Awareness and Impact in Global Warming - Case Study Example

Awareness and Impact in Global Warming” Submitted to: Submitted by: 8 September 2010 Dear Mr. Jack, The enclosed report regards an annual event to be conducted by International Research Ltd in promoting a sense of community at the college. The survey was conducted on 20 international students at QUTIC using questionnaires composed of ten questions in total. It was authorized by the institution on 5 of September 2010, and primary data later collected by from the specified twenty QUTIC international students. The report reveals five major findings of the survey conducted within the institution. The first major finding reveals that the best time that the QUTIC would stage an annual event to promote a sense of community at the college was on weekends. The second finding revealed that the best way for QUTIC in announcing the Global Warming annual event was using the black board. The third finding reflected that most students were interested in joining the environment committee, fourth that the best place to hold the Global Warming annual event was the city center. The fifth finding indicated that the motivational ways that QUTIC would use in ensuring that students developed an interest to attend the event was making it full of entertainment activities. Therefore, the report recommends several ways for QUTIC in success to hold the big annual event to promote a sense of community at the college. I hope the institution considers the listed recommendations in preparing for the big coming event. Working with the institution leaders and the staff has been my great pleasure and in would appreciate and respond to any questions after you go through this report or would willingly be ready to discuss it with you, please do not vacillate to call me if need be. Yours sincere Abstract Earlier last month, QUTIC decided to stage an annual event to promote a sense of community at the college. This was an event to ascertain QUTIC students’ awareness and impact in Global Warming and promote their involvement within their community in preventing the named vice. Thereafter, a Community Event Committee was formed to decide, and organize the inaugural event and I was authorized to produce a report to inform the committee’s decision. The topic as espoused earlier was on the environment with a bias in Global Warming. The event planned purposed as International students' awareness of and involvement in Global Warming. A survey was conducted on a sample of QUTIC students to analyze their interest and willingness to attend, participate, contribute, demonstrate, and/or perform in that event. In this paper, a discussion of the results is the main body while at the end is conclusions from the discussions and recommendations related to the same topic. Table of Contents Abstract ii Table of Contents iii List of Figures iv 1. Introduction 4 1.1 Background 4 1.2 Objectives 4 1.3 Method 4 1.4 Scope 5 1.5 Acknowledgement 5 2 Discussion and Conclusion 5 2.1 Date and time of the annual event 6 2.2 Publicity of the event 7 2.3 Participation in committees 8 2.4 Benefits gained in attending the annual event 9 2.5 Ways of motivating students to attend 10 3. Recommendations 11 4. Benefits 12 1. Introduction 1.1 Background Global warming is a current threat to the global environment and a threat to human survival in the future (John, 2010). Awareness across the globe on global warming has dwindled with many people not having an idea of what to expect and how to handle and practices routines in curbing global warming (Huang, Pollack & Shen, 1997). Over 60% of the world’s population has contributed to global warming for lack of knowledge while the rest is ignorant to the vice (Mann, Bradley, & Hughes, 1998). Educating the population on global warming is the vital part of what all institutions should do in ensuring that the activities exacerbating global warming are curbed and it is slowed down (Lachenbruch & Marshall, 1986). As a result, the Queensland University of Technology International Collage (QUTIC) found it wise to hold an annual event with a bias on global warming to increase awareness of the vice. 1.2 Objectives The main rationale behind this report is discovering the level of awareness of students on the global warming topic, suggesting some solutions and recommendations. From the acquired data, the report purposes to help students develop awareness on the issue of global warming and to improve activities carried out within QUTIC and outside to curb global warming. 1.3 Method The report develop arguments from a questionnaire that contained a total of ten questions; with closed questions being 9 (dichotomous, rank-order, scale, and multiple-choice) and a single open question. The report also used a convenience sampling in the distribution of the survey questionnaire to respondents who totaled twenty QUTIC students on 5 September 2010 at Kelvin Grove campus. The distribution of the questionnaire sheets was conducted followed by the collection both done on the same day. Later followed the analysis of the collected data from the sample and finally the tallying on an Excel spreadsheet with representation in figures for instance graphs, tables, and pie charts. 1.4 Scope The scope of the survey is on 5 issues relating to the concept of global warming. The respective issues are important in finding out the level of awareness on global warming and the take that the students have on holding an annual event within the institution. Additionally, the report has major limitations including budget and time thus forcing a selection of only twenty respondents of which this is not good in representation of this large institution. With the questionnaire also having only 10 questions, this does not provide enough information that could be of help in holding such a big event. As a result, the data provided in this report is great and shows some indications; however, it cannot show precise solutions. 1.5 Acknowledgements I would like to pass my regards to all students at QUTIC for their cooperation in the data gathering process and for taking their time to fill the questionnaires. I would also extend a hand of gratitude to the institution for trusting me in delivering the report with absolute confidentiality. Above all is great appreciation to the almighty God who gave me the strength to carry on throughout the entire survey. 2. Discussion and Conclusion From the survey sample of QUTIC students who were tested through a questionnaire to analyze their interest and willingness to attend, participate, contribute, demonstrate and/or perform in that event, it was clear that the majority of the students were willing to take part in the main event particularly because they saw the importance. It was clear that many students knew what Global Warming was and had an idea of its impact on the environment. 80% of the students in the sample were willing to take part immediately and help with the publicity of the great event. 2.1 Date and time of the annual event A question was put forward in accessing the best time that the QUTIC would stage an annual event to promote a sense of community at the college. As Houghton, Jenkins & Ephraums (1990) espouse, Global warming is a sensitive topic and requires ample time to discuss and educate people about. 2/3 of the respondents proposed that weekends were the best in scheduling such an event as this would give them time to participate since they were free and would have completed classes. A good portion of the sample (1/3) however, differed with the weekend proposal as they felt that this was the only time they had away from school, and most of them used it to spend with the families. The majority of this group went for nights particularly after classes. Following this, the committee made a decision that to serve the majority and have many attendants for the event; it was only wise to schedule the event on weekends particularly during the day as this was a much convenient time for the majority of the QUTIC students. 2.2 Publicity of the event Will (2004) reflected in creating awareness on global warming, publicity is of high requirement. global that Publicity was also being assessed in order for the committee to get help before they made a decision on what would be the best way to visit for QUTIC in announcing the Global Warming annual event. A comparative question posted on a questionnaire was extremely contentious. For global warming using the appropriate medium is of requirement as it helps pass the message across easily (Scotchmoor & Potter, 2009). There were varied views as to the best medium to use with the committee aspiring to make a decision on the best possible medium that would reach the majority of the students and create awareness of the big event. At least, 30% of the respondents in this particular question went for the website and email as their favorites as to the best possible medium that the event would be publicized. Over 60% were strictly opposing the website and email with a big reason as to the fact that many students did not access the Internet over a long period of time and therefore, it could be an inconvenient means of reaching out to the students regarding this particular matter. This group of students responding to the question found it appropriate to use the posters and blackboard with the majority going for the blackboard. The students incline to this decision with the fact that many students had a culture of reading the blackboard as this was one of the common means, which the institution used in communicating new happenings to the students. Therefore, a more likelihood was that at least the information would reach students with ease. The posters were favored but with a negative connotation that there was a habit of removing and tearing posters of any kind around the institution dwindling its effectiveness of communicating something of that importance to the student community. 2.3 Participation in committees A question was posed on the committees that a respondent would be willing to participate in including Environment committee, Assessment committee, Supervising committee and organizing committee. The question was met with diverse responses as individual students had own reasons for choosing a particular committee. The environment committee won the majority of students who had an interest of joining. The committee took 45% of the students followed by the supervising committee with 18%, assessment committee with 22% and the least being the organizing committee holding 10%. A sizeable 5% of the respondents were undecided as they wanted to clarify further as to the roles played by the respective committees. 2.4 Benefits gained in attending the annual event Carolan (2008) asserts that pictorials and high involving activities are involved in creating awareness on global warming therefore; there are many benefits involved when it comes to learning or attending a global warming function. The questionnaire posted to students was also on a mission to look into what were the perceived benefits that students anticipated to gain from the event. Mixed reactions came out as varying opinions came up individually. However, one critical thing that featured in the argument was that learning great skills and acquiring knowledge on global warming were among the great expectations from the event. Learning new skills 20%, Socialize and make new friends 5%, Improve your English, 5%, improve your knowledge and awareness about Global Warming 60%, and other 10%. 2.5 Ways of motivating students to attend One factor was significant though on the motivational ways that the students felt that QUTIC would use in ensuring that students developed an interest to attend. However, 65% of the respondents felt that making the event entertaining and engaging entertainment activities for instance DJ, popular artists, talent show and any other creative ideas were resplendent in motivation a substantial number of students to attend. Global warming sounds so common and people usually avoid such topics which is why creating awareness requires motivating the participants in respective activities (Wilby, 2006). Practically from the survey, it was clear that one thing; students had an interest in attending a global warming event. From this point, the committee therefore, had to pick the proposals espoused by the majority of students regarding issues at the big event. The date scheduled had to fall on a weekend to ensure massive attendance, the blackboard would be the main publicity medium in use, the venue was chosen to be the city center and entertainment activities were for sure a necessity to be part of the activities during the momentous event and keep students glued and attend the event to the end. 3.0 Recommendations It was clear that the organizing committee had a significant role to play. For the event to be a success, inviting acclaimed artists to perform during the global event is necessary for entertainment purposes. The committee also needs to hire an MC with ardent zeal and fun to make the youths composed and anxious of what to expect to avoid boredom. It is also advisable that the assessment committee takes a headcount of the students’ reception to activities scheduled for the big event some few days probably five in order to ascertain whether they were contented and evaluate their chances of attending the monumental event. It would be advisable that the members of the committee be provided with T-shirts with labels of the successful event and a short message regarding the theme of the event preferably two months before the big event in order to draw attention and publicize the event even better. The city center also needs to be prepared two weeks before the big event with installation of everything necessary for the event keeping it ready to host the attendants early enough. This would void last-minute rushes and show some organization and build a reputation for the organization therefore, making it a classical event. 4.0 Benefits The survey is of value to QUTIC as an institution in easing the education and creation of awareness on Global warming. It is a great approach as it will involve almost the entire institution therefore routines carried out will be to the benefit of a sound environment for the institution. There are therefore short-term and long-term benefits of the same making it worth holding the event within the institution. It will improve student’s awareness on global warming and later apply to their respective regions culminating to a global warming free globe. References Carolan, M. (2008). The Bright- and Blind-Spots of Science: Why Objective Knowledge is not enough to resolve Environmental Controversies. Critical Sociology, 34, 725-740. Houghton, J.T., Jenkins, G. J. & Ephraums, J.J. (Eds.). (1990). Climate Change, the IPCC Scientific Assessment. UK: Cambridge University Press. Huang, S., Pollack, H. N., & Shen, P. Y. (1997). Late Quaternary temperature changes seen in world-wide continental heat flow measurements. Geophysical Research Letters, 24, 1947-1950. John T.J. (2010). System Justification, the Denial of Global Warming, and the Possibility of System-Sanctioned Change. Personal Social Psychological Bull, 36 (3) 326-338. Lachenbruch, A.H. & Marshall, B.V. (1986). Changing climate: Geothermal evidence from permafrost in the Alaskan arctic. Science, 234, 689-696. Mann, M.E., Bradley, R.S. & Hughes, M.K. (1998). Global-scale temperature patterns and climate forcing over the past six centuries. Nature, 392, 779-787. Scotchmoor, J. & Potter, S. (2009). Improving the public understanding of science: New initiatives. American Journal of Botany, 96, 1760-1766. Wilby, R. (2006). Book review: The discovery of global warming. Progress in Physical Geography, 30, 141-142. Will, G. (2004). Global warming? Hot air. Washington Post, 23 December, p. A23 Read More