Horty Kim

Sigh…Natural Resources is in the process of trying to fit in with the new funding or capped EFTS scenerio.We need to come together as a team and look at strategies to become a core/strength program and figure out how to deal with a request to shave some hours off present teaching and technician hours.I will keep you posted as is possible.My plan is to have faith and trust in the process of negotiation and the fact that Natural Resources is an integral part of the course options at Otago Polytechnic.
Anyway back to the nitty gritty!Check out the following vids that Rod McKenzie from Smith Saw and Mower has helped us out with!

I really enjoy being thee H & S rep for natural resources and part of my duties is to assisssst pauline with site visits to our practical learning areas.As explained in the previous vid; the site visits are an integral part of insuring best practise when it comes to our limbo stick.It is a very serious businesss but sometimes we have a few laughs.

I am with Leigh and the midwifery staff to learn about podcasts.What the?

Podcasting is the distribution of media files, such as audio and videos, over the Internet using a type of web feed. Listeners subscribe to the podcast’s web feed for automated download to mobile devices and personal computers. The benefit of a podcast web feed over a standard web feed is that once the user subscribes the feed their podcast reader will automatically download any new media that is offered by the distributer.This concise explanation is from this link

There are other helpful explanations which include this page that Leigh suggested to the group but do a wee google or ride your favorite engine til you get to the bottom of it

So now i know what a podcast is and we had some interesting discussions about how it could be applied and we had a few laughs as the midwifery staff seem to be powered by a mixture of dedication and humour – very cool chicks.I did some video but I must have inadvertantly mucked around with my volume as ironically the audio was terrible.I am not yet sure how I will use podcasts, but it is not a case of if, but when and another resource for our teaching arsenal has been shared!Thanks for organising this workshop.

The steps for podcasting:

Search on line to see if there is an existing resource you can use

Create audio track,try audacity or borrow tape recorder from Damon who will convert your recording to an MP3

Store audio track on something like blip tv or archive.org

Link or embed the audio on your blog or in blackboard

Well it is great to be working along side my mentor again.There was hardly anyone in what is usually a hive of activity in room H100.What did I do today? I am glad you asked…I did quite a bit of work on the Health and Safety unit on wiki. There is a great website from the Dept.of Labour that was very helpful so I ring dinged them up and they said we could use any of their stuff as long we don’t go changin it-hey that could be a song?I also e mailed some key people who may have some good H&S info to add to wiki.

I contacted some colleagues at our Cromwell campus to organize some videoiiiiiing of weed management techniques.7 years seedin = 7 years weedin by the way.Yah so anyway Wayne has kindly agreed to share his expertise in this area and believe me this guy knows his stuff.

Well it is 4:50 and Leigh left some time ago and has not returned so I may call it a day.He was going to pop up to my house and show me how to use i movie but that may have to wait for now.OK he back and by the way he is comin up fo mo work!!!???

Leigh has also uploaded some video Sunshine shot and edited for the unit on Handtools and Small Machinery featuring Rod McKenzie from Smith Saw and Mower-although there is nothing small about our machines!

I have had a very busy time since my last post and I have been involved in some sweet projects.It has been really neat for Natural Resources to be asked by our marketing manager to get involved in a special charity auction where Otago Polytechnic is co ordinating the auction of a house built by the students and staff at the Department of Architecture, Building and Civil EngineeringCheck out these links for more info.I will try to add some “before” and “after” shots for your enjoyment.Many thanks to all the students who assisted with this community charity project!We not only constructed the immediate landscape display around the house to be auctioned; but tweaked up the gardens surrounding the project.

Natural Resources has also been asked to form a relationship with a group of adult learners from the intellectual disabilities empowerment and action services.This is turning out to be a great experience for me and the Polygrow Nursery as I get a bit of help with some of the chores in the nursery that I never seem to get ahead on like, weeding,sweeping and washing the pots (which we like to recycle instead of chucking in the bin).Yah, so every thursday morning we have 3-4 extra set of hands in the nursery!The group seems to enjoy helping me in the nursery,learning new skills and never leave empty handed.I hope this turns out to be beneficial for everbody.

So in addition to my technician duties and teaching there have been a few extra things pop up,plus we are embarking on our annual health and safety audit!My list is never ending which is a comfort inn terms of my contribution to the polytech but at the same time it would be quite an amazing feeling to get back into a regular routine with my work on the flexible delivery units.I am so pleased my mentor,Leigh, is back on deck after his leave for his wedding and honeymoon!Congrats MR. and MRS.BLACKALL.I have really missed his imput on the project and not going to his office to knuckle down on the hort units.

Speaking of leave,I am on leave at the moment and of course I have come down with a headachy,sinusy,gurgling tummy,not the full quid thing so my plans of going in to Leigh’ office to work on flexi has been hi jacked.If I feel better tomorrow I will head into EDC other than that I will work as best I can from home.

Finally,I would like to mention a wee vegetable garden construction project I did with my buddy,Nige.As part of my adventures on leave I decided to action a plan that Nige and I had discussed on the phone a few months ago when he expressed an interest in having his own vege garden.So I packed up my partner,some tools,plants,hortykim ideas and a big old dog and we travelled to Christchurch to install the best little vege patch in the universe.

Ovah and out