English Australia: PD Fest 2023

This weekend, I’m presenting at a QLD English teachers conference. This post shares the four AI tools I’ll be presenting in my session. Enjoy! NG

This weekend, I am presenting at the English Australia QLD PD Fest 2023.

The EA PD Fest is an excellent opportunity to engage with fellow educators and share ideas and experiences about teaching, learning and educational engagement. I always look forward to this event and have attended several times before. See more on the EA PD Fest 2017 here and the EA PD Fest 2018 here.

The session I am presenting will explore how some AI tools can be incorporated by English teachers into classrooms. I’ve been experimenting with using AI with my English language students for a while now and I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences with other teachers – and hearing their ideas as well.

English Australia: PD Fest 2023. Bicycles Create Change.com 17 March 2023

Innovative AI Tools for English Language Teachers:
The Future is Now by Nina Ginsberg

Attention all English teachers! Join us for an exciting session where you will learn how to harness the power of AI in your ELICOS classroom. In this session, we use some of the latest AI tools to engage students and reinforce English language skills. Not only will you leave with a better understanding of how AI can support language acquisition, but you will also gain practical tips and strategies for effectively integrating AI into your existing curriculum and classes. All demos are in real-time so you can see exactly how quick and easy it is to create unique and purposeful AI-supported ELICOS activities.

Bring a laptop or iPad if you want to follow along. All participants receive a handy take-home AI teacher’s resource pack. Suitable for new AI users and teachers who want to know more. This is an opportunity to stay ahead of the curve in education technology and bring some excitement to your English language classroom. So don’t wait any longer, embrace the future!!

CLICK HERE: 2023 English Australia PD Fest Program

Here’s a copy of my presentation PPT:
Student permission has been given for all work shared.

Ninas AI tools PPT_EA PD Fest 2023 Download

Paint by Text is a free and simple AI image editor tool that allows users to create and edit images using natural language commands. Users can give simple instructions, such as “make the sky more blue” or “remove the background”. There are three stock images to edit or you can upload your own photo.

Start with simple instructions and check the basics

Get student suggestions and/or pre-teach some useful words
Start with one simple instruction
Use keywords not full sentences or complex instructions
Check spelling
Discuss ambiguity

AI takes things literally

Some good things to keep in mind from Re-Thought: Write positive prompts that describe what should be present, not what should be missing. “A man without a beard” will result in a bearded man. If it is in the prompt, it is likely to be mapped. So write “a clean-shaven man” for pictures with predictably clean-shaven man

Vocabulary: use concrete instead of abstract words. For example:

Concrete: koala, bicycle, sushi, spaghetti, fire truck (more predicable)
Abstract: hope, happy, success (more diverse results)
Build up instructions
Start with one word, then build up
Give students a few examples: night, Umbrella, Christmas, gift, purple ribbon, in Tokyo

Grammar: discuss different language features

Prepositions – above, next to, besides, from, in, out, under
number noun OR adjective + noun

Class Activity: Change the Picture

Give students a chance to explore the tool. Ask them to change a picture three times and record what prompts were used. Students can also upload their own picture to modify. In pairs or groups, use the four images to practice key English language features, such as

Compare and contrast
Vocab: clothing, colours, setting, time, objects
Past, present, future
Tell the story…
Predict what picture/will happen next
Discuss what worked and didn’t work with each photo edit

MURF AI is a text to speech tool that employs a versatile AI voice generator to produce natural-sounding speech from text inputs. MURF AI voice generator can customize the speech by selecting different voices, languages, and speech styles to suit specific needs. The free version offers a 300-word immediate voiceover recording and 10 mins in the studio and there is a massive range of voice selections.

The two MURF features I’ve used are the free text to speech and the Studio.

1. Text to Speech

Access this online via the NUF website Product tab. It gives 200 words and have 3 voices to choose from. Once you paste your text, it will take a few second to covert. You cannot download this copy, just listen online.

2. The Studio

Upload any documents, Google Sheets, PDFs or web links and you get 10 mins free audio. Also has a great range of voices and functionality to change speed, share and export.

Also try Speechify which is the next step up in Text to Speech.

Teach Anything is a simple and easy to use free, open-source AI tool that allows users to ask a question which it then creates two different versions – easy or professional – of the same answer.

This tool can be used in a variety of ways:

a tool to quickly modify a topic introduction for upper/lower levels
exploring diverse perspectives
outlining oral presentation topics
comparing language registers
discussing vocab/language shifts from spoken/written
In pairs. Give one student the ‘easy’, the other student has the ‘professional’ answer. As a team look, for language shifts and changes. Then together, rewrite the answer again as a ‘new’ third version. I like to use the third as an ‘academic’ answer. This task practices and reinforces academic structures (topic sentences, TEEEL paragraphs, transition words, include examples, specific details and evidence, intext citations…etc). Or as a news report. Or as instructions.

Night Cafe is one of many AI Art Generators that uses Artificial Intelligence to create unique pieces of art in a matter of seconds. Users can input a prompt and/or select from a range of styles. Once you sign in, the interface is relatively straight forward and you can generate one free image at a time or get a set amount of free tokens per day.

In class, I usually show three different AI art generators (Night Cafe is one) and let students experiment and chose their favourite one to work with.

Student-created AI art can be used to in English language classes in several ways:

Speaking and Listening: Students work in pairs or small groups to describe the AI-generated artwork to their peers. This activity can help students develop their speaking and listening skills, as well as their ability to use of targeted language features like grammar, conjunctions, transitions phrases and who, what, when, where, how and why aspects.
Vocabulary Building: Elicit students’ own words, preteach or scaffold vocabulary. Use AI-generated art to reinforce and/or introduce new vocabulary words. Students identify objects, places or concepts within the artwork and practice using the new vocabulary in context.
Writing: Use AI-generated art as inspiration for the writing assignments. Students write a paragraph, short story, poem, or dialogue based on the image, and teachers can provide feedback on their writing skills, including grammar, vocabulary and style.
Paragraph/Essay Writing: Students write a paragraph or short essay (cause and effect, compare and contrast, advantages and disadvantages) about the image, focusing on developing vocabulary and grammar skills and applying language features learnt from class.

The example below is from a recent class. We had been working on the topics of climate change, animal extinction and social media to practice cause and effect writing. To end on a more positive note, I asked to students to reimagine a different, more positive future. I encouraged them to be as creative as they wanted. The students used Night Cafe to create an AI image and wrote a cause-effect explanation for their new vision which they then presented to the class. They love it! Here is one example (shared with student’s permission):

13/01/202324/02/2023

Winner 2021 GAET Sessional Teacher of the Year

I went to Sierra Leone to do my bikes-for-education PhD fieldwork and got back in February 2020, 10 days before COVID ceased all international travel and pushed education online. It was a super hectic time for teachers, academics, students, parents and education administrators – which is why being awarded the Griffith Award for Excellence in Teaching (GAET) – 2021 Teacher of the Year (Sessional) was such an honour. I haven’t shared this news on this blog yet as it happened in July 2022 while I was on my blog break. But now I’m back, here are some details. Hooray! NG.

Winner 2021 Teacher of the Year. Bicycles Create Change.com 13 January 2023

Regular reader of this blog know I love teaching.

I have been teaching for 17+ years and this is my 10th year at Griffith University.

I have worked hard to become the kind of inspirational teacher I wanted to have when I was a student at Uni.

In 2019, I received a Highly Commended recognition for my work with international students.

In 2020, like every other educator, I was busy managing students, classes, and colleagues as we all responded to the educational and institutional disruptions due to COVID lockdowns and migrating everything online.

So, it is an absolute honour to be recognised for all that hard work with the 2021 Griffith University Award for Excellence in Teaching – Teacher of the Year (Sessional).

2021 GAET Teacher of the Year (Sessional)

I received this award for dedication to improving the quality of education and learning experience for Griffith students and my use of a strength-based approaches to promote lifelong learning through themes of community, care, confidence, and curiosity.

The panel feedback commended my ability to make students feel more valued, empowered, and connected to learning.

CLICK HERE for more about my GAET.

After such a hectic time – this award is a wonderful boost!

Thank you to all who have supported me over the years – to the countless students, colleagues and friends who encouraged, provoked and joked with me along the way.

What is the GAET Teacher of the Year (Sessional) Award?

Griffith University’s Awards in Excellence in Teaching is a prestigious, annual award that recognizes the outstanding contribution of sessional teachers who have demonstrated excellence in their teaching practices and have made a significant impact on their students’ learning outcomes. The award aims to promote and celebrate excellence in teaching, acknowledging the hard work and dedication of sessional teachers who play a vital role in the university’s academic community.

This award recognises teaching skills, innovative teaching practices, student engagement, and contribution to the enhancement of the learning experience of students.

15/11/202114/05/2022

Our Research & Write Studio (RAW): Winner New Club of the Year!

Great news!

I’ve been missing meeting with other like-minded writer-researchers. So August this year, I had an idea to form a ‘student club’ where we could meet to talk about writing and share skills and hold events that helped us become better writers and researchers.

Well… I pitched the idea to three friends, and we made it happen!

We called it the Research & Write Studio or RAW for short.

(Actually, we called it GAWLERS first… see more below)

I just found out that RAW has been award Griffith’s New Club of the Year!

Woohoo! I am so proud!

A big thanks to all the inaugural members for trusting in me!

And an especially heartfelt thanks to Janis, Rebecca and Jenny for all their great input and effort in forming the Executive Commitee with me.

You guys all rock!

See below for more about RAW.

Origins

Like most other educational institutions, Griffith University life and work changed profoundly in response to the recent COVID-19 ‘educational scramble’. Soon after moving online in April 2019, EPS HDR candidate Nina Ginsberg established an online ‘Show Up & Write’ space for students she knew as a way of staying connected, focused and productive. These sessions were regularly attended and participants said how useful it was to have a collegial space to talk, share, and create academic work. In break times, we asked questions, offered support, discussed our writing, and gave suggestions for improvements in a low-stakes and impactful way.

While Griffith responded to COVID and snap lockdowns by reducing staffing, decreasing services, and suspending many student professional development and networking opportunities until further notice, our study group flourished. As word of mouth about our group passed to others, ‘new’ people joined from all over Griffith. It was clear there was an immediate need for this group and so in June 2021, the main proponents (Nina, Janis, Rebecca and Jenny) decided to formalise this opportunity and open it up for all Griffith students and candidates. We call the group Griffith ‘Research and Writers Studio’, or RAW for short.

What we do

We are an online club bound by our commonality of academic work, research, and writing. Our club aims (see at end) articulate our ethics, commitment and focus. RAW members include undergraduates, postgraduates, and professional teaching staff who are also studying at Griffith. Our members come from all Griffith locations not only in Brisbane (26) and Queensland (10), but all over Australia (6) and around the world (6). We are proud to be a truly transdisciplinary group, transcending cultures, hobbies, degrees and programs, ages, gender, ability, locations, backgrounds, and personalities. This plurality in membership adds vibrancy, interest and new skills we would not otherwise have access to at Griffith elsewhere.

What makes us exciting

We began with 28 inaugural members in August 2021. This increased to 48 members in 6 weeks by end of September 2021 with no advertising, further attesting to the popularity and need for this club. At a time when many other clubs have slowed activities, RAW has expanded in response to member needs, thus standing out as a unique, reliable and reassuring hub for Griffith students and candidates in progressing their university work.

What makes us so exciting as a new club at Griffith is that we are a cheap, open access and inclusive club for all. We are also lockdown proof, independent of university-dictated content and wholly needs-based and our events are run by RAW members for RAW members – meaning members gain valuable presenting and leadership experience. We are a grass roots club that continues to grow organically and is responsive to member’s needs.

One of RAW’s greatest features is that we are not defined by, or exclusive to, any particular educational discipline, cultural background, sporting or personal interest. On the contrary, RAW incorporates and celebrates disparate characteristics, harnessing these valuable differences in diversity collectively, so members collaboratively learn with other members, not learn about each other as separate from others in most other contexts. And it has been a smashing success!

Our membership includes Griffith researchers and writers who are First Nations, international students and speakers of languages other than English, mature aged and returning to study, first-in family, differently-abled and adaptive learners, part-timers, single parents and many others – including a wide range of cultural backgrounds. Being online means we are not bound by campus restrictions or scheduling, so RAW operates anywhere (across all Griffith campuses, remotely, online and for those on-campus as well) and at any time (for example, we have a 24-7 open online, drop-in ‘study’ space where local, national and international members meet). This enables multiple opportunities for social connections as people study and work from a myriad of locations.

As well as study group spaces, we offer a range of writing, editing and university skills workshops (see some examples below) which can be joined virtually in real time or accessed asynchronously via recordings. This means our events are equitable and accessible to all members. Our club allows for networking and skill sharing and provides opportunities to broaden minds and sharpen transferable capabilities. We have an active Teams site that is our communications, events and resource space where we also notify members of other (external) writing and editing events of interest so members can expand skills and contacts within and beyond the RAW cohort.

What is our future?

Our vision is to allow the club to grow and to continue to offer a range of academic skill workshops not provided elsewhere, while providing online participation and facilitation. We seek to connect people with our overarching purpose of enhancing our research and writing capabilities.

Some 2021 RAW events already held:

Show Up & Write Space – 24/7, online, drop-in study space.
Early Bird Study Sessions – every weekday 5am -7.30 am.
Inaugural Annual General Meeting.
RAW Coffee & Chat: Member Drop-in Meet-and-Greet. (1-hr)
Get ahead for T2 classes (Session 1): Leveraging course profiles. (1-hr)
Get ahead for T2 classes (Session 2): Rediscover your motivation! (1-hr)
Get ahead for T2 classes (Session 3): Start(ing) class right. (1-hr)
Sentence Booster & 1, 2, 3: Writing & Editing Workshop. (1-hr)
Academic style in 10 easy steps. (1-hr)
How trees help us write clearer sentences. (Editing Booster – 30 mins)
5 x WINDOWs: Writers In Dialogue With Other Writers. (2-hr forums)

Upcoming RAW events for Nov-Dec 2021

Writing Heptathlon: 7-in-1 Editing Workshop. (2-hr)
The Spring Writing Party. (2-hr)
Gathering to Write. Academic Writing Forum (2-hr)
The Dark Academy (and how to survive it). (2-hr symposium)
Getting Feedback on Thesis Writing (HDRs). (1-hr)
Goal Setting Bootcamp. (half day intensive)

Research and Writer’s Studio Aims

Aim 1. To present academic writing and research in influential ways to diverse audiences. Develop and grow fundamental and advanced academic, writing and research skills and experience through a range of online and in-person opportunities. These include exclusive focused study groups, writing, editing and specialist workshops, writing process forums, accountability writing groups, skill drill sessions, special events and writing retreats and targeted academic skill sessions. These events consolidate and extend transferable oral, written and visual communication skills underpinned by positivity, engaged expression and critical evaluation of information, argument and opinion. Applicable for all levels of study across all disciplines.

Aim 2. To build confident, competent, and collaborative identities.

An inclusive and safe space to share university, writing and researching experiences. Instead of the usual teach-to model, this club moves towards a learn-with approach. Members are X to pursue their own academic and professional goals in ways that are productive, thoughtful, engaged and self-directed. Supporting a passion for lifelong learning through achievement, capacity and mastery. Provide opportunities for leadership and active engagement. Connect members with additional editing, proofreading, mentoring and/or other academic support services if needed. Interaction between Ph.D, Masters, Honours and undergrads is encouraged. To build relationships within and beyond the physical campus by establishing a collaborative and diverse community of practice.

Aim 3. To extend, challenge and share innovative, creative, ethical, and positive writing-research-action.

Provide members with opportunities to develop their own personal and professional goals. Respecting and strengthening engagement with First Nations, cross-cultural, and individual or cultural diversity people, culture, perspectives and lifeworlds. This club adheres to an ethical code of conduct based on compassion, positive change and social and environmental responsibility and action. This club supports members to be intrepid and innovative in their writing and research endeavours to initiate, develop and implement new ideas and projects.

12/10/202113/05/2022

2021 Chicks in the Sticks. Singlespeeding Qld’s all-female 3 hr Enduro event.

Last week, I participated in Queensland’s premier all-female 3 hr Enduro (mountain bike) event – Chicks in the Sticks 2021.

…and I had a blast!

I was super excited this year to see for the first time, a new singlespeed-only category which I feel I had a small hand in encouraging over the years (see more below). So of course, I went to help populate the inaugural division and support the event.

This year I rode singlespeed as a solo 3-hr enduro.

And I rode it wearing a collaborative ‘Celebrating First Nations MTB’ outfit.

2021 Chicks in the Sticks.Singlespeeding Qld's all-female 3 hr Enduro event. Bicycles Create Change.com 5th October 2021. — L-R: Seb Mitaros, Michelle Woods, Nina & Michelle Sando

Event Highlights

It was great to see four other singlespeeders also doing solo 3hr. The singlespeed division was called ‘clipped wings’. While we were lined up at the start line, I turned on a mobile speaker I had attached to my bike and played a bike-themed, race-appropriate playlist – which was awesome! It got us all hyped and in the mood. Of course, I played Queen’s Bicycle Race while we were waiting for the starters gun. Then we were off!

My plan was to go out hard early for the first lap, then ease off and enjoy the rest. I was keen to see how I felt during the 3hrs as I hadn’t been riding a lot and it was a hot day – so I reminded myself I was riding, not racing.

At the start line, I shot out like a bat out of hell and gave the division a good run for their money. I pushed hard for the first lap and keep the tempo high. Just before the second lap, I was overtaken by a singlespeeder, which was my cue to ease off and get into a comfortable groove to cruise the rest of the event.

Having music keep my spirits high, and I made a point of chatting and encouraging other riders along the trail.

In time, Michelle from Pedal Inn (who is a friend) caught up to me. I asked her if she wanted to overtake, but she said no. Pedal Inn was sponsoring the event and she didn’t want to podium as it might look a little dodgy. Plus, like me, she was digging the tunes and just wanted to support the division!

So we ended up riding together for the rest of the event. Which was awesome!

By the fourth lap, I was getting a little tired from the heat and sugar overload, but I kept my head positive and legs moving. The track was made for singlespeed riding and although there were a few diversions around A lines I usually ride, I was happy with how it all unfolded.

I had a great time and completed five laps to finish 3rd.

A massive, big thanks to husband who was my event support and most especially to Michelle for her good company on track. What a superstar!

Congrats also to all the riders, friends and family who attended, as well as to the event organisers and volunteers.

Acknowledgment of country
race village
gearing up
friends with bike t-shirts
and we are off!
having too much fun
good trail times
Nina & Michelle pit stop
last lap
congrats all round

*Images by Nina Ginsberg and Official RATS Event Images by Element Photography.

Previous Chicks in the Sticks

I’ve been supporting this event for many years.

My first CITS event was in 2016 with a mate Corin and another friend Claire as support. We were Team Bicycles Create Change! Our approach was casual, relaxed and have fun. Corin rode her MTB and I was on my singlespeed. Completely unfazed by other riders in ‘full gear’, I rode in less than traditional MTB biking attire, including a flower-decorated bike, helmet, and stretch pants, with not a stitch of lycra or a camelback in sight – which raised quite a few eyebrows. Read more about the 2016 CITS here.

For my second CITS, in 2017, I went to support the event and cheer on the riders. Because I was not on the bike this time, I had more time to chat with riders, families, and event volunteers and get a whole new perspective on the event. Off the bike, I was able to help out and enjoy the color, costuming, and fun in a completely different way – like being able to ‘watch the start’ (which I videoed) as opposed to ‘be in the start’. Read more about the 2017 CITS here.

In 2018, I was back on the singlespeed doing the 3hr solo. It was quite a different experience doing the full 3hr by yourself: pacing, food, ride plan, and mindset played a big part in completing the ride well. As previously, I kept reminding myself that I was there to support the event and not race and so I made an effort to connect with others and enjoy the ride – and not get sucked into chasing and racing. It was a super hot day and that had a big impact on riders. But I drew on my experience, knowing these trails are built for singlespeeds -and (as usual) I had a blast! Read more about 2018 CITS here.

2019 saw a new singlespeed mate, Jen and I team as team and we were the only riders and team on singlespeeds. Somehow, I managed to talk Jen into team-theming as boogie boarders (feigning a sport event confusion, ‘but we are here now with our SS, so we might as well ride‘) dress-ups. Suffice to say, we had far too much fun! Bless you, Jen! We entered as a soft-boiled double yokers team called (again) Bicycles Create Change and even though we were cruising and ‘riding not racing’ we still ended up coming second in our division – wow! We also ended up receiving an on-the-spot award for being the only all-Singlespeed team of the day! A good way to promote singlespeeds at the event – as we saw in the 2021 reiteration in which the event had for the first time an official singlespeed division! Woohoo! And yes, I do feel like we had a small role to play in making this happen!! Read Jen’s guest post of how the 2019 CITS event went here.

The 2020 event was cancelled because of COVID.

So, 2021 was the event’s well-anticipated return! And it did not disappoint.

See you there for 2022!

Chicks in the Sticks 2018. Bicycles Create Change.com 27th October, 2018 — Image: Chicks in the Sticks

05/10/202125/04/2022

Decolonise mountain biking. Art bike for a 3hr Enduro

Celebrating First Nations in MTB

As regular readers know, I have been involved in a number of decolonial projects this year – including putting together the Cycle Shifting: Refiguring First Nations presences in Morton Bay Bikeway project.

The annual Chicks in the Sticks event was coming up and I was registered. This year, I wanted to continue conversations about the unbearable whiteness of cycling and lack of support/inclusion of First Nations riders, decolonising MTB, celebrating First Nation experiences and better recognising First Nations connection to country at MTB events.

CITS is Queensland’s biggest, annual all-female 3hr Enduro mountain bike event. Those who know me know I like to bring the fun – so a theme bike and outfit was in order, but not anything mainstream.

Chicks in the Sticks – Annual All-female 3 hr Enduro Event

At this event, there is a big emphasis on fun, inclusion, and ‘giving it a go’, so there is lots of costumes and colour: – there is a profusion of ladybirds, bees, rainbow tutus, Where’s Wallys amongst the more ‘serious’ riders.

In previous years, I have dressed up. For me dressing up means making-collating-constructing the outfit in a new and creative way, from second-hand materials (no buying anything new) and that uses the theme (if there is one) in an original way. For example, for the last CITS, Jen (my riding buddy) and I went as boogie borders (so good!). We had a great time – read more about how we went here.

I wanted to continue the good vibes, but also raise awareness of First Nations experiences. But ‘Decolonise MTB’ was not the right approach for this event.

So I came up with an idea to promote First Nations experiences in a way that was positive and clear, but not confrontational. My idea consisted of a costume that was comfortable to ride it that matched a uniquely decorated bike highlighting my key theme.

To bring my vision to life, I enlisted the help of two incredible women to make my idea happen. A massive thank you to both Alison and Nix for their collaboration!

My Outfit

The outfit centred mainly on a custom-made T-shirt. This was the visually impactful piece and meant I could still ride safety and comfortably. Alison is a creative mate who I have collaborated with on a number of previous projects, including prepping for Bike Hack 19. Alison was integral in producing my T-shirt vision.

The T-shirt was a bright yellow and had connecting circles and indigenous artwork prints on the front and the words ‘celebrating’ over the same indigenous print panel on the back. I specifically chose ‘celebrating’ as a present verb (ie doing) and it was a positive message. The print was sourced from a First Nations art Collective (to support artists) and the other material (black spots and yellow T) were sourced from Opp Shops.

My Bike

Then my artist friend Nix (who you’ll remember from the New Materialists Garden Retreat and the Ride4Justice + UN International Day of Forests Night Ride we did earlier this year).

Nix is a proud Quandamooka woman who is highly creative. I had the idea of decorating my bike in a way that combined the approaches of my previous Art Bike Projects CONS_U_Me Blues with the Kids Bikes are Hard Work …but also it needed to be lightweight, snag-free, and still easy to ride during the event.

We used recycled clothes from Opp Shops to decorate the bike in the colours of the Australian Aboriginal flag (red, black, and yellow) by strapping the frame in red and black with yellow hanging tassels (emulating the flag’s yellow sun) in the middle.

We added a large ball under the seat in the Torres Strait Islander colors.

On the handlebars we had a hint of the theme colous for front-facing reference.

We then decorated the helmet to match.

See the stages of development below.

Archie ‘helping’
Before shot
frame wrapping
Torres Strait decoration
In-progress
helmet decoration
helmet test

It was a great project to collaborate with others and it ticked all the important boxes for me like being based on recycling and sustainable principles, increasing awareness for First Nation experiences, creating a new and original outfit to ride in, supporting the event by dressing up and bringing the good vibes, creating something we collectively made that was low-cost, sustainable, and low-tech, and I got to share quality creative time with people I admire.

A massive, big thank you to Alison and Nix – I love what we co-created!

In the next post, I’ll let you know how the event went.

To get more info about this event – see the official CITS website.

27/09/202125/03/2022

2021 Australian Walking and Cycling Conference

It’s that time of year again!

Woohoo!

The 2021 Australian Walking and Cycling Conference is on! Thursday the 30th of September and Friday the 1st of October – and this year it is all online!

This year’s theme is: Global Lessons, Local Opportunities.

I have been to this conference a number of times in the past and I’ve always enjoyed it.

There is always a good mix of research, community, international and local perspectives, sustainability, urban planning, and new and interesting ideas.

I am definitely going to miss not seeing delegates in person, or doing the side-conference activities and events – they are a real highlight!

But even without the trimmings, I’m excited about this year’s program.

I’m looking forward to connecting with some old conference mates and meeting some new people and hearing what some of ‘the big issues’ are in cycling research.

I’ve been pouring over the abstracts and speakers, checking out the new projects, selecting what sessions to go to, and preparing notes to add to chat discussions during presentations.

Below are a few extra details -see more on the AWCC official website here.

I’ve listed the program at the end of this post for those interested.

For anyone going – I’ll (virtually) see you there!

Conference vision

The simple acts of walking and cycling have the potential to transform the places we live, our economies and how we engage with our environment. The Australian Walking and Cycling conference explores the potential for walking and cycling to not only provide for transport and recreation but solutions to challenges of liveability, health, community building, economic development and sustainability. As one of Australia’s longest-running, best-regarded and most affordable active travel conferences, we bring together practitioners and researchers from Australia and across the world to share their work and engage with conference participants.

The Australian Walking and Cycling Conference aims to send zero waste to landfill.

AWCC

Keynote speakers

I am very excited about the keynotes speakers – especially Meredith. I have been following her work for a while (total researcher fan-girl crush!) and she is kick-ass! Meredith is also a consummate speaker, so I can’t wait to hear her present on her current work. Double Woohoo!

Meredith Glaser is an American urban planner, lecturer, and sustainable mobility researcher, based in the Netherlands since 2010. At the Urban Cycling Institute (University of Amsterdam), her research focuses on public policy innovation, knowledge transfer, and capacity building for accelerated implementation of sustainable transport goals. She is one of the world’s most experienced educators for professionals seeking to learn Dutch transport planning policies and practices. She also manages academic output for several European Commission projects and sits on the advisory committee of the Cycling Research Board. Meredith holds master’s degrees in public health and urban planning from University of California, Berkeley.

Fiona Campbell has been working for the City of Sydney since 2008 and is the Manager Cycling Strategy. She is deeply committed to making Sydney a bike-friendly city and to helping others achieve similar goals. Fiona is currently managing the roll out of 11 new City of Sydney cycleway projects, three of which are permanent designs to upgrade temporary Covid-19 pop-up cycleways. Fiona mostly rides a Danish (Butchers and Bicycles) cargo trike, and on weekends accompanied by two Jack Russells. Fiona will present on “Global lessons, local opportunities”. This title is also the Conference theme.

2021 AWCC Book of Abstracts Download

08/09/202130/12/2021

Showcasing The (bike) Mechanics of Adaption

This month is Brisbane Festival month.

So this week, I headed down to Metro Arts to check out a wholly bike-inspired, free art exhibition called The Mechanics of Adaptation.

The exhibition was well laid out and had a variety of materials, forms, and mediums across two galleries. Each work was given sufficient space so viewers could walk around the installations and see them from different angles.

I decided to wander through the show first to get a sense of the artworks. It was interesting to see the different techniques used to fuse, fix and set each of the works together. It felt like these were not super technical pieces, which made them more relatable because it felt like anyone could have a go constructing some of these works.

After my initial look around, I grabbed a handout of the exhibition (see details below) which explained a little more of the context behind the exhibition.

The handout and the necessary artist’s name/title/year posted on the walls next to exhibits were the only pieces of info provided at the exhibition.

When I got home and looked for more online, there were heaps of other interesting info about this project! Why wasn’t this extra info promoted at the exhibition?

For example, this project had been awarded a $35,365 arts fund.

And the passing mention in the exhibition handout about the ‘collaboration’ was actually a vital part of the whole artistic process and overall project.

The collaboration was the part I found most interesting about this whole project, yet at the exhibition, there was very little info about it.

Online, I found a catalog that gave more details about the project (see below).

CLICK HERE: The Mechanics of Adaption Catalog

This catalog outlines the background and details the collaboration with Traction and Sycamore, which I think is where the real art story is at – see here!

Having established artists running a series of workshops with youths at risk (Traction) and young people living with Autism (Sycamore) to teach artistic and technical using bikes is a brilliant idea – and I love that the final works were being exhibited as part of the Brisbane Arts Festival.

As a visitor to this exhibition, I felt this key aspect of the project was missing.

I would have loved to have seen better recognition/focus in the exhibition about the involvement of the youth groups.

Even so, it was awesome to see more bike art being supported and showcased.

If you are in Brisbane and have the interest -consider popping in and checking it out!

More bike projects and art exhibitions like this one, please!

Project Background

Michael Deucamp’s Bicycle Wheel (1931) was one of the first ready-made sculptures which simply placed a bicycle wheel upside down on a stool.

Deucamp’s artwork changed the course of contemporary art by elevating ordinary objects to the status of art. In 2021, after 10 successful years and four million trips, the Brisbane CityCycle program is ending.

With access to decommissioned bicycles provided by JDDecaux, Metro Arts commission and five local artists to produce new work inspired by these now-defunct bicycles.

Over a series of workshops, with students from the Sycamore School (a school of young people living with Autism) and facilitated by Traction (a community organization providing bicycle mechanic training for youths in need), the artists have produced works that expressed their existing practices and inspired by this context and the materials.

This work captures the emerging world of ever-accumulating industrially produced items and the potential for found materials to be incorporated into artworks whilst also inviting a playful attitude into the rarefied context of art galleries.

Today, bicycles also represent the urgency of the need for environmental awareness and sustainability.

Within this context, the artists’ use of the decommission City Cycle bicycles reflects the opportunity for artistic experimentation that connects histories of art to environmental sustainability.

List of works

Window Gallery

Alisha Manning Bike Spin (HD video, 3 mins 2021)

Gallery One

(Clockwise from entrance left)

Susan Hawkins Joining Multiples (CityCyle wheel rims and handlebars, dimensions variable 2021)

Sarah Poulgrain A Set of New Skills: Aluminum Casting (handlebar and bike seat posts, plaster, towel and chain from studio, dimensions variable, 2021)

Ross Manning Orange Reflector Feild (CityCycle reflectors, 185cm x 125cm, 2021). Ross Manning is representing Miliani Gallery, Brisbane.

Alisha Manning Bike Pull (2-channel HD video, 9mins 42 sec, 2021).

Gallery Two

Kinly Grey Wheel (CityCycle LED modules and wheel rim, haze, dimension variable, 2021).

All images (unless otherwise attributed) and parts of this text are sourced from Metro Arts Brisbane.

01/09/202109/12/2021

Bespoke City Nostalgia

As we move into holiday mode, my thoughts turn to long, lazy afternoons enjoying the rich, inviting, creativity of a thriving bike community. I was nostalgic for a local event something along the lines of Bespoke City. Bespoke City was a super special, one-night-only art and design event held in Sydney some years back. A wonderful reminder of what can be achieved when creative minds come together. For those who missed it, this post explains the event. Here’s to hoping for more bespoke events like this! Enjoy. NG.

The Bespoke City event was put on to celebrate a new generation of designers, makers, technologists and innovators who had teamed up with artists to re-imagine Sydney’s streets from the perspective of the cyclist.

Brilliant! There should be more city events like this!

The Bespoke City festival included a series of bike-inspired installations, projections, interactive artworks, unique sculptures, videos, kinetic artworks, demonstrations, and stalls. Curated by Laura Fisher and Sabrina Sokalik, Bespoke City invited audiences to reimagine Sydney’s urban environment.

It was held in a new community space in the heart of Oxford Street. This was the first time the event had ‘spilled out into the streets’ from the UNSW Art & Design Courtyard and Galleries.

Bicycles were central to all the artworks.

Bikes were used to generate light, colour, sound and energy, while other artworks used them as a metaphor for the city itself – reminding us that urban spaces can be deconstructed and remade and that we are all implicated in the politics of public space.

A key aim of the event was to spotlight the bicycle as a humble but brilliant piece of technology, and to share a vision of the city as open to being hacked, remapped and remade.

Bespoke City was part of UNSW Galleries’ First Fridays program, in which the Galleries stayed open late on the first Friday of each month to host lively events engaging in contemporary art and culture.

What a great idea! More, please!

Laura Fisher said Bespoke City appealed to everyone: “This is one for the makers, the pedalers and the whole family.”

Some of the more than 20 Bespoke City artworks, workshops and installations, included:

Pedal powered light mural – Climb on and peel back the layers of the city. See Sydney in flux as your pedalling efforts produce variations in light, colour and space. Artists: Jonathon Bolitho, Jeong Greaves, Jobe Williams, Mackenzie Nix.
Autonomous painting machine – A robot-painter that tracks human movements to create curious images, prompting viewers to think about how machine intelligence is influencing our lives. Artist: Jeffrey Wood
Bicycles that make music – Create a slow groove or some fast electronic beats as you collaborate with other riders to fill the campus with a unique and evolving sound piece. Artists: Milkcrate Events.
Microbiology in the urban wild – Examine the city at the molecular level using a bike-powered laboratory created by the first Citizen Scientist molecular biology lab. Artists: BioFoundry
A virtual ride from Paddington to Rozelle – ‘Veloscape’ is an immersive video work in which your pedalling takes you on a traverse of the city. Artists: Volker Kuchelmeister and Laura Fisher
Giant data visualisation – Watch the ebb and flow of rider movements around Sydney, with a specially commissioned work inspired by the City’s cycling data. Artist: Hanley Weng & Xavier Ho.

There were also lots of other things to do, like get a free bicycle tune-up, join the guerrilla knitters, make some custom reflective gear or get some food from one of the Cargo Bike businesses and pop up stalls.

Yes – a wonderful event that ticks so many boxes: artistic, fun, high community engagement, questioning urban design and mobility, bike-focused, collaborative, free, public event…(*sigh*).

I’d love to see more events like this during the holidays.

Ti wouldn’t be too much of a stretch given that most major cities already have some kind of public, night-time bike events like Ride the Night Brisbane or some kind of innovative bike infrastructure like the Starry Night Bike Path.

So let’s showcase more art and design collaborative artworks on two wheels!

This post uses content originally posted by Laura Fisher for UNSW Newsroom and UNSW Galleries.

09/08/202105/11/2021

Indigenous Peoples and a new social contract: UN International Day of World Indigenous Peoples

August 9th is the UN International Day of World Indigenous People.

Recognition for Indigenous people needs far more work.

This year, the UN is highlighting the marginalization of Indigenous Peoples by demanding a ‘social contact’ that better recognizes the social and economic inclusion, participation, and approval for all involved.

This post outlines 2021 the UN International Day of Indigenous Peoples and this year’s central theme.

I’ve also included a curated list of resources and links for those who want more at the end.

Indigenous Peoples and a new social contract: UN International Day of World Indigenous Peoples. Bicycles Create Change.com 9th August 2021. — Image: UN

This year’s theme is:

Leaving no one behind:
Indigenous Peoples and the call for a new social contract

Here’s what the UN has to say:

Indigenous peoples & a new social contract

There are over 476 million indigenous peoples living in 90 countries across the world, accounting for 6.2 per cent of the global population. Indigenous peoples are the holders of a vast diversity of unique cultures, traditions, languages and knowledge systems. They have a special relationship with their lands and hold diverse concepts of development based on their own worldviews and priorities.

Although numerous indigenous peoples worldwide are self-governing and some have been successful in establishing autonomy in varying forms, many indigenous peoples still come under the ultimate authority of central governments who exercise control over their lands, territories and resources. Despite that reality, indigenous peoples have demonstrated extraordinary examples of good governance, ranging from the Haudenosaunee to the existing Sámi parliaments in Finland, Sweden, and Norway.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and exacerbated many existing inequalities, disproportionately affecting populations all over the world that were already suffering from poverty, illness, discrimination, institutional instability or financial insecurity. From the perspective of indigenous peoples, the contrast is even starker. In many of our societies, the social contract, at the very least, needs some revision.

What is a social contract?

This August 9, International Day of Indigenous Peoples, we must demand indigenous peoples’ inclusion, participation and approval in the constitution of a system with social and economic benefits for all.

That is why the 2021 theme is ““Leaving no one behind: Indigenous peoples and the call for a new social contract.” But, what does it mean?

A social contract is an unwritten agreement that societies make to cooperate for social and economic benefits. In many countries, where indigenous peoples were driven from their lands, their cultures and languages denigrated and their people marginalized from political and economic activities, they were never included in the social contract to begin with. The social contract was made among the dominant populations.

Over recent years and decades, various societies have sought to address this, including through apologies, truth and reconciliation efforts, legislative reforms, as well as constitutional reforms, while at the international level, these efforts have included the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and advisory bodies such as the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

Despite the existence of international instruments to respond these inequalities, not all are embarked on the collective journey to ensure that no one is left behind, including indigenous peoples. Therefore, the building and redesigning of a new social contract as an expression of cooperation for social interest and common good for humanity and nature, is needed.

The new social contract must be based on genuine participation and partnership that fosters equal opportunities and respects the rights, dignity and freedoms of all. Indigenous peoples’ right to participate in decision-making is a key component in achieving reconciliation between indigenous peoples and States.

To find out more

Here’s some Australian-focused links from Griffith Uni Library:

Read the Uluru Statement from The Heart and learn about Indigenous sovereignty and establishing a First Nations voice in the Constitution.
Browse Reconciliation Australia’s 20 Actions For Reconciliation In 2021 and develop your personal action plan.
Find which Indigenous nation you live in with the AIATSIS Map of Indigenous Australia, and learn more about the local culture.
Save important dates to your calendar, such as Reconciliation Week, NAIDOC Week and the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples—and get involved in any local activities or events.

Also check out:

Cultural Survival is an organization committed to advancing indigenous peoples’ rights and cultures worldwide. They have a well-curated list of 12 things to do ranging from articles, podcasts, interactive maps, and other links to learn more about indigenous people around the world. It is well worth a look – check it out here.

The Australian Human Rights Commission calls on the Australian government to take more decisive action for indigenous peoples.

Read Melb Uni’s vision for indigenous self-governance and a ‘brave new world’ here.

Delve into the Black Lives Matter LibGuide developed by Western Sydney University for critical resources and research.

Watch the Indigenous Knowledge Institute’s Indigenous People Symposium (see below).

30/07/202118/10/2021

Urban planning for those under 95cms: Dutch cargo bikes, kids and the Urban95 project

Recently, I had the opportunity to hear Matt Root, an avid bike rider and dad of two toddlers present a session called ‘Going Dutch, cargo bikes for kids’ – and it was really great!

His presenation focused on what life on a biek and in the city is like from the point of view of his two young sons. Perspectives like child-centred research and having chilldren activitely participating and informing research and policy is a key step in better redesigning more liveable cities for all.

Matt’s project resonated particpatually strongly with me given the background my West African bicycles-for-education PhD has incorporating children’s geographies and including youths as coresearchers, and the work of Dr Gina Porter and the Child Mobility project.

So I was most intrested to hear what emerrged from the two young experts (Matt’s two sons, aged 2 and 4) while Dad (Matt)* rigged on-board GoPro cameras to capture all the fun and sense of adventure.

In this session, we heard what the pre-schoolers liked and disliked about our streets from their unique vantage point (see below).

From this vantage, Matt draws out aspects of what new ideas we can learn from these young experts.

Below are a few of those insights. All images by Matt Root.

After Matt’s presentation, I went looking for more information about this and was happy to see Victoria Local Goverance Association has a Child Friendly Cities and Community focus.

Matt was also interviewed by Radio Adelaide about this project and why he and his wife chose a cargo bike to transport their young family.

*Matt Root is a co-owner of Flyt transport planning consultancy based in Perth and he is focused on the planning of safe and convenient bicycle infrastructure across the city. Between 2018-2020 Matt led the State Government’s planning for Perth’s Long Term Cycle Network to accommodate the city’s population in 2050.

See more of Matt on Twitter: @FlytPlan.

Urban95 Project

Here’s some more info about Urban95 project in their own words:

From the front box of a cargo bike, how do our streets and

built environment look and feel to a 2 & 4-year-old?

The Urban95 initiative asks this simple question to leaders, planners, and designers.

Urban95 design principals focus on family-friendly urban planning and those designs can help us active transport professions in our work.

The Urban95 project has at its heart a focus on children-friendly cities and urban development.

Urban95 interventions help cities increase positive interactions between caregivers, babies and toddlers; increase access to — and use of — the services and amenities families need; and reduce stresses on caregivers. They are organised into two categories of policies and services:

Family-friendly urban planning and design, including the planning, design and regulation of a city’s space, land use, infrastructure and services
Healthy Environments for children, including improving air quality and access to nature

The Urban95 background states that more than a billion children live in cities, and rapid urbanisation means that number is growing.

Babies, toddlers and caregivers experience the city in unique ways.

They need safe, healthy environments, where crucial services are easily accessible, frequent, warm, responsive interactions with loving adults are possible, and safe, a stimulating physical environment to play in and explore abound.

The City at Eye Level for Kids

From Urban95 comes The City at Eye Level which, as their website explains, develops and shares knowledge about how to make urban development work at human scale.

A collaboration with the Bernard van Leer Foundation’s Urban95 initiative, this – The City at Eye Level for Kids – book contains over 100 contributions from across the world on work to improve cities for children and the people who care for them.

It shares practices, lessons, perspectives and insights from 30 different countries around the world, that will be useful to urban planners, architects, politicians, developers, entrepreneurs and advocates for children and families.

Download: The City at Eye Level for Kids (PDF)