Task 4A - Ideas for my Professional Inquiry and beginning Research

What will my Professional Inquiry be?

 

After the Skype session on the 23/02/2015 and listening to others ideas for there professional inquiry and having the reader set out clearer, it opened my eyes on to what my next task needed to be to progress. As I listened and contributed my ideas of what I wanted to base my Inquiry around I realised that I had a lot of ideas that needed narrowing down.

Now I needed o formulate ideas into questions and sub questions. This will help me to find out and research deeper into the questions I have asked myself to have a better knowledge of which angle I want to take to lead up to my final Inquiry title.

 

Referring back to Module 1 Task 2d

 

Within the inquiry task I three different questions which I was interested in and what had came to mind whilst working through module 1.

 

Here are the questions which arose in Module 1 Task 2d;

 

1). The different ways I learn really opened from a teaching perspective and I started to ask myself 'how can I cater for all types of learners for my own performing arts school?'. Once I had asked my question I had already done something which had worked fantastically, 'Teaching through pictures' (Mood Boards). I would love to find out more information and ways that could enhance my teaching skills in a fun way.

 

2). When watching 'Strictly Come Dancing' my mum will always say ' I cant believe they are using this music. When I did ballroom our music was so ridged and never chart music'. This got me thinking about how the Industry is really influenced by society. As I said in TASK 2C we have no control in the outside world and the experiences we all face. However we have seen over the years how many things have changed or how new things have emerged, such as;

-Contemporary Dance

-Chart music within Ballroom

-Dance Fitness programmes (Zumba and Street Fit)

-Street Dance and Ballet have a link

 

My question is; Is society and culture influencing the industry or is music influencing society in order for the industry to move as well?

 



3). Can we reflect through dance? song? text? improvisation?

 

However one subject has stood out to me still which has helped me in my workplace and will further my knowledge to become better as a teacher and to offer classes to all kinds of abilities in the future.

 

The first question is one I would love to continue working on but I would like to expand the Inquiry by looking deeper into how I (as a teacher) can cater for everyone's needs in the ways in which different people learn and understand certain things in different ways eg. visually, audibly or kinetically. Along with this I would also like to look at ways I can teach performing arts to those with learning difficulties and disabilities.

 This is something I am very interested in and would like to broaden my knowledge to get the best out of my students when they are learning and performing in all dance styles, singing and acting but to also allow those who have difficulties in areas be apart of a class which they gain so much from.

 

The questions I need to start looking at?

At the moment a few questions have sprung to mind but I will keep you posted with others I am looking into. Here are a few that I am starting with.

 

1). Complete research into work with children who have difficulties and what makes them happy to learn and how?

 

2). What other businesses are out there that help children/young adults with difficulties and disabilities within dance/singing/drama? and how do they work and what have they found to be challenging?

 

3). What types of learners are there? and what is it that these types of learners need and how can you relate them to teaching performing arts?

 

I have already given myself a large task but I am already waiting to hear back from a local business who teaches dance to children/young adults/adults with a variety of difficulties and disabilities and I am meeting with someone who works with a variety of children with special needs in a primary school local to me.

As well as having this knowledge I have my own theatre school and have just produced a large workshop with 45 children and created a showcase at the end of the week to families and friends. During this week I was able to work with a young girl with Cerebral palsy and I am currently working with another young girl with Mental Health issues.

Task 4A - Part 2

 Continuing from Part 1...

Within Reader 4 it talks about what the research actually means. What does research mean?

 

Primary Research - observations, interviews and surveys by using individuals who are employed in public and private arts organisations or businesses.

Practitioner Research - research the issues or topics to explore by using questions, problems and opportunities for change within the practice.

(To help with my own professional Inquiry I will identify a set of questions which can be discussed within my BAPP network and professional community.) 

 

Martyn Denscombe suggests that the purpose of your inquiry topic might act to;

- Forcast some outcome

- Explain the causes or consequences of something?

- Criticize or evaluate something?

- Describe something?

- Develop good practice?

- Empower a particular group (2002, p.41)

 

How will exploring this topic help you in what you do? Will the evidence you find out make any difference to this professional life?

The topic I am hoping to look into for my own professional inquiry will help me as a teacher and become a better performer as I will understand the ways in which different people learn and pick up movement/dance and performing arts. This will allow me to teach and understand clearer as well as find out different, exciting ways to teach all abilities. This evidence will continue to grow and help in my professional life as I would love to cater for all different abilities within the same class.

 

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources will help give me ideas about my topic I have chosen and keep a record of the better sources to be able to go back to them.

 

Worker - Researcher/Insider researcher position

 

Working with Groups and Teams

- We are more likely to work within groups than on our own, this may have its advantages as well as disadvantages.

(working in groups = linked to professional networking)

 

A GROUP OF PEOPLE ARE FORMED DUE TO SPECIFIC PROBLEMS OR PROJECTS  HAVE CAME TO AN END.

 

What is a (SIG) Special Interest Group?

SIG's are groups which are formed (can be formed in the BAPP) to increase knowledge about how you relate to your specific communities of practice or management structures in the workplace.

Web-based groups - extra care may be needed to create a sense of purpose beyond the technology.

 

Reviewing Literature for your inquiry planning

- Literature sources add to any existing knowledge you already know about the subject already.

- Literature can sometimes be difficult to extract the correct information that has relevance to the topic you have chosen. After you have found the correct info the research will be more in depth.

 

(Hart, 1998, p.53) Here Hart gives a list of the different things you would be able to extract from literature;

'arguments, events, motives, standpoint, concepts, evidence, perspective, styles, conclusions, hypothesis, politics, techniques, definitions, interpretations, problem, theory, ethics, justification, questions, ways of thinking'

When finding a source which relates to my professional inquiry make sure it is clear why you have looked into it and to show its relevance to your Inquiry!!

 

Create my own critical arguments to discuss what I have read!!

 

On the 30/01/2015 I skyped Paula Nottingham about Reader 4 and asked about my professional Inquiry. This helped a lot as I realised that some of the areas I looked at in Module 1 keep coming back as they are a big interest to myself. I enjoyed looking into Peter Senge's theory and how it linked to my own profession which helps my own organization etc. This can also relate to the interest I have about becoming a teacher who can cater for all needs and be the best teacher who can pass on the knowledge I have already gained and going to gain in the future as I progress in my profession and as a dance/performing arts teacher.

 



Module 2 - Task 4A - PART 1

Since reading module 2 and reader 4 I have already started asking many questions which related back to specific questions that arose during module 1.

 

What is Professional Inquiry?

Definition of Inquiry = an act for asking for information or an official investigation.

 

Investigating a certain Professional Inquiry will be very interesting as I always learn more when I am physically involved in something I have a strong interest in and have knowledge within that particular area. This helps me engage as I want to gain more in-depth knowledge on the subject and also look into other questions that have stemmed off it.

 

Here Kahn and O'Rourke,2004 have backed up this as they tell of how we should use experiences and develop on previous knowledge we have;

'Inquiry-based learning (sometimes spelled enquiry-based learning) expects the adult learner to engage with relevant problems and scenarios, draw on existing knowledge seek out new evidence and analyse and present that evidence in appropriate ways.'

 

Work Based Learning

Work Based Learning (WBL) gives us the opportunity to use our place of work as the relaxed place of learning (a place we are used to) to approach problems we face. WBL can be very effective when a new method or idea has been produced or changed in an organization which involves more than one person.

 

Thinking to myself what do I do? Am I an employee or freelance? Am I apart of an organization, dance company, theatre a small creative company?

 

At the moment as I have just recently graduated I have my fingers in lots of pies and accept work where I can get it as well as chasing my dreams. During November/December 2014 and the beginning of January 2015 I worked freelance. Many jobs that I go and audition for are usually freelance jobs. However I also have my own business in which I am employed by and apart of as well as being apart of ZIN the Zumba instructor membership and am employed by myself to teach.

 

Peter Senge - The Fifth Discipline

http://www.infed.org/thinkers/senge.htm

 

When I looked deeper into Peter Senge's Theories I was very engaged by what he had found out.

 Peter states;

'... While all people have the capacity to learn, the structures in which they have to function are often not conducive to reflection and engagement. Furthermore, people may lack the tools and guiding ideas to make sense of the situations they face. Organisations that are continually experience their capacity to create their future require a fundamental shift of mind among their members.' (1990:3)

 

Peter then goes onto say...

'We learn best from our experience, but we never directly experience the consequences of many of our most important decisions' (1990:23)

 

Here Peter argues that we always will look to the solution which is close by and focus on that specific thing when presented with a problem. Usually we look to actions that produce improvements in a relatively short space of time. However when problems have had short-term improvements often involve very significant long-term costs.

For example cutting back on something could save you money but could damage the organisation long-term.

This really has opened my eyes about my own business as I have been approached with problems of my own business that has needed deep thought as the ideas I have had to improve quickly could of had serious damage to my business in the long term.

 

I really enjoyed reading his theories as they related to myself and my business enormously and may have opened a Professional Inquiry?

 

Are there any ideas from work based learning or organisational knowledge theories of learning that could be used to understand your own professional Inquiry?

 

From Module 1 I have been interested in how I teach and how my students learn through dance and the performing arts. I soon will be teaching a few children with learning difficulties, disabilities and mental health issues. As well as looking into and gaining more knowledge on how these specific children learn I am also interested in how others learn.

For this I will look back into Kahn and Schon as well as Argyis.

I have also became interested in Peter Senge and how it relates heavily to my new theatre school. 

 

Identifying Knowledge and Skills in the Workplace

Disciplinary = fits neatly and have specific boundaries like university and colleges allow.

Transdisciplinary = Where categories do not fit in neatly which is more related to workplace knowledge.

Interdisciplinary = when more than one discipline is being used to contextualise knowledge,

 

I found this very interesting especially the Interdisciplinary as it is relevant to myself and many other performers within the industry.

As a Professional performer who also has my own Theatre school I do not only just work within the 'performing arts' discipline but also involves knowledge related to the boundaries of business and management and education and training. I know this from working in this area under a principle of my previous dance school, and I have taken this knowledge that as a self-employed performer who is also a teacher has knowledge about acting, dance and music we must also know about the concepts and practice of education

 

Many ideas have arose and questions have started darting around my head ready for me to understand what it is I want to investigate further.

More information I have found out will follow this blog soon.