That's how the campus entrance looks from University Avenue in Google Street View, a world-watching tool that came to Kitchener-Waterloo this week. It seems to be possible to move the mannequin along bordering streets but not onto the campus itself. As for the continuing education office at 335 Gage Avenue in Kitchener, well, Google's view includes what appears to be a paratransit vehicle caught in a puddle of thick fog.

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Staff find value in UW online courses

by Sheila McConnell, from the online newsletter for UW distance education students

Staff by day and students by night: Many Waterloo staff members spend their days working to make the university a better place and their nights practising what they preach. By logging on to their online/distance education course, they can enjoy a few hours of class time — all in the comfort of their own home.

Katrina Di Gravio, Waterloo’s organizational and human development director, is one example of a staff member who enjoyed her Sunday morning online study sessions. Curled up in her PJs with a cup of coffee in hand, she had “easy access to [her] classes”. “I did my courses on my time. I got to choose when, where, and how long I would spend on the courses,” says Di Gravio, adding that she loved not having to spend her evenings on campus and driving home late at night.

Katrina graduated in 2007 with a bachelor of arts degree.“It was a perfect fit to my work schedule as I worked to finish my degree.”

Bonnie Oberle, Waterloo’s associate director of leadership giving in the office of development and alumni affairs, would agree with that. “I am an advocate of my own time. Distance education is a really special thing. After my first distance education course, I was hooked. I now prefer distance education courses.

“For me, I never thought I would enjoy it as much as I did. More than 10 years had elapsed since high school, so university was rather intimidating. Then I took a few courses and learned I can do it and loved it,” says Oberle, adding that even though she graduated this year with a bachelor of arts degree she still plans to continue taking online courses.

Now she recommends that staff members just “give it a try. You might just surprise yourself. People should find what they really want to do and get connected to it.”

That’s exactly what faculty member Steven Mock did over 17 years ago. “Distance education lends itself well for students to be intrinsically motivated: to learn for the sake of learning. When I began taking classes I knew I wanted to help people but I hadn't focused on a particular discipline. I took a variety of courses from art history to genetics and discovered that psychology is my passion.”

Mock graduated from Waterloo in 1999 with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and went on to complete his doctorate at Cornell University in 2005. With a storybook ending he returned to Waterloo to teach this year. He is currently an assistant professor with a joint appointment to the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies and the Department of Health Studies and Gerontology.

He credits distance education for his success: “Distance education got the ball rolling. It started the whole process for me.”

Like Mock, Scott Murie, supervisor of duplication and distribution in the university’s distance education department, found his passion while studying at a distance. During his 18 years of study, Murie realized that he too wanted to make a difference in the world. He began pursuing a degree in religious studies and in 2005 he created an international charity that helps teach English to youth in developing countries.

Now about to graduate this fall, Murie is a strong believer in the power of education for staff members’ work and personal lives. “Whether it’s gaining a better understanding of the students that we support or the way we can become a better friend, family member or community member just by learning something new, education makes a difference in our lives and the lives of those that surround us.”

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It's Thanksgiving . . . and Oktoberfest

There may not be as much of a UW presence as usual in Monday’s Oktoberfest parade through Kitchener-Waterloo, an annual event that’s telecast Canada-wide (though not necessarily live) on CTV. The Midnight Sun solar car and other UW student projects have sometimes shown themselves off in the parade, but the dean of engineering office says it’s not aware of plans by any engineering group to participate in this year’s event.

With or without UW involvement, the parade includes floats, bands, clowns and local and imported culture. This year’s parade marshal is polka legend Walter Ostanek. The parade begins at 8:30 Monday in downtown Waterloo and heads south along King Street into central Kitchener. It's a Thanksgiving Day fixture in K-W and across the country, a highlight of the nine-day Oktoberfest, "Canada's Great Bavarian Festival". This year's is the 41th annual Oktoberfest for this community, and starts with ceremonies in downtown Kitchener at noontime today.

Oktoberfest, honouring Waterloo Region’s deep German heritage, offers a number of special events aimed at families, including Saturday morning's pancake breakfast and barrel race in central Waterloo, and the "Oktoberfest Idol" competition in Kitchener on Sunday. Plenty of sporting events, meals and opportunities to dance and laugh are also on the program. And last night the Oktoberfest “Women of the Year” were announced, in such categories as arts and culture, community service, and “young adult”, a set of honours that often includes people connected with UW.

The heart of the festival is the "festhalls" scattered across the city (and open varying days), with German music, German food and a certain German beverage in abundance. Missing from the list of festhalls again this year is "Seagram Haus", otherwise the gymnasium at University Stadium, which was an Oktoberfest venue until a few years ago. Various UW outings to some of the festhalls are planned, including “Universities Night” at Bingemans next Thursday, with $10 tickets on sale at the Federation of Students office.

Meanwhile, the campus will be quiet for the next three days as Thanksgiving is observed. Monday, October 12, is a holiday — UW offices and most services will be closed, and classes will not be held. The Physical Activities Complex and Columbia Icefield are closed Monday (the PAC is also closed Saturday and Sunday, but the Icefield will be open). The Dana Porter and Davis Centre libraries will be open normal hours on Saturday and Sunday, and from noon to 6 p.m. on Monday. The bookstore and other retail outlets will be closed both Saturday and Monday. Campus-wide, it's back to normal on Tuesday morning.

As always, the UW police (519-888-4911) will be at work, the Student Life Centre (519–888-4434) will be open, and the central plant will monitor UW's buildings (maintenance emergencies, ext. 33793).

Finally . . . with the beginning of Oktoberfest, there can be more than the usual number of too-merry drivers on the road; let us celebrate with moderation and drive with care. And at Thanksgiving may we be, as the old grace says, truly thankful. The sorrows and burdens come easily enough to mind, but still, we can remind ourselves, we in Canada and at Waterloo have much for which to give thanks.

CAR

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