Author Archives: Michael K. Barbour

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About Michael K. Barbour

Michael K. Barbour is the Director of Faculty Development and a Professor of Instructional Design for the College of Education and Health Sciences at Touro University California. He has been involved with K-12 online learning in a variety of countries for well over a decade as a researcher, teacher, course designer and administrator. Michael's research focuses on the effective design, delivery and support of K-12 online learning, particularly for students located in rural jurisdictions.

CWGC Newsletter

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A newsletter from the folks at the Commonwealth War Graces Commission.

Welcome to the CWGC’s latest newsletter.
In the run up to the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, a heartbreaking letter from a Liverpudlian soldier to the daughter he never saw grow up was among the moving tributes left on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s newly created Wall of Remembrance.

Valerie Gornell shared the last letter her father, Lance Corporal James Ambrose, wrote to her and her mother from the jungles of Burma (now Myanmar) before departing on a mission behind enemy lines that ultimately cost him his life. She was just 19 months old when the letter was written but would remain unaware of its existence for almost sixty years.
In 2003 Val managed to visit her father’s grave in CWGC’s Rangoon War Cemetery, the final resting place of 1,381 Commonwealth servicemen of the Second World War. Val said of her visit: “It was wonderful to finally visit his grave and see how beautiful the cemetery is. This year, being able to leave a tribute on the Commission’s Wall of Remembrance means the world. Just a reminder that my family will never forget my father or his comrades.”

To read Val’s full story, click on the link below.
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To mark the 75th anniversary of VJ Day, CWGC managed to record Val’s grandson reading his final letter. You can watch this moving tribute by clicking here. 
Onward TogetherTo mark VJ Day, we teamed up with The National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN), National Army Museum (NAM) and Royal Air Force Museum (RAFM) to create a series of free virtual events for the public to engage with from the safety and comfort of their home. If you missed anything, all the content and videos are available to view via the museums’ individual digital channels.
The Railway ManThe CWGC were delighted to have an opportunity to speak with centenarian Albert “Bert” Warne for the VJ Day anniversary. Bert, a former Far East Prisoner of War, shared his moving stories of working on the infamous Thai-Burma Railway with CWGC’s Senior Public Engagement Coordinator, Megan Maltby. In turn, Megan had a little surprise for Bert.
Our next CWGC Live sees us joined by the RAF Association as we mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. The CWGC’s Megan Kelleher will be joined by RAFA representatives to look at their work during this time period and the casualties we commemorate.
Tune into our Facebook page on 20 August at 1pm (UK time) for our live broadcast.
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Copyright © 2020 Commonwealth War Graves Commission, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
2 Marlow Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 7DX

www.cwgc.org

Battle of Britain Commemoration – 20 Sep 2020 10:00 AM Live Facebook Feed

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Note this event next month from the RCAF Association.

Please note this year’s Battle of Britain (national) Ottawa ceremony has been reformatted with everyone’s health and safety in mind. The RCAF Association is excited with this new format, as it will provide an opportunity for more Canadians to participate in the event “live.” The Commander of the RCAF will mark the occasion as per the information shared below:

Battle of Britain National Ceremony | Royal Canadian Air Force

The Battle of Britain ceremony will be held Sunday September 20, 2020 at 10:00 AM via live facebook feed, for those able to “tune” in. Thank you for helping us mark this auspicious occasion.

  • #BatailleAngleterre80
  • #HistoireARC

This e-mail was sent from Royal Canadian Air Force Association (rcaf_list@airforce.ca)

 

Royal Canadian Air Force Association,405-222 Somerset St. West Ottawa ON K2P 2G3 CANADA, Phone Number:(613) 232-4281, Fax Number: (613) 232-2156, Email Address: director@airforce.ca, Website : http://rcafassociation.ca

Why one former undergrad loves Canadian Studies; US asylum policy in Canadian courts

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An item from one of our fellow Canadian organizations in the Bay Area.

 
Canadian Studies Announcements
In this issue:
  • Catch up with 2017 Ross Prize Winner, Evan Walsh
  • Canadian News: Border closure extended into September
  • Upcoming Event: Canadian courts take on US asylum policy
“It Was One of My Most Interesting Experiences at Cal”
Catching Up With 2017 Ross Prize Winner Evan Walsh
Evan Walsh is a Class of 2018 Berkeley graduate. A dual US-Canadian citizen, he received his B.A. in economics, with a minor in public policy. In 2017, Evan won the Rita Ross Undergraduate Prize in Canadian Studies for his research paper comparing housing policy in Vancouver and the San Francisco Bay Area. Evan currently works at a large tech company in the South Bay.
Canadian Studies asked current Hildebrand Fellow Desirée Valadares to check in with Evan, and find out how Canadian Studies had impacted his career, both at Berkeley and after graduation. Read her full interview with Evan here.
How did the Ross Prize support your educational or career goals?
The Ross Prize helped me pursue my interest in public policy on both sides of the border. My research project explored potential policy solutions to Vancouver’s housing crisis. (As someone who’s lived in both Vancouver and the Bay Area, I guess I like to live in unaffordable places!) I particularly enjoyed exploring how the Canadian policy response intersected and differed from the response to the crisis in the Bay. More importantly, it was very affirming to know there is a community on campus interested in this work!
What was your favorite experience with Canadian Studies?
Definitely meeting Canadian Green Party leader Elizabeth May! Having lunch with a party leader was something I never thought I would experience. Being able to meet a policymaker and hear her thoughts on current events was certainly beneficial for all the public policy courses and projects I was working on. It still stands out as one of the most interesting experiences I had at Cal.
What is the role of Canadian Studies in an American university?
Canadian Studies creates a really important community that connects a lot of different areas. After all, as someone who has lived in both Canada and the US, both countries are intricately tied together in just about every way. Many Canadians study in the US, and many Americans study in Canada. So as the program evolves, I hope it can continue to facilitate cross-border learning on topics important to both countries.
How has your time at Berkeley influenced your career since graduating?
I’ve been working in tech for the last year in the Bay Area. Cal is still playing a big role in my career; namely, it opens up doors about everywhere. Being able to take courses from leaders in so many different fields has also helped be aware of the many of the different paths I can go down, especially this early in my career.
CANADIAN NEWS
Canada-US Border Closure Extended Until September 21
The Government of Canada has announced an agreement with the United States to extend restrictions on non-essential travel between the two countries until September 21. The restrictions aim to combat the spread of COVID-19 in Canada, and the extension comes as the U.S. continues to suffer from high rates of new coronavirus cases, and faces an increase in the percentage of deaths attributed to the virus. Under the agreement, Canadian and American residents currently will continue to be allowed to return to their respective home country.
UPCOMING EVENTS
No Safe Country for Refugees? The Canada-US Safe Third Country Agreement Before the Canadian Courts
Panel | September 1 | 12:30 PM | Online – RSVP required
Until recently, certain asylum claimants who entered Canada were routinely returned to the United States under the the Safe Third County Agreement. However, in July Canada’s Federal Court ordered the agreement suspended, asserting that the US is “not safe” for refugees due to the risk of imprisonment and other basic rights violations. Audrey Macklin, an expert in human rights law at the University of Toronto, joins Berkeley Law professor Leti Volpp to unpack the ruling and what it means for migrants and US-Canada relations. The conversation will be moderated by immigration scholar and Canadian Studies director Irene Bloemraad.
Please RSVP at canada@berkeley.edu to receive a webcast link.
New Security Policy for Digital Events: All Participants Must Sign In
To ensure the security of university-hosted meetings, UC Berkeley recently implemented new security measures for digital events. The most important change is as of August 15, all participants are required to sign into a Zoom account prior to joining meetings hosted by UC Berkeley. UC Berkeley affiliates can use their CalNet ID’s to sign in to Zoom. Participants who are not eligible for a UC Berkeley-provided Zoom account can create a free, consumer Zoom account or can dial in via phone.
Canadian Studies Program
213 Moses Hall #2308
Canadian Studies Program | Univ. of California, Berkeley, 213 Moses Hall #2308, Berkeley, CA 94720

Join Tommy Tea and Support Britian’s Bravest

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An item from the organization formerly known as There But Not There.

JOIN THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY TO HOST OR JOIN A TOMMY TEA.

The money you raise will help to get more homeless and vulnerable veterans back on their feet.
REGISTER NOW
Supported by Morrisons and Britain Loves Baking
Tommy Tea will be held between 2nd and 16th September.

Organise a Tommy Tea and get your Free Downloadable Pack to support your event. Will it be family over for tea, friends round for afternoon tea, a garden party or street party? Feeling hungry just reading this?

SIGN UP NOW!
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US Branch #25 Member Honours VJ Day

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This was submitted to us by one of our members, Comrade Charlie Martin.

Today, pipers around the World stepped out at sunrise to play the retreat march, When the Battle’s Over, to commemorate VJ-Day.

Given my neighbors likely would not appreciate the sentiment, I decided to play, “at the going down of the sun” instead.

In addition to When the Battle’s Over, I thought the slow march, Heroes of Kohima would be appropriate. Kohima was a pivotal WWII battle on the boarder of India and Burma where the British/Indian forces halted the westward movement of the Japanese Empire into India. The battle took place between 4 April and 22 June, 1944.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them.