallery;

·         Aspects of the final report will be used in an Ontario Arts Council application;

·         Working with another research volunteer, the student supported the creation of suitable activities for Grade 5 students to do while at the AGP for this exhibit/program;

·         The student developed tour guide information for this exhibit and trained the guides to bring children through the exhibit;

·         The student was hired as a summer tour guide at the gallery;

·         The student (and her mom) attended and volunteered in the opening of the exhibit;

·         The student-created interview template will be shared with other arts organizations and will be used again by the AGP;

·         The way the various parties worked together for this project is now a model the AGP will apply to future research projects.

White Oak Dispersal Study
The Land Between (Kawartha Heritage & Couchiching Conservancies)
This project was first proposed in the fall of 2006. Rory Eckenswiller, a student in Professor Colin Taylor’s Geography 440 (Research in Human Geography), completed the project in the spring of 2008 as his major class assignment. Rory was excited by the prospect of being involved on the cutting edge of research, as minimal data had been collected on the white oak in The Land Between region prior to this project.

The Land Between is an ecotone, between the Canadian Shield and the St. Lawrence Lowlands, therefore, northern species reach their southernmost limit and southern species reach their northernmost limits here. Leora knew that she had found the right student to take on her project at the first meeting where Rory described a journal article he had read. It was about the role squirrels play in white oak acorn distribution, presenting a perspective that Leora hadn’t heard before. The student queried Ontario Parks and Ministry of Natural Resource staff, related data sources and researched historical or local accounts to uncover forest stand composition that included white oak patches. Rory also conducted field assessments and driving tours to confirm findings and discover additional populations. Rory delineated the occurrence and mapped a pattern of white oak distribution.

From the host perspective, the student’s work was beyond her expectation:

• Highlighted areas of greater sensitivity for cultural protection and stewardship;
• Provided a benchmark and framework from which to understand changes over time;
• Contributed to the characterization of the lands within the “Land Between”; it supports the assessment of uniqueness;
• Set a framework for further research and analysis (both culturally and ecologically);
• Results and research will be communicated to groups across the Land Between, to agencies such as Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Ontario Stewardship, Municipalities and Watershed Councils and to educational institutes;
• The student honed skills related to field inventories and assessment techniques.

Rory has applied to continue research on a graduate (Masters) level and intends to focus his studies on The Land Between and specifically The White Oak.

2006 - 2007

Aquatic Invasive Species: A Summary of Ecology and Management Techniques for the Common Reed
Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
In this project, a student produced a thorough report on the invasive common reed that included physical characteristics, native vs. non-native variants, habitat, economic impacts and community-based stewardship activity. In addition to the report, the student led a discussion of his findings at a staff meeting. This project begins a series of projects on invasive species that the host intends to propose. Results will be shared with other local organizations and agencies in the area interested in environmental and conservation issues. The host supervisor mentored the student, involving him in other aspects of the organization. As well, the host supervisor is a TCCBE alumnus, demonstrating that as our program matures, we will continue to see alumni in the host role.

Development in Jamaica – Executive Summaries
Jamaican Self Help
As part of a field trip course on development in Jamaica, the student produced executive summaries of the articles assigned to the class that addressed current issues of development in Jamaica.  The host reported that the work was comprehensive, informative and well written.  The summaries are being used by local staff and board members to inform them of the current academic work about development in Jamaica, where they support development projects. These summaries may also be a part of local education programs fostering an understanding of North-South global forces and their interconnectedness. The student felt that providing these summaries to the host ensured her academic success and prepared her well for her field trip.  She also noted that the experience with the course and the Community-Based Education Program made an impact on her choice of graduate studies.

Pregnancy and Nutrition Handout
Kawartha Community Midwives
With numerous requests from midwife clients for straight-forward, easy-to-read and up-to-date nutritional information, a CBE project was born. Three nursing students researched and designed a handout that included information about nutrients and their function, best food sources, and lists of community and academic resources. During the course of the project, increased media coverage about fish consumption and pregnancy encouraged the students to develop a second handout. The 'Pregnancy, Nutrition and You' and the 'Fish Consumption and Food Safety' handouts are available for general distribution and are used by staff during client appointments.

2005 - 2006

Integrating Diversity into School Policy
Community Race Relations Committee and Peterborough Clarington Victoria Northumberland Catholic District School Board
A political studies student created the research paper ‘Anti Oppression Templates, Materials, and Rough Guide.’ The paper is a step-by-step overview of anti oppression workshops and establishes what theories, methodologies and structures constitute such workshops. The essay also explores efforts of several organizations and social movements whose work has inspired these models.

Arts Programming for Youth
Agnes Jamieson Gallery
Two sociology students designed a survey and conducted a focus group with local high school students determining their views on art programming. The study identified types of programs young people are interested in and the barriers to participation. The final report included a literature review, research methodology, survey and focus group results, and personal reflections on the process. 

Impact of Income on School Readiness
Peterborough Family Resource Centre
This geography student project ‘Analyzing Demographics in Comparison with Early Childhood Development’ explored the relationship between economic neighbourhoods and children’s early development, using the EDI (Early Development Instrument). No correlation was found between income levels and school readiness.