Pedagogies in the Wild Conference 2019- Abstract Accepted!

Hooray!

My abstract for the upcoming Pedagogies in the Wild Conference has been accepted!

This is great news because I already have an abstract accepted for the international 2019 New Materialist Reconfigurations of Higher Education Conference (Dec 2-4th 2019) and this conference follows straight after (4-6^th December) and is at the same place – the University of the Western Cape (Cape Town, South Africa).

I am working towards a research trifecta: 2 conferences and fieldwork in the one trip.

This conference is being affectionately referred to ‘the D & G conference’.

That is because it focuses on integrating the work of two highly influential scholars whose work is transdisciplinary and has had ‘epic consequence’ in many fields – Deleuze and Guattari. Gilles Deleuze is a philosopher and Felix Guattari is a psychoanalyst. Some their most influential works are: Anti-Oedipus, What Is Philosophy? and A Thousand Plateaus. They have written extensively together on an array of topics. In particular for my project, their work has been foundational in extending New Materialists understandings.

The Pedagogies in the Wild Conference 2019 is being run for the third time and is solely focused on unpacking, exploring and apply Deleuze-Guattarian thinking and approaches.

As many regular readers of this blog know, my research is complexified by interrogating various aspects of power relations – such as gender in/justice, post-colonialism, and what/who are academic/research/educational ‘experts’.

The session I will be presenting is based on a publication I currently writing with my amazingly brave PhD Supervisor Dr Sherilyn Lennon.

Here is what I presenting

Title: Cycling-with-through-and-on the edge of the PhD supervisor-candidate relationship: A post-humanist bike ride to a different place.

Abstract: Traditionally, the PhD supervision relationship is predicated on a supervisor as expert – supervisee as learner/novice model of knowledge transmission. Most of the supervisory work is performed either on the university campus or via digital channels that allow the ‘expert’ to direct the conversation and establish the performance expectations for both candidate and supervisor. But what might be possible if the formalities and associated materialities of this power structure were to be disrupted and reframed?

This session presents insights that emerged when a PhD candidate and her Supervisor shared a bayside bicycle ride in Brisbane, Australia, to see what would happen. While the candidate was an expert bike rider, her Supervisor was far less experienced and somewhat anxious about her (st)ability. The bicycle ride was viewed as a way of deliberately disrupting and displacing traditional notions around academic performances, spaces of learning and who gets to navigate.

What emerged was surprising, revealing and uncomfortable.

The bicycle ride enabled encounters with/in the world/self that worked to queer the way in which both Supervisor and candidate understood their relationship. We contend that the candidate/supervisor relationship is an iterative and dynamic entanglement of forces wherein subjectivities, bodily performances, past experiences, fears, technologies, planned and unplanned encounters are forever and always entangled.

Influenced by Baradian philosophy, this session focuses on the material-discursive-affective phenomena that emerged as the experience of riding-with the candidate/supervisor. In this way “systems of entrapment that manifest power relations in the academy” and “instigate codes of conduct and…exclusionary practices that can limit how academic knowledges…are produced” (Charteris et al., 2019, p. 2) are able to be troubled, re-thought and re-balanced.

What is Pedagogies in the Wild Conference 2019?

Here is more about the conference: The recent #Rhodesmustfall and #feesmustfall protests have set South African higher education on a new course towards transformation, focusing on equitable access to higher education, Africanisation and decolonisation.

Similar movements have reverberated across the globe, addressing issues of neoliberalism, for example in Canada, the UK, the Netherlands and Chile; racism, as in Ghana and the US; and curfews on women students in India.

This has raised important questions regarding knowledge production; continuing structural racism, patriarchy, homophobia and transphobia; the use and value of western theorists in research and curricula; and who gains epistemological and physical access to higher education.

On the other hand, we have seen many productive junctures between pedagogy, education studies and the philosophy of Deleuze and Guattari. In particular, there has been a focus on cartography, schizoanalysis, corporeal theorising, rhizomatic learning and nomadic thought in socially just pedagogical praxis.

These junctures and innovative genealogies and methodologies can both address these issues and be further improved and made more precise by engagements with what it means to transform and reconfigure pedagogies and practices in higher education.

My Conference Stream – Topic 2. Spaces, Spatiality and Unschooling

Topic 2. Spaces, Spatiality and Unschooling: Places of/and/un/Learning in Higher Education

How can we challenge assumptions such as ‘knowledge belongs to experts’ in favour of materialist/experimental/experiential collaborations in teaching and learning?

Expanded Conference Topic 2

Higher education spaces are usually considered in relation to how they optimise student learning and, increasingly, how they optimise marketing potential to attract new students.

In addition, meanings of ‘space’, ‘place’, ‘environment’ and ‘context’ are often elided, and it is taken for granted that learning happens in classrooms, seminar rooms and lecture halls.

Such discourses take space for granted as a neutral background on which human endeavour is located.

Unschooling (in a meta sense rather than the narrow sense of homeschooling) resists this kind of pedagogy in favour of building real communities and replacing dry, nationalist agendas with different kinds of training programs, learning opportunities and methodologies, apprenticeships, internships and mentorships.

Unschooling thus represents a material politics aimed at genuine social freedom and enjoyable learning. Normative ways of understanding space and schooling are challenged by Deleuze-Guattarian understandings which, instead, conceptualise space as an entangled ‘constellation of human–nonhuman agencies, forces and events’ (Taylor, 2013: 688) within which objects, bodies and things do surprising and important if often unnoticed and mundane work as material agents and actants.

Theoretically, such work draws on and takes forward the rich traditions of feminist and postmodernist understandings of space developed by Doreen Massey, Henri Lefebvre, and Deleuze and Guattari’s philosophy of space and striation.

This theme therefore wishes to open up debates about higher education spaces by considering questions such as:

What is the role of architecture, design and infrastructure in higher education?
How might the materialities of higher education spaces and places be conceptualised via inter-, multi- and post-disciplinary frameworks?
How can we take account of the importance of places of informal learning?
How does the iterative materialisation of space-time-matter come to matter in higher education spaces?
How is higher education being spatially reconfigured in relation to global flows of bodies?
Which/ whose bodies matter in higher education spaces?
What new spatial imaginaries are needed for higher education to thrive?
How can feminist new materialisms in its overlaps and divergences with Deleuze-Guattarian philosophy aid us to produce new understandings of space-place-matter entanglements in higher education?
How can we challenge assumptions such as ‘knowledge belongs to experts’ in favour of materialist/experimental/experiential collaborations in teaching and learning?
What kinds of material and affective potential does unschooling offer us for thinking about curriculum development in Higher Education.

Pedagogies in the Wild Conference 2019- Abstract Accepted! — Exploring space-place-matter re-imaginings. Image: Joana Coccarelli

12/05/201909/03/2021

Happy Fearful Mother’s Day Cycling Mums!

Today is Mother’s Day.

The idea of Mother’s Day is to honour mothers for all they have done.

Traditionally, family members give flowers, cards and gifts, or make mums breakfast in bed or take them out for lunch. Or something that is similarly supportive and nice.

I went online to see what was being peddled specifically for ‘cycling mums’.

I expected to see the normal product-pushing commercial crap (which was all there of course), but then I saw an article I found very disturbing.

It was on BikeRoar, a website touted as being an independent product resource website devoted to helping cyclists #BuyLocal – fair enough.

Published last year under the section heading TECH TIPS, it was written by Australian cyclist Jayne Rutter and titled 11 Mother’s Day gifts for cycling mums.

The list of 11 gift ideas looked innocent enough.

The first item was a water bottle.
The second was a free massage.
The third was a book.
The fourth ‘a 2-hour leave pass from the kids’ to ride to a local café
The fifth was a Run Angel Personal Safety Device

…………..and it was the last one that stopped me.

Happy Fearful Mother's Day Cycling Mums! Bicycles Create Change.com. 12th May, 2019. — Image: BikeRoar’s #5 top gift for Mothers Day

I didn’t read on.

There is so much wrong with this list.

First, the article is listed under ‘Tech Tips’. It has 11 items, but only one (#5 above) is actually a tech product. There is a Garmin mount (#6), but not the actual Garmin. Odd. I sincerely hope this is not because of some preconditioned, subtle, habitual, gender stereotype like women aren’t good at tech…. 1 out of 11?

But more than that, it was the actual product #5 itself I found unsettling.

I appreciate that this product comes from a place of concern.

But its very existence is a recognition that abuse of women is so widespread that no woman is safe – at any time.

Violence against women has become so commonplace that giving a personal safety alarm to our mothers is one of the top five gifts we can get her. Really? Top five. I find that so disturbing.

Have we become so accepting and desensitised that violence against women occurs so regularly that we are equipping our mothers with panic alarms – for when they ride their bikes in broad day light!

What the hell!!

Do you know any male cyclists who wear panic alarms?

I find it disconcerting that most people would not see, or question how disempowering for women this seemingly harmless Mother’s Day list and the giving of a personal alarm is. And therein lies the issue.

Female bike riders are at risk

It can be hard to recognise and understand the scale of abuse women experience.

Women face physical and sexual abuse all the time.

Women constantly get unwanted comments, looks, sniggers, honks and disparaging, offensive, sexualised remarks like ‘I’d hold a knife to that’ (said by two men walking past Laura Bates*). We live in a society where ‘I feel rapey’ t-shirts are now sold on Ebay.*

If you think I’m over-exaggerating, have a look at the Everyday Sexism Project*.

As a woman, riding a bike makes you a target.

Or running.

Or walking a dog.

Or going to school.

Or going to the shops.

Or………………. well, you get the picture.

It can be challenging for the amazing men in our lives to understand the extent and danger to physical safety that just being a female is.

Just because you might not see it or experience it yourself, does not mean it is not happening.

Women routinely feel unsafe. We live in a culture where women are culturally trained to fear men, being outside, being mobile, being in public and being alone.

Verbal attacks, sexual assault, rape and street harassment are commonplace. Just ask a female friend or family member about getting public transport after dark.

Aside from all these issues, the personal alarm is also problematic because it puts the responsibility of criminal behaviour on the (would-be) victims. Women. As Laura Kipnis points out “I can think of no better way to subjugate women than to convince us that assault is around every corner”.

We place the responsibility of persistent and immediate danger on women, who then restrict their movements, reduce activities and live in a perpetual state of anxiety. That’s control.

Yup, the epitome of a modern, free, independent woman.

Another issue is that the personal alarm suggests that women are unsafe only when out of the house – like when riding a bike – and that attacks are only perpetrated on the street by strangers. Yes, this happens a lot, but it is not the full picture.

The idea that women are only unsafe in public is a fallacy.

A Personal Safety Survey conducted in 2012 by the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicated that most instances of violence against women were perpetrated by someone known to them: around 74% of women who had experienced violence in the last 12 months, and 87% of women who had experienced violence since the age of 15, reported that the perpetrator was someone they know.^[8]

Abuse of female cyclists occurs every day

Women know this abuse happens, but sadly, most men are unaware of the extent and impact gender and sexual harassment have on females and female cyclists.

A few recent news pieces have tried to highlight the issue:

So, this Mother’s Day was frustrating.

I am angry that the happiness and warmth that should be the focus for Mother’s Day is undermined by seemingly ‘nice and thoughtful’ gifts which are actually unchecked, unspoken and unseen consequences of the misogynistic control and abuse of women.

Perhaps a more apt sentiment for today is Happy Fearful Mother’s Day Cycling Mums!

I have hope though.

There are many amazing women and men who call out any behaviour that would make a mother, any woman, or any person, feel uncomfortable.

I salute these people.

I hope our cycling community shows it’s strength, voice and action to make sure ALL riders, including women, are made to feel welcomed, safe and respected every time they ride.

Perhaps then, we’ll have no need of panic alarms for female cyclists.

Here’s to hoping.

Have a safe Mother’s Day all.

Resources:

*Bates, L. (2018). Misogynation: The True Scale of Sexism. London, UK: Simon and Schuster.
Violence Against Women Australia 2017
Rape and Domestic violence Services Australia: Research Reports and Statistics

18/03/201913/04/2019

2019 International Women’s Day

2019 International Women’s Day.

As well as wearing my The Cycle of Objectification outfit all day, I also attended a few afternoon IWD women artist events at Griffith Uni, Southbank.

I wanted to attend these events to support the showcase of feminist voices and feminist work.

I was especially keen to hear what some Brisbane feminist artists had to say and see how they were translating their explorations of feminist issues through their art practice.

A big thanks for FARC (Feminist Art Rebel Collective) and in particular Deborah Eddy and Claire Tracey.

Like me, quite a few participants had made sashes, costumes, or were dressed in IWD colours.

The first event I went to was at the Grey Street Gallery to hear Brisbane artist Genevieve Memory speak about her exhibition Semiotics of the Dress. This exhibition looked at the history and social significance of dresses.

Next were three other local artists Jodie, Ashley and Renee, who are currently exhibiting at the Machinery Gallery Windows, also spoke about their work and ideations.

From there the crowd moved to the Glass Box space. The Glass Box had a very interesting curated exhibition showcasing a number of under grad female art students. It was a very interesting exhibition drawing on a rage of voices, experiences and issues. As well as music and artists explaining their work, the curators also explained their process and intentions for the exhibition.

There was also a live gig by Brisbane musician Taana Rose (below), which was a real treat!

There was also a proto-installation by a duo (I am sorry, I didn’t get their names!) who have an upcoming exhibition. They created a sample of their work yet to be installed in the concourse to explain their conceptualisations and what they wanted to achieve. I really liked the outdoor/interactive aspect of this presentation. It great to use the art college public space to share art with passers-by.

I really enjoyed all the artist talks and have a new appreciation for the amount of work and thought that these talented artists apply to their practice.

I was stoked to see that Louise Mayhew (Griffith Uni) had organised (for the third year) a Wikipedia-edit-a-thon. Wikipedia is one of the largest websites on the internet, with more than 40 million articles in more than 250 different languages, but women make up less than 10% of editors. This means women’s stories aren’t being told. This event is where you can edit Wikipedia to include women of note who do not currently have a presence on Wikipedia, or who are underrated, forgotten or invisible.

What a great idea!

I immediately started researching a range of female cyclists and bike riders who are yet to be fully recognised, or who have been forgotten in history who need to be included.

It was an action packed day full of creativity, community, and activism.

What a way to celebrate International Women’s Day!

09/01/201905/02/2019

Climb Every Mountain – CWRB Event

If any Brisbane riders are looking for some extra motivation or want to meet some like-minded people, Chicks Who Ride Bikes (CWRB) have just announced their first event for 2019 – it’s a breakfast panel!

I’m looking forward to this event and have already got my ticket.

If you don’t know who CWRB are, or have not yet heard about the Climb Every Mountain Breakfast Event – then read on!

Climb Every Mountain - CWRB Breakfast Event. Bicycles Create Change.com. 9th Jan, 2019. — Image: Chicks Who Ride Bikes

What is CWRB?

Chicks Who Ride Bikes is a social network connecting women around the world through a shared passion for cycling.

Founded in Brisbane in 2013, CWRB is the fastest growing women’s cycling community IN THE WORLD!

CWRB hold some great events and work hard to build a welcoming and engaged community. Head Chick Jordana Blackman must be one of the busiest people I know because I not only run into her at cycling meets, races and CWRB events, but she is also often travelling all over the country (and beyond) working on all manner of major cycling tours, events and media junkets…Impressive!

For this event, CWRB is hosting a breakfast with a panel of three Aussie female cycling icons.

I really like the idea of merging breakfast with the panel event.

The panel has a great line up (see below) and I’m keen to hear the speakers unique experiences, advice and stories. It will also be good to meet other attendees.

Here are the event details that CWRB released this week.

The Climb Every Mountain Breakfast

Join us for a lovely breakfast and coffee, meet some like-minded ladies and ‘climb your mountain’.

The event is hosted by Olympian and cycling commentator Katey Bates who will be joined by a panel of legends including Chief CWRB Jordana Blackman, Aussie cycling legend Loren Rowney and Media guru Jane Aubrey.

The panel will share the ups and downs of their life and career, their strategies to tackle challenges, embrace the stumbles, and come out on top… or at least come out with a smile on their face and some good stories to tell!

We’ll have some incredible door prizes and our full range of 2019 CWRB kit to try on.

The Host

Katey Bates
An Olympian and world champion cyclist, Katey loves her cycling like Eskimos love their ice. Fuelled by a passion for two wheels, she scaled the heights of international cycling.

Her stacked results sheet is highlighted by winning a coveted rainbow jersey with world championship victory in the points race, Commonwealth Games GOLD at back to back games, and a green and gold National champions jersey o the road.

Katey is one of only two Australian women to represent Australia at the Olympics in both track and road cycling, and since retirement, works in broadcasting, commentating on major international cycling events such as the Olympic and Commonwealth Games, World Championships and the Tour Down Under.

The Panel

Jordana Blackman
Chief Chick at Chicks Who Ride Bikes, Jordana was drawn to cycling after a shock cancer diagnosis in her 20s. While in recovery, she saw a poster for a Ride To Conquer Cancer event at her local cafe, and decided to challenge the 200km in 2 day ride ….. but there was just one problem.

After buying her first bike (and falling off it on more occasions that she’d like to remember), she rode her first charity bike event alongside her partner and 2,000 other fundraisers – each of which had been touched in some way or another by cancer.

She spent a lot of time training on her own or on an indoor wind trainer because she couldn’t find a group of girls to ride with at her pace, so when she moved interstate in 2013, she decided to create a Facebook group to make friends and meet other women who rode, and Chicks Who Ride Bikes was born.

Loren Rowney
Over half a decade, Loren Rowney was a highly sought after rouler in the international cycling scene. Riding for the world’s best teams including Mitchelton-Scott and Canyon/SRAM, as well as wearing the green and gold for the Australian National Team, Loren was known for her tactical know how, resilience, and ability to make her team mates smile.

An avid blogger about mental health and the challenges she has faced while transitioning from a professional sportswoman to civilian, Loren remains a keen road and MTB cyclist, with a passion for seeing women achieve equal rights and equality in sport.

Jane Aubrey
Over the last two decades, Jane’s career has spanned journalism and production working on the world’s largest sporting events including Olympic & Commonwealth Games and has held media and operational roles in UCI teams, WorldTour events and the inaugural Indian Pacific Wheel Race.

A former Editor at Cyclingnews and Cyclist Australia & New Zealand, Jane has also worked in the Public Affairs Unit teammates Department of Defence of Australia, and as Media Manager for Basketball Australia and Athletics Australia.

Now providing consulting advice in communications and public relations, Jane’s spare time is spent preparing to take on some of the world’s highest mountains and she’s working on a plan to conquer the Seven Summits.

Register for tickets

The breakfast is being held at the Shipp Inn (Southbank) on Thursday 28 February 2019 at 7:00 am – 8:30 am AEST.

Tickets are $43.29 per head. Click here to book.

See you there!

27/10/201808/03/2019

Chicks in the Sticks 2018

Last weekend was the 2018 Chicks in the Sticks 3 hr Enduro event.

Chicks in the Sticks (CITS) is Queensland’s premier all-women’s MTB event. It has been running now for 4 years and registrations have been gaining steadily. This year there were 233 entrants.

I won’t rehash here the finer details of the event as you can check out at this post on the CITS 2016 which I rode as a team event or this one from the 2017 event.

CITS is all-inclusive race experience catering for both elite riders and those new to MTB and there is a strong emphasis on fun, community and giving riding a go.

The original date set in late August at the Karingal site was cancelled due to thunderstorms.

As luck would have it, the rain cleared on Sunday and a beautiful steamy and sunny day burst forth for our race day at Scribbly Gums Conservation Park.

How was the event?

I got there early and set up a little area for my gear and bags. The junior race started soon after and it was inspiring to see the under-10 girls giving it their all.

I got my race plate, chatted to a few people I knew and visited a few of the stalls. After getting a sense of where the senior race track was, I moved my gear to a position that was quick and easy to have a pit shop to replenish supplies during the race.

Unlike previous years, this time I was riding the full 3-hour solo. As the morning got more humid and hot, I could see that this change in weather was going to be a factor during the race and I was glad I gave some good thought to my water and race supplies.

My approach was to ride steady and see how I felt. It’s been 2 years since I’ve officially raced – and I was at CITS to support the event, not to ride hard and total myself. There were some elite racers out to smash it and many were there to give it a go and a surprising number of seniors were doing their first ever race.

I was not in costume, just comfortable MTB gear – a decision I was very grateful for later when the sun was blaring down and I saw many people in costumes suffering more so. I could see the heat taking a toll on the less experienced riders. By lap 3 (2 hours in) the field had spread out considerably, with quite a few calling it quits early due to the heat.

I rode with a few people who were struggling on the uphill fire trail – just chatting and encouraging. One lady had not eaten, so I gave her some of my food and keep her company up the hill. It reminded me how hard it was when I first started riding and how much I valued the insights and advice of my more experienced MTB mates. Their input saved me a lot of needless suffering – for which I am eternally thankful.

What else happened?

Interestingly, I was the only singlespeed riding- and the trails were perfect for it. Really, there was bugger all elevation, but lots of windy single track. The consistently tight turns and gravel spread the field right out. Confident cornering technique played a massive role in conserving energy and holding speed. Perfect conditions!

I chugged along at my own speed and chatted to a few other riders. My goal was to keep my head positive and enjoy the day – everything else was a bonus. So without any race expectations, it meant I could relax and enjoy the ride.

I found my groove after lap two and was feeling surprisingly comfortable. I ended up doing 5 laps 9kms laps in total without destroying myself in the heat and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

It was good to be part of this event. It was lovely to see how hard people were working and how different people deal with their individual race day challenges.

I had a great time riding and was glad I pushed myself to ride further than I have previously without destroying myself. It was a great day for a ride and the event was super fun. I will definitely be back next year! See you there!

Congrats to the organisers!

Kudos to the organisers and all the wonderful people that helped make this such a fabulous event like the participants, the RATS Cycling Club, volunteers and heaps of partners/family/friends.

The Chicks in the Sticks committee did a great job. A big congratulations to Barbra Neal, Lisa Toia, Amanda Harrison, Seb Mitaros and Christine McKay for all their hard work behind the scenes.

Congrats to all the riders – especially those who were riding for the first time.

Race Day results are available here.

More info about this event can be found on the CITS Facebook page and event pics at Element Photo and Video Productions.

13/10/201817/10/2018

Malala – teachers, girls, rights and education

This week I’ve been working on my PhD Ethics Application for my PhD. As I do this, there have been two international dates that have individually been very important, but collectively add gravity to my Ethics Application. This has caused me to reflect deeper than usual in light of work I’m now doing around ethics, benevolence and risk.

Two key dates

Internationally, World Teachers’ Day was held on 5 October.

Celebrated in more than 100 countries world-wide, World Teachers’ Day was established by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 1994 to recognise the role of teachers in society.

Last year on in Instagram for World Teachers Day, I celebrated the wonderful guidance, work and role that Dr Richard Johnson had for me in my decision to go into teaching.

Then, on 11th October, it was International Day of the Girl Child.

International Day of the Girl recognises the unique challenges that face girls globally and the enormous potential for change girls possess. So the main aims of the day are to promote girl’s empowerment and fulfilment of their human rights while also highlighting the challenges that girls all over the world face.

In the midst of these two major international commemorations and working on my Ethics Application – it is Malala Yousafzai who keeps popping into my head.

Malala – teachers, girls, rights and education

For me, Malala is the common thread the weaves these three events together and directly links them to my PhD. I can’t decide if she is an archetype, hero or champion (or all three) – but I know that she is the perfect embodiment of all the issues, pressures, challenges and dynamics my research is looking at.

My PhD explores NGOs that donate bicycles to rural African girls for greater access to secondary school. So, I read a lot about education, teachers, schooling in rural areas of developing countries, the feminisation of poverty, sociocultural barriers to girls’ education, gender equity and other local and inter/national geo-political issues.

Most people have heard of Malala.

Malala’s father was a teacher at an all-girls’ school in Pakistan. In 2008, the Taliban forcibly closed down their school. Malala publicly spoke out about the rights how girls have the right to an education – she was 11. She was shot in the face as retaliation. After being moved to the UK for her recovery and for safety, she continued to speak out for girls’ education.

She received the Nobel Peace Prize in December 2014 and was the youngest-ever Nobel laureate. She continues her advocacy and activism work. She travels to many countries to meet girls fighting poverty, wars, child marriage and gender discrimination to go to school. She has spoken at UN National Assemblies and internationally and established the Malala Fund which invests in developing country educators and activists, like her father, through Malala Fund’s Gulmakai Network.

I feel very humbled and inspired by Malala’s story, courage and persistence. She is a remarkable role model, advocate, change agent and activist. I have always been incredibly grateful for having the privilege to undertake my PhD. It is also a way

And on weeks like this one, Malala is a reminder of how important it is to continue and intensify the efforts for girls education.

And with this in mind, I head back to Ethics.

16/06/201818/06/2018

Effect of Virtual Reality on Cycling Performance- Lab Rat

As a PhD researcher myself, I know first-hand how much work goes into a research project. So where possible, I like to help out other researchers as a participant or lab rat.

In the past, I’ve been a research participant for the Education, Psychology and Health Sciences Departments.

My most recent foray was an invitation to be a research participant for Nicole T’s School of Applied Psychology PhD research project, which is looking at how Virtual Reality impacts cycling performance – wicked!

I was interested in this project, not only because of the cycling, but also for the VR component of this project. I have previously worked with other educational VR, AR and fully immersive experiences, but never with cycling, so I was keen to see what this simulator was like.

Effect of Virtual Reality on Cycling - Lab Rat. Bicycles Create Change.com 16th May, 2018 — I’ve used fully immersive AR technologies and platforms (above – complete with cycling cap and bicycle print top of course!), but mostly for educational and entertainment purposes, not research.

Effect of Virtual Reality on Cycling Performance- Lab Rat Experience

So, this time, I went to Griffith’s Gold Coast Campus, got suited up, completed a battery of psych questionnaires before and after riding a stationary bike – and got amongst it!

Why is the research being conducted?

Nicole’s research examines the effect of the presence of the competitor in a virtual environment during a stationary cycling task. The possible performance benefits of using feedback within a virtual reality environment was the primary focus. Female participants only for this project.

After I had completed my full session, Nicole let me know more of what she was really looking for – oohhhhh! Of course, she could not let me know all the details prior, as it may have skewed my (or any other potential participants) involvement and data results. In order to maintain the project’s integrity, I’ll only give approved general info about the project here as well.

What I was asked to do

I was in the VR lab for 90 minutes, during which I did heaps, like:

Answered demographic questions, had my height and weight measured and I completed the Sports Medicine in Australia pre-exercise screening system.

Then, Nicole hooked me up to heart rate and respiratory rate monitor. She instructed me on how to use the stationary bicycle and appropriate technique – and I undertook a practice trail to become familiar with the exercise and the VR environment

Next, I jumped on the bike and had to cycle to the best of my ability to assess the intensity level (which was defined as 70 revolutions per minute while maintaining 70% heart rate reserve or until 30 minutes had elapsed.

During the cycling task, I had to continually respond verbally to a Rating of the Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale every three minutes.

I also had to complete quite a few psych questionnaires, including:

International Physical Activity Questionnaire
Long form (IPAQ-LF)
Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS)
Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PAES)
Exercise Thoughts Questionnaire (ETQ)
Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI)
Feedback Rating, Self-control Questionnaire
GRIT inventory
Self-efficacy Questionnaire
Revisited Competitiveness Index (RCI)
Reality Judgement and Presence Questionnaire

So how was it?

I had great fun and did the best I could.

I took the project seriously and answered all questions honestly.

I laughed at myself because, even though I was in the lab, I still indicated turns with my arms each and every time I turned (I must have looked hilarious to Nicole, who was watching me on the screen in the lab next door).

At times I found myself bracing in anticipation when approaching uneven surfaces and cobble stones.

The simulation was basic but detailed enough to create an alternative environment. It had some good details in it like normal everyday urban encounters that had corresponding noises (pedestrians walking down the street and as I passed them, I heard the music they had playing, dogs barking, bird songs, etc).

The cycling part was no problem and I enjoyed using the VR simulation, which required me to ride around a fictitious city.

I giggled at some of the shops and department store names – they had been modified (branding) to have a very similar logo to some well known big brands, but the name was slightly different (McDowell’s anyone?) It totally reminded me of Coming to America!

At times, the VR was a little weird as it was based on an American context and had a few odd aspects for Australians (like cars parked on the wrong side of the road).

I was not totally sold on that particular program – but then again, it was not designed to be ‘enjoyable’, totally immersive or as a cycling training tool. I never really ‘left’ the lab I was in to ‘enter’ the simulation. But, it was for research purposes, not a fully immersive VR expereince – and so fulfilled its role.

After we were finished, Nicole was able to give me some feedback about my performance, some of which I found surprising …. sorry – no details on this, as the project is ongoing!

Overall, I was glad to have the VR experience and get some personalised biodata on my cycling performance as well as being able to support Nicole in her research.

If you get an opportunity to use a VR cycling simulator – give it a try for something different!

And best of luck to Nicole for her research!

25/05/201814/06/2018

Mountain biking – Kampala, Uganda

To give balance to the last post (which was about the challenges facing cyclists in Kampala), this post focuses on some of the more positive aspects fo cycling in Kampala: its burgeoning local MTB scene.

This is a great story to share for a number of reasons.

It shows the increasing popularity of cycling in general, as well as the diversity in riding styles and codes.

It also serves to remind us that ‘Africa’ is not one single homogenous entity; that each region, country and city in Africa has its own unique culture, interests, practices and lifestyle differences, while also showing how multidimensional cycling is in Kampala.

Unsurprisingly, juxtaposed with some seriously dangerous areas for cyclists in Kampala, there are also equally amazing places to ride.

And finally, it is awesome to see strong support for more female riders.

Mountain biking is not usually the first thing most western people would associate with Kampala.

Nevertheless, it is becoming increasingly popular in the area, mainly due to the efforts of (the seemingly inexhaustible) Kampala Cycling Club.

Kampala Cycling Club

I really like the Kampala Cycling Club’s approach.

The KCC claim that bike messagers are “the fastest couriers in Africa” and offer a full day Kampala Experience for tourists.

As a club, they are proactive, inclusive and forward-thinking.

For example, here is their training schedule:

I really like their rules for joining the club (take heed other clubs!).

Kampala Cycling Club

The Kampala Cycling Club has been involved in a range of events have that have significantly raised the profile and participation of cycling.

Two such events are…

1. Tour de Feminine

This year, from 24-26^th January, was the first ever “Tour de Feminine”.
This tour was formatted so that females could participate in either a competitive and recreation capacity.

To date, there is not much information about this event. I could only find a few registration details and a few photos on the Kampala Cycling Club Facebook page (see below).

Despite being a small ride (well it is the first time!), I was still keen to find out more and see what the event format, experience and outcomes were.

So I contacted the organisers – and hope to get more details soon.

I will keep you posted!

2. Red Dirt MTB Festival

The Red Dirt Mountainbike Festival was held on May 4th, 5th and 6th 2018.

The event FB page states “Uganda has so much to offer for the off-road cyclists. There are a zillion unexplored virgin singletracks in unique locations surrounded by beautiful nature and wildlife. We think it’s the best-kept secret and the closest thing to heaven for the outdoor athlete.

This awesome weekend will be stuffed with bicycle-related activities and other outdoor events for both young and old, fit or unfit, beginner or expert, national or international. Activities that will be organized are: nightrides, mountain bike clinics, mechanical workshops, family rides, BBQ, quiz night, movies, bonfires.

However, our biggest event will be organized on Sunday and will be an official MTB race in collaboration with Uganda Cycling Association.

This all will take place just a 15-minute boat ride away from busy Kampala, right in the middle of nature where the air is till fresh and the grass still green.”

The Red Dirt Facebook page has more details and info.

Prize money was awarded to both women’s and men’s podiums:

1st – 300.000 SHX
2nd – 150.000 SHX
3rd – 50.000 SHX

It looked like they had a great turn out – and a great time!!

Yesterday a highlight recap video was released (see below).

I love that MTB and cycling are so universal.

Congratulations to all the organisers, supporters, riders and locals who made these (and many others we have yet to hear about) happen.

It makes me very happy to know that these kind of events are happening and that they are increasing in popularity and participation.

Great work all!

Images from Kampala Cycling Club Facebook Page, Red Dirt Mountainbike Festival and Shotz By My.

08/03/201813/03/2018

International Women’s Day 2018

It has been a very hectic last two weeks. Work has consumed much of my time and energy. As well as the new 2018 University semester starting, I’m preparing to present (twice!) at the English Australia PD Fest next week and also have a few other projects bubbling away! Argh! So amongst all this work, it was wonderful to celebrate International Women’s Day 2018.

Happy International Women’s Day!

As many regular readers of BCC know, my PhD research explores how bicycles can be better utilised to help rural African girls access secondary school.

This remains a critical issue in developing countries, where rural women and girls, in particular, are still severely disadvantaged when it comes to labour, land rights, water and food security, safety and access to essential services, such as education, health and income-generating opportunities.

So celebrating and sharing the history, stories and experiences at the heart of International Women’s Day (IWD) has an extra layer of importance for me – as it does for many others.

What is International Women’s Day 2018?

As the official IWD website states, International Women’s Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. International Women’s Day (IWD) has occurred for well over a century, with the first March 8 IWD gathering supported by over a million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. Today, IWD belongs to all groups collectively everywhere. IWD is not country, group or organisation specific.

The 2018 IWD theme is #PressforProgress.

Bicycles Create Change always celebrates International Women’s Day. For the 2016 IWD, it was from a uniquely Filipino and Timorese perspective and paid homage to the strong men who support strong women. Last year for 2017, a number of great bike-inspired events were reviewed, like the Cycling Victoria IWD awards and a wide range of rides and events happening around the world.

This year, I found some amazing Bicycle Suffragette photos. I wanted to pay my respects to the amazing ladies who defied all so that most women can now have the freedom to ride bicycles. In places around the world where women are not allowed to ride bikes, like in Iran, women are fighting for that right in a similar way to our previous 1890s sisters in the West.

The Suffragette’s fight to ride a bike

There is still much to do, especially in developing nations, to raise the standard of women and achieve gender parity. The impact and importance of the humble bicycle has always been instrumental and iconic in this struggle.

“Let me tell you what I think of bicycling…I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride on a wheel. It gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance.”

— Susan B. Anthony, suffragette

A more comprehensive summary of the Bicycles Suffragettes can be found at Alasko Velo’s blog, but, I think this quote from Anne-Marije Rook (via the Seattle Bike Blog as the original link has been lost), gives some great insight into the connection between cycling and women at the time..

“In a way, bicycling freed women. It gave them unprecedented mobility as they could pedal away from home and see parts of town and the countryside previously only seen from a carriage.

With their own bodily strength, they controlled their path and could feel the freedom of the fresh wind against their faces even if it was for just a leisurely afternoon ride.

Women got organized and created bicycling groups and since bicycling was impossible with the restrictive garments women wore at that time, the bicycling movement made way for less layers, shorter skirts and even athletic bloomers.

The unladylike clothing, positioning on the bike, and physical exercise of course didn’t come without social condemnation at first but bicycling women persevered.”

The freedom and empowerment that bicycles provide as an independent transport mode, has been revered and celebrated for well over a century.

The defiance and strength of these amazing women paved the way for the future. As well as looking forward to progressing female accomplishments, I think it is also equally important to reflect and recognise the past people, actions and changes that have brought us here today.

Horray and thankyou Bicycle Suffragettes!

Happy International Women’s Day to all riders!

All Images: Freddie Grubb – thank you!

11/12/201708/03/2021

Forbidden women riding bikes in Iran

Bicycles Create Change.com Dec 11th.Women riding bikes in Iran — Source: cyclists_boj

Forbidden women riding bikes in Iran

In September 2016, the supreme leader of Iran Ali Khamenei, issued a fatwa (which is a legal ruling issued by an Islamic religious leader) that prohibits women from riding a bike in a public place.

Mr Khamenei explained via the state media, that the fatwa was issued because “riding a bicycle often attracts the attention of men and exposes the society to corruption, and thus contravenes women’s chastity, and it must be abandoned.”

As recent as November 28th, 2017, national public radio reminded all of Iran of Khamenei’s fatwa that prohibits women from riding a bike in public as they are ‘exposed to unknown people’.

Despite this, women in Iran are uploading videos of themselves riding their bikes in defiance of the fatwa that bans female cycling for “contravening women’s chastity”.

Since then, a number of women and groups of riders are refusing to adhere – and more so, are encouraging others to take a stand too.

This movement has been covered over the last year by a small number of online and social media as well as through news outlets such as:

Mashable: These Iranian women are defying a new law against riding bicycles
The Guardian: ‘They said girls don’t ride bikes’: Iranian women defy the cycling fatwa
BBC: Women in Iran defy fatwa by riding bikes in public

1 My Stealthy Freedom

My Stealthy Freedom is an online movement that was started in 2014 by the activist/journalist Masih Alinejad. It is an online movement that began by sharing images of women without their scarves, and has since evolved to draw international attention to a range of Iranian women’s rights and issues.

Such as not being allowed to ride a bike.

My Stealthy Freedom has been avidly promoting and sharing images of female bike riders on various social media outlets – many of which are shared using #Iranianwomenlovecycling.

2 #Iranianwomenlovecycling

This social media hashtag is used on Instagram and Twitter as a forum to publicly defy the fatwa, raise awareness and as an unregulated avenue for local female riders to show their love of riding.

Talk about locally-driven social and gender activism!

It is very inspiring to see this kind of movement – and being supported by so many cyclists (and others) overseas who understand and value the importance of bike riding for all.

It is also great to see that bicycles really are universally loved.

It also makes me very humble to be living and riding in Australia.

It begs the question: How is your bike riding contributing to making society a better place for all?

Happy riding!

Here’s a few pictures from #Iranianwomenlovecycling.