Haley Howell

This week in class, Professor Stall demonstrated the use of several websites and software programs we will be using this semester. I was especially interested in the Wayback Machine, which shows published websites exactly as they were at any given time. We also tried to install Python and Jupyter Notebook. This was challenging for a few of us in the class. My computer in particular did not seem to want to download the software, which was slightly frustrating, but I’m sure once I get the hang of it- we should be fine! I’m looking forward to the rest of the semester!

This week in class, Professor Stall showed us more websites and software. We looked at Scrivner, Zotero, and Grammarly. Scrivener and Zotero are tools to help organize citations for research. I am currently working on my Terminal Project, so these tools will certainly be helpful! We also had a class discussion on “What makes a great city?” Everyone had different answers, and I really enjoyed hearing the various perspectives shared! We agreed that connectivity, accessibility, community, and public resources were all important. Community input is so important in city planning, and this exercise gave a good example of how different people value different qualities of a city. 

This week in class, we discussed various methods of gathering data and information. We discussed field studies, sampling strategies, and public participation. I led the group discussion based off of the reading for public participation. The class had lots to share, so the discussion felt very natural and easy going. We talked about the importance of clear communication and patience with the public. We also discussed various challenges we have faced and anticipate facing as city planners leading public meetings. After the conversation, Professor Stall demonstrated how to install the data analysis package for Excel. He also gave a brief overview of SPSS and various ways to use the software. I am looking forward to learning more!

This week in class, we discussed comprehensive plan evaluation. We talked about various elements that go into creating a solid plan for a city. The recurring themes we found from the reading were public participation, clear communication, and reasonable goals. This exercise reminded me of our class discussion on “What makes a good city?” The collaborative efforts of this class are a good practice for actually dealing with public input someday. I am glad Professor Stall is giving us these experiences in class that we can take with us in our careers.

We also discussed the AICP exam that planners are required to take and pass in order to be certified planners. FInally, we talked about Tropy and Omeka, which are both software to help organize data. 

Today in class, we discussed various elements planners use in storytelling. I led part of the group discussion from the readings. Storytelling connects people from different walks of life, and I am glad that we place such an emphasis on this tool in city planning. Everyone’s story deserves to be heard and valued. We also held the first part of class outside, which was a delight! The weather was beautiful, and I think this helped students think more creatively. 

Today in class, we discussed QGIS, Streetmix, and InDesign. I have some experience with ArcGis, so the assignment we completed last week in QGIS was not terribly complicated. I am glad, however, to have different options for GIS software. We also talked about Streetmix and InDesign. I used Streetmix last semester, but I have no experience with InDesign. I have used other Adobe programs, but Indesign will be new to me! I am grateful to be exposed to this helpful software, and I hope I can take the experience I gain from this course and apply it in my career in the future. 

For our final class, we held a mock city council meeting. The project we discussed was a potential development with mixed use residential, commercial, and office space. The project would be located in a growing but still relatively low-income part of town. My assigned role was a City Council Member representing low-income people with a high concentration of racially diverse residents. I decided to vote against the annexation of the land that would be developed into this project. I used concerns of gentrification and displacement to validate my argument. I thoroughly enjoyed this exercise. Everyone in class was involved and actively participated, which made for a fun experience. I have never been to a real city council meeting, but I have a newfound appreciation for our representatives who do vote on matters like this project.