Well that's me! While I can't say me and blogging necessarily agree with each other, me and cooking go hand in hand! I must admit learning to cook mindfully has been a positive experience, and has increased my enjoyment of it. I've also been able to discover a deeper need for cooking beyond needing energy; the need to stand on my own two feet! Good Luck Everyone!
Here's my references:
Caulton, R. & Dickson, R. (2007). What’s going on? Finding an explanation for what we do. In J. Creek & A. Lawson-Porter (Eds.), Contemporary issues in occupational therapy (pp. 87-114). Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
- This reference was really useful in that it really made me think about the importance of ergonomics in certain Occupational Therapy fields. As a result it made me think about how it was important to understand the ergonomics of activities, and in relation to me, the ergonomics of cooking. I know from fieldwork experience that cooking is used often, and while I have been cooking over the last few months I have developed a better appreciation of ergonomics of cooking because of how I can apply this quote to cooking. In short this quote made me realise the importance of understanding the ergonomics of cooking.
Visser, M. (1991). The Rituals of Dinner. Penguin Books. New York.
- This quote was really useful in helping me identify that cooking and eating really do afford communication. It is often taken for granted that you often talk while you eat or cook, and this quote really brought this fact to light. I was able to then recognise the many, many times I have discussed recipes, got advice from others, bragged a little bit, or even just chatted while cooking or eating.
English Oxford Dictionary. (2011). Retrieved October 13th, 2011 from http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/aesthetics
- While this quote was not from a cooking-related story, or even an Occupational Therapy reference, I found it useful as it was a clear description of aesthetics, and I could immediately identify the aesthetics of my cooking. I think sometimes some references can be unclear, or you have to sift through a lot of detail to find meaning, whereas this quote could be directly applied to what I was wanting to do.
Ekstrom, M.P. & Jonsson, I.M. (2005). Family meals: Competence, cooking and company. Paper presented at the Symposium: Food in contemporary society: Food is not only nutrition. Department of Home Economics and Craft Sciences. Retrieved October 13th, 2001 from:
http://www.mv.helsinki.fi/home/palojoki/english/nordplus/FAMILY_MEALSpipping.pdf
- This quote was really useful for me, and may even have been the most useful quote in helping me discover my need for cooking. I had been struggling in the weeks before this post to find the need beyond needing energy. I was able to identify with the notion that somebody has to take responsibility for cooking meals, and I felt it paralleled with my current and potential future. I need to cook for myself to know I can look after myself, and to know I can look after others when the time comes.
Reed, K. L. & Sanderson, S. N. (1999). Concepts of occupational therapy. Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins: Baltimore.
- This quote was a really useful way to sum up ambience. Having learned in class that ambience can also be thought of as the essence of given occupations, this quote helped me to see the product of that essence; how cooking feels, and the mood created through the repetitive, temporary nature of food and cooking. Ambience is a hard thing to pin down and capture with words, but this quote was a really clear way to express ambience.
And Here's my comments:
Hopefully my comments have loaded onto the other blogs but if not, here they are!
Matt http://mattgeeetar.blogspot.com/2011/10/blog-six-final-chapter.html#comments
Hey Matt, what a cool blog! You seems really passionate, about playing guitar and I think its cool you're trying to make the next step to being in a band, takes a lot of guts!
Watched your videos too, was really good!
Have you considered jamming with people who play instruments that don't traditionally fit with guitar? Could make an interesting mix!
Stu http://stupearce.blogspot.com/2011/10/why-i-need-my-chickens.html#comments
Hey Stu, cool blog! Love the chicken shenanigans! Just wondering if the kids have a need for the chickens as well? i.e., If they enjoy hanging around outside with the chickens maybe there is a need there for you too; to keep the kids entertained, or maybe to draw happiness from the kids enjoyment?
Judith http://participationandoccupation2.blogspot.com/2011/10/penguins-end.html#comments
Hey Judith, good job on the blog! Your writing style is very clear and easy to follow. Just wondering which post was about ambience? Had a bit of trouble finding it! Good job otherwise!
Rachael Watson http://meaningfuloccupation.blogspot.com/2011/10/tulips-kitty-cats.html#comments
Really cool pictures Rachael! I don't know much about photography so was good to find out a bit about what makes a good picture. Are you able to employ all the same techniques with moving objects? Maybe you could include something about this for us uneducated folk?
Thursday 27 October 2011
Ambience
This week I will talk about the ambience of an activity. "Ambience applies to the atmosphere of the surroundings, their mood, or tone (Reed & Sanderson, 1999, p. 160)." This can be related to occupations of labour, as labour is the essence of, and creates the ambience of labour activities. The nature of labour is to repeat things, to make or do things purely to consume or use them. My cooking is a labour occupation, and the ambience of the activity is seen in the fact that I repeat it every day, the room and equipment is set up to reflect the repetitive nature of the activity; things are put back in the same place for easy access next time, plates are used knowing they will be used again and again, food is restocked in anticipation of the next cooking session.
The environment is often the same when I cook, I come back to the same place to cook, see the same people, make similar foods that meet my requirements (yummy, cheap, as healthy as possible given the previous two points!), all of which reflect the reflect nature of cooking. I suppose upon reflection I can see the ambience created by the nature of how I cook. I was cooking pasta the other day and, was able to reflect on how often I make that meal. I have recently learnt how to make my own pasta sauces, which is great! I'm adding mushroom and courgettes and peppers, and will repeat and expand on this in this future. I was able to think back on my days at university, and pasta has been the standard fallback option when things are tight. Through the repetition of labour I have maintained my connection with this and other common foods, and the ambience created by and within these meals (and cooking as a whole) makes cooking enjoyable to me.
References
Reed, K. L. & Sanderson, S. N. (1999). Concepts of occupational therapy. Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins: Baltimore.
The environment is often the same when I cook, I come back to the same place to cook, see the same people, make similar foods that meet my requirements (yummy, cheap, as healthy as possible given the previous two points!), all of which reflect the reflect nature of cooking. I suppose upon reflection I can see the ambience created by the nature of how I cook. I was cooking pasta the other day and, was able to reflect on how often I make that meal. I have recently learnt how to make my own pasta sauces, which is great! I'm adding mushroom and courgettes and peppers, and will repeat and expand on this in this future. I was able to think back on my days at university, and pasta has been the standard fallback option when things are tight. Through the repetition of labour I have maintained my connection with this and other common foods, and the ambience created by and within these meals (and cooking as a whole) makes cooking enjoyable to me.
References
Reed, K. L. & Sanderson, S. N. (1999). Concepts of occupational therapy. Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins: Baltimore.
Thursday 13 October 2011
Need for Cooking
This week we looked at the need for cooking. As with most people I have found it hard to see the 'need' for cooking beyond the need to eat and have energy to survive. I would see anything else as a 'want' or an unintended benefit of an occupation, rather than having a conscious need. However, I'll try my best and maybe I'll learn something!
I'm going to put in a story I wrote about my last cooking experience and then analyse it.
Apple and Rhubarb Crumble
I had a change of scene last time I cooked. It was last night and I made an apple and rhubarb crumble at my girlfriend's sister's house. We were making it for a pot luck we are going to tonight. This was great for me as her sister has a modern, spacious, well stocked kitchen. She has a passion for cooking and is fully equipped to make anything she wants. I started off by peeling the apples for Sarah to slice, I washed and cut the rhubarb, and put this and the apples in the tray and used my hands to mix in some brown sugar. Meanwhile, Sarah had been mixing in all the dry ingredients to make the crumble; almonds, brown sugar, flour, rolled oats etc. I melted some butter and once again had the job of mixing. I mixed it with the dry ingredients, it all smelled great. I flattened the fruit base and put the crumble on tap, packing it down. I put it in the oven to bake for 45 minutes. During that time we had a cup of tea and chatted with the others. once the 45 minutes was up and we could smell the through the house, we went to check it. It looked great! I can't wait to eat it tonight.
So I guess to me it is not immediately clear what the need is from reading the story. But if I look at why I was cooking I think it becomes clearer. In this instance I was cooking to make something adequate to take for a potluck. I see potlucks as a chance for people to show off their skills, and being a novice, I feel the need to produce something to at least demonstrate some level of competence. If I think about this further I do feel a certain level of need to be able to cook. It means you can look after yourself and others. It says something about you that you are self-reliant. Even though there is a lot I cannot do, at least I can cook a meal. As Ekstrom & Jonsson (2005) state "Someone has to take the responsibility of preparing family meals." I think it is clearer to me now that I need to feel and know that I can look after myself, and others when the time comes.
References
Ekstrom, M.P. & Jonsson, I.M. (2005). Family meals: Competence, cooking and company. Paper presented at the Symposium: Food in contemporary society: Food is not only nutrition. Department of Home Economics and Craft Sciences. Retrieved October 13th, 2001 from:
http://www.mv.helsinki.fi/home/palojoki/english/nordplus/FAMILY_MEALSpipping.pdf
I'm going to put in a story I wrote about my last cooking experience and then analyse it.
Apple and Rhubarb Crumble
I had a change of scene last time I cooked. It was last night and I made an apple and rhubarb crumble at my girlfriend's sister's house. We were making it for a pot luck we are going to tonight. This was great for me as her sister has a modern, spacious, well stocked kitchen. She has a passion for cooking and is fully equipped to make anything she wants. I started off by peeling the apples for Sarah to slice, I washed and cut the rhubarb, and put this and the apples in the tray and used my hands to mix in some brown sugar. Meanwhile, Sarah had been mixing in all the dry ingredients to make the crumble; almonds, brown sugar, flour, rolled oats etc. I melted some butter and once again had the job of mixing. I mixed it with the dry ingredients, it all smelled great. I flattened the fruit base and put the crumble on tap, packing it down. I put it in the oven to bake for 45 minutes. During that time we had a cup of tea and chatted with the others. once the 45 minutes was up and we could smell the through the house, we went to check it. It looked great! I can't wait to eat it tonight.
So I guess to me it is not immediately clear what the need is from reading the story. But if I look at why I was cooking I think it becomes clearer. In this instance I was cooking to make something adequate to take for a potluck. I see potlucks as a chance for people to show off their skills, and being a novice, I feel the need to produce something to at least demonstrate some level of competence. If I think about this further I do feel a certain level of need to be able to cook. It means you can look after yourself and others. It says something about you that you are self-reliant. Even though there is a lot I cannot do, at least I can cook a meal. As Ekstrom & Jonsson (2005) state "Someone has to take the responsibility of preparing family meals." I think it is clearer to me now that I need to feel and know that I can look after myself, and others when the time comes.
References
Ekstrom, M.P. & Jonsson, I.M. (2005). Family meals: Competence, cooking and company. Paper presented at the Symposium: Food in contemporary society: Food is not only nutrition. Department of Home Economics and Craft Sciences. Retrieved October 13th, 2001 from:
http://www.mv.helsinki.fi/home/palojoki/english/nordplus/FAMILY_MEALSpipping.pdf
Affordances II - Aesthetics
This week we looked at the aesthetics of occupations. Aesthetics is defined as "a set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty (English Oxford Dictionary, 2011)." Some activities naturally are more suited to having an aesthetic nature or quality, and my job this week is to explain the aesthetics of cooking, the way I see it. This will come under the headings of Aesthetics, Spirituality/Linking with history, and health.
Aesthetics
By aesthetics we mean what is it about the activity that is appealing to the senses. In relation to cooking I find the colours and blends on colours very appealing (or not appealing as the case may be). I know that when I make vege soup I love the colour I get at the end. In my soup, I put in stock, onion, barley, split green and yellow peas, red lentils, potato, kumara, pumpkin, carrot, parship,and peas. I love the orangey colour this concoction creates, and when I put in the peas at the end the contrast of orange and bright green is very pleasing to me. I also like trying to achieve the right consistency. I tend to like my soup a lot thicker than most (something I have learned from my Dad!), but if it is too thick or too watery I'm not happy with it. When I get it just right I'm very pleased. The soup reminds me of sitting round the table for Sunday lunch with my family. When I make salads I like the range of colours that go into it but I like them to match to a certain extent. I feel that certain veges don't match, I think of veges as fitting into summer and winter categories and I don't really like mixing. I remember mum making salads in the summer then she would serve up peas as well and it was so frustrating! Anyway.....
Spirituality/Linking with History
I guess I have talked a bit about this in the last section really. There is a strong connection to my family in what I choose to cook, and is fueled by memories, handing down of recipes (I think I now make the best version of Dad's vege soup, but I guess all my siblings think the same), and maybe a bit of homesickness. I feel in a small way I am honouring my parents by doing what they have done. I know from talking with my siblings that their memories of Sunday lunch are as strong and emotive for them as they are for me, and it makes me feel like we share something very special to our family. Anyone can make soup but only my family can make that soup with that particular idea of what soup is in mind. With the rest of my cooking, as I have alluded to in the previous post, I feel a connection to the earth when I cook in the most authentic way possible. This ties in with tradition, and even though I'm young makes me think of "the good old days." When so much of how the world is, is fake and instant and selfish, it's nice to know there is something you can do which honours more noble ways of living.
Health
There are numerous benefits to my overall health when I cook. The most obvious one is the nutritional value of the food that I cook. I'm pretty active so I try to eat as healthy as I can for my budget. I think it's good for my mental health too, for the reasons above really. The fact that it gives me a sense of where I'm from and a sense of connectedness to my family is important to my mental and emotional well being. Cooking can provide that social contact that we as humans all need. It's just a good thing for me to do to unwind, that is still productive, but I'm not going to be marked for it!!
References
English Oxford Dictionary. (2011). Retrieved October 13th, 2011 from http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/aesthetics
Aesthetics
By aesthetics we mean what is it about the activity that is appealing to the senses. In relation to cooking I find the colours and blends on colours very appealing (or not appealing as the case may be). I know that when I make vege soup I love the colour I get at the end. In my soup, I put in stock, onion, barley, split green and yellow peas, red lentils, potato, kumara, pumpkin, carrot, parship,and peas. I love the orangey colour this concoction creates, and when I put in the peas at the end the contrast of orange and bright green is very pleasing to me. I also like trying to achieve the right consistency. I tend to like my soup a lot thicker than most (something I have learned from my Dad!), but if it is too thick or too watery I'm not happy with it. When I get it just right I'm very pleased. The soup reminds me of sitting round the table for Sunday lunch with my family. When I make salads I like the range of colours that go into it but I like them to match to a certain extent. I feel that certain veges don't match, I think of veges as fitting into summer and winter categories and I don't really like mixing. I remember mum making salads in the summer then she would serve up peas as well and it was so frustrating! Anyway.....
Spirituality/Linking with History
I guess I have talked a bit about this in the last section really. There is a strong connection to my family in what I choose to cook, and is fueled by memories, handing down of recipes (I think I now make the best version of Dad's vege soup, but I guess all my siblings think the same), and maybe a bit of homesickness. I feel in a small way I am honouring my parents by doing what they have done. I know from talking with my siblings that their memories of Sunday lunch are as strong and emotive for them as they are for me, and it makes me feel like we share something very special to our family. Anyone can make soup but only my family can make that soup with that particular idea of what soup is in mind. With the rest of my cooking, as I have alluded to in the previous post, I feel a connection to the earth when I cook in the most authentic way possible. This ties in with tradition, and even though I'm young makes me think of "the good old days." When so much of how the world is, is fake and instant and selfish, it's nice to know there is something you can do which honours more noble ways of living.
Health
There are numerous benefits to my overall health when I cook. The most obvious one is the nutritional value of the food that I cook. I'm pretty active so I try to eat as healthy as I can for my budget. I think it's good for my mental health too, for the reasons above really. The fact that it gives me a sense of where I'm from and a sense of connectedness to my family is important to my mental and emotional well being. Cooking can provide that social contact that we as humans all need. It's just a good thing for me to do to unwind, that is still productive, but I'm not going to be marked for it!!
References
English Oxford Dictionary. (2011). Retrieved October 13th, 2011 from http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/aesthetics
Affordances
In the last tutorial, we took a look at affordances - how our chosen activity affords certain things, leads to other things happening (both positive and negative). We looked at this under the headings of: Communication, Connections (action properties, what's the story), and Good and Bad Aspects (moral properties).
By communication we mean how the given occupation allows us to comminucate with others. Visser (1991) believes that we use "..eating as a medium for social relationships." If I relate this to my cooking experience, I can see that the end product of the cooking allows me to communicate with others while eating, as well as while cooking. I can cook with people, argue or discuss the best way to cook things. I can advise or be advised about how to best make a soup, for example. I can laugh about the mistakes I have made. The other day while making soup I forgot to adjust the recipe to suit a smaller pot, used heaps of barley and basically ended up making a stew! I had a bit of a laugh about this with my girlfriend. While I am cooking I can talk to others, and cooking or being in the kitchen affords the opportunity to have a conversation with people.
By connections, we mean what our occupations lend themselves to, what they may encourage, or lead to us doing. When I cook It can lead to many things. The obvious one is eating, which then itself leads to talking and washing up. One instance I can remember during the week was when my sister came around to try my soup for lunch. She came round and I ended up making plenty so my flatmates had some too, we all sat around and ate and talked and watched TV, and afterwards washed dishes and put everything away. The simple act of cooking in this instance has lead to a number of different things occurring. Within the communication that occurs it can lead to other more abstract notions, for example it can lead to me being a teacher, or a learner for that matter.
By the good and bad aspects, we are talking about what may come of the activity, how someone views things that occurs from the activity to be positive or negative. Cooking for me is a very authentic activity. I find it hard to explain this but I guess I mean that it is something people have always done, and always will do. It contains tradition and custom and I think It is important to maintain this. It differs from something like playing Xbox in that Xbox is made only for the moments when you are playing, you don't have a connection to the way things used to be done, or have to make something from scratch. I guess when I look at cooking I have the notion that the best way to cook is from scratch. No packets, no pre-made sauces, nothing. I feel a sense of connection with a meal when I make it from the beginning, without "just add' products. It doesn't feel quite right to me when I have to do this. Unfortunately due to the cost of food these days it is cheaper to buy these things. Maybe when I have more money I'll be able to cook how I really want to cook.
References
Visser, M. (1991). The Rituals of Dinner. Penguin Books. New York.
By communication we mean how the given occupation allows us to comminucate with others. Visser (1991) believes that we use "..eating as a medium for social relationships." If I relate this to my cooking experience, I can see that the end product of the cooking allows me to communicate with others while eating, as well as while cooking. I can cook with people, argue or discuss the best way to cook things. I can advise or be advised about how to best make a soup, for example. I can laugh about the mistakes I have made. The other day while making soup I forgot to adjust the recipe to suit a smaller pot, used heaps of barley and basically ended up making a stew! I had a bit of a laugh about this with my girlfriend. While I am cooking I can talk to others, and cooking or being in the kitchen affords the opportunity to have a conversation with people.
By connections, we mean what our occupations lend themselves to, what they may encourage, or lead to us doing. When I cook It can lead to many things. The obvious one is eating, which then itself leads to talking and washing up. One instance I can remember during the week was when my sister came around to try my soup for lunch. She came round and I ended up making plenty so my flatmates had some too, we all sat around and ate and talked and watched TV, and afterwards washed dishes and put everything away. The simple act of cooking in this instance has lead to a number of different things occurring. Within the communication that occurs it can lead to other more abstract notions, for example it can lead to me being a teacher, or a learner for that matter.
By the good and bad aspects, we are talking about what may come of the activity, how someone views things that occurs from the activity to be positive or negative. Cooking for me is a very authentic activity. I find it hard to explain this but I guess I mean that it is something people have always done, and always will do. It contains tradition and custom and I think It is important to maintain this. It differs from something like playing Xbox in that Xbox is made only for the moments when you are playing, you don't have a connection to the way things used to be done, or have to make something from scratch. I guess when I look at cooking I have the notion that the best way to cook is from scratch. No packets, no pre-made sauces, nothing. I feel a sense of connection with a meal when I make it from the beginning, without "just add' products. It doesn't feel quite right to me when I have to do this. Unfortunately due to the cost of food these days it is cheaper to buy these things. Maybe when I have more money I'll be able to cook how I really want to cook.
References
Visser, M. (1991). The Rituals of Dinner. Penguin Books. New York.
Wednesday 12 October 2011
Ergonomics
Ergonomics looks at how well particular activities fit with a person, given their environment, personal factors that contribute to the performance of the activity, and aspects of the activity itself. Caulton & Dickson (2007) believe an understanding of ergonomics enables the the occupational therapist to "constantly make slight invisible adjustments to an activity to adapt to the needs of those taking part and ensure that it continues to work for its intended purpose." Understanding ergonomics will allow us as OT's to work with clients to adapt and tinker with occupations so that the end result is the best possible for the client, whatever their chosen occupations may be.
In relation to my cooking there are a range of things to take into account when I look at how well I perform and how much I enjoy cooking (remembering of course that the physical end product is not necessarily all that is important in this activity). I'll break cooking down into the three areas of: person, occupation and environment.
Person
I like to cook, and get satisfaction when I can see improvements in my abilities. I need to know how to cook for myself as well as others. I value my health so it is important that in the main my diet is healthy. I have had a basic knowledge of cooking since I was a teenager, and I an keen to keep on improving and being more creative. I am on a limited budget so cheap meals are the norm. I like the knowledge that I am able to look after myself with regards to cooking meals. I get enjoyment from others when I can see they enjoy my food. I have been making soup pretty regularly and when my friends and family try it they seem to like it, this makes me feel good.
Occupation
Cooking requires timing and knowledge of how long different ingredients take to cook. It allows for refinement of skills so that personal or other people's preferences are met. When I cook steak for example I like it medium rare and I constantly am trying to find the right balance to achieve this, while others like their steak differently, so I am trying to meet this as well. this leads to an appreciation of different ways of experiencing food. depending on what is being made, more concentration and effort may be required. There is room in cooking for experimentation, to add herbs and spices, while at other times I find it best to follow the recipe.
Environment
My usual kitchen is quite small, so I have to be tidy while I cook. It is a shared kitchen so there are often other dishes etc around, so physical space is an issue. Lack of ingredients or equipment is very common in my kitchen. the kitchen and lounge are open plan, which allows for communication and to be a part of other activities as well. As me and my flatmates tend to cook at roughly that same time there is a societal press in that we cannot all do it at once. Sometimes I cook in other kitchens, and this changes how I cook too as there may be better equipment or more space etc.
So that's a look at the ergonomics or cooking for me. I really enjoy cooking and in the main it works well, and the kitchen environment allows me to cook as well as be a part of other things. At times there is environmental press, but this can be worked around, and I am still able to do something I enjoy regularly.
References
Caulton, R. & Dickson, R. (2007). What’s going on? Finding an explanation for what we do. In J. Creek & A. Lawson-Porter (Eds.), Contemporary issues in occupational therapy (pp. 87-114). Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
In relation to my cooking there are a range of things to take into account when I look at how well I perform and how much I enjoy cooking (remembering of course that the physical end product is not necessarily all that is important in this activity). I'll break cooking down into the three areas of: person, occupation and environment.
Person
I like to cook, and get satisfaction when I can see improvements in my abilities. I need to know how to cook for myself as well as others. I value my health so it is important that in the main my diet is healthy. I have had a basic knowledge of cooking since I was a teenager, and I an keen to keep on improving and being more creative. I am on a limited budget so cheap meals are the norm. I like the knowledge that I am able to look after myself with regards to cooking meals. I get enjoyment from others when I can see they enjoy my food. I have been making soup pretty regularly and when my friends and family try it they seem to like it, this makes me feel good.
Occupation
Cooking requires timing and knowledge of how long different ingredients take to cook. It allows for refinement of skills so that personal or other people's preferences are met. When I cook steak for example I like it medium rare and I constantly am trying to find the right balance to achieve this, while others like their steak differently, so I am trying to meet this as well. this leads to an appreciation of different ways of experiencing food. depending on what is being made, more concentration and effort may be required. There is room in cooking for experimentation, to add herbs and spices, while at other times I find it best to follow the recipe.
Environment
My usual kitchen is quite small, so I have to be tidy while I cook. It is a shared kitchen so there are often other dishes etc around, so physical space is an issue. Lack of ingredients or equipment is very common in my kitchen. the kitchen and lounge are open plan, which allows for communication and to be a part of other activities as well. As me and my flatmates tend to cook at roughly that same time there is a societal press in that we cannot all do it at once. Sometimes I cook in other kitchens, and this changes how I cook too as there may be better equipment or more space etc.
So that's a look at the ergonomics or cooking for me. I really enjoy cooking and in the main it works well, and the kitchen environment allows me to cook as well as be a part of other things. At times there is environmental press, but this can be worked around, and I am still able to do something I enjoy regularly.
References
Caulton, R. & Dickson, R. (2007). What’s going on? Finding an explanation for what we do. In J. Creek & A. Lawson-Porter (Eds.), Contemporary issues in occupational therapy (pp. 87-114). Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Tutorial One - Cooking
Hi everyone, I'm having another go at blogging for Participation in Occupation Two. We have been instructed to choose an occupation we engage in for more than twohours per week. Had this been done in the first semester I could have done soccer which I could write all day about! Unfortunately the season is finished and I wouldn't say I do it for two hours per week at the moment. So I've decided to do cooking, and since I love to eat it should be fun! Hopefully I can try out some new recipes and ideas.
Cooking: Cooking is an activity that everybody either engages in or benefits from. it provides food and energy for us to survive and as such is an essential skill in everyday life. sometimes people cook minimally, purely for the purpose of feeding themselves or others, for others it is a chance to express themselves and be creative in the way they make food.
Practical Considerations: Money is a big thing to consider when cooking, especially in my situation I am limited in how much I can spend, so I suppose I can't be as creative as I would like. As a result I try to make cheap tasty meals. The kitchen is a huge consideration - the quality of the oven, microwave etc, what cooking utensils are available and the quality of these. For example, blunt knives can make cutting meat and veges quite frustrating and take up lots of time. Kitchens can usually be quite crowded with other people trying to use it, which presents its own problems.
What is cooking like to me: I learned to cook at home at a very basic level, mostly meat and 3 veg types of meals. Having lived in a few different flats now, I would say my cooking and creativity has improved and my appreciation of different foods has increased. I would still consider myself a novice but I would love to get better. I suppose a lot of the 'cooking' or preparing meals I do is pretty basic especially if I am just cooking for myself, making things like omelettes or spag bol. I'm quite keen on making soup at the moment and I imagine a lot of the focus in this blog will be about this. Occasionally I like to cook for others, on special occasions or to demonstrate a new meal I can cook. when I cook for others, I enjoy the appreciation I get from others.
What does cooking mean in Occupational Therapy: Cooking is considered as an instrumental activity of daily living (IADL). It is something that is essential for our survival, so it is important that individuals possess at least the basic cooking skills, so that they can look after themselves. How people cook can have an impact on people's nutrition, can provide a role within a household or other dwelling, and can mean people are engaged in meaningful occupation, either as an IADL, or as a more creative or leisure activity.
Cooking: Cooking is an activity that everybody either engages in or benefits from. it provides food and energy for us to survive and as such is an essential skill in everyday life. sometimes people cook minimally, purely for the purpose of feeding themselves or others, for others it is a chance to express themselves and be creative in the way they make food.
Practical Considerations: Money is a big thing to consider when cooking, especially in my situation I am limited in how much I can spend, so I suppose I can't be as creative as I would like. As a result I try to make cheap tasty meals. The kitchen is a huge consideration - the quality of the oven, microwave etc, what cooking utensils are available and the quality of these. For example, blunt knives can make cutting meat and veges quite frustrating and take up lots of time. Kitchens can usually be quite crowded with other people trying to use it, which presents its own problems.
What is cooking like to me: I learned to cook at home at a very basic level, mostly meat and 3 veg types of meals. Having lived in a few different flats now, I would say my cooking and creativity has improved and my appreciation of different foods has increased. I would still consider myself a novice but I would love to get better. I suppose a lot of the 'cooking' or preparing meals I do is pretty basic especially if I am just cooking for myself, making things like omelettes or spag bol. I'm quite keen on making soup at the moment and I imagine a lot of the focus in this blog will be about this. Occasionally I like to cook for others, on special occasions or to demonstrate a new meal I can cook. when I cook for others, I enjoy the appreciation I get from others.
What does cooking mean in Occupational Therapy: Cooking is considered as an instrumental activity of daily living (IADL). It is something that is essential for our survival, so it is important that individuals possess at least the basic cooking skills, so that they can look after themselves. How people cook can have an impact on people's nutrition, can provide a role within a household or other dwelling, and can mean people are engaged in meaningful occupation, either as an IADL, or as a more creative or leisure activity.
Participation in Occupation Two
Hi guys, my blog will now be known as Participation in Occupation Two, another post will follow to explain the purpose and will also have the first tutorials work.
Thursday 12 May 2011
Tutorial Eight: Assistive technology
This week we looked at assistive technologies and how they can be used in occupational therapy. We had a guest speaker who showed us a whole range of assistive equipment he uses in practice. I chose the iPad to focus on for this tutorial.
Assistive Technology refers to “devices, services, strategies and practices that are conceived and applied to ameliorate the problems faced by individuals who have disabilities (Cook & Hussey, 1995). I interpret this to mean that assistive technologies are things that in some way make life easier, more manageable, enjoyable or provide some therapeutic benefit to a person with a disability. Often it will be the case that it will be some type of equipment. |
Describe one piece of equipment introduced in the assistive technology tutorial.
iPads can currently be purchased for $799 in New Zealand. They come with a range of features including access to the internet and email, Youtube and many more. There are a range of apps including Garageband which allows you to play musical instruments by touching the iPad screen. There are a range of other apps which may be useful in a therapeutic setting. The specifications of the iPad are as follows: 185.7mm X 241.2mm 8.8mm depth 0.601kg weight (Apple, 2011) When Dave Speden came to talk to us about assistive technology he brought along an iPad and said how the musical apps were being used to get his clients (with severe physical disabilities) engaged, it was relatively easy to use and had definite benefits for the clients. The website Blogger.com was also accessed and clients were able to make blogs to talk about their progress and their families were able to keep updated by viewing the blog. The following shows the use of a iPad by a child with Muscular Dystrophy: References Cook, A. M., & Hussey, S. M. (1995). Assistive technologies: principles and practice. Missouri: Mosby - Year Book, Inc. Technical Specifications. (2011). Retrieved May 12th, 2011, from Apple: http://www.apple.com/nz/ipad/specs/ |
Tutorial Five: Video Production Sessions
Below are the tasks and questions we wish to address in this tutorial. Students are reminded that they will be posting this information to their individual blogs so will need to provide a context for potential readers
Provide a brief summary of the services offered by YouTube.
Youtube is a video sharing website that allows users to upload their own videos and video other people’s videos (About.com, 2011). People upload all sorts of videos, from things they may have made themselves, to clips of movies and television programs, to sports games, to their video blogs, and many more. There are copyright issues that come up when people try to upload full television programs, etc because they are not owned by the user, but somebody needs to actually report this violation (About.com, 2011). As stated, users can upload and view videos, can comment on other videos, subscribe to other users, rate videos, and videos can be embedded on other websites. |
Introduce a chosen topic of interest drawn from your fieldwork experience, an OT practice area or a personal occupation.
I will be basing my videos around soccer, how to play, correct techniques, and some favourite videos of mine which show how football is played at the top level. This video shows how to strike a ball properly when shooting at goal. This video shows a few basic dribbles in football and some tricks and turns. This video shows how to defend, an important part of football. This video shows Paul Scholes, a player for Manchester United, passing the ball. He is one of the best passers in world football and here is a selection of his best passes. This video shows Ryan Giggs, another player for Manchester United, scoring his 10 best goals. These videos combined give a picture of the fundamentals of football, how to play and how they are performed at the top level. References Youtube explained - overview of the google video sharing tool. (2011). Retrieved May 12th, 2011, from About: http://google.about.com/od/moreaboutgoogleaps/p/youtubeprofile.htm |
Wednesday 11 May 2011
Tutorial Six: The internet and online communities
This tutorial looked at online communities, how they work, ethical considerations and a bit of a comparison between online communities and traditional communities. I decided to focus on online footballing communities.
Introduce a chosen topic of interest drawn from your fieldwork experience, an OT practice area or a personal occupation. Search online for at least 3 communities that relate to this topic and address the following questions and tasks. Chosen topics should be discussed first with the lecturer.
Provide the web addresses and a hyper link for the three online communities you have chosen |
Provide a brief description of each community
Yellow Fever is the fan site of the Wellington Phoenix. Naturally most of the talk revolves around football, the phoenix in particular, but there are plenty of other areas related to football people can talk about – regional football, chants for games, planning, all sorts really. Manutd.com has a fan zone which is very similar to the phoenix in that it is based around football particularly things related to Manchester united. It is a considerably larger forum than Yellow Fever due to Manchester United’s global reach. Football forums is a place where you can go to talk about football as well, it is also quite a large community so the focus tends to be on larger international teams and leagues rather that local stuff. |
What services are provided on each site?
Yellow Fever – the site is very interactive, people can go into any forum and comment and is set up in a clear way grouping similar forums so you can find what you want easily. People contribute by typing their opinions, posting pictures, links to other sites, etc. Manutd.com – also a very interactive website, pictures are very common, and often banter and taking the mickey out of other teams happens a lot. People contribute altered pictures to convey what they think or to humorously put down other teams. Football forums is again very interactive and similar to the other two forums, people contribute pictures and their opinions, and the site is set up well to allow easy navigation. |
Consider material presented in the online package.
Yellow Fever – people contribute to this website for a number of reasons, to show support for the phoenix, to voice their opinions on things football related, and to know what others think. I think sometimes they are seeking approval or sometimes they are seeking to be the person who is a bit controversial. This could be supporting opposing teams or just seeing something differently from the majority. There is always the opportunity for conversation to be reciprocal but just depends on whether other people are interested in an opinion conveyed. Manutd.com – people have very strong views on this website and topics range from match discussions, to potential player purchases, to banner ideas, and much more. In some cases there is a common goal (banner ideas) and people seek approval from this. I think people also want to convey their footballing knowledge. Again an interesting opinion will be responded to but it is not always the case. Football forums are similar to Manutd.com in terms of size and intensity of opinions, but since people are coming from different footballing backgrounds (supporting different teams) there is more disagreement. People want others to know that they are right and vice versa. Again people want to convey their opinions and show their knowledge. Conversations again are reciprocal but not always. |
Cut and paste an example of the type of topics being discussed (you may have to provide a context to your excerpt). The champions league final is coming up and someone has proposed the ideal starting 11 players if they could be joined. It is typical to have this hypothetical discussion, and people are often willing to contribute and defend their opinion. I was talking with my mates about this at the weekend, and it gives me a real cause for optimism looking towards the big game at Wembely. Basically we all pretty much agreed on this team. GK. Van Der Saar RB. Alves CB. Ferdinand CB. Vidic LB. Evra CM. Xavi CM. Iniesta RWF. Messi LWF. Pedro SS. Rooney CF. Hernandez I know this is not necesarily the most balanced XI, but it was picked on a mixture of the season's form.. and their current abilities. We have 6 from United, and 5 from Barca.. I personally would have picked Park to play LW but my mates who are mostly neutrals convinced me Pedro is much more of a goal threat and has had his best season ever at Barca. My main reason for Optimism is that when weighing up the squads there is no doubting the quality Barca have.. Xavi and Iniesta are among the best in the business and Messi is quite possibly THE best in the business at the moment.. but would you swap Rio and Vida for any CB pairing in the world? would you swap Rooney and Hernandez for any strike pairing? In the 3 of the 4 key area's of the pitch (Goalkeeper, Defence, Attack) I belive we are stronger than Barca.. though anybody has to admit in midfield we are probaly quite a bit behind them (Talking Reds, 2011) Note: the above section was typed rather than a screenshot as it was not loading properly onto this post. Lots of people have responded to this and proposed their own teams, and this is the norm for this forum. |
Considering material presented during the course and comment on the potential ethical issues that may arise in this community e.g. lack of identity and accountability. There definitely is a lack of accountability in these forums and other similar things like facebook and twitter. People can do and say things without the consequences of real life and can hide behind a computer screen. While not everybody has bad intentions when using these types of websites, it is naive to think that every will adhere to the rules set in place. The threat of having your account shut down is not really a threat to someone who doesn’t care about it. It certainly doesn’t carry the same weight as in an actual community where you are held accountable for your actions. I think online communities have their benefits but are dangerous when relied upon too heavily, as with most technologies. They should never be confused with the real world. |
Consider material presented in the online package and comment on the benefits these communities provides over traditional geographical community. One benefit is that people who actually live in the same city but who don’t know each other can connect and exchange a range of information. Things like asking about a nice restaurant to go to, or the nearest supermarket can be easily found out through an online community. |
Consider material presented during the lecture and make comment what this community lacks or can not provide which traditional communities can. I believe online communities can’t provide anything close to what traditional communities can. Sure they can be helpful and you can have relationships with people online, and I wouldn’t say these are invalid, they can definitely be a comfort to people, but again the danger is becoming too reliant on it. In real life communities, people can actively help if you need it, and you can fully get to know people, not the best version they choose to show online. Traditional communities have the benefit of geographical closeness, so things can be organised in a range of settings, whereas online things can only happen online. References Talking Reds. (2011, May 10th). Retrieved May 11th, 2011, from Manutd.com: http://origin-community.manutd.com/forums/p/166373/1519974.aspx#1519974 |
Tutorial Two: Digital Imaging
This tutorial looked at digital imaging, its use for transferring information and how it may be done, and ethical issues surrounding digital imaging. We also had to take some photos to make a Flickr Badge.
Below are the questions we wish to address in this tutorial. Students are reminded that they will be posting this information to their individual blogs so will need to provide a context for potential readers
List some of the ways that digital images are stored transferred and manipulated using information technology.
Hardware I am familiar with: Cell phones iPods, iPads, iPhones Laptops Digital cameras Computers Software I am familiar with: Photoshop Windows media player VLC Microsoft office 1) Digital imaging can be used to provide news and information through television and through the internet. News of the day is posted often in video or picture format on most news websites, so people can go to these websites to found out what has been happening. Here is an example: http://www.3news.co.nz/Key-will-campaign-on-KiwiSaver-changes/tabid/370/articleID/210676/Default.aspx This use of digital imaging allows fast updates and current news to be viewed around the world. 2) Youtube is a website that allows users to upload videos containing all sorts of information, things they are interested in, their views and opinions, virtually anything can be uploaded. People often use Youtube to video blog for various reasons, here is an example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jExjAcyhgco . In this case, the guy in the video is talking about a video he is hoping to make and about Blizzcon. He has almost 500,000 subscribers to his videos, so using digital imaging he is able to let his subscribers know what is going on. 3) Bands often use Myspace as a way to promote their music, both large worldwide bands and bands starting out. People may upload a new video to Myspace in the hope of raising their profile. Here is an example: http://www.myspace.com/radiohead . in this case Radiohead has used digital imaging to show a concert version of a song people may not have seen. This feature can be updated to put on new videos as required. |
“A new technology is rarely superior to an old one in every feature” · Briefly discuss this statement in relation to digital camera technology. What would you consider to be some of the pluses and minuses digital camera technology holds in relation to more traditional film based cameras? I would definitely say that digital cameras are superior to film based cameras for a number of reasons. With the film based cameras you had to be very careful about not exposing the film to the sun otherwise the picture would be damaged. There isn’t this concern with digital cameras. Digital cameras allow you to take as many photos as you like and the best ones can be chosen whereas with film based cameras you don’t have that convenience. There are different settings on digital cameras which allow you to deal with different weather and lighting conditions whereas some film based cameras require very good lighting for a good picture. In these regards digital cameras are superior. But they are inferior in some ways. As the images are stored on memory cards if anything happens to the card or the camera (of the computer they get stored to) the computers may be lost forever. Film based cameras produce an actual photograph. This can be done with digital cameras too but it is pretty expensive. I think digital cameras take away the skill required to take a good picture, and I don’t think they capture a moment as well. You often see people take a dozen photos of a group of friends because someone doesn’t like their hair or how they look. With the film based cameras you don’t have the ‘luxury’ of looking back on the photos until they get developed but this means you just take a picture and it is genuine and real and in the moment. I don’t believe digital cameras can always capture a moment like a film based camera may. There is anticipation and reward in waiting for a film to be developed, with digital cameras it is just too easy. |
Given the prevalence of image capturing and distribution using IT, what ethical issues may arise with their use? · Provide at least 2 examples here 1) People may be captured in photos either intentionally or unintentionally and may not want to be in the photo. There is an ethical issue there because everyone should have the right to say whether or not their picture is taken. 2) They don’t know what their picture will be used for so they have the right to say whether or not they have their picture taken, but permission is rarely asked. |
Briefly discuss some of the ways that digital images could, or are, being used in occupational therapy practice · Include reference and links to any web sites, or blogs you might come across Digital images could be used to compare cases between occupational therapists, to get other opinions from others about a client’s progress etc. For example an OT based in physical rehab could take a video one week of a patient and take one a few weeks later to show progress to other OT’s. This could also be used as a motivational tool for the patient as actually seeing improvement can be a motivational tool. References HuskyStarcraft. (2010, October 17th). Pre blizzcon 2010 blog. Retrieved May 11th, 2011, from Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jExjAcyhgco Key will campaign on KiwiSaver changes - Video. (2011, May 11th). Retrieved May 11th, 2011, from 3 News: http://www.3news.co.nz/Key-will-campaign-on-KiwiSaver-changes/tabid/370/articleID/210676/Default.aspx Radiohead. (2011, April 12th). Retrieved May 11th, 2011, from Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/radiohead |
Tasks associated with this tutorial
- Students are expected to demonstrate their competence in using a digital camera, and tripod, capturing 5 images which they will display on their blog
- Students are expected to open a Flickr account and up load the photos they have captured
- Students are expected to link their Flickr photos to their blog by creating a photo badge (depending on time constrains this task may be completed in a latter tutorial)
- Students should keep a copy of all login and password codes. The lecturer will provide sheets where these can be recorded and will hold a copy.
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