Comments i have made!!

On Kayla Phillips' blog
Really interesting Kayla. There are some things there that i never really thought about when it comes to cooking. You should check out some of the references online, they could help you out :)

http://kaylaphillips123.blogspot.com/2011/10/ergonomics.html#comment-form


On Rebecca Jones' blog
This is really interesting. Who would of thought so much could come from watching tv huh? I'd like to meet these flatmates of yours, they seem fairly cool. Have you ever thought about how silly the Kardasians are?

http://rebeccajonesot.blogspot.com/2011/09/week-3-affordances.html#comment-form


On Lucy Andersons blog
I like how you have related your cooking experiences to when you were on placement. Its a good way to relate how cooking meets your needs as an OT. Do you think you could of looked into the the activity a bit more in depth?

http://lucyanderson111.blogspot.com/2011/10/c.html#comment-form

Grace Fairhall
Hey I really like the way you have looked at these aspects but is it a good idea to reference the likes of wiki? Good work though

http://gracefairhall.blogspot.com/2011/10/affordances-part-2.html#comment-form

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.

Crepeau, E. ( 2003 ). Analyzing occupation and activity: A way of thinking about occupational performance. In Crepeau E., Cohn E, & Schell B (Eds.), Willard and Spackman’s occupational therapy ( 10th ed., pp.189-198). Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.

Harris, D. (2009). Engineering Psychology and Cognitive Ergonomics. New York: Springer

J, T. Talty (1988) Industrial hygine egineering. Noyes Data Corperation: New Jersey 

Ambience

Ambience is used as a way of describing the feeling of the whole activity. The ambience here is therefore the gestalt (spirit) of the activity, it is an understanding that based on a sense of the whole, rather than of breaking it into its constituent parts. Ambience describes the feeling created by a particular nature of an activity when it is being done for itself.
This is a story which I have written about the feeling of my game of rugby.

The last time I was playing rugby it was a warm day, the ground was hard, my tags would hardly dig into the ground and sweat was dripping off of my face, I could hear the hum of the crowd and nothing else while I was watching the birds fly over my head. I was waiting for kick off, I was standing behind the posts looking into the grandstand at the people watching. I felt amazing I was amping to do my best and put on a show for the crowd. Just standing on the field waiting for kick off made me really happy to be alive. My team mates looked like they were ready to play out of their skins more than ever. I could tell that the weather was going to make this game so much more fun and enjoyable. It was nearly time to do everything I could to benefit my team. Making big tackles, good runs and doing what the coach asked for me. The combination of everything added to an overwhelming feeling of enjoyment. I was ready to do everything I could!! The whistle blew and the battle begun.

My needs and Rugby

In this blog I am looking at how me playing rugby fits my needs. To answer this I need to think about what would I do if rugby wasn't an option for me and how I would be affected without it.
I would need another means of exercise as rugby is a big part of keeping me physically fit. Without rugby i would probably be running in circles around a paddock with a whole lot of unused energy board out of my mind. Rugby encourages me to exercise more now. I need to exercise/get fit in order to put in the best effort for my team. Without rugby I wouldn't have a connection with my team mates/friends that I have made through the sport. I find it a need to meet new people and playing rugby encourages this by meeting a different group of people every year. I have my dad encouraging me and watching me. It gives him and my family a reason to come and visit me which means a lot to me. It is a need for me to have a common interest that my family and I share as it drags them to me otherwise there is no need for them to travel 4 plus hours just to see me for a while. The other weekend when my family was down to watch me, I injured myself in the warm up and I was upset with myself as I felt like I needed to play for them.

So a need is

Affordances 2 - Aesthetics

Aesthetics is the branch of philosophy that deals with the nature and expression of beauty. The point of my blog this week is to look at the aesthetics of rugby. Certain activities have a larger amount 'beauty' such as arty activities.

Aesthetics in terms of rugby.
What is it that is appealing about rugby? For me when Im playing I love to see someone make a huge tackle on an opposing player. When I see this it makes me want to play harder and make a big tackle like the one I just witnessed. I really enjoy seeing/being apart of a really well constructed move that has been pulled off. Too me seeing that is a beautiful piece of work. Another beautiful thing is all the different kinds of rugby tops that my oppisition wear.

Spirituality
When I play I know it makes my Dad happen because he likes to come and watch me and I enjoy knowing that.

Linking with history
For me rugby is away to get out on the field and become one with my ancestors and do battle with only one intention and that is to win, I want to win and be the best I can be. How I play and act on the field is due to all the different coaches I have had and playing well is a way of thanking/honouring them for what they have taught me over the years.

Physical

What is the capacity for strength, fitness, endurance, skill, flexibility, speed, height, balance.

 In rugby it is far better if you are strong, fairly fit with some endurance to last 80 minutes of rugby, witha high level of skill in terms of catching, passing, running the ball, kicking and tackling, you have to be flexible ish in order to be able to be tackled without injury, you have to fast to out run the oppisition if necassary, you need to be roughly over 1.7m high with a weight of at least 75kgs in the premier grade and you have to be relatively good on your feet by being able to dodge opponents and run the desired lines when attacking with the ball. By just playing rugby you normally increase these things in the desired way.

Affordances

“The affordances of the environment are what it offers the animal, what it provides or furnishes either for good or ill” (Harris, 2009)

Affordances are about what the occupation/activity can lead onto. So by taking part in one activity you are getting involved in other things that only would have come about due to participation in that particular activity.  I will provide examples of how this sort of thing can happen/ has to happen at rugby.

Here is a grid that I worked on in class which briefly covers affordances that can come from playing rugby:

Communication	Connection (Whats the story)	Good & Bad aspects
Trust	Shared interest	Social misfit
Banter/joke	Bonding	Exploitation
Teaching/Learning	Fitness	Learning
Make plans	Learning	Rewards
Compliment(good pass/tackle)	Swapping	Inflicting damage

Communication:

Compliments are a big part of rugby as it encourages the individual to play better and also lifts the team spirit when they have been told what they are doing well. Normally when someone in the team does something well everyone gets in and lets them know by telling them. Just last weekend when we were playing the top team and we were down by 2 tries with 10 minutes to go one of my team mates scored a solo try and we all gave him a lot of compliments. Through these compliments we passed them onto each other to help lift everyones spirits. It worked because 2 minutes before half time we scored a massive team try to give us the win.

Planning is a big part of rugby as you always need to know what it is that your team is trying to achieve. You must also know all the moves and what the meaning of certain plays are. Trainings are a time for everyone to come together and have their say about what they think needs to happen and talk about the moves that people would like to incorporate into our game. this can lead to other conversations as well but it is best to stay on the topic. Every training I have taken part in this year has had a large part of planning in it for our weekend games. Every practice we talk about what we want to achieve on game day and look at the steps necassary for us to achieve the goals.

Trust is an important aspect of being in a rugby team. You have to be able to trust your teammates abilities at all times. You have to put your trust in them that they will make a the tackle and that they will help you if need be. You have to rely on them that they know what the moves are that have been called. Trust is built through team bonding that goes on at trainings and after the game. Nobody wants to be putting their body on the line for people that they don't trust. At trainings we all get together and before trainings start we have some yarns and talk some smack. The building of trust within a team does not just come from nothing, it has to be built throughout the year.

By taking part in rugby you are putting your name down for a sport that relies solely on the communication of the team members. Not only on the field do you have to communicate every second you are playing but also after the games and at training. Some of the things said at trainings is just some silly banter but helps to form bonds between the players which builds a stronger team. By being apart of this team I have made friends with common interests and have new buddies.

D. Harris (2009). Engineering Psychology and Cognitive Ergonomics. New York: Springer

Ergonomics

Hey Hey!

" In early times man needed to use only simple tools to scratch out a living from the earth. With the comming of the industrial age revoulition the complexity and number of tools that man must use in the work place has increased astonomicaly"  (J, T. Talty, 1988)

To me ergonomics is about the relationship of the person, their occupation and how the environment that they work in has a particular affect on them. Basically all 3 must have a good relationship together in order to keep the person comfortable within that environment. According to MedlinePlus (2011), Ergonomics looks at what kind of work you do, what tools you use and your whole job environment. The aim is to find the best fit between you and your job conditions.
For me as an Occupational Therapist it is important for me to have knowledge on ergonomics because I will need to find the best relationship between the occupation, environment and occupation. Having knowledge will enable me to make changes to these aspects to find the best fit for my clients to enable smooth working. According to Caulton & Dickson (2007) the reason myself as an OT needs to have knowledge on ergonomics is so I can "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."

Breaking down the ergonomics of rugby league.

Person:

I enjoy playing rugby.

I know the basic game structure/play.

Have played some rugby before so am competent on tackling, passing etc.

I'm KEEN to learn new things.

I have free time when trainings are on.

I am willing to put my own time into getting better.

Need energy to play.

I have mouth guard and boots.

Activity/Occupation:

Certain skills are needed to play, need to be able to learn moves/plays fast.

Have to be able to time yourself and choose appropriate time to do certain things.

The team training has to be completed with the team.

Most shapes, sizes and skills have a specific role in the team.

There are 2 levels of occupational engagement:

Turning up to the trainings (90mins) and the game (60mins) and going for runs and to the gym outside of trainings to better yourself.

To play all you need is mouth guard and rugby boots. everything else is supplied: balls, uniform, cones etc.

Environment:

Rugby requires a clear space outside that enables movement of the players and the ball.

Trainings take place on the field as do the games. The field is 122m by 70m at its maximum.

Weather can affect the game.

On game days there has to be some opposition present.

Here is a rough look at the ergonomics of rugby and to me I think they suit me quite well. But for someone that doesn't have the money or is not physically fit then this may be an issue.



References
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ergonomics.html

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.

J, T. Talty (1988) Industrial hygine egineering. Noyes Data Corperation: New Jersey

An Introduction to Participation in Occupation 2

"The analytic process are ways of thinking used by occupational therapy practitioners to understand activities and occupations, their demands and therapeutic potential, the skills required to do them, and the potential meaning ascribed to them” ( Crepeau, 2003)

Participation In Occupation 2 carries on Participation In Occupation 1, except this time I have to Participate in an activity for at least 2 hours a week. Throughout this paper I will make weekly blogs telling you what I have been up to and what I have experienced.

The activity that I am going to spend time doing is playing rugby league. For me I have played rugby union for the last 8 years now and have thoroughly enjoyed it. I have have decided to make a code switch this season to rugby league because my placement for course prevented me from playing rugby this season. So here I am playing rugby league in the spring competition!!

For me playing rugby allows me to get my mind away from real life and gives me something else to focus on for at least 6 hours a week. It allows me to focus all my energy into playing out of my skin by making big tackles and running the ball as hard as possible at the opposition. Playing rugby is the only time where you are legally allowed to collide with another human being. Im allowed to be out of control on the rugby field.....well within reason that is. Rugby is also a way for me to keep fit as it motivates me to go to the gym, go for runs and  turn up to the trainings in order to do my best for my teammates. This leads to the social side of rugby. You create a bond with the other men in the team where you are willing to do anything on the field for them. You make many new friends from joining just one team. After so many years playing rugby i have meet so many awesome people and have been able to expand my social circle.

In class this week we looked at human occupation and where it falls: Food, Paper and Play. We look at food as being the things that need to be done such as cooking, eating, cleaning, self cares etc etc. Paper is the things that are man made which involve the likes of sewing, building and writing etc. Play are the things that we do together for enjoyment and they bring us together like playing sports, music/dance etc. We then had to decide on something we did already that fitted into one of these 3 categories and i choose rugby league which obviously fits under play.

Playing rugby has aspects that apply to being an Occupational Therapist, some of these reasons are: It shows that I am able to be apart of a team and work in a team, it shows that I am able to develop relationships(social skills) and I am able to add to the group and help it progress.

References
Crepeau E. ( 2003 ). Analyzing occupation and activity: A way of thinking about occupational performance. In Crepeau E., Cohn E, & Schell B (Eds.), Willard and Spackman’s occupational therapy ( 10th ed., pp.189-198). Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins

Tutorial 7 - Linking blogs of interest and exchanging comments.

I have to make a blog feed for some blogs of interest and to some of the comments i have made.
This my comment to Rebecca J who also does my course in Dunedin.
This is an awesome blog called TechnOT by VirtualOT which about all the ways that technology can help people with needs or anyone in general.
Here is another blog that interests me (B)e(LO)n(G), OT. This blog is about someones journey from OT school up until now.
This blog is about an OT that enjoys recycling things, in their blog it shows you their amazing different ideas that they have come up with recyclables. This blog is by The Recycling Occupational Therapist.
The last site is about general news everyday for Occupational Therapy. Looks at new research and other general OT things. This blog is called TodayinOT.com and you access it here.

Tutorial 8 - Assistive Technology

Provide a definition Assistive Technology (APA reference required). Interpret this definition in your own words.  What might this definition cover (your Cook and Hussey reading may be helpful with this). The science or study of the practical or industrial arts, applied science, a method, process, etc. for handling a specific technical problem. Cook & Hussey To me assistive technology is technology that is used to help anyone in any way that suits them best to make their life easier in one way or another.

Describe one piece of equipment introduced in the assistive technology tutorial.  Provide information on size, cost and functions. How the equipment increased occupational capacity for the user?  Provide examples here from the tutorial and lecture. Provide an example of the equipments use from online sources.  This can be done by hyper linking to blogs, internet sites, You Tube videos, podcasts etc IPad 241.2mm x 185.78 and 8.8mm deep Has a back and front camera Audio playback, tv and video. Touch screen. Wi-Fi weighs 613g Multiple sizes: 16GB – 64GB up to 10 hours of battery time The Price in New Zealand ranges from a small 16GB which cost$799 The IPad allowed the user to easily select certain applications through touch. This was good for people with motor function difficulties. It alos could be used for games which were easier to play on the IPad. Here is a man using an IPad to speak and helping to teach him to speak after he has listened to the IPad. This occurred after he had a stroke. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_y23dZFy1s Here is a video of a small child learning to write words and say them, it shows how the interaction and voices from the IPad help teach a young cjild how to spell and speak. The IPad is good because nobody has to be there the whole time prompting them to speak because the IPad just does it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZTkPtAyqOY&feature=related

Tutorial 6

Provide the web addresses and a hyper link for the three online communities you have chosen In this tutorial i had to look at something that interested me in relation to personal occupation. I had to search for 3 online communities that related to this topic. http://www.ebay.com/  http://www.trademe.co.nz/ http://www.1-day.co.nz/

Provide a brief description of each community EBay is an American site which is an online aution and shopping site where people and businesses’ buy and sale a broad variety of goods. This site operates internationally. Trademe is the largest internet auction site operated in New Zealand. The site allows people to auction goods and communicate with one another to do so. The site can only be used if you have a New Zealand bank account. 1Day is a New Zealand site which offers cheap deals on random stuff every day. The site buys things in large amounts so then they can sell it cheaper. Every day at 12pm there are three items posted on the site which people can but, it is first in first served.

What services are provided on each site?  How interactive is this site?  How can people contribute? What do they contribute? For EBay users are able to comment on items to find more information out about the item. People give out contact information if it’s necessary in order for more information on specifics about an item. People can contribute by commenting and by also putting more items on the site for other people to purchase. The site is interactive as long as it is about the items for sale. Trademe is pretty much similar to Ebay in-terms of being able to comment on items, being able to get contact information, contributing by commenting and putting more items up for sale. It is fairly interactive but is mainly about the items for sale. 1day is a lot harder for the user to be interactive because people aren’t able to post their items up for sale but can only buy and comment on the items that the site puts up for sale. Users talk amongst each other about the items and also the site itself will answer any questions relating to the products they are selling.

Consider material presented in the online package.  Make comment on why people choose to contribute to each community.  What is it they are seeking? Is information shared one way or reciprocal? The reason people choose to contribute to EBay is because they want to sell an item that they no longer need/use or they are selling items to make a profit on them. They also make comments to find out more information on the items on the site. The user is normally seeking a certain item if they are browsing the site or they are seeking somebody to buy their certain item. The information is reciprocal because all users can see it and add to it. Trademe is the as EBay just on a smaller scale in terms of users. Users want to sell an item that they no longer need/use or they are selling items to make a profit on them. They also make comments to find out more information on the items on the site. The user is normally seeking a certain item if they are browsing the site or they are seeking somebody to buy their certain item. The information is reciprocal because all users can see it and add to it. 1Day users contribute to this community because they are after some cheap high quality goods, they also make comments to help other users out if they get the chance. Users are only after a deal which benefits them, but when information or questions are posted on the site the user is ablelook at it and add to it.

Cut and paste an example of the type of topics being discussed (you may have to provide a context to your excerpt). From the one day site about crock pots that were for sale: The answers were posted by the site.  Ask a product question? Christine asks: “does it come with a cook book?” “No it doesn't.” 1 hour ago Raymond asks: “Are they dishwasher safe?” “The removable ceramic crock is dishwasher safe.” 2 hours ago Richard asks: “Where is the Shark Slow Cooker made?” “China.” 2 hours ago Matthew asks: “Does this come with any guarantee/warranty? “12 month warranty from the date of purchase for manufacturing faults or defects.” 3 hours ago

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. With Trademe and EBay there are many ethical issues because you don’t know who you are dealing with or whether you can trust them either. There are big risks when using these sites because people can make fake accounts to scam people by getting them to pay lots of money for a fake product. A lot of people can easily say they are selling something of a good quality when they aren’t; this is the risk you take by using the site. Although this occurs, Trademe and EBay do their best to prevent it. Also there is a rating system so you wont get repeat offenders and you can see which users have been good to work with and who haven’t. With 1Day there are far less ethical issues because there is only one reliable source controlling the products for sale and controlling the money side of things. You aren’t likely to get tricked on this site because there is only one source of control and if they ruined that trust the site would be no more.

Consider material presented in the online package and comment on the benefits these communities provides over traditional geographical community. By having an online community such as these ones it allows for the sale of goods all over the world for EBay but in Trademe and 1Days case it allows the sale of goods throughout the country of New Zealand. Trademe allows the user to interact with people in their country without going anywhere. People don’t have to leave their houses anymore to meet people and exchange goods with them, it can be done from anywhere where there is internet.

Consider material presented during the lecture and make comment what this community lacks or can not provide which traditional communities can. This community lacks the ability to get together and have meeting and talk about things. It only has one purpose which is to exchange goods between it users. The communities have no other need or purpose apart from the user being satisfied with their purpose and payment of their sale.