Discussion Journal 7

This week we learned that evaluating programs is important. We evaluate programs so that we can have the best program possible; keep what works and fix what doesn't. With all that we have to make sure we use different perspectives, get facts and feelings, and ask the experts. We also learned how to incorporate evaluation into our logic models. Asking the question of who needs to know and how we will evaluate each section of the logic model helps us understand our program better.

This week nothing touched emotionally on my life in relation to evaluation, but it did make me think of things in relation to my workplace and my team. I am captain of my team and thinking about how we do things sometimes is interesting. We never really stop to evaluate how our means of communication is going or if people are really relaying the information. We text all the women as well as write the stuff on a board in the locker room. One day I tried doing a Facebook message and I asked them what they preferred they said that the text message was easier as they get it instantly. A few said they can't receive group messages. Evaluating how we communicate to our team is extremely important because everyone needs the message, so my co-captain and I have been experimenting with different ideas this week to maximize our communication, ultimately maximizing the success of our program. 

My action plan is to really incorporate evaluation into the SEPPP we are working on for our group. We have already started to run into some things that could jeopardize how our program turns out. If we constantly evaluate how our plan is going and how we see our program going I believe it is going to be successful. The biggest thing with evaluation is communication. Our group needs to communication regularly to evaluate our plan.

Discussion Journal 6

This past week has been one of the most eye-opening weeks during the semester. We learned a lot about those with disabilities and our Tuesday experience really showed us how difficult it can be for them. We were assigned a building and had a checklist to determine if the building was assessable for someone with a disability. It was really upsetting when we learned that the building where we have our Thursday class is perhaps assessable but it is not useable. The women's washroom door handle was hard for me to open, as it was really high up, and I wasn't in a wheelchair, so I could only imagine how difficult it would be for someone who was. I was also extremely hurt by the lady who was rude in one of the offices in the building. She was almost annoyed that Hugo and I asked if there was another washroom for someone who was in a wheelchair.

The whole experience really changed the way I felt about the little things. Right now I am in a brace for my wrist because I hit the diving board. I took for granted being able to do my hair or get dressed by myself. I never took it into perspective that people struggle with that every day of their life. I have been complaining about the past two weeks and there are people who have been dealing with it their whole lives. It's the simple things we overlook when it comes to those with disabilities. Like in the JWB building the fact there is a water fountain that is the height for someone in a wheelchair, but it doesn't work.

I had the chance to volunteer at the Special Olympics Utah during fall break and it was such an amazing experience. I was able to think about everything we learned during the past week and really incorporate it into volunteering. I had the job of ushering in the athletes and then to talk with them and hand out glow sticks during their dance. The environment was amazing! They had a place where they were able to participate in active living in a safe and fun environment. Everything was catered to them and everything was lined up so they could be successful and have a great time. I met so many amazing people and they told me about the two-pointers they got in their basketball game, or that their team has been undefeated, or that they won their butterfly swimming event. It was so great seeing their positive energy and love for the sport. Every one of them did it based on intrinsic motivation. They did their sport because they loved it, for them the medals and titles were just a bonus. I have had the chance to look at people with disabilities in a different light and I really take that second look to make sure things can accommodate them as well.

For my participation/attendance grade I feel it's a little difficult to judge. I missed a few classes, but I was really sick and I hit the diving board, so I wasn't able to make it to class, so my attendance was hindered. However every time I attended class I fully participated and was engaged in the conversations and discussions. I feel if the grade was based solely on participation I feel I would be close to a 50/50, but since the attendance is a factor, I would have to lower my score. Not attending wasn't my choice but it is still my responsibility and I did miss some material. It's hard giving yourself a grade but I would say around 40/50.

Discussion Journal #5

The week of September 30-October 3 we covered leisure behavior and diverse populations. I was really drawn to intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, as well as core and thread identities. Intrinsic motivation is when you decide to do something for you without benefits, such as participating in a sport just because you want to. Extrinsic motivation is where there is a benefit motivating you to do the said activity. Extrinsic motivation could be "if you participate in your sport and win you will get $500." The money makes participating extrinsic motivation, because you may not enjoy your sport but there is that driving factor. A core identity is something that defines you, it is who you are everyday and it doesn't change. A thread identity is situational, your identity can change based on what you eat, who you are with, where you are etc.

For our Tuesday experience we had the chance to go to three different places; our group chose to go to 24 Hour Fitness, Starbucks and Color Me Mine. We had to engage in people watching essentially and had to focus on intrinsic and extrinsic motivation of to why they were doing what they were doing. It was something I never really thought of, why I do the things I do. Why do I exercise? I don't do it because I enjoy it, I do it because I want to be in shape and look good, thus being extrinsic motivation. Watching people at the gym and watching people in Starbucks I really started wondering what their motivation was and what their core intently was as well.

I personally know I have a lot of thread identities. When I am in church I act differently than when I am out on a Saturday night with my friends. I change my identity to fit the situation, and I know I carry a lot of thread identities. This week made me question what my core identity is and if I ever really compromise it in situations I approach. In simple terms I can say my core identity is I am Kersten Merry.


Something I want to focus on doing is not calling a person out based on their thread identities. We all get into situations where we change a bit of who we are and it is always for certain reasons. I tend to have the habit of mentioning it to someone and can upset them. I now know that it is common and we change our identity based on a situation. I also want to really think about why I do the things I do. I want to focus more on doing things based on intrinsic motivation rather than extrinsic motivation.