Food For Thought?!

Task 6a: Trial and (hopefully fewer) Errors!

After reviewing Reader 6, I have begun to develop my understanding of how my inquiry will be conducted during Module 3, the variety of ‘tools’ or methods I have at my disposal, and which will be more appropriate/suitable to my needs as the insider-researcher. I must choose a tool/method which will inform what I may do when I carry out the inquiry, and after reading Module 6, this will most likely be a combination of i) surveys/questionnaires amongst member of staff and ii) observations of groups of students.

I have decided to conduct a brief pilot of my survey/questionnaire, by asking two drama teachers with whom I work with. At the time, the format of the questionnaire seemed preferable, as the whole of the Performing Arts department seems very busy at the moment, I would have found it extremely difficult to negotiate time in which to conduct interviews and I would rather have their ideas/feedback in written format as opposed to not at all.

Below is the data I received from my pilot questionnaire and as a result of me making a start and ‘putting the feelers out.’ I have anonymised the responses, due to ethical restrictions, and have simply labelled them ‘1’ and ‘2’. I am posting the results because:

1)      I am hoping that fellow BAPP members and followers of my blog may be able to identify any bias/misleading questions. In addition, if you read this blog and are involved in teaching dance/drama at secondary school level and would like to fill out your own answers, I’d be very grateful and would most definitely return them favour!!!

2)      If indeed you are reading this and your inquiry centre around the same topic/s, then these results may be of some use to you!

Here they are as follows:

…Number 1…

1.        What factors can affect student’s negativity towards dance/drama?

Negative comments from teachers and peers.

Students being almost forced to perform weekly.

Sometimes the style and topics can affect students.

2.        What factors can aid motivation and/or confidence when performing?

Positive feedback from peers and teachers.

A sense of achievement.

Working in certain group sizes or even a solo.

Size of the audience.

Position of the audience i.e. in the round/proscenium.

Being selected to perform in pieces based on ‘ability’.

3.        “How do you feel drama is accepted by students in a school setting?”

It depends on what opportunities the students have. At AGAC students are used to performing regularly as part of their lessons therefore this develops their confidence straight away. 

 I believe it is mainly down to opportunities and experience.

4.        Do the skills that are developed in dance/drama aid students in other aspects of their education?

Yes it develops team building skills, organisation, and confidence, ability to work to strict deadlines, creativity, ability to provide feedback to peers, improvisation skills, ability to review and improve, creative skills, and ability to work in various size groups and alone. The main aspect is that students get used to putting themselves ‘out there’ and used to receiving critique.

5.        What are your sources of inspiration when teaching?

Everything!

6.        Do the performing arts subjects still hold relevance in today’s curriculum? Why?

 Not as much as they should. I feel that the English Bach has a lot more ‘credit’ given to it than the arts.

7.        To what extent are the disciplines in the performing arts relevant outside of the classroom?

Very relevant. When going for a job interview, you may need to present in front of a group of people, participate in group activities/role plays.

8.        What are successful strategies for reducing the negative effects of peer influence/pressure within the classroom?

…and Number 2…

1..        What factors can affect student’s negativity towards dance/drama?

There are a number of factors that can effect negativity towards drama. Low self-esteem and confidence issues, friendship groups, anxiety and the fear of being bullied. In drama many students are put ‘on the spot’ and feel very vulnerable. Some students also treat the subject as an ‘easy lesson’ and their attitude and effort can be poor as they are not required to do lots of written work.

2.     What factors can aid motivation and/or confidence when performing?

Students like to know when they have done well. Praise needs to be a constant element throughout the lesson. Trips and seeing professionals can also motivate students. School productions and working as a team with staff is a strong motivator. Performing in pairs or as a group helps with confidence as well as allowing students to work at their own pace.

3.     “How do you feel drama is accepted by students in a school setting?”

In year 7 and 8 girls seem more confident, in year 9 boys tend to be.

4.      Do the skills that are developed in dance/drama aid students in other aspects of their education?

Yes. I feel that students learn life skills in drama to build confidence and have positive relationships with people. This can help in other subjects whether it’s giving a presentation or speaking aloud in class.

5.     What are your sources of inspiration when teaching?

Theatre, film, TV. But also working with children who want to do well and are motivated to achieve a good grade. In KS4 I feel like I work with young actors rather than students.

6.     Do the performing arts subjects still hold relevance in today’s curriculum? Why?

Absolutely. Performing arts is everywhere. If you go home and watch TV, you are watching performing arts. If you are making a speech or giving a presentation you are using skills learned in performing arts. Performing arts gives students the opportunity to be imaginative and creative. It helps students become the people they want to be. Children are not machines or numbers, they need the facility to explore characters and stories the way drama allows them to.

7.     To what extent are the disciplines in the performing arts relevant outside of the classroom?

My motto for GCSE drama is ‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail’. Not only does this apply in the drama classroom but also in life. Drama allows students to work on a project, focus, critique work and work as a team. All things are relevant in today’s society.

8.     What are successful strategies for reducing the negative effects of peer influence/pressure within the classroom?

Praise is effective. Also allowing students to work with friends one week then me putting them into groups. Also establishing the classroom rules early on and explain the punishment if students are being disrespectful. Encourage students and explain why they are doing things. Building confidence with games and short activities.

The Ethical Considerations of My Inquiry: Task 5c

In an investigation involving human beings as participants, there must be strict ethical guidelines adhered to. Add to that additional complications such as the age of the participants and the educational setting and the whole inquiry gets ever so slightly more complicated! Ethics infiltrates across all parts of our lives, both personal and professional, public and private and there is no exception here.

Our own ethical stances govern our actions and the decisions that we take. My personal ethics have been informed from the values my family instilled in me, any religious influences during my upbringing and also my basic morals; what I inherently know to be right and wrong – my ‘character.’ Historically, law and religion have always been closely associated with morals and ethics. My current place of practice sees many individuals brought together under one roof, each with their own set of ethical beliefs, varied as they may be. Professional ethics have therefore evolved from the ‘norms’ that can be expected of certain professions, in my case – teaching, and have developed so that the standards of the profession may be upheld. An ethical stance can sometimes be referred to as a ‘code of conduct.’ These regulate any differentiation in people’s personal ethics. Should anyone wishing to work within a school environment therefore should abide by these rules. Both personal and professional ethics then combine to contribute to social harmony in the larger community of the school.

The ripple analogy seen in Reader 5 aims to explain the consequences and knock-on effects of our own perceptions of right and wrong within our immediate community. But in a chain-reaction scenario, at whose ‘door’ would ethical principles lie? Should it merely stop at personal? I believe that the staff within a school all have a duty of care to its students. If a teaching assistant observes the Head Teacher ignore an incident of concern, does that justify it? Regrettably, tensions can arise between personal ethics; what we see fit and professional codes/what our employer expects of us. By supporting one another and remaining collegial, the ripples that spread outwards are all positive and influential. Ultimately, the ethos of the school should be one whereby its student’s personal ethics are shaped, in turn creating their own ripples within a wider society.

Unfortunately, issues that may make us question whether acts are good/bad/necessary are not always a case of ‘black or white.’ It is my personal responsibility during my inquiry to thoroughly investigate any ‘grey’ areas that would affect the well-being of my participants.

I found the reading of the history behind ethical principles extremely interesting. Hobbes (1651) was of the belief that ethics were a practical solution to harmony within society and existed in order to achieve peace and cooperation. In order to achieve social order, everyone within that society must all first adhere to a set of moral rules. I believe this theory could be considered fairly black/white. For instance, it works on the premise that rational people will accept it on the understanding that everyone will as well. But who decides on rational? Certainly in a school the ethical code of practice determines the morals expected of its staff and students. Unfortunately however, there are individuals that exist within educational organisations who fall short in terms of adhering to moral rules.

Kant’s (1779) belief is that the moral rules are absolute. A person should act for the greater good no matter what their desires are and that the moral behind the action determines whether the action itself is right or wrong. In stark contrast to that is the view of Mill (1861) in that he believed that the means justified the end. By looking at the ‘kill one person to save ten’ analogy, although seemingly extreme, I have been able to link it to an educational example. If one student is persistently disruptive throughout a lesson, the teacher could be considered right in removing the student and sacrificing their learning during that lesson, in order to enhance it for everyone else. In terms of this view on the ethos of a school? No, I am of the opinion that the community within the school should follow the same guidelines.

Leading on from that, Plato’s idea of comparative ethics whereby what is deemed right/wrong differs with the passage of time can also be given an educational example. Social changes have rendered certain types of conduct which were acceptable e.g. use of the cane and physical pain as punishment, to now not being so. The concept of ‘moral relativism’ states that there are in fact no universal moral norms. What is right or good in one society or time may not necessarily be the same in another. While this could be true of all educational establishments worldwide, educational settings within Western culture and certainly within the UK all share the same ethical expectations.

When planning my inquiry, I must follow complete ethical practice in the carrying out of actions and consider the broader ethical implications that may be attached. The motivating factor for my inquiry is twofold; I improve my professional practice through the results brought about by the investigation and likewise the learning experience for my students is enriched. At the end of the day, the students themselves stand to benefit most from the research, in that the reason for me wanting to improve my practice and become a better teacher is so that my students learn more and have a more successful educational experience. I have responsibilities to my students, my peers at the school, the academic institution and the greater community of practitioners.  

*Who are my participants? – Drama students of mixed age range, gender and ability, particularly in years groups 7-9 before it is chosen as a preferred Key Stage 4 subject.

*How have you chosen the participants? – Students have purely been chosen on the fact that I am able to access their lesson in a supporting role. I will ensure that I have plenty of differentiation within my sample e.g. age, ability, gender etc.

*Why were the participants chosen? – As my inquiry will look into factors affecting motivation/negativity towards drama, transferable skills etc, the participants will be chosen based on their timetabled drama slot and also by ensuring a variation of participants e.g. by not comparing three different year 7 groups.

*How will you contact the participants? - Put simply, I will not. It would be inappropriate of me as their teacher to attempt to contact the students individually or outside of school hours, inquiry or not. All contact will take place within the lesson or school environment.

*How will you make sure that your participants can leave the inquiry if they desire to do so? - I will make it perfectly clear to the participants before we begin that they can decide to not be a part of my investigation at any point without repercussion. Obviously they cannot opt out of the drama lesson as a whole but I will be sure to omit their results/data before making my final conclusions.

*Do the participants have your contact details? – No, as discussed above.

*Are you storing the participant’s data safely? – The data will be stored digitally and as such, will require proper managing and special handling to ensure that it is not manipulated in any way or shared with other parties. The data will represent the attitudes and behaviour of the participants and not my opinions as the researcher. I must also consider appropriate disposal of the data.

My responsibilities as the instigator of the inquiry must be to develop ethical and legal methods of working. Essentially, at the very heart of ethics, no harm should befall any of my participants. Any areas of potential ethical concern will be dealt with quickly and effectively. All research will be conducted to the agreed protocol, as outlined in my proposal and agreed with the authorising professional source. I will endeavour to treat the students with respect and honesty by informing them of the purpose of my study, gaining parental consent and ensuring their safety throughout, reporting any problems/incidents to the appropriate body within the school. Feedback provided to participants will be accurate and truthful, and findings presented fairly without cherry-picking data or ignoring any anomalous responses. 

Ultimately, I want to ensure that if my observations are carried out on certain classes within the year group and not others, in order to measure subsequent differences, that I am not impeding learning in any way. 

...Just A Thought?

After reading and reflecting on the ‘Ethics’ section of the Module, I am of the understanding that my participants (in my case – secondary school students) must be made aware of the reason for the inquiry, and what I will be looking at during observational periods. I am slightly concerned however, that once they have been told the line of my inquiry, then their behaviour will not be authentic i.e. they may act out/withdraw from activities deliberately? In particular I am hoping to focus on the factors that affect negativity towards drama and effective strategies for reducing peer pressure within the classroom. Once students hear this, will they behave in a way they perceive to be ‘what I’m looking for’ or conversely, try to deliberately act out and affect results?

Wondering if anyone had had any thoughts on the above and any ways to tackle it?

Codes of Practice in an Educational Setting - Task 5b

After blogging my initial thoughts regarding the ethical considerations and codes of practice in the workplace, I sought out official legislation and documentation in order for me to identify areas that I may have overlooked. Digital copies of policies ranging from the ‘Acceptable Use of ICT and Mobile Phone Policy’, right through to the ‘SEN Policy’ were easily located on the schools website and intranet, with physical copies printed out and available for perusal in the staffroom.  I identified the policies that were applicable to my role and the inquiry, and have gathered the following information to add to my existing knowledge:

Taken from the ‘Data Protection Policy’ – …”obtain and process data fairly by informing all subjects of the reason for data collection. Data should be accurate, relevant, and held only for a period of time.” This was something I had not previously given a great deal of thought to. I had thought that I would not tell the students that I am observing aspects of their behaviour, for fear that this would become altered and false. Instead, I had hoped that the students would merely continue to presume my presence in the classroom was in order to offer support if needed. However, I will now discuss the matter with the professional support I seek, in order to be able to carry out my investigation.

Taken from the ‘Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy’ - …”aware of the systems within their school which support safeguarding. Listening to, and seeking out, the views, wishes and feelings of children and young people. Knowing who the school’s Designated Safeguarding Leads and governor for child protection are.” I am confident that I am well equipped with this knowledge already. It is one of the most important parts of my current role and I was able to identify this during task 5a, prior to reading any official documents. Something I may not have considered however, is taking care of myself, e.g. not finding myself in a position whereby I have left myself alone with a student etc.

Taken from the ‘Learning and Teaching Policy’ – “…the classroom is critical in creating an environment in which students are expected to achieve…a good learning atmosphere will aid the teaching and promote learning in the classroom.” This was a point I had noted during the blogging of my initial thoughts. After reading this particular policy through in greater detail, it was also mentioned that teachers of The Arts should have up to date Risk Assessments. Again, this is another area I wish to clarify with my professional support before commencing work on my inquiry, so that the environment and activities are completely safe.

And finally, taken from the ‘Health and Safety Policy’ – I have the responsibility to create and uphold a safe environment, to prevent accidents, and to minimise and control risks…”carry out regular health and safety risk assessments for the activities responsible for, exercise effective supervision.” By giving out clear and concise instructions at the beginning of every lesson, this will help. Overall, I feel that I had independently identified the majority of ethical considerations, and that taking a look at official documentation has merely helped cement these into the inquiry I am to carry out.

Task 5a: Ethics Ethics Ethics

Working in a secondary school environment...

...it is not uncommon to hear phrases such as ‘codes of practice’ on a daily basis. As my line of inquiry centres around an educational setting, I must consider all ethical issues that could apply, in order to ensure the safety and well-being of the students in my care. Without referring directly to any documents/ existing literature, my initial thoughts as I approach this topic are as follows:

Good professional practice is ensuring a calm and productive environment in which students can learn. There should be clear aims/objectives to the work set and disruptive behaviour should be dealt with quickly. With this in mind, any observations that I must undergo as a means of carrying out my inquiry should be done so in an environment that will be expected by the school, the students and staff. Anything different to this and behaviour could be altered as a result.

No physical or physiological harm should come to anybody involved in my line of inquiry. If appropriate measures are put in place/adhered to by the school and staff members, then the physical harm should not be an issue, as I am merely observing existing lessons that function week after week, inquiry or not. In terms of the physiological aspects, remain alert and aware for signs that the students may be displaying to suggest they feel uncomfortable at any given moment.

I should not and will not include the names of any individuals, nor the name of the school in my inquiry. Any information/data I do gather must remain in my possession only. I should not include any images/media that depict individual faces. This is a child protection issue which was relevant in Module 1 when asked to set up an Instagram account that was work related, and as such is applicable here.

Finally, it is within my duty of care to report any incidents of concern during the investigation period. This could range from a particular behaviour being displayed, or something that the student may have disclosed to me. In carrying out my inquiry, the experience for other people should be a good one, and not a negative one. I must tread carefully; just because I’m interested in it does not necessarily give it merit. Likewise it should not only depict my perspective, but also how it is seen by others. 

Education secretary Nicky Morgan: ‘Arts subjects limit career choices’

By: 

David Hutchison 

http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2014/11/education-secretary-nicky-morgan-arts-subjects-limit-career-choices/

Scrapping GCSE drama from the curriculum would be madness

The idea that taking drama off the syllabus will somehow strengthen its worth in schools is barmy, says Thomas Hescott...

http://www.theguardian.com/culture-professionals-network/2014/nov/03/gcse-drama-curriculum

Task 4c...HINDSIGHT!!!

In order to establish the strength and relevance the questions I have begun to develop and explore hold within my workplace, it was important for me to be able to share them with other colleagues. From this, I may gage from their initial responses whether to carry them through to inquiry level.

As I have mentioned before in my previous blog, regarding individuals within my SIG’s sharing similar ideas, I thought it appropriate to ask colleagues who I work with daily to share their opinions. This was because I came up with much of the content for inquiry based on what I experience daily at work. The two members of staff that I approached for help were teachers of dance/drama within a secondary school setting. Looking at their responses, my initial thoughts were that they held some similarities to each other, but also to what I had been thinking when writing out the questions originally. Great! I thought this must mean I have a strong set of ideas on which to base my inquiry, they hold merit, the answers highlight similarities… 

It was only when I had a Skype session with Adesola that I have since realised that there may be cause to adjust/rewrite/omit certain questions before my inquiry. Why do their responses highlight similarities? Is this because we all work within the same environment, teach the same students, adhere to the same school policies? Maybe so, but it was also pointed out to me by Adesola that a couple of my questions could be considered ‘leading.’

Does gender have any influence on negativity towards drama?

Does age have any influence on negativity towards drama?

The way that I have worded this implies that I think gender/age affects negativity and as a result, I expect reference to that in answers given. Gender affecting negativity could be a subject of a scientific experiment carried out in schools, perhaps by the government etc., and certainly is not what I wanted to be focussing on in my inquiry.  I have since come to the realisation that my inquiry doesn't need to be so outcome orientated. Instead, it is OK for my inquiry to just focus on gaining more knowledge on an area. By changing the above question to; “How do you feel drama is accepted by students in a school setting?” I am leaving the questions far more open-ended and less bias. I had been under the impression that the results of the inquiry were intended to help improve both my professional practice and others whom I work with. But who am I, aged 23, recent graduate, limited number of years teaching experience, to dictate to far older/wiser/more experienced professionals?! Instead, I should think about the people in my communities being people I have yet to meet in my professional career.

Once again, hindsight is a wonderful thing!

Task 4b: Developing Special Interest Groups

Certainly in my case, I am finding Module 2 more challenging in terms of finding enough time to complete work and keeping my head above water! In that respect, I am in no doubt that I could get together a special interest group based on juggling a career with part-time University tuition!

Within my current workplace, it is not uncommon to work in groups or teams as well as independently. Staff members regularly come together during meetings and briefings to discuss matters ranging from successful lesson plans, to the managing of challenging behaviour.  Whilst I am able to draw parallels from working in groups within the workplace, to the groups I am a part of in my professional networking, staff members congregate regularly to ‘get things done.’ That is all fine and well in a work situation but my inquiry is less about solving problems, rather looking more in-depth into an area I take an interest in.

By forming and actively engaging in groups formed on the BAPP course with people who share similar interests to me, or even similar places of work, I am hoping to expand my knowledge alongside more ‘operational’ structures within my practice. As mentioned above, I am finding I have very limited time during the day in which to engage with other individuals interactively, so it was important for me to be able to find a way of making this process easier to manage. For me, the communication needed to be clear, efficient, and easy to access. 

Following a group Skype session with Paula, a Facebook page for members of the BAPP course on Module 2 has been created. Although generally speaking, one might say we all have similar interests to one another, by actively discussing our thoughts on the whole process of inquiry planning, I have realised the extent to which others share similar ideas – in particular, Della and Steph. I have ensured that members of this group are part of my community outside of the Facebook group, by following the progression and development of their thoughts on their blogs too. I am fully aware of the importance of maintaining contact and communication with my networks, even more so now in Module 2, and that by having a range of means by which to engage with them should make it easier to manage alongside my work.

Task 4a: Developing An Initial Line of Inquiry: Questions

Since the completion of Module 1 earlier in the year, a lot has changed in terms of my professional life. After spending the most fantastic four weeks travelling around Europe over the summer, I have since returned home and started a new job as a teaching assistant/cover teacher in a secondary school. The hope is that the invaluable experience this is providing me with will enable me to begin a teaching course upon the conclusion of my BAPP degree.  As a result, the inquiry and the initial questions that will be generated in order to ‘get the ball rolling’ will assist in the investigation, exploration and evaluation of my new working environment.

The topics that I am hoping to investigate are based not only on my current professional practice within education, but also my experiences on the ‘receiving’ end of the tuition. Ultimately, I hope to explore my final line of inquiry and find that it not only benefits my work and improves my practice, but also the work of colleagues and fellow course members who work in a teaching role.

1.       What factors affect student’s negativity towards dance/drama?

2.       What factors can aid motivation and/or confidence when performing?

i)                    Does gender have any influence on the above two questions?

ii)                   Does age?

3.       Do the skills that are developed in dance/drama aid students in other aspects of their education?

4.       What are your sources of inspiration when teaching?

5.       Do the performing arts subjects still hold relevance in today’s curriculum?

6.       To what extent are the disciplines in the performing arts relevant outside of the classroom?

7.       What are successful strategies for reducing the negative effects of peer influence/pressure within the classroom?

My professional inquiry is a way to learn about what I am doing as a teacher whilst gaining the necessary experience and putting any ideas into practice within the work place. Reflecting on lesson objectives/strategies that may not have been successful and learning from the experience this gives me will improve my professional practice. A self- employed performer who is also a teacher has knowledge about the specific areas of acting or dance but must it is also important that they should understand the concepts and practice of education. As a result, my approach to inquiry may be ‘inter-disciplinary’ in nature, as not only does can the previous description apply to my current situation, but I believe that in taking a trans-disciplinarian approach will aid my knowledge of how to apply the performance skills in a wide variety of settings.

Occasionally, lines of professional inquiry can relate to what is required of an individual in the next stage in their career, as much as it is about solving problems about existing issues. By comparing my practice and sharing my questions with a range of existing professionals in the field, colleagues or not, I hope to bring new dimensions to my inquiry and to be able to look at things from a variety of perspectives. In the same way that academic literature is often peer-reviewed by other experts in order to ensure that the research is relevant, I hope fellow members of the BAPP course will aid me in my investigation, and I in turn hope to be of assistance during theirs. Exploring this topic will help greatly in my teaching in improving my practice and if successful, strategies and successful ideas can be shared with co-workers in order to create a really positive and successful working environment.

Task 3d: Critical Questions and Issues That Emerge

In turning to Reflection after completing task 3, I hope that it will further enable me to digest emerging thoughts about what I have learnt, both in terms of what I have been doing in my professional practice but also what others are doing. 

One very specific idea that has emerged and has become more apparent to me as the tasks have gone on is the importance to me and my career of being affiliated in a number of different networks but also the relevance they have in today’s society where technology is capable of massive impact. More than ever before, I am seeing examples of self-promotion, aided by Web 2.0 tools such as YouTube that had not been possible for practitioners who had reached the heights of their careers decades ago. Back then it was about being in the right place at the right time. Essentially it is still like that now, but networking and the internet are providing an alternative platform to being seen. Alongside attending classes and auditions, your material has the opportunity to be searched for and viewed on the internet, making employment more attainable for a certain few. In short, the ease and variety with which people network and source their information is aided by the use and correct application of Web tools which affect my professional practice and working life working in the age that I do.

O’Connor & Rosenblood’s (1996) theory of privacy regulation and how we can control our level of involvement to what we want it to be allows a professional to be able to manage their contact with their professional circles. I personally have noticed what I deem to be a healthy balance between my virtual networks and my actual ones with a mixture of on-line and real-life connections. Regular engagement within a network is conducive to the success and development not only of the network, but also of my career. The majority of learning I do in my daily practice currently comes not from a singular source but a shared network of collective intelligence and in order to get the most out of these relationships, I must engage more fully than I have perhaps been doing to date. I think in order to improve my engagement and nurture these relationships that I have formed, I should focus more on ‘giving back.’ So far, my involvement could be described as fairly limited and sporadic. I believe I would do well to get into a more regular routine of interacting across my networks throughout the week. Also the theory of ‘Game Theory’ states that if I ‘co-operate’ and give more back to the group, this in turn should mean my co-operation is reciprocated. I could learn of an upcoming audition or an idea to be tried and tested in one of my lessons that could prove invaluable. 

I believe that most of the successful practitioners currently have realised and mastered the importance of networking as another means of self-promotion. Followers and subscribers to blogs are met with information regarding their latest production or something they may be working towards which is up and coming. In addition, blogs that I have looked at from other students further on in their course than me have also shared the idea that the internet is now one of the more invaluable sources of information. Through reading these blogs, I also read about sites I was previously unaware of in terms of audition information, and to contribute to this network and ‘co-operate’ I also mentioned and contributed my own (see task 3c.) Having the ability to share ideas and communicate emerging ideas with others is so beneficial to me in terms of ensuring my thinking is well-balanced. That was certainly one thing that struck me about my Skype session with Adesola, how an outside view is determinate to the health of my thinking. Is it all one-sided? Have I looked at things from a different perspective? Not only that, but established practitioners that I admire who choose to share information in networks also dramatically shift my thinking patterns. 

Yes, I am most certainly left thinking differently prior to looking more deeply into networks and their importance. If I hadn’t thought of it as an imperative skill before, the positive impact that professional networking can have on a career is inescapable, and just as important as performing well in auditions or when the time calls for it, networking is a skill that is just as important in putting yourself out there. Whether you agree with the notion that we all have an innate need to affiliate with others or not, it is something that all professionals should be partaking in order to establish a healthy career with longer life expectancy. 

(With the upcoming Critical Reflection in mind, I tried to consciously be aware of the word count of this particular blog; in terms of what I had to day and in how many words. Definitely harder than first thought! I predict many more drafts and reworking before the hand in!)

Task 3c: Sources of Information

The wide range of methods by which I use as well as other professionals to gather and organise our information is now more varied than ever, mainly due to the evolution of web-based technologies and resources. Five of the main sources I use to gather information come from the internet alone, but I have tried to include some alternate methods alongside them. They are as follows:

THE INTERNET

namely

Sources I use to search for jobs. The Stage (http://www.thestage.co.uk/recruitment/) is a written and online publication that I use as a means of searching for upcoming auditions and vacancies within the entertainment industry. According to figures I found online, over 300,000 people view the webpage monthly, so it is clearly a very well-known and popular way of doing so. There are a number of auditions that I have attended/applied for after seeing them online, some of which I was successful, others not so. There is also a Facebook group called FiveSixSevenEight that is a private group that a member has to invite you into (for anyone reading this who thinks they may benefit from being a part of it, I am more than happy to add you into it!) “Fivesixseveneight is a SECRET group, dedicated to sharing and caring with only the best of the best on the London scene, be it dancers, models, actors. ONLY PAID JOBS. Share the wealth and share the info. Together we are stronger.” Spotlight and CastingCallPro are also websites that keep be in the loop. It is important for me to realise how heavily I rely on the information that can be gained from this website, as without continue contracts of employment, I would not be able to inform my practice in this field.

BOOKS. As a part-time dram teacher at a stage school, I am constantly trying to find new and exciting materials to cover with my classes. Whilst the internet is also a great source for me to be able to do this, I am also a member of the library which has been of huge help in the past in terms of lesson preparation. I can walk into the library and browse to my heart’s content or head straight to a recommended text. I am then able to borrow anything I feel will be of value to me or my lessons and scan any pages I’d like to look at further. To a great extent I rely on being able to always find new subject information to help me in my code of practice. Yes the internet is also able to help me do this, but it is nice to have an alternative plan. The library is to the internet what actual networks are to virtual ones; it’s much nicer to meet people in person and have a chat!

…speaking of which! MEETING WITH OTHER PROFESSIONALS/colleagues on a regular basis is also a method that is invaluable to me in terms of informing my practice and what it is that I do. Whether these are people who I trained with at college, people I meet at auditions/on contracts of employment or teachers who I work with weekly, they are all relevant to the different types of work that I do. As ‘handy’ as the internet is to access, it is always preferable to me to be able to maintain my actual networks as well as giving attention to my virtual ones. ‘Scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours’ is a mantra that I think sums up these types of relationships; we look out for one another. I inform my friends of any upcoming work that they may be interested in and in turn, they do the same for me. It works both ways.

My AGENT is another source of information that is helpful in the search and gaining of employment. As a performer, work can often be scarce and the contracts short-lived. It is therefore important to be able to utilise another tool in the search for work. It is the job of my agent to search for work and submit their clients for work they would likely be interested in. In return, they charge me a fee for their services and for representing me, but I think this is a fair amount and a worthwhile expenditure in being able to keep one step ahead in terms of looking for work in comparison to those who maybe do not have representation.

Finally, I extract information and gather experience from going to WATCH PERFORMANCES myself. Going to watch different types and levels of performance benefits not one but two areas of my current professional practice. Going to watch high quality and professional pieces of theatre inspire me as an actress and provide me with inspiration when performing myself. But on the other hand, going to watch productions that feature younger performers makes me aware of the standard of choreography out there, and what children of a similar age to those I teach have been able to work towards.

The wide variety of ways to source the vast amounts of information means that professionals including myself need to be able to find ways of organising the result of their research. I personally feel that I currently manage my sources of information quite well, so that I am able to return to them in the future if needs be. For example, I keep all correspondence I receive via email in separate folders for separate networks. All of the emails I receive from my agent go into a separate folder which makes it easier to check audition time/information on my phone when I am on the go, but also I can quickly access invoices when I am completing my online tax self-assessment. Regarding the extracts I find in books e.g. print-outs or scans, I file them all in a ring binder according to theme and which age group they may be appropriate to. This helps me if I were ever to be called on to cover a class. I believe I could improve my use of the above sources further by establishing a regular routine of checking various sites for auditions so that I miss fewer postings. A good time to do this would be to check each evening before going to bed, different evenings for different sites. This is something that I could work on.

In terms of copyright issues or confidentiality problems, the reality is that most internet sources have issues when it comes to confidentiality as I must always remain aware about posting any information that is personal to me, especially on public forums discussing auditions. Regarding the work I print out and source for my lessons, I avoid copyright issues by following a few simple steps; I never choose to work on a whole section of work with my students, but rather shorter extracts. They are never used for any profitable gain in performances or showcases, only as classroom activities and exercises and I ensure that I collect in all papers afterwards to be destroyed, aside from the one master copy I keep in my folder as a reference. At this point in the term, very few students, if any, have posted blogs for task 3C, so looking at the posts was fairly limited. I did however, take a look at individuals who were further along with the course than myself, e.g. Modules 2/3 to see what they had posted in the past. On the whole, their top 5 sources of information were very similar to myself as they seem to be the current and popular sources for young people in my profession.

Skype Session with Adesola

This morning I found myself (finally!!) being able to take part in a Skype session with Adesola, the first session that I have been able to arrange since starting out on BAPP. Due to either heavy work commitments or an awful internet connection, this simply hasn't been an option for me until now. Luckily for me, I seemed to be the only person that was available for the morning call which allowed me in essence a 50 minute one-to-one with my personal advisor-something which I was very grateful for having not been able to make any of the campus sessions either. What particularly struck me was the importance in having the outside view of someone else. Reflection has been a key tool thus far on this course but in looking back on journals/previous work etc it is still your own, very one-sided view on things. Talking with Adesola was extremely beneficial in that she helped me to look at things from an outsiders perspective. "If you met yourself walking down the street, the version of you that never started out on BAPP, what would you tell her about what you know now?" I am also feeling slightly more confident about beginning work on my final hand-in for May. Overall it was nice to be able to be reassured from somebody in person that yes I may be on the right track in what I have learnt, but helped me look from a different perspective about how this new knowledge is helping and shaping my professional practice. 

Task 3b: Theories Relating to Networking Continued...

These are also a number of other theories that, upon reading about them and rewording them in my own definitions, have helped me to understand the idea of Professional Networks more successfully, which in turn will hopefully help me to make more effective use of them in the future.

1.    Social Constructionism 

Social Constructionism refers to some of our larger social processes e.g. professional networks and our networking within them. Humans are very well aware that the world and other people are ‘out there’ but we all come to understand that in our own unique way. We form meanings of the world through our different methods of social interaction. When we become part of a new network, its meaning for us is not set in stone. It is through using these networks and interacting through them that we decide for ourselves; the values of these networks to us, our preferred ways of engaging in them and to what extent we are wanting to commit to these networks. In summary; meaning cannot be discovered, it is ‘constructed’ – we do not create meaning, we build our own. ‘Meaning emerges when consciousness engages with them.’ (Merleau-Ponty)

2.     Connectivism

Technology is altering how we think more and more. Connectivism opposes other theories that developed when technology did not have an effect on our learning and takes the view that learning theories should reflect our current social environment. The old idea of teaching whereby knowledge is passed from teacher to student needs to be changed according to connectivist theorists. The professional networks of which I am a part of are systems that I have to interact with in order to learn. ‘Formal Learning’ no longer makes up the majority of how we learn. It now happens in communities such as professional networks which is why Connectivism has evolved as a theory. It is important to be able to draw links between important and non-important information that we are gaining. My professional networks are groups of connected people that can nurture and preserve knowledge ‘flow.’ Dependence on each other in the community results in better knowledge flow.

and 3. Communities of practice 

Communities of Practice can be seen and noticed in many different types of professional contexts. All of the communities that an individual may be engaged in will change over time, but this theory states that it is a person’s sustained involvement in a group that is key to our learning. Members of these communities come together because they may share a mutual interest in something/s and together, they generate a collection of shared experiences. These communities however only function through ‘mutual engagement.’ They rely on the community sharing their knowledge with each other, not one or two individuals in a hierarchy. Trends common in communities of practice is that they are all social, often informal and are self-organising groups of a specific social mix of people. Knowledge is not gained though instruction, but participation.

Of the above theories, the one that I have been able to draw the most comparison from to my current professional practice is the theory of communities of practice; the more involved I become in a network the more I have to gain and benefit, although I am now able to see elements from all three of them that feature in my practice of professional networking as a means of furthering my career. The constructionism view that meaning is not created but instead built by our own views seems likely. It makes sense that the differences in individuals would lead to differences in establishing own understanding and that can be seen in my work as a T.I.E actor and workshop leader. As a requirement of the schools taking part in the project, the students are asked that they fill out an evaluation after the performance so that we may see what it is they have learnt and taken from the performance. Not only does this highlight the difference in responses, but in reading them myself and being a part of this briefly-brought together community, my view on characters and themes changes as a direct result of the impact from others. The technology element of the Connectivism theory is in direct correlation to the network that I am establishing for myself with other BAPP students. These are connections that I have with people that are virtual ones, maintained only by the possibility of evolving technologies. I am able to see here how the old notion of ‘teaching’ is not so prominent here, in that the majority of learning does not come from a single source/individual, but rather from a shared network of sources and in order that I should reap the maximum benefits from being a part of these groups, it requires ‘mutual engagement’ from all.

Task 3b: Theories Relating To Networking

The exploration of the below established ideas and concepts regarding professional networking may add value to my understanding, not of ‘how’ to network, but rather how my networking could be developed in the future.

Cooperation 

Game Theory is a set of ideas developed initially by Mathematicians to tackle problems in a range of areas. Its background originates from games where one player is successful at another's expense, ‘when should someone be selfish and when should they co-operate in an ongoing interaction with another?’ (Axelrod 1984) Therefore this theory can be used as a way of predicting how people would respond to a specific event. Robert Axelrod identified the importance in the theory of cooperation and the benefits of cooperating fully with others until a maximum point of benefit is reached.

In ‘Prisoner’s Dilemma,’ the two players in the game can only choose between two moves, ‘cooperate’ or ‘compete.’ If both players choose to cooperate, they will both gain, but if only one of them cooperates, the one who competes with gain more. If both compete, both lose but not as much as the co-operator whose cooperation is not returned. The problem with this is that each player has a choice two options, but is unable to make a good decision beneficial to them without knowing what the other one will do. A real life example that I have come up with to which Game Theory can be applied to is as follows. Two shoppers reach the checkout at a supermarket to find all stations busy aside from one. If both decide to co-operate, then they will each choose to join one of the loner queues as they do not wish to seem pushy. If one individual decides to compete, then they will not have to wait as long to pay for their trolley and the co-operator must join the longer queue line. If both decide to compete however, the Prisoners Dilemma model states that neither will gain as much as both cooperating, but not lose as much as the individual who tries to co-operate with the competitor. A possible outcome here would be that both individuals are directed to a slightly shorter queue line and must wait, although not for as long.

Ultimately then, Game Theory looks at peoples decisions to cooperate, or not. This means that in order for cooperation across a network, each individual must have a clear understanding of the benefits and drawbacks decided either by an authority e.g. an employer or in my case, my choices in deciding what is good/bad for me personally. Axelrod argues that the ‘tit for tat’ method sees more effective results whereby players stared with co-operation and then copied the other player’s choice from there on out. When I applied this strategy on the online version of the game, I found that both myself and the other player saw the benefits of co-operation and we ended the game on the same number of gold coins. The seemingly harsh notion of ‘co-operate until you have reached maximum benefit and then leave’ is suggestive of regular patterns of human behaviour. But can this be seen in professional networking?

My initial impression of this concept was that it seemed a very base and corrupt view of human behaviour; that we are willing to co-operate until we have seen the benefits but no further. How could this theory, developed by a mathematician and based on prisoner’s compliance, be in any way related not only to my use of professional networks but also a range of problems in different areas? It seemed too simple an idea to be used to explain complex human behaviour. However with time and more understanding, I have seen how it can in fact directly relate to me. There are many theories that seem simple enough that I have accepted in the past without question, e.g. Darwin so why did I have so much trouble accepting this one? I think it may be due in part to my unwillingness to accept that I have applied this strategy, probably on regular occasion in the past. It makes perfect sense now, that an individual would be no longer willing to co-operate once they have realised there is no more to gain, especially within a group of people they are not closely tied to. An individual not returning to a revision session once their grades have improved enough etc, we see it everywhere. This concept is useful to me now that I understand it and can apply it to examples I see in society as it will help me to get more value out of my professional networking by co-operating with a given group of people to help me further and better my career. When and if the time comes whereby I am no longer benefitting from a network, this can continue to help other members once I have left. It certainly makes me think differently about myself and other people’s reasons for co-operating but also makes me think differently about the networks I am a part of and the balance of co-operation versus competition amongst a group of like-minded individuals. This concept has made me more aware of my involvement in certain networks and in how in the future I need to perhaps contribute more to them instead merely taking the knowledge and not giving back. For example if I provide an individual in a network with details of an upcoming audition, co-operating, this theory states I am far more likely to receive co-operation from them, perhaps audition information I was not aware of. Being aware of this concept, I believe, will allow me to get more out of my networking in the future.

Affiliation 

Social psychologists have looked at how humans have benefitted from affiliations or connections with other people, why they might enjoy it as much as they do and the reasons why we form relationships. As social beings, much of our time is spent in the company of other people; Larson, Csikszentmihalyi & Graef (1982) found that as much as 75% of a teenagers time is spent interacting with others. They were happier and more excitable than when left alone, comparable with children raised in an orphanage and limited social interaction (Gunnar 2000.)

Altman (1975) described his theory of ‘privacy regulation’ whereby the desired levels of privacy can change in a matter of hours. ‘Optimization principle’ is where we try to match our desired level of interaction with what we are actually experiencing. Too little interaction and we may feel isolated, too much and a person can feel crowded. Homeostasis (O’Connor & Rosenblood, 1996) is a term I was familiar with from studying Science at school, whereby variables of the body are regulated so that conditions inside remain stable. So in relation to the field of social psychology; we have the ability to control our level of contact to keep it stable as close as possible to level we actually want it. Both ‘privacy regulation’ and ‘optimization principle’ both assume that there is no difference in people in their need for affiliation/social interaction. However, different types of people have different needs. An introvert has a higher arousal levels than an extrovert so thy may avoid social situations to avoid high arousal levels in their nervous systems. Extroverts on the other hand will deliberately look for interaction in order to get their desired arousal levels.

Social interaction could be determined not only by our own preferred levels of involvement, but also cultural differences (Hofstede 1980). He found that in cultures that are very ‘individualistic’ seeing independence as more important than with a group mentality. Their relationships are many and varied but tend to be shallower, viewing personal goals above that of the group. The UK is seen as a highly individualistic country. Cultures that have more of a ‘collectivist’ outlook tend to have fewer but deeper and more meaningful relationships that are longer lasting e.g. tribal cultures.

The perspective of affiliation has been described as an evolutionary concept and inherited trait that helps us to survive and reproduce. On a social level the benefits can be seen in the enjoyment we receive from spending time with others but from a psychological point of view, how we internally manage this involvement. Prior to starting this task, I would have said that professional networking and the ability to do so effectively is conducive to having a successful career, but after task 3b and my further reading, it appears that this concept of ‘Affiliation’ is implying that all of us possess an instinctive need to network, not only in our working lives but also in our personal ones and that my taking part and engaging in professional networking takes place due to a psychological need inside of me to do so. The variation in individual personalities and cultures sees no difference in our need to associate with others according to this theory. Reader 3 suggests that a well-established practitioner and an individual new to the field will have the same need to affiliate and after my reading on the subject, I have to agree. The individual trying to establish and begin a career will have to and want to work hard in their networking to see benefit, but the professional will do well to remember the importance of affiliation and the connection between maintaining certain close affiliations and success.

Of the two, I have enjoyed the study of this theory more as I initially believed that it could help me more personally by what I can take from it and transfer into my own networking. The notion of ‘privacy regulation’ whereby too little interaction can induce feelings of isolation and too much interaction leaving a person feeling crowded seems to have been solved in my case as I have types of professional networking. The physical connections I have with people in my network that are maintained by teaching and meeting with them on a regular basis can be juxtaposed with the online networking that I seek in terms of Facebook and/or Twitter. If, according to this concept, we have our individual and preferred levels of affiliation and privacy, it might mean that a person needs to find balance and variety not only in the types of professional networking but also the regularity of their involvement in them. But is professional networking an extension of our innate need to affiliate with others? It has been established and upon further reflection I agree that an individual’s career can be aided greatly by the use of networking, but do not agree that this is instinctive. A person will naturally affiliate with others socially and form a relationship with different groups of people, but networking on a professional network is something that has to be recognised as a tool to be used and harnessed. It could be that I am basing this judgement on looking inward at myself. I consciously have to remain in contact and keep myself up-to-date with my working networks. It is because of this that I am of the belief that professional networking is not a mere extension of our innate need to affiliate with others, but more so a decision to further develop our careers. The concept of affiliation as a need has made me think differently about myself but not about my professional networks. Yes, I see them in new light and have broadened my knowledge with the understanding of this theory, but do not think that professional networking is a natural, instinctive process. Rather it is a skill that has to be mastered and if done so correctly is invaluable to an individual’s progression in their chosen field.