Critical
Reflection on Professional Practitioner Inquiry
To initiate Module 2, I mind mapped, Appendix A, the learning outcomes for the Module and the components of a successful inquiry plan. As a visual learner this informed my practice throughout each task and as a result bought me to my current proposed plan.
My career development since completing Module 1 helped to provoke questions of inquiry, Appendix B, to evaluate my new working environment. From the vast questions I began with I then reflected upon what topic interested me the most and what I would like to gain from my inquiry, Appendix C. I was able to enhance my skills learnt in Module 1 and use Web 2.0 as a means to collect feedback from fellow BAPP students and peers regarding my questions.
I created a SIG 'Special Interest'sGroup' called the 'Performing Arts Teacher & Coach Community' through which others helped to evaluate my questions and I have provided feedback for theirs. Through my SIG and communicating with others, I realised that I was so focused on finalising my inquiry that I had forgotten that it should be based upon something I would like to develop my understanding on. Without my SIG I would not have reconsidered this and would have missed the initial stepping stones towards a successful inquiry plan. I therefore hold great value in the use of Web 2.0 and the possibility it brings to interact with others in my field and to develop my own knowledge and the knowledge of others.
After conversing with other BAPP students through my SIG, Appendix D, I realised what I needed to do was research. By looking into existing literature, Appendix E, I began to unfold new areas of interest around Pressures of the Industry – How this affects a Dancer and how a teacher can recognise/support this. Researching existing literature has become integral to my practice, keeping me up to date with advances or discoveries and supporting the relativity of my inquiry, Appendix F, Appendix G. My blog discusses how the analogy of ‘The 3 Boats’, Appendix H, which I discovered whilst reading Alice Chambers blog, helped me to envisage my inquiry. My blog post also depicts how literature inspired my thinking and influenced my inquiry plan.
Alongside research into literature; considering and applying ethics to my practice has also influenced my inquiry plan and equipped me for Module 3. I shared my experience in 3 posts, initial ideas concerning ethics, Appendix I, ethics within the workplace Appendix J, and ethics concerning my inquiry, Appendix K. I talk on my blog how teachers, teaching the same curriculum, deliver their class uniquely in line with their personal and professional ethics. This example has enlightened my way of thinking and led me to question the decisions I make in my profession and future career.
When looking into Ethics, I believe I have already enriched my own practice simply by delving further into company policies and documentation, Appendix L, Appendix M. As my inquiry will take place in a school environment it is critical to be aware of these policies to avoid any ethical issues causing complications. Furthermore I must ensure my inquiry does not affect any of my participants physically or psychologically.
Alongside my consideration towards ethics during
this module, by examining tools of inquiry I have piloted an informal trial, Appendix
N, to test the success and suitability of the tools. Through piloting I
have been able to see which methods work most efficiently in yielding the data.
Although informally issued, conducting a survey was very eye opening. I discuss
on my blog the danger of pseudo and closed questions, Appendix O.
To initiate Module 2, I mind mapped, Appendix A, the learning outcomes for the Module and the components of a successful inquiry plan. As a visual learner this informed my practice throughout each task and as a result bought me to my current proposed plan.
My career development since completing Module 1 helped to provoke questions of inquiry, Appendix B, to evaluate my new working environment. From the vast questions I began with I then reflected upon what topic interested me the most and what I would like to gain from my inquiry, Appendix C. I was able to enhance my skills learnt in Module 1 and use Web 2.0 as a means to collect feedback from fellow BAPP students and peers regarding my questions.
I created a SIG 'Special Interest'sGroup' called the 'Performing Arts Teacher & Coach Community' through which others helped to evaluate my questions and I have provided feedback for theirs. Through my SIG and communicating with others, I realised that I was so focused on finalising my inquiry that I had forgotten that it should be based upon something I would like to develop my understanding on. Without my SIG I would not have reconsidered this and would have missed the initial stepping stones towards a successful inquiry plan. I therefore hold great value in the use of Web 2.0 and the possibility it brings to interact with others in my field and to develop my own knowledge and the knowledge of others.
After conversing with other BAPP students through my SIG, Appendix D, I realised what I needed to do was research. By looking into existing literature, Appendix E, I began to unfold new areas of interest around Pressures of the Industry – How this affects a Dancer and how a teacher can recognise/support this. Researching existing literature has become integral to my practice, keeping me up to date with advances or discoveries and supporting the relativity of my inquiry, Appendix F, Appendix G. My blog discusses how the analogy of ‘The 3 Boats’, Appendix H, which I discovered whilst reading Alice Chambers blog, helped me to envisage my inquiry. My blog post also depicts how literature inspired my thinking and influenced my inquiry plan.
Alongside research into literature; considering and applying ethics to my practice has also influenced my inquiry plan and equipped me for Module 3. I shared my experience in 3 posts, initial ideas concerning ethics, Appendix I, ethics within the workplace Appendix J, and ethics concerning my inquiry, Appendix K. I talk on my blog how teachers, teaching the same curriculum, deliver their class uniquely in line with their personal and professional ethics. This example has enlightened my way of thinking and led me to question the decisions I make in my profession and future career.
When looking into Ethics, I believe I have already enriched my own practice simply by delving further into company policies and documentation, Appendix L, Appendix M. As my inquiry will take place in a school environment it is critical to be aware of these policies to avoid any ethical issues causing complications. Furthermore I must ensure my inquiry does not affect any of my participants physically or psychologically.
Overall, Module 2 has prepared me to undertake a professional inquiry within my workplace. This experience has been crucial to my practice. I can apply these planning techniques to future inquiries to develop my professional practice and potentially the practice of others in my field. I have discovered, piloted and analysed throughout Module 2, an amalgamation of ethical practice, use of literature, social science tools and guidelines for carrying out a work-based inquiry. These will assist me in fabricating a successful and informative inquiry in Module 3.
Appendices
A-
B- http://rebeccacox90.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/task-4a-inquiry-questions.html
C- http://rebeccacox90.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/task-4c-continued-inquiry-questions.html
D- https://plus.google.com/communities/109019211894418024115
E- http://rebeccacox90.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/task-4d-literature.html
F- http://rebeccacox90.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/article-concerning-dance-psychology.html
G-
H- The 3 Boats
I found the 3 boats hugely helpful at our last campus session. The idea of having 3 boats which start completely separately and then join in the water and start to mix the ideas together to then reach one whole boat when all 3 boats come to the end of the race and meet in the dock at the end and having the idea portrayed as a picture as a visual it really helped me to see my 3 ideas and bring them together to help put my plan into practice. I hope you all found it as helpful as I did and if you weren't there on the day then I hope have explained it well enough for you all.
I- http://rebeccacox90.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/task-5a-ethics.html
J- http://rebeccacox90.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/task-5b-ethics-within-workplace.html
K- http://rebeccacox90.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/task-5c-ethics-and-my-professional.html
L- http://perform.premier-education.com/about-us/our-policies
M- http://www.bodywork-dance.co.uk/policy-statements/
N- http://rebeccacox90.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/task-6a-informal-trial.html
O- http://rebeccacox90.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/task-6b-tools.html
Bibliography
Elliott, R. 1998, ‘The Use of Dance in Child Psychiatry’,(Journal) Pg 4
Franklin,E. 2014, ‘Dance Imagery for Technique and Performance’
HM Government. 2013, ‘Working together to Safeguard children’. Web: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children
Krasnow, D, M.S., Chatfield, S Ph.D., Barr, S, M.F.A., Jenson, JL, Ph.D., Dufek, JS, Ph.D. 1997, ‘Imagery and Conditioning Practices for Dancers’, Dance Research Journal, 29/1.
Lake, R. 2013, ‘The Benefits of Dance for Kids’
Leblanc, S. 2013, ‘Shaking the blues away’, Blog via website. http://reflectionsinverse.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/shaking-blues-away-dancers-and.html
Lynn, J and Sherri, R. 1993, ‘Physical Activity and Self-esteem in Girls: The Teen years. Melpomene Journal. Pg 19-23.
Nordin, S. 2007 IADMS- Abstract #60 - Standing on the shoulders of a new giant ? Why dance psychology should take a leaf out of positive psychology's books.
Nottingham, P. 2014, Handbook BAPP Arts WBS 3630 (Module 2) Middlesex University
Nottingham, P. 2014, Reader 6 BAPP Arts WBS 3630 (Module 2) Middlesex University
Nottingham, P & McGuiness, R. 2014, Reader 4, BAPP Arts WBS 3630 (Module 2) Middlesex University
Dr Taylor, J. 1987-91, ‘The Performing Attitude’ Published in Dance Teacher Now.
Willetts, L & Creswell, C. 2007, ‘Overcoming your child’s shyness and social anxiety’ (Book) p.172-3
Websites:
http://www.bodywork-dance.co.uk/policy-statements/
http://perform.premier-education.com/about-us/our-policies
http://alice-chambers.blogspot.co.uk/
http://pipspalton.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/task-4chindsight.html
http://www.danceuk.org/resources/staying-healthy-training-and-performance/
http://www.nureyev-medical.org/
http://www.mindtools.com/blog/
Thanks Rebecca
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