Aby: Critical Reflection and Summary: Digital Portfolio (WBS 3835)

Developed Professional Questions:

When developing professional questions, I had no idea were to start. Contemplating and unscrambling so many ideas was a huge task in itself. I started with notes and jotted ideas in my journal. Pages and pages of possible questions. I got a little creative, using Microsoft Publisher to help my thought processes through possible pathways to enlightenment. Previous Employment, Current Professional Practice and Future Potential Practice were initially the themes I brainstormed. Looking closely at these three themes, allowed me to take a closer look at the directions I could take and help decipher questions relevant in my developing professional practise1.

These three themes led me to thinking about education in particular. I thought that there was something missing in education for those that are creative, or had a passion for something that wasn’t catered for in an academic environment. My initial thoughts for my inquiry2 started with the SIG on Facebook “to help clarify and develop ideas and possible routes to take”3.

“I think that experience is the best training but where did you originally train and how did you find the experience? Do you think it prepared you appropriately?” Now this question was vast and covered a lot. However, know one in particular focused on training before college. This led me to the conclusion that college level is the time to get down to business, if you’re going to take yourself and Performing Arts seriously this is when you did it. I conversely feel along with many that training should start young (another SIG I was involved with4), though I felt higher education should be the main focus of my inquiry. Within discussion through SIG I empathized with Nicole that “an older head on my shoulders may have helped” and that “A mature attitude would have allowed better focus” at college level. I agreed with Rebecca “that the appropriateness of education is so very personal and how can we predict what would be better for us without knowing before hand our own future?”

One of the questions that came out of this was “Many colleges offer foundation courses for those who need to catch up in areas of weakness so why isn't there anything the other end?” It wasn’t until after I came to doing my survey that I really found questions I wanted to Inquire. This is eventually how I came to my award title. Firstly with education in mind I naturally opted for BA (Hons) Professional Practice (Dance Education)5. Furthermore, through much deliberation I decided to focus on a title that reflected the job opportunities that I wanted to continue and develop. BA (Hons) Professional Practice (Advanced Dance Training) I feel is much more appropriate now after a recent experience6, I want to focus my Inquiry at Higher Education.

Ethical Considerations:

When considering ethical issues that surround my professional practice and proposed inquiry I came across council I hadn’t even contemplated. I hadn’t previously seen the importance of ethics until reflecting over tasks within the course reader and what I have learnt about my own and others ethics and ethical theories. My findings differed from my assumptions. I found that ethics are actually about what’s right and what’s wrong, what’s expected and what is unacceptable. I did assume that ethics are for protection of everyone's best interests, however in my list I did not even consider those equal to me.

After creating a list of ethical considerations in my workplace without research7 and then comparing it to ethical considerations in professions a like, I failed to go into so much detail about professionalism, privacy and respect for all those that surround me. I focused more on the physical rather than the psychological responsibilities I carry and what is required for creating a well rounded individual. I feel in this case that good communication and common sense is important and conscientiousness is imperative8. Like a drop in a pond, the ripples sometimes seem endless and being aware of the impact I create is fundamental for my understanding in what I offer as a positive contribution to the dance world. I was a little to direct before and focused mainly on the immediate effect I have on my students rather than the bigger picture.

Using the ethical framework provided by the course reader allowed me to distinguish between ethical theories and I discovered that I practice Consequentialism in a class room on a daily basis. I believe in Deontology to a certain extant as you have to be seen as telling the truth, being trustworthy is important for a respectable teacher. Virtue ethics I agree with and that moral behaviour and character is as important as action. Students judge their learning from a teacher’s behaviour and character9. I feel that we all have slightly different ethical views and practices depending on upbringing and our own individualism, on the other hand it is important for a teacher to uphold certain ethics to be consistent within their field of practice.

Tools of Inquiry:

Survey: I found the results from the survey interesting. I learnt that I needed to reconstruct my questions, and the way in which I order them. I feel if I can guide the participant through the understanding of the information I want from them clearly, then my results would be more accurate. There was a varied response with a few surprises, for example I did not expect anyone to skip questions. I was also shocked that survey participants were taught by specialist teachers at their primary schools. I thought that everyone would have had a similar experience to me; a class room teacher or PE teacher with no dance background. Turns out some participants opinions and experience differ from my own, this I hadn't really accounted for10.

Interview: The interview I conducted was very useful in that it allowed me to get a real insight of an others opinions, knowledge and experience. I was particularly interested in the type of training my participant had received and was concerned when she expressed negative ailments of her training. With an interview you can question feedback. Something might come up that was not expected and you are able to delve into information that you may not have come across with a simple survey. Surveys can be general. Interviews are personal and findings can be more accurate in result. Interviews are good for the interviewees understanding of the participants reasoning. I feel this merit greatly outweighed any limitation when using this tool.

Focus group: I decided to split my focus group into two to alleviate any professional implications. I wanted to talk to students currently training in advanced dance. Moreover, I wanted to discuss professional course content with teachers and the realities of a career after advanced dance training with teachers and professionals alike. I think that in the future having at least a couple of participants that are not familiar with the others may add perspective. As I knew all the participants on a personal level I feel the results I had may have been slightly different under more focused circumstances. Maybe the unknown participants can act as 'gate-keepers', someone with leadership qualities to influence the discussion further. Furthermore, it may add dimension to my results if I have someone less experienced in the subject to add diversity and for the other participants to bounce off. I was happy with the pilot attempt as it allowed me to analyze an array of opinions, hopes and realities that were compared and work-shopped through. This was great for depth and variety unlike an interview with just one participant.

Observation: The results from my observation was not as clear as I would have hoped. This is because I did not prepare myself appropriately. Therefore, when it came to recording my results I was struggling to remember key objectives and findings. In the future I will carry out an observation when only observing and recording results. Not when participating within the class. As I was observing technique and general ability according to training, it is hard for an overt observation to influence the participants. Covert is hard to justify ethically, fortunately all involved were fully aware of the observation I was undertaking allowing a free conscience. A preferred tool, as observation is a primary source. I can see first hand natural reactions that are not contrived11.

Reviewing Literature: I think this will be a very important tool for my Inquiry. One I feel I shall use a lot during my Inquiry. There is a lot of literature that supports all types of advanced training and reviewing their appropriateness for application will be an integral part of my investigation. There is a lot to be learnt and it’s all out there in literature one way or another. The first piece I reviewed may not have its subject in dance but is relevant all the same. Training from another practice and point of view will add sustenance to my inquiry. This will enable me to consider all types of training and the theories behind them. The second piece I reviewed confirmed my previous training and added ratification to my professional knowledge. It also outlined aspects of training I hadn't thought of, giving me ideas for my inquiry and depth to my results. The third review I completed was a great resource. Although the book was not intended for dance professionals in the Introduction of Pilates for Life; A Practical Introduction to the Core Programme' Darcey Bussell clearly upholds the view that Pilates is an 'important' part of a dancers training. This professional opinion is backed up with a lot of information about the method that has famous successors within the industry. I can use this to validate my own Professional Practice and develop it for my Inquiry12.

Near the end of this Module I was introduced to 'Delicious' an online bookmarking tool that allows you to save useful websites to share and to come back to. I found it helpful to have all my useful websites saved in one place13.

Appendix:

Bussel, D. 2005 Pilates for Life; A Practical introduction to the Core Programme. The Penguin Group.

1. http://aby-lea.blogspot.com/2011_02_01_archive.html

2. http://aby-lea.blogspot.com/2011/03/initial-thoughts-for-my-inquiry.html

3.http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/topic.php?uid=145821545478191&topic=75