Conclusion:
It is my hope that after reading this Learning Intentions and Pathway Design output packet, the reader has a clear understanding of my capstone phase goals and intentions. In essence, I am working towards creating an ecology of skills, or a scaffolding of practical knowledge and services that comprise a professional ecological designer. As a creative designer, I use Spanish and Photography to aid my projects in the process of development, in order to reach a larger audience by broadening the scope to be inclusive visually and linguistically. I am very excited to share my capstone project ideas with various audiences throughout this capstone phase. I feel as though this capstone phase will bring about the manifestation and completion of final projects that have been in development and planning already for long periods of time. It is also my hope that I have outlined an independent course of study that qualifies for a Master's in Science degree, and that I have illustrated my involvement and engagement with my education, career decisions, projects and goals.
Output Packet Process Reflection:
This output packet was a great exercise for me to be able to focus on what exactly I will produce and when for my capstone phase. I feel as though I have a much more clear picture of my next steps, how I will manuever the playing field that is fast approaching, who I will engage with and what projects I will put energy towards.
This OP has also brought the out-of-date skillflex advising network to the forefront for me, which then became a difficult decision for me to finally decide to exclude skillfex advising from this OP altogether. I feel as though it is part of my responsibility as an associate of Gaia University to help keep the support structures of the program accountable to the associates, and that is why I maintain a position of being vocal about inadequate support structures. A cornerstone of the mission of Gaia U is as follows: "A primary goal for Gaia University is to co-create, with myriad partners, a thriving ecosocial economy in which millions can make their livings independent of the current ecosocially destructive dominant culture." As a student of Gaia U, I do not have access to skillflex advisers in the realms of photovoltaics nor aquaponics, which is the direction that my studies are taking me. In addition, solar energy and aquaponics are two key areas of the eco-social design revolution that actually have the ability to allow millions to "make their livings independent of the current ecosocially destructive dominant culture," while having a realistic impact in reversing the dominant paradigm's destruction of topsoil, air quality and the environment through petroleum based agriculture and greenhouse gas emitting energy production. I feel as though the skillflex advising system is the support structure within Gaia U that is most capable of actualizing the mission statement above. I feel as though ensuring that skills including (but not limited to) the following are necessary to be part of the skillflex advising system: photovoltaics, aquaponics, school gardening programs, federal/state/private environmental incentives/rebates/grants, medicinal plants, mushroom cultivation, wind power, micro-hydro power, holistic resource management (HRM), beekeeping, CAD and drafting design and more. I hope to direct my mid-year presentation towards revitalizing the skillflex network for the benefit of all associates, and to refortify one of the foundational support structures of Gaia U.