Ecological Map Sandra Evans

1. By Ryan Dunne Ecological MapSandra Evans

2. Sandra the Avatar • Sandra is a 18 year old female of Anglo-Saxon background who lives on a rural property in Gunnedah, an outback town in northern New South Wales. • Sandra lives at home with her family. The family consists of her father Greg aged 51, mother Anne aged 49. Both parents work. Sandra’s younger sister aged 16 is currently in school. Her family is close to the average Australian family which stands at 2.7 children with a family. • She is currently attending TAFE studying Hospitality Certificate IV. • Sandra has a part time job waiting tables at a local cafe/restaurant.

3. Microsystem • The Microsystem is the system which directly affects a person. These ways may vary to influence the person. • Influences that directly come from family: • Biologic • Emotional • Social • Cognitive • Sandra is influenced by other means such as: • Friends and Peers • Work and Co-Workers • The Catholic church and fellow Church goers. • The statistical average of a female aged 18: • 51.4% of Gunnedah’s population are female meaning that Sandra is in the majority of the sexes. • 4% of Gunnedah’s population work in the same industry as Sandra. • The Catholic church is the second largest religious affiliation in the area.

4. Microsystem rjd • These influences directly affect Sandra: • Family • Her family has continuous contact with her and events that occur in the family effect her. How the family interacts with each other will also affect her as the family is the main foundation for her life. For example if the family becomes unstable, this will effect her mental and emotional status. • Education including Primary, High School and TAFE • As Sandra moves through the education system it grows her wealth of knowledge. Values and ideas as well as the social interaction have affected the way that she has progressed in life. • Friends and Peers • Her friends are a key component tothe ways she interacts with others. She learns and incorporates parts from her friends lives into her own. • Work place and Co-workers • Sandra learns key roles and has responsibilities whilst working. Sandra also gains independence as she earns money and allows her to take a greater control of her life. 30.8% of high school leavers go onto vocational training like TAFE. • Church • Her Catholic religious views have influenced her view on life as she follows it’s virtues. The values that she learns affect the roles and ideals that she holds.

5. Microsystem Church Prior education Friends & Peers Immediate family members & relatives TAFE & its course topic Work & Co-workers

6. Mesosystem • The Mesosystem is the connection between the Microsystem and the Exosystem. • Many connections are made within the Microsystem as they interact with each other. The Mesosystem brings these connections together. • There are many connections within the Microsystem such as the church and the community. Where according to census data 28% were of the Catholic faith and a further 63% were of Christian belief. This means that 91% of the community hold the same values and would have the same ideals as Sandra. • So that the connections that each group have brings together Sandra's faith, education, friends, family and work all of which interact with each other.

7. Mesosystem • These influences include: • Parents to teachers • The interactions between Sandra’s teachers and her parents can alter the ways of her study, inturn changing her lifestyle to increase her study load. Which then effects her social and work life as education becomes more important. • The local community/neighbourhood • The outback community is struggling with the effects of the drought. The community is becoming smaller as people leave to go to the larger cities where jobs are more available. Her community is becoming fragmented. According to the latest census the population of Gunnedah is 8,044 which has shrunken by 580 people in the past 5 years. • Family friends • These people interact with members of Sandra’s family. As her family become more involved with events with other friends, Sandra interacts with a larger group of people which she would not normally interact with. • Friends of friends • With Sandra’s friends interacting with others means that she is known by others. Any issues that her friends may have with other friends may cause conflict with her own relationship with those people. • Church and it’s community • The Church’s community brings an influence to how her family interacts with the church.Byhelping the church in events thus bringing a closer relationship with her community.

8. Mesosystem rjd Family Friends Parents to teachers Friends of friends Church and it’s community The local community/neighbourhood

9. Exosystem • The Exosystem is the has no direct connection on Sandra but effects those within her Microsystem. • Events that occur to those within Sandra’s Microsystem are shown within the Exosystem.

10. Exosystem • These include: • The parents work place • Both parents work full time, thus limiting the time spent with Sandra and her sister. This then effects family life and socio-economic status. • The culture of outback towns and how Sandra is perceived. • As time has gone by women in rural communities have gained equality in a male driven society. The female population is greater than the male population in Gunnedah. • The interactions of how others perceive Sandra. • The world has a view on rural Australia and its stereotypes. They do not actually have a major effect onhow they perceive Sandra and her community. • How the media and technology that is available to Sandra affects her view on the world. • The newer technology affects the way she views the world. Unlike her parents that did not have the access to the internet she has access to a larger amount of information and is able to view and learn from. She can view many shows on television which creates new ideas within her.

11. Exosystem Parent’s workplace Technology of how she perceives the world and how the world sees her. Culture of the Outback Media

12. Macrosystem • The Macrosystem is the broadest system which covers all aspects of the world. • These aspects don’t have direct connection with Sandra but affects her through means of laws, rules, economy and their values. • Sandra has no major effects on the Macrosystem compared to other systems which she can influence, such as the Microsystem. • Sandra must follow the laws that are created by the government and rights and values which are created by the United Nations.

13. Macrosystem Economy Ever growing world population Government Laws Values & Ideals Global Issues such as conflicts

14. Chronosystem • The Chronosystem is where Sandra is effected by the time and age that she lives in. Sandra has no contact with the Chronosystem. • In the 21st Century Sandra has a vast amount of technology in her reach. She is able to run her life as women have the same rights as their male counterparts. • In her time she has to relate to problems of that time period such as global warming and the current recession. • The idea that jobs are going to become harder to gain as companies will not hire during the times of recession. This will effect Sandra as she tries to find work later. She has to deal with the costs of living whilst the economy is slowing. • The environment is a key issue and as time goes by it will become ever important for a sustainable future. • Australia’s population is growing every minute and this may effect Sandra as the population growth may effect her in later years.

15. Chronosystem Environmental Awareness Growth of media influence RJAXIDD Global Recession Changes in world issues Generation Y

16. Sandra’s Ecological Map Global Recession Growth of media influence Global Issues such as conflicts Values & Ideals Environmental Awareness Ever growing world population Culture of the Outback Media Friends of friends Government Laws The local community/neighbourhood 21st Century Parent’s workplace Economy Technology Generation Y Church and it’s community Family Friends Church Parents to teachers Prior education Friends & Peers Immediate family members & relatives Work & Co-workers TAFE Sandra

17. References • Bahr, N. & Pendergast, D. (2007). The Millennial Adolescent, Victoria, Acer Press • 2006 Census. (2006). Retrieved March 12 2009, http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ • Ryan, J. & Paquette, D. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, Retrieved March 13 2009, www.pt3.nl.edu/paquetteryanwebquest.pdf • Bronfenbrenner, U. (1986) Ecology of the Family as a Context for Human Development: Research Perspectives, American Psychological Association