Group Project Reflection #1

During our very first and official group project meeting/lesson, we have set a topic, aims and rationales for our topic. How we got to the decision to the topic was because we knew for a fact that after all of the climate change projects that we have done previously, neither of us would want to do another project based on the topic and also because we do think that it is a topic that quite a lot of people take for granted.

For the aims and rationales, we actually decided on basic "creating a good and interesting short film" sort of aims and rationale. However after some thought, we decided to include ways to work properly in a group because we realized that the group project isn't only about the outcome, but also how we worked.

GROUP PROJECT TOPIC: Climate Change


FOCUS OF THE TOPIC: Natural Habitats, Eco diversity
(DEFORESTATION D:, Polar Bears, Amazon Forest, Malaysia, Alaska)


ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Leader: Lisa
Facilitator: Lena
Timekeeper: Chanda
Organizer/Recorder: Jamie


PROJECT OUTCOME: iMovie (Short films)
- 2 short films
- first one: what will happen if we do change the way we live
- second one: what if we don’t change the way we live


AIMS
1) To successfully work as a group and complete the project.
- Make sure that all of the workload is evenly distributed
- Make sure all team members follows the time frame
- Make sure everyone knows exactly their roles and responsibilities
- Make sure everyone participates in all of the discussions and decision-making
- Make sure to record the minutes for every group meeting and decision made.
2) To raise awareness of deforestation, habitat loss, etc.
3) Educate the public on how our actions affects the whole world


RATIONALE
The realization that nothing is being done motivates us to raise more awareness on the severity of this issue. Furthermore, due to the deforestation in Malaysia for the palm oil plantations, it gives us a first-hand experience on how the society can neglect and just oversee the environment and how our actions are affecting it. 

Success Criterias for Smart Searching

1. To learn how to search effectively
   – Try to stay on topic whilst researching so you don't waste time going in circles as there are some points that will be similar to each other, etc.
   
   
2. To get less distracted
   – When researching, we tend to get bored after awhile and roam off to some social networking site and lose the track of time. Try to spend less time on these sites.
   
   
3. Compare the information.
   – Some information from certain websites might be written based on a personal perspectives, when researching this might even be a blog, or a personal webpage. By comparing the information, you get to check it's reliability.
   
   
4. Note the source of information.
   – A few websites might be biased at they might be government websites used for propaganda or again, just personal views.

Gantt Chart Reflection

For the past 3 lessons, we've been spending our time learning how to use the Gantt Chart and what it is actually really for. Because I missed the first lesson, which is the introductory lesson to Gantt Charts I felt really loss. However the concept of is really simple and based on what I got to catch up on, The Gantt Chart is basically a chart which puts into illustration a group's tasks and it's deadlines. 


The reason why Gantt Charts should be used is because it's simple, understandable and it's digital. On the Gantt Chart, what you see is what you get, and it REALLY is as easy as that. And the fact that it is digital just makes everything that much easier as there is no need for any physical transportation of the actual chart when it could just be shared through a group with just the use of the internet. Furthermore, if there's a mistake that has been made on the Gantt Chart, there is no need for any erasing or waste of time, all you need to do is: click, type & drag. 


Top Tips for using the Gantt Chart would be:

1. Always remember to save occasionally.
   - as with any other digitally formatted documents, sometimes devices can crash and just ruin everything completely, and in this case, it won't only be your work but also your whole group's.
   
2. Color Code
   - deep down we all know that even just a teeny bit of color makes everything much more interesting. However, while working on Gantt Charts, it won't only make it look pretty and fancy, but it will also show clarity. Each group member can have their own designated color and ta-daaa!
   
3. Use the progress dot thingy
   - There's a tool where you can click and drag through a bar and show on the chart how far along you are with your work. DO THAT! This not only helps show your group members how far in you are on the task you are working on but it also simplifies everything and provides great convenience if you need help because all they'll need to do is click buttons, open file & read. 

Peak Oil Group Work Reflection

When we started this project as a group, I personally felt that we were really organized as a group. However, we did have some faults while starting off the first task which is the fishbone diagram. The problems were that we didn't evenly spread out the workload. I think that the reason why this appeared to be an issue is because we started off this project as individuals and it may have put us in a haze for awhile.

However after having overcome that problem, I felt that we as a group were really organized because we were able to work together without any other issues arising. Another reason why I think we're working really nicely is because we were able to catch up with the other groups in the class despite the fact that we were way behind all of them.

Peak Oil – Personal Perspectives

How does this affect me, my family and my friends? 
Oil is a great part of everyone's life. A great majority of products that we use are made from oil. Even if this isn't the case, there are also the objects that needs to be shipped or transported from one place to another. Furthermore, everyone of us use transportation daily, be it for school, for work or even for leisure. These days, being in a car, a train or a bus is more common than walking on the streets to reach your destination.

Are any of my friends/family employed in this industry?
Being friends, we don't normally talk about what our families' jobs are, so I would have to overlook that. But for family, my dad does shipping and has factories nationwide and also in some other countries. However, even though I do believe in the theory, I think that the time when we've actually used up all of the world's oil is coming this soon might be a little bit hard to believe. Then again, this might just be denial.

Do I threaten oil reserves by using/purchasing this resource?
I do think everyone threatens oil reserves... and I actually see it as being something that is inevitable. As I said before, we need to have our transportations. It has, at this day and age been a necessity. Of course, it's something that we can definitely live without in the short run. But if we look at it in the long run, we need to go out and get food, get batteries, go to the grocery store... it's inevitable. So in conclusion, yes I do threaten oil reserves, I'm sorry about it but I can't help it.

How will peak oil affect me?
If the world does eventually run of out oil or fuel. Then that would probably cause me to be able to use transportation less conveniently because of the voice in my head giving me guilt. Not to mention how high the cost of fuel would be at that time. And in some situation, it would also be much harder to purchase new objects seeing as said before, not only because the rise of the costs, but also because almost everything is either made out of plastic (made out of oil), or needs to be transported or shipped.

What steps could we take to reduce our consumption and conserve oil reserves? 
The rule of the 3R's definitely comes in here. If we reduce our consumption of oil reserves, that would spare, not much but that would actually spare some oil left. Reusing, we buy drinks and takeaway food that comes with plastic containers and bottles, giving it a wash would make it almost brand new. Or if you can't be bothered washing, there's always recycling. Old newspapers? Recycle. Plastic containers? Recycle. Coca-cola cans that's been sitting there for ages? Recycle... Or maybe, rinse and then recycle. If we do each of this just once it won't make a big difference. In fact, it might not even make a difference. But I do believe if we start practicing it, making it something that we do, then we will definitely be able to make a difference and prolong the time where we reach the peak of the time where our consumption of oil actually gets higher than the rate of extraction of oil

Peak Oil Questions

WHAT IS PEAK OIL?

Oil is a precious and incredibly limited resource that many even consider to be "black gold". Peak Oil is the theory that some scientists has came up with. The theory forms it's base on the point in time where oil extraction rate starts to max out and the all supplies start to decline. This basically means that, after peaking, the demand of oil would start to increase simultaneously as  supply of it will continue to decrease. 

WHERE IS THE WORLD'S OIL FOUND?

Oil is found in oil reserves in sedimentary basins all over the world and these can be classified into 4 different categories: probable, recoverable, proved and established reserves. 

1. Probable oil reserves – believed to exist with a certainty based on geological information. 
2. Recoverable reserves – both economical and non-economical oil reserves that can be produced with existing technology.
3. Proved reserves – reserves that can be economically produced with a large degree of certainty from known reservoirs using existing technology
4. Established reserves – generally defined as proved reserves with one-half probable reserves. 

However if these facts are applied geographically, the Middle East would be the region that has the largest amount of reserves, owning 55.6% (746 billion barrels) of the world's total oil resource. Second comes North America possessing 15.6% (209.9 billion barrels)

WHO IS HUBBERT AND WHAT IS HIS CURVE?

The Hubbert Curve is normally in the shape of a bell. The Hubbert Curve is a statistical theory of oil production that states the rate of extraction from a particular region. Initially, while there's minimum drilling operations, the production is limited. However, as a larger portion of land are explored, the production gradually approaches peak production. Eventually as the supply for oil depletes, the extraction rates then begins to slow down. 

The Hubbert curve portrays the life cycle of a drilling operation. The predictions presented by the Hubbert Curve shows statistical limitation and is considerably comprehensive. The shape of the curve can be altered by technological improvements or estimated proven oil reserve changes that are realized during the production process. 

Nelson Mandela "Facebook"

What if...

Anonymity

– does it make the perpetrator more or less responsible?: regardless of the insult being anonymous or not, it still should be taken seriously, just because the perpetrator is anonymous, it does not make him less or more responsible, as he/she still gets to see the effects of his insult on the person.

Harassment

– what does it involve?: Harassment is basically disturbing an individual, many people don’t realize this but, cyber bullying has the same effects as physical bullying, it disturbs the persons mind, thus making the insulted or targets to feel depressed, feel like they don’t belong or something along those lines, these kind of mind-sets relate to teen suicide.

Duty to provide a safe or study environment

– what roles do schools and teachers play?: A student that is cyber bullying should at least be given detention or be sent to a guidance councilor for a period of time, a teacher can help investigate who the perpetrator is or help comfort the student that is getting bullied.

Right to freedom of expression

– what limits should be placed on it?: The rights to freedom of expression is normally abused by the general public, this makes them think they’re entitled to say or write anything they wish, but in fact, there are limits that are or should be placed on it, and that is, the person expressing their thoughts or emotions should not express them in a demining or hurtful way.

Right to security of person

– should people be protected from written or verbal attacks?: It shouldn’t be against the law to insult a person, either by writing or verbally saying it, it should just be against school policy and frowned upon by the law.

Defenses and confounding factors

– what makes a possibly libelous statement okay?: To make a possibly libelous statement okay is that the statement should both be true and not too hurtful, only then is a libelous statement understandable.

Truth

– when the statement is accurate: If the statement is accurate, it shouldn’t be put in a format where it is meant to hurt or demine the other person, the impolite truth shouldn’t be spread too widely either, as this may affect the person indirectly.

Fair comment

- a legitimate journalistic intent: In cyber bullying, a third party should be the only person stating a fair comment is a third party, and not the impetrator nor the insulted, as they may have different views on the story, the “fair comment” should be made by a neutral person.

“The reasonable person”

- how offensive does something have to be before it becomes libelous?: For something to become libelous, it has to be extremely offensive and at most times, untrue, like an insult to the persons parents or false insults, that are just made up to hurt the person in a very serious way.

Amnesty International Visit Reflection.

Few lessons ago, we were fortunate enough to be visited by two ladies from Amnesty International. However, the lesson before they visited, we were asked to research about this organization and find out what they stand for and how it works.
During my research, I found out that this organisation is a Human Rights group that is heavily against the Death Penalty. This group also stands for the belief that everyone should have a right.

On the day of the visit, one of the ladies started us off with a presentation and a video which explains more (in detail) about what the organization does and how does it work. While listening to the presentation, I was lucky enough to get in some notes, I learned that they;

• Are a Global human right organization 
• Have over 2.8 million members in 150 countries
• Worked with Eleanor Roosvelt and came up with the universal declaration of human rights which is made up of 30 articles saying that everybody in the world should be entitled to equal rights no matter who they are.  
• I was researching more about this at home and passed by this link which has all the 30 articles. http://www.amnesty.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights-anniversary/declaration-text 

After the presentation, we talked about the Death Penalty, which was when everyone started bombarding questions. Throughout the Q&A session, most of the people who asked the questions were against the will to abolish the death penalty. Which leads me to the question,

Am I For or Against The Death Penalty?

To be honest, before and during the visit of the Amnesty International, I was for the practice of death penalty. Because I believe that no matter what the reason is or who you are, you should pay for what you have done. And if you have murdered someone or put someone's life in danger, you should pay the same price. 

But later on when we went back to our respective classes, we started to discuss more about this topic. And even though I didn't contribute much to the discussion, I was thinking really deeply about this topic which some may call an issue. Then, I decided to write about the pros and cons. 

Advantages

The family and the one closed to the victim would feel safer knowing that the person who has killed their loved one is no longer walking in the streets; potentially being a threat to their own lives too. Furthermore, everyone has to pay for what they have done. Not in the "an eye for an eye" way but, something of that sort. There's always a consequence when we don't do something. In this case, if you have took someone's right to live away from them by killing them, you have to pay the price. Which could probably a lifetime in solitary confinement in a prison or a death sentence. 

 Disadvantages

It is inhumane, though I firmly stand on my belief that everyone has to pay the price of what they have done, killing someone IS inhumane. It's expensive, did you know that the rope used for the sentence has to be specially imported from ENGLAND and it has to be CUSTOM-MADE and it costs over FIVE THOUSAND POUNDS! So for everyone who said that it's a cheap punishment. Hahaaaaaa, noooo... 

Going back, I still think that the death penalty is necessary. Because I do believe in some countries, that crime rates will actually rise if it does get abolished. Miss Nora said that in a state of USA, when the death penalty was abolished, the crime rate decreased. She said that it was because the state government heavily enforced the laws. But in some countries, that might not even work. 

Therefore, I am for death penalty, but I think that they mandatory death sentence should be amended. No one should die without a trial or having to justify themselves. For all we might know, that person might even be totally innocent.

Criminal and Punishments list

‘Offences’ List

• Shoplifting
• Breaking into a car
• Picking a fight
• Drink driving
• Driving under the influence of drugs
• Solvent abuse
• Urinating against a wall
• Doing a paper round at the age of 11
• Shouting racist abuse
• Being sold alcohol in a bar whilst under the age limit

In your groups arrange the ten bulleted acts above in number order in terms of the seriousness of the offence with 1 being your highest and most serious offence and 10 being your lowest and most trivial (least important) offence.

Now consider the following questions:

• Which of these are crimes?

Breaking into a car, Drink driving, Driving under the influence of drugs, Solvent abuse

• Which of them, if any, are victimless?

None of them are victimless.

• What kinds of punishment would you give to these offences?

Breaking into a car – 7,500 USD fine and 8 – 20 years of jail.

Drink driving – 30,000 to 50,000 USD fine, 10 – 25 years of sentence.

Driving under the influence of drugs – 30,000 to 50,000 USD fine, and 10 – 25 years of sentence.

Solvent abuse – 20,000 USD fine, 5 – 10 years of jail.

• How should repeat offenders be dealt with?

An added amount of sentence and fine to the offender, amount of years and money will depend on the offense.

Feedback Presentation

Jamie, Raziq, Chanda, Hasmah, Seri comments on our presentations

The reason why we chose to present our thoughts by using Keynote presentations is because it is one of the easiest and most convenient way to present and share ideas. Also because all of the information can be easily presented and shared and when it is presented it can be seen clearly therefore being able to be easily understood. The ultimate reason of why we chose to use a Keynote presentation is because it can be easily constructed and it is compatible for all MacBooks.

As for the reason why we chose to talk about school, it is because we go to school everyday and we know all about the school's uses of water. Why, when and how we use water which easily gives us ideas on how we can easily conserve water without any hassle.

Water Project

Venn Diagram