<![CDATA[Jovanca Smith - REFLECTIONS]]>Sun, 28 Sep 2025 11:33:12 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[What Just Happened ?!?!]]>Sun, 04 Sep 2022 01:04:20 GMThttp://www.jovancasmith.com/reflections/what-just-happenedI don't know about you, but I have not yet been able to really process these last 3 years. Whatever happened, and perhaps is still happening that created a shift in direction is still really truly unknown to me.

As I prepare to teach this semester face to face, I am aware that although we were all on the same sea, we had different vessels -- some sailboats, others yachts, while still other merely life vests or floating debris. I am grateful for life and the opportunity to be here today. For this I truly give God thanks.
]]><![CDATA[Am I a World Changer?]]>Sun, 24 Jun 2018 12:34:43 GMThttp://www.jovancasmith.com/reflections/am-i-a-world-changerChanger   When there is a car accident, why do people get hurt? When there is a hurricane or an earthquake, the energy is transferred to structures. We are born, we live, we die. We use and transform energy in life, and even in death our bodies become part of the ecological system through decomposition. Even when we have no control over our bodies we create change with our energy through transference. It means that whether we are intentional, passive, or otherwise, we are going to transfer energy and create change. My action or inaction creates change. We must be responsible with our energy and be intentional about our affect and our effect so we can tip the scale in a direction of positive change. Change happens, let’s try to direct it.

World   Defined as the earth and all its inhabitants (Merrian-Webster). At any given moment our energies can affect more that a few people at a time, it can affect thousands, it can affect the world. We can "break" the internet with both good or bad influence to create positive or negative global change. Even without an extra light torch, we affect one person, that affect two other persons, that affects four other persons. This means that change is created exponentially vs linearly. After a while we call this continuous change, culture. There are many people of influence and change who are living their everyday life, sometimes the world notices and awards them, most times the world does not, but they continue to create positive change in the lives of those around them. Don’t be afraid of the light. Don’t try to impress people either, just live as an example. Help people along the way.  We're going to affect the world, we already do.

Am I   We do not exist alone in this world. We could not make it to where we are today without someone else. We get more done together, than we do apart. We need to be interdependent where we both contribute to the development of the common goal.

Am I a world changer? ... Definitely not by myself, because if it were just me there will be no world to change anyway. The question is, are we improving ourselves and others, to help make a better world?
Excerpt from a speech I made at the 2018 Moravian Teacher's Retreat
]]><![CDATA[Capstone Review 2017]]>Wed, 31 May 2017 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.jovancasmith.com/reflections/capstone-review-2017This poem was written after my first year of chairing the Capstone Design course as a method to connect all involved. We all had our opinion, and were not actively listening to the opinions of others. I presented it at the annual department retreat. This first step helped a great deal in bringing together a team to revitalize the Capstone experience.
Students, Supervisors, Coordinators without consideration to all we are considerate to none.
 
Students:           I don’t like my supervisor and this project sucks
I am going to just do the minimum and graduate with luck
I don’t have time for time how can I finish this work
This is insanity, come…let us stage a revolt
Last year these details were not required
It is the fault of this new coordinator they hired
Mentor sessions you say, it does not matter
I still have to work, they don’t take us much further
We never learnt these things before
Yet this new knowledge we’re expected to procure
I’ll just figure out my grader so I can scam her
Put one lecturer gainst another so I don’t have to bother
 
Students, Supervisors, Coordinators without consideration to all we are considerate to none.
 
Supervisors:      Students aren’t producing what they are required
Level 3 looks dim, a level 4 is better desired
JBM coming to haunt us next semester
Student’s projects seem like a disaster
Change, change, change, why we changed a-gain
I was familiar with how it was, this better be worth d-pain
Why must I listen to this young coordinator
With my experience, my perspective really matter
Students not even showing up for assistance
Their fear of failure just prolonging their existence
When they fail it becomes a blame game
They better complain about the right name
 
Students, Supervisors, Coordinators without consideration to all we are considerate to none.
 
Coordinators:    Dear God protect me as I go along my way
And ensure I accomplish the tasks you created for today
Started as an assistant to keep this going
Grateful for support and freedom to keep improving
Lecturers, we don’t agree on what is required
Going to have to make a choice, hope I don’t get fired
Structures on top and structures below
Civil is more than Structures man go with the flow
Students complain, they always worth a listen
The longer I am here, the less I believe em
Trying to curb a problem in final year
Can’t change senior habits my dear
 
Students, Supervisors, Coordinators without consideration to all we are considerate to none.


Presented at staff retreat May 2017. Smith
]]><![CDATA[Improving the CVNG 3003 Experience]]>Fri, 10 Mar 2017 23:50:56 GMThttp://www.jovancasmith.com/reflections/improving-the-cvng-3003-experienceThis concept map demonstrates the thought process involved in redesigning the delivery method of the CVNG 3003 prestressed concrete module. A constructivist approach was utilized in this course as students were provided with knowledge about the conceptual understanding of prestressing design and  concepts about the equations utilized in design. Some theorists that have popularized these methods include von Glasersfeld and Millwood. Students were also previously exposed to regular concrete design methods and codes. Groups were then asked to work together and build on this knowledge to design a prestressed beam guided by reading resources and design outlines. Many students were unable to bridge the two, with most requiring extra time.
Picture
]]><![CDATA[Job Well Done.]]>Thu, 09 Mar 2017 08:00:00 GMThttp://www.jovancasmith.com/reflections/job-well-doneJust as it is important to see limitations and recognize areas of improvement in teaching, it is also important to recognize when something worked well. My design course this semester was very engaged in the learning process and in the approach utilized. In my concrete design courses, I prefer to lecture utilizing the board. This way I believe I can walk students through the processes. However, at the beginning of the course a student was sufficiently brave to ask me to provide additional notes. I did not realize how difficult it was for them to pay attention while writing notes. I provided the students with not only future notes, but past ones as well, though hand written. I also provided tutorials and quick feedback. This worked. It is amazing when students and instructors can work together to achieve the common goal of learning. Now, I know what students require to help them a bit more along the way. They are also aware of my expectations. I plan to practice this at the start of all my courses, to ask students directly what can help their learning process, and to hope for another job well done.]]>