Evaluation survey for a course

A qualitative survey mostly is the basis to formulate a quantitative survey. Interviews provide you with the right topics and language for the questions you want to ask. As I had no time and the group is not too large, I opted for a web-survey that combined multiple choice and open questions. Each multiple choice question leads to an open question. After testing the apporach with one colleague and one participant, I got feedback on questions that were not clear, missing questions (e.g on organization, changes in the schedule and the role and structure of the workbook) and suggestions for further learning. It also refreshed my memory to check with the expectations participants had expressed at the beginning of the course.

Practicing hearing

"Do you hear the silver coins rolling through the temple, as Judas throws the money at the High Priests?" My father asked me when he was practicing the violin solo in his study and I was playing at his feet. With Easter this childhood memory came back when I listened to Ton Koopman's interpretation of the St Mathew's Passion. The tempo is much faster than in most interpretations of the second half of last century. Today I hear the coins bouncing even more! I wonder how many people still practice being mindful of what they hear. I also hear the difference of the bows used....

Communicating adaptation approaches

Effective communication is essential in overcoming barriers, particularly those encountered during processes of adaptation and change. When faced with the many uncertainties posed by climate change impacts, the capacity to access, use and disseminate relevant information becomes crucial for vulnerable communities in order to better cope with and adjust to new climatic conditions -and to their social, economic and political repercussions, writes Angelica Valeria Ospina on her blog. She refers to a paper by Moser and Ekstrom (2010). This paper contains a matrix that helped me understand the ratio for the different adaptation approaches, e.g. a capacity based approach suits better when the challenges and opportunities are here and now and we cannot wait for more substantial systemic changes. I adapted the matrix to include the various approaches.

ABS elevator pitch

How to explain ABS in plain language? Almost no one really knows about ABS. I tried to picture the pitch of an effective ABS champion: what would (s)he say? “I am …… of the Ministry of Environment. I have been tasked to deal with Access and Benefit Sharing of Genetic Resources (ABS) in our country. This involves for example managing the demand and supply of plant-based ingredients for the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Our country is an important source of genetic resources for these industries. To share the benefits and regulate access our country needs to formulate a legal regime, based on biodiversity conservation, the ethics of commerce and science and the interests of local communities. Would you be interested to …… Who can I phone to make an appointment? For an appointment the champion could bring the Nagoya protocol and the ABS information kit.

Bangladesh - Interactive Flood Risk Map - Pictures, More From National Geographic Magazine

Bangladesh - Interactive Flood Risk Map - Pictures, More From National Geographic Magazine. Maps can convey strong messages. So do testimonials in photos and videos. Look at villagers in Bangladesh bring their 'movable' mosque to a higher location. Day to day life examples of adaptation to climate change from article in National Geographic with good photo and video testimonials.

Communicating a workshop

Before the workshop participants were invited by email. The email contained an electronic version of the workbook to enable them to come to the workshop with their first homework assignment already done. The workshop was advertized in the local media on the first day to satisfy the institutional stakeholders. On the last day participants received a diploma and they uploaded their work, photos and ideas onto a facebook page, where they aim to continue their exchange and work on a joint initiative: social learning finds us through social media!