This is my first blo in a long time, as time has been so precious I've struggled to be able to do all the things I have to do for my prject and blog as well. having gone through the handbook on what we need to include in our projects can anybody tell my what a research statement is and how this differs from our aims, objectives and research questions?
Please help me!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Monday, May 3, 2010
Rational for Degree Title
I propose the following for my degree title:
BA (Hons) Professional Practice Dance Education
Previous to commencing this degree course I obtained a NQF level 6 Diploma in Professional Dance from Stella Mann College where I studied a variety of dance genres, as well as obtaining a classical ballet teaching qualification (Foundation in Dance Instruction with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing). The education that I received whilst at Stella Mann in order to achieve the Diploma in professional dance and an FDI qualification has provided me with the knowledge and skill that it required for my professional practice today. The knowledge of technique, performance skills, dance history, teaching methods, syllabus knowledge, choreography, safe dance practice and child development gained is essential and has provided the groundwork for my professional practise as a teacher. My professional practice at present is as a ballet, modern, tap and jazz teacher for students aged 2 ½- 14 at a private sector dance school where I provide my students with an education in the dance genres that they choose to study. I have taught for a number of years whilst a secondary school and dance college student however know having graduated I have been able to make teaching dance my professional practice
As a dance teacher I am constantly looking for ways to improve my teaching practice and the dance education that my students receive and this is what led to topic choice for my research project. My research topic centres around extending the dance education that my students receive by integrating creative dance into their classes, thus improving their experience and knowledge of dance. I aim to improve my knowledge of creative dance and seek the positive benefits that this will have on the students in a technique based classical ballet class. It is widely acknowledged that the dance education provided in the private and public sectors is focuses on different aspects of a dance education and generically the education received does not cross over between the two. In the future I plan use my knowledge to integrate the two by bringing my knowledge of a public sector education into the private sector and vice versa. Following this degree my plan is obtain Qualified Teaching Status (QTS) so that I can teach in secondary schools, bring the knowledge I have gained on technique and performance skills into a public sector education. The process of this degree course has been exceedingly beneficial to my professional practice as a Dance educator and I believe that this should be shown in my degree title
I believe that having the words ‘Dance’ and ‘Education’ are instrumental to my degree title, they reflect my current professional practice as a dance teacher, my previous training and the future progression that a plan to take as a dance teaching professional. My professional practice at present is educating young girls in the world of dance and I plan to continue to educate students in dance in a variety of institutions providing a long and fulfilled career. The degree title; BA (Hons) Professional Practices encompasses my past, my present and my future and therefore is completely appropriate and justifiable.
Critical Commentry
This module has been a intensive learning experience for me, it has increased my knowledge or research methods and data collection tools/ the process when conducting primary research, developed my analytical and evaluation skills, nurtured my academic writing skills, developed my secondary research skills, and enhanced my organisational skills (in particular time management skills). I have found the process of completing Module 3835 has taken my academic learning to a level that I have not experienced before and although the experience has been demanding I have learnt or enhanced a multitude of skills that will be crucial to both the research project for this course and for my professional practice.
At the start of this module having read the handbook and the first few chapters of the recommended text by Judith Bell I was rather over- whelmed with the enormity of information and confused over the various social research methods. My first diary entry that I wrote on the way to the first campus session (unofficial diary entry not on blog) focused on my confusion on what exactly was involved in each research approach and how the application of these could transfer to my situation, a number a re-reads of the Bell text was required before I formed a basic understanding of the methods however through further research, attendance of the campus sessions and a particularly useful conversation with my academic advisor (see Learning Blog 4) I now have a comprehensive understanding of the common social research methods and how they apply in an educational setting. I now understand that the choice of research topic can dictate the method that you use, it depends on what you are trying to find out as to which method will work best. Having said this I found that it can be very easy to over complicate matters (see Learning Blog Four) and this is never productive. Looking back I believe that my confusion was caused by a combination of me reading a vast amount of material in a short space of time, not fully comprehending the material and not allowing the material to ‘sink in’. This process quickly took me from knowing nothing about research methods and tools to having a vast volume of information in my head that I had to process however once I had systematically organised my thoughts on paper I was able to take what I had learnt about experiments, action research, case studies and ethnography and deduce what would be most appropriate for my study and why.
Looking back at my learning Diary and blogs I can see the though process and development of ideas, one re-occurring process that I looking back I have noticed is the evaluation of my experiences and the formulation of action plans/ questions for future use. The questions that I formulated in Learning Blog Three were a true test measure on whether my final idea for the topic of research was feasible, the enabled me to structurally analyse my project idea to ensure that the idea was feasible and then make the appropriate amendments before starting the cycle again. I state the word cycle as although I was not aware I was doing this at the time, the process that I was completing was representative of Kolb’s learning cycle that was looked at in Module 3002. The process included a concrete experience (formulating the research idea), reflective observation (applying the questions), abstract conceptualisation (analysis of what the answers to the questions mean) and active experimentation (coming up with ways to combat any problems of experimenting with new ideas). Similarly the reminders that I produced in Learning Blog 5 have given me a guidance to follow when that can be applied to my final research project proposal, the research project and any future write up of a work. based research project that I may conduct thus making sure that I produce the best work that I can in an respected academic style and in a time efficient manor. This analytical skill I will be able to apply to a innumerable number of situations and I believe one of the most important learning skills that I have developed.
This module has propelled a vast amount of learning however I can now see how the activities and projects set in Module 3002 were the foundation building blocks of skills that are required for a research proposal and project. The tasks of finding resources that we use for our professional practice, analysis of what has been passed down to use from our teachers, our influences, Kolb’s learning cycle and learning to write in an academic writing style, were all preparation exercises for the research, analytical and academic writing skills that have been required for this module.
Throughout this course I have found my the learning environment to be very different from my previous academic learning experience as my previous learning has always been extensively supported by teachers telling me what and how to do things, however in this module the focus of study what completely under my control and when I became stuck I had to solve the problems by myself rather than just asking my teacher for help. Through the process of this module I have been able to develop my problem solving ability as now I am able to conduct self- sufficient research and analysis to solve a problem a skill that I can use both in academic work and my professional practice. Although there were guidelines and advice throughout this module this was not specific to my situation and study and therefore I have had to evaluate this advice and see what can be applied to my work and how. Having said this I have also learnt the benefit of consulting with one’s peers when facing a problem as they are able to offer advice and they are able to look at scenarios with a fresh pair of eyes. The blogs and campus sessions have been crucial to this as they have given me the opportunity to converse and discuss problems and ideas with others who are in the same situation as me.
This process has taken me through a journey from having a few sketchy ideas right through to a formulated and precise research proposal. The formulation of ideas has come from looking at my own professional practice, how I can improve this while also considering my future aims. There were a number of ideas however looking at my interest in the subjects, the feasibility of the project and the notion of ‘who cares’ I was able to formulate a research project that I feel will be most worth- while to my professional practice and to that of other private sector dance teacher.
This module has provided me with many difficult problems which at times I thought were almost impossible to overcome however it is through these difficulties that I have accomplished the most fruitful learning. I have developed a number of essential skills that will be integral as I continue through this degree programme and throughout my professional practice both in the present and in the future. I am sure that I will come across a number of problems in my professional and academic future and now I have the analytical and research skills to overcome these problems. The prospect of actually now doing the proposed research is somewhat daunting however I am certain the I will learn even more doing this and I am excited about the information that I will uncover that I am sure will have a profound effect on my professional practice as a dance teacher.
At the start of this module having read the handbook and the first few chapters of the recommended text by Judith Bell I was rather over- whelmed with the enormity of information and confused over the various social research methods. My first diary entry that I wrote on the way to the first campus session (unofficial diary entry not on blog) focused on my confusion on what exactly was involved in each research approach and how the application of these could transfer to my situation, a number a re-reads of the Bell text was required before I formed a basic understanding of the methods however through further research, attendance of the campus sessions and a particularly useful conversation with my academic advisor (see Learning Blog 4) I now have a comprehensive understanding of the common social research methods and how they apply in an educational setting. I now understand that the choice of research topic can dictate the method that you use, it depends on what you are trying to find out as to which method will work best. Having said this I found that it can be very easy to over complicate matters (see Learning Blog Four) and this is never productive. Looking back I believe that my confusion was caused by a combination of me reading a vast amount of material in a short space of time, not fully comprehending the material and not allowing the material to ‘sink in’. This process quickly took me from knowing nothing about research methods and tools to having a vast volume of information in my head that I had to process however once I had systematically organised my thoughts on paper I was able to take what I had learnt about experiments, action research, case studies and ethnography and deduce what would be most appropriate for my study and why.
Looking back at my learning Diary and blogs I can see the though process and development of ideas, one re-occurring process that I looking back I have noticed is the evaluation of my experiences and the formulation of action plans/ questions for future use. The questions that I formulated in Learning Blog Three were a true test measure on whether my final idea for the topic of research was feasible, the enabled me to structurally analyse my project idea to ensure that the idea was feasible and then make the appropriate amendments before starting the cycle again. I state the word cycle as although I was not aware I was doing this at the time, the process that I was completing was representative of Kolb’s learning cycle that was looked at in Module 3002. The process included a concrete experience (formulating the research idea), reflective observation (applying the questions), abstract conceptualisation (analysis of what the answers to the questions mean) and active experimentation (coming up with ways to combat any problems of experimenting with new ideas). Similarly the reminders that I produced in Learning Blog 5 have given me a guidance to follow when that can be applied to my final research project proposal, the research project and any future write up of a work. based research project that I may conduct thus making sure that I produce the best work that I can in an respected academic style and in a time efficient manor. This analytical skill I will be able to apply to a innumerable number of situations and I believe one of the most important learning skills that I have developed.
This module has propelled a vast amount of learning however I can now see how the activities and projects set in Module 3002 were the foundation building blocks of skills that are required for a research proposal and project. The tasks of finding resources that we use for our professional practice, analysis of what has been passed down to use from our teachers, our influences, Kolb’s learning cycle and learning to write in an academic writing style, were all preparation exercises for the research, analytical and academic writing skills that have been required for this module.
Throughout this course I have found my the learning environment to be very different from my previous academic learning experience as my previous learning has always been extensively supported by teachers telling me what and how to do things, however in this module the focus of study what completely under my control and when I became stuck I had to solve the problems by myself rather than just asking my teacher for help. Through the process of this module I have been able to develop my problem solving ability as now I am able to conduct self- sufficient research and analysis to solve a problem a skill that I can use both in academic work and my professional practice. Although there were guidelines and advice throughout this module this was not specific to my situation and study and therefore I have had to evaluate this advice and see what can be applied to my work and how. Having said this I have also learnt the benefit of consulting with one’s peers when facing a problem as they are able to offer advice and they are able to look at scenarios with a fresh pair of eyes. The blogs and campus sessions have been crucial to this as they have given me the opportunity to converse and discuss problems and ideas with others who are in the same situation as me.
This process has taken me through a journey from having a few sketchy ideas right through to a formulated and precise research proposal. The formulation of ideas has come from looking at my own professional practice, how I can improve this while also considering my future aims. There were a number of ideas however looking at my interest in the subjects, the feasibility of the project and the notion of ‘who cares’ I was able to formulate a research project that I feel will be most worth- while to my professional practice and to that of other private sector dance teacher.
This module has provided me with many difficult problems which at times I thought were almost impossible to overcome however it is through these difficulties that I have accomplished the most fruitful learning. I have developed a number of essential skills that will be integral as I continue through this degree programme and throughout my professional practice both in the present and in the future. I am sure that I will come across a number of problems in my professional and academic future and now I have the analytical and research skills to overcome these problems. The prospect of actually now doing the proposed research is somewhat daunting however I am certain the I will learn even more doing this and I am excited about the information that I will uncover that I am sure will have a profound effect on my professional practice as a dance teacher.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Learning Blog Five 23/04/10:
I have now completed the first draft of my project proposal, I have drawn a number of conclusions that I must consider when completing the writing of my research project. I found that writing the first draft of my proposal took me drastically longer than I had anticipated, for although I have written a number of essays of this length before this level of academic referencing took much longer than the style that was required in my previous learning. This has made me consider my time management skills for the research project as I found writing this first draft of project proposal that citing existing research and constructing my prose with this in a fluid manor took much more time that I had previously considered therefore in the future I must ensure that I allow more time than I anticipate in order to alleviate the pressure that I felt when writing this first draft. Before commencing writing the draft I thought that I had extensively researched social researched methods as I had spent many hours reading about the subject and though that I had accumulated sufficient information to reference my choices however when writing the draft I found myself becoming aware that I was constantly referencing the same resource thus revealing that I was heavily relying upon one resource. This resource was published and was exceedingly well referenced however I was still referring the same resource none the less, although at the moment I am trying to find the original papers/ books referenced in this publication, this is proving difficult and therefore I must consider this in my future research project. When beginning my research project I must try to obtain information from a number of resources, even if one resource details extensive and supported information, I should read from as many resources as possible. I found that I was formulating concepts as I was writing and this meant that I was having to read further to evidence these theories thus reaffirming that I must allow plenty of time to write up my research and have a multitude of resources to reference so that it does not appear that I have not researched sufficiently.
Having completed the first drafts I must remember the following points:
- Allow plenty of time for writing plus extra to what I anticipate.
- Record of all websites as I go along not just the dates that I have accessed them as this will make the references page at the end less time consuming.
- Don’t rely heavily on one resource even if that resource is extensive.
- When writing allow extra time for further research as there will be new things that present themselves as I write.
- Be specific in my words and don’t be repetitive as this adds to an unnecessary word count.
Having completed the first drafts I must remember the following points:
- Allow plenty of time for writing plus extra to what I anticipate.
- Record
- Don’t rely heavily on one resource even if that resource is extensive.
- When writing allow extra time for further research as there will be new things that present themselves as I write.
- Be specific in my words and don’t be repetitive as this adds to an unnecessary word count.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Learning Blog Four: 02/04/10
From reading briefly into research I methods I had formed my own plan on how I would collect my primary data, performing what I had classed as an experiment. This involved me introducing a creative dance exercise into one of the Jazz classes and then observe the effect this had on the students modern syllabus work (approximately half the modern class did jazz and therefore I thought the half that didn’t would be my control group however when reading further into the realm of experiments I found that my idea was not matching the criteria of any of the types of experiments that I had discovered (The static group comparison, The pretest- posttest control group design (True experimental design), The nonequivilent control group design (quasi-experiment) and the Time series design (quasi-experiment). I then pondered on whether there was such a thing as I mixing an experiment with ethnography and continued to mix various research methods in order to fit defined research methods to what I was trying to accomplish, confusing myself in the process by trying to blur the boundaries between methods. Following a conversation with my academic adviser I concluded that I was over complicating the process and following advice, my concept was simply the standard qualitative research method. Following this experience I must ensure that in future I do not over complicate the information I collate regarding research methods and do not so absorbed into the information that I am reading, attempting to make links that are simply not there. It is often productive to take a step back from your literature research so that you do not become over-whelmed by all the information that you have discovered otherwise you can create more barriers rather than informed solutions.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
For Michelle
The book I mentioned in the campus session today, that may be relevant to your topic is:
'Child Development from Birth to Eight: A Practical Focus' by Jennie Lindon and published by the National Children's Bureau.
I think I got it off Amazon but it might also be available on Dance books. When completing my FDI we had to complete a unit on Child Lifespan and development which looked into the cognitive, social and emotional development of children.The ISTD put together a textbook for this, so it may be worthwhile contacting the I.S.T.D. to see where they got and how they got their info for the book. There website is www.istd.org
I hope this helps
Monday, March 22, 2010
Useful Activity
At the Campus session I approached Paula having thought I'd completed activity 7 and she asked me to bog what I had done as a useful exercise for every body.
The exercise:
Take an existing data collection tool and critique it, use the questions in activity 7 to analyse what you have found is effective and any faults that you have found in the tool.
I took interview questions designed and used by Julia Buckroyd when writing her book 'The Student Dancer' and here is what I concluded:
The exercise:
Take an existing data collection tool and critique it, use the questions in activity 7 to analyse what you have found is effective and any faults that you have found in the tool.
I took interview questions designed and used by Julia Buckroyd when writing her book 'The Student Dancer' and here is what I concluded:
Critique of Interview questions used by Julia Buckroyd when looking into ‘The Experience of Professional Dance Training for Male Trainees’ Buckroyd, J, 2000, The Student Dancer – Emotional Aspects of Learning Dance (p218), London, Dance Books Ltd.
The interview questions proposed by Julia Buckroyd in order to indentify “distinctive issues for boys in professional dance training with the idea of clarifying how dance training could ensure those needs are met” (Buckroyd, J, 2000, The Student Dancer – Emotional Aspects of Learning Dance (p128), London, Dance Books Ltd) are well structured, thorough and are appropriate to the purpose of the investigation. Buckroyd has explored all imaginable areas of the emotional/ psychological aspects of a boy undertaking full time dance training however there are questions that may lead the interviewee to form a certain way of thinking, questions that could possibly lead to the identification of the participant and there are also a number of questions that may alienate the male student dancer.
The interview is well structured with all relatable questions grouped together for example all questions relating to weight and food issues follow one another. There are a few exceptions to this where a question does not precisely fit into the running them for example the question “Do you watch dance performance?” is situated among questions about the male dancer’s hobbies other than dance however these questions can still be encompassed in the general area that the surrounding questions and are simple, short answered questions and therefore they do not disrupt the flow of the interview. The questions are not only in logical groups but they also follow a structure taking the interviewee on a progressive journey through their training; starting with their experiences before their professional training/ information on when they started and concluding with life after their training and life after dance thus making a well structured interview. The questions are very thorough and appropriate to the purpose of the research, exploring all areas of the emotional aspect of a male dancers training however it is possible that there are too many and some unnecessary questions especially considering that Buckroyd allocated a time period of one hour for the interview. Some of the questions could be simple yes or no answers however many of the questions are written to prompt more in depth answers and therefore could take the length of the interview far beyond the allocated timescale, this combined with the volume of questions could make the interview more time consuming than anticipated.
Buckroyd has asked a number of difficult questions in her interview which although may be considered necessary to understand the emotional aspects of a male dancer undergoing training, they may also alienate the participant for example the question “What kind of social life do you have in comparison with your non-dancer friends?” may embarrass the participant as the question is making two assumptions; one, that the participant has an active social life and two, that the participant has friends outside of the dance community. These sorts of probing questions may cause the participant to feel uncomfortable and could affect the information that they divulge throughout the rest of the interview. The questions that Buckroyd has posed also stipulate a certain intellectual level with her questions assuming that the participant has a certain level of understanding about the ‘normal’ development of the adolescent male, which again could possibly alienate the subject due to feeling of in-adequacy. Buckroyd has been careful with most of her questions not to lead the participant into a specific way of thinking/ point of view however there are a few questions which could possibly do this for example the question “Do teachers treat you differently from girls” could lead the participant to over analyse something that otherwise may not have occurred to them. Buckroyd has appeared to have made the assumption that a boys experience will differ from that of a female student by the question that she has asked regarding the treatment of the participant compared to the girls in the class however, although these questions insinuate certain assumptions they are necessary to all possible emotional aspects of a professional dance education for boys. The opening question regarding age of entering the school, current age and previous experience when combined with school records may allow the participant to de identified however this is only when combined with the schools information and therefore does not present an ethical issue. Buckroyd also provided an example of her consent forms which clearly expressed her intentions of recording and ways of publishing the participants involved and thereby preventing ethical issues
Buckroyd has formulated a probing in-depth interview that will thoroughly investigate the experience of the male dancer. The interview is well structure with the interview following a logical progression of topics and all questions put into topic related groups however Buckroyd in her endeavour for thoroughness may have; asked too many questions, alienated the participant and led the participant into a certain way of thinking however the negative aspect to Buckroyd’s interview questions are only possibilities and are completely dependent on the views and experiences of the participant. Buckroyd has created an effective instrument for research which providing the researcher has an extensive timescale could prove extremely useful however if a researcher has a restricted timescale like that of our project Buckroyd’s in-depth style of interview may not be an effective and time efficient way of gathering data.
The interview questions proposed by Julia Buckroyd in order to indentify “distinctive issues for boys in professional dance training with the idea of clarifying how dance training could ensure those needs are met” (Buckroyd, J, 2000, The Student Dancer – Emotional Aspects of Learning Dance (p128), London, Dance Books Ltd) are well structured, thorough and are appropriate to the purpose of the investigation. Buckroyd has explored all imaginable areas of the emotional/ psychological aspects of a boy undertaking full time dance training however there are questions that may lead the interviewee to form a certain way of thinking, questions that could possibly lead to the identification of the participant and there are also a number of questions that may alienate the male student dancer.
The interview is well structured with all relatable questions grouped together for example all questions relating to weight and food issues follow one another. There are a few exceptions to this where a question does not precisely fit into the running them for example the question “Do you watch dance performance?” is situated among questions about the male dancer’s hobbies other than dance however these questions can still be encompassed in the general area that the surrounding questions and are simple, short answered questions and therefore they do not disrupt the flow of the interview. The questions are not only in logical groups but they also follow a structure taking the interviewee on a progressive journey through their training; starting with their experiences before their professional training/ information on when they started and concluding with life after their training and life after dance thus making a well structured interview. The questions are very thorough and appropriate to the purpose of the research, exploring all areas of the emotional aspect of a male dancers training however it is possible that there are too many and some unnecessary questions especially considering that Buckroyd allocated a time period of one hour for the interview. Some of the questions could be simple yes or no answers however many of the questions are written to prompt more in depth answers and therefore could take the length of the interview far beyond the allocated timescale, this combined with the volume of questions could make the interview more time consuming than anticipated.
Buckroyd has asked a number of difficult questions in her interview which although may be considered necessary to understand the emotional aspects of a male dancer undergoing training, they may also alienate the participant for example the question “What kind of social life do you have in comparison with your non-dancer friends?” may embarrass the participant as the question is making two assumptions; one, that the participant has an active social life and two, that the participant has friends outside of the dance community. These sorts of probing questions may cause the participant to feel uncomfortable and could affect the information that they divulge throughout the rest of the interview. The questions that Buckroyd has posed also stipulate a certain intellectual level with her questions assuming that the participant has a certain level of understanding about the ‘normal’ development of the adolescent male, which again could possibly alienate the subject due to feeling of in-adequacy. Buckroyd has been careful with most of her questions not to lead the participant into a specific way of thinking/ point of view however there are a few questions which could possibly do this for example the question “Do teachers treat you differently from girls” could lead the participant to over analyse something that otherwise may not have occurred to them. Buckroyd has appeared to have made the assumption that a boys experience will differ from that of a female student by the question that she has asked regarding the treatment of the participant compared to the girls in the class however, although these questions insinuate certain assumptions they are necessary to all possible emotional aspects of a professional dance education for boys. The opening question regarding age of entering the school, current age and previous experience when combined with school records may allow the participant to de identified however this is only when combined with the schools information and therefore does not present an ethical issue. Buckroyd also provided an example of her consent forms which clearly expressed her intentions of recording and ways of publishing the participants involved and thereby preventing ethical issues
Buckroyd has formulated a probing in-depth interview that will thoroughly investigate the experience of the male dancer. The interview is well structure with the interview following a logical progression of topics and all questions put into topic related groups however Buckroyd in her endeavour for thoroughness may have; asked too many questions, alienated the participant and led the participant into a certain way of thinking however the negative aspect to Buckroyd’s interview questions are only possibilities and are completely dependent on the views and experiences of the participant. Buckroyd has created an effective instrument for research which providing the researcher has an extensive timescale could prove extremely useful however if a researcher has a restricted timescale like that of our project Buckroyd’s in-depth style of interview may not be an effective and time efficient way of gathering data.
You don't need to right it all out in an essay like I did (this is what I thought Activity 7 was) just annotate a photocopy or printout of the questionnaire/ interview questions and see what you come up with and what you can learn from this.
Learning Diary: Blog 3 19/03/10
At the Campus session this week, we discussed a number of issues regarding data collection methods specifically observations, interview and questionnaires. We were asked to observe a pre-recorded segment of a dance class to look for phenomena in the class, following Paula’s comments it was obvious that as a teacher I automatically analyse any observation that I make and in the process of this project I must ensure that I only record my observations and not my analysis of those observations. If I record my immediate analysis of those observations rather than the observations themselves I am not accurately recording my primary data which could jeopardise the validity of my conclusions.
The campus sessions also resonated the importance of a pilot study, which is effectively a trial run of your observation/interview/questionnaire. The purpose of a pilot study is to ensure that your data collection technique achieves what you want it to achieve and that it does this in a effective way. After you conduct a pilot study it is imperative that you receive feedback from your pilot study test subjects in order to ascertain if any improvements could be made. By having a pilot study I can ensure that my data collection methods are effective, understandable and fit for purpose before I begin my final research project thereby minimising the chance of having to completely change my research tools halfway through the final project or finding out at the end that the data collected does not answer my research questions.
The campus session extended my knowledge of data collection method and educated me in the more precise and well research my project proposal is the more successful that my final research project will be.
The campus sessions also resonated the importance of a pilot study, which is effectively a trial run of your observation/interview/questionnaire. The purpose of a pilot study is to ensure that your data collection technique achieves what you want it to achieve and that it does this in a effective way. After you conduct a pilot study it is imperative that you receive feedback from your pilot study test subjects in order to ascertain if any improvements could be made. By having a pilot study I can ensure that my data collection methods are effective, understandable and fit for purpose before I begin my final research project thereby minimising the chance of having to completely change my research tools halfway through the final project or finding out at the end that the data collected does not answer my research questions.
The campus session extended my knowledge of data collection method and educated me in the more precise and well research my project proposal is the more successful that my final research project will be.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Project idea
This week the concepts I had come up with have taken a complete U-turn, I have to apologize to Peter who went through the long list of project ideas that I had and have now just completely disregarded. Following what I’m calling my crisis moment I had a bit of an epiphany looking at why I entered into this course in the first place, my previous ideas were all about looking into improve my teaching practice and teaching methods which although would aid me and my students, in Peter’s words ‘Who cares’ (apart from me that is). So now I’ve gone a bit bigger that just my classroom.
The idea:
The benefits of integrating creative dance into technical syllabus work in a dance education/ preparation for a professional career in dance?
There has been a lot of research into the benefits of a creative dance education in the public sector (secondary and primary education) but what I would like to know are what would be the benefits of integrating creative dance into the private sector? What would the impact of adding a creative dance exercise into Modern/ Jazz/ Ballet syllabus work? I know from experience that many students struggle with the idea of freestyle when introduced to the concept dance college and this can often be the make of brake point of getting that all important job. Would having to create your own choreography from an earlier age/ improvisation have helped with this?
The areas I would look at:
What is a dance education?
What is creative dance?
What skills are required for a successful career in dance?
How is creative dance taught in the public sector?
The benefits of integrating creative dance into technical syllabus work in a dance education/ preparation for a professional career in dance?
There has been a lot of research into the benefits of a creative dance education in the public sector (secondary and primary education) but what I would like to know are what would be the benefits of integrating creative dance into the private sector? What would the impact of adding a creative dance exercise into Modern/ Jazz/ Ballet syllabus work? I know from experience that many students struggle with the idea of freestyle when introduced to the concept dance college and this can often be the make of brake point of getting that all important job. Would having to create your own choreography from an earlier age/ improvisation have helped with this?
The areas I would look at:
What is a dance education?
What is creative dance?
What skills are required for a successful career in dance?
How is creative dance taught in the public sector?
What does literature say about the benefits of creative dance?
My primary research:
· An experiment of adding a creative dance section to my syllabus classes- Would it improve, technique, confidence, enhance enjoyment, improve performance etc?
· Conduct a survey of what the child thought of these additions to the classes.
· Survey professional dancers on what they think are the integral skills that they need?
· Observe other teachers conducting my experiment and the effect it has on their students.
I hope that this study would not only interest myself but my employer, other teachers and ultimately the IST D whose syllabus I teach.
What do you think?
My primary research:
· An experiment of adding a creative dance section to my syllabus classes- Would it improve, technique, confidence, enhance enjoyment, improve performance etc?
· Conduct a survey of what the child thought of these additions to the classes.
· Survey professional dancers on what they think are the integral skills that they need?
· Observe other teachers conducting my experiment and the effect it has on their students.
I hope that this study would not only interest myself but my employer, other teachers and ultimately the IST D whose syllabus I teach.
What do you think?
Friday, March 5, 2010
Learning Blog 3 05/05/10
When trying to whittle down my ideas for my research project I was trying to answer the question of feasibility on one of ideas ‘the effect that choice of music has on the technique/ performance of dance’ an idea that had come about from a ballet lesson where I found that my students were not exhibiting their previous technique/ performance of their port de bras and footwork. When I asked why they said it was because of the music therefore I thought that it may be a worthwhile investigation looking into the effect that music has on dancers. From my many spider diagrams and reading of research methods I thought the best way to collect my primary data would be to conduct an experiment where I would chose a selection of set exercises in my ballet class and get the students to perform these two contrasting pieces of music and then observe the effect of this. However when looking into the feasibility of conducting this experiment I came across a problem; the most effective way to conduct this experiment would be with a pianist who could easily perform contrasting pieces of music to the specifications that would suit my experiment, but I do not have a pianist (as my classes are all done with the aid of my iPod) and the likelihood of finding appropriate pre-recorded music in the correct time signatures and style of music was un-likely due to the time constraints of balancing this project and my other life commitments. Therefore I have concluded that although this project would have an insightful benefit that would impact my work in a positive way, collecting primary data would not be feasible.
This revelation made me evaluate the priorities of what I need to consider before choosing my project idea in order to complete my project proposal. Primary data collection is an important aspect of our final project and therefore I must ensure that the research that I wish to conduct is feasible which means answering the questions:
1) Do I have persons to conduct the research on (my sample group)?
2) Will my sample group be representative (think validity of research)?
3) Do I have the equipment (if any) to conduct the research.
4) Is the research possible in the time period for the project when considering balance with my other commitments?
5) Are there any problems that I could encounter when conducting this research
6) Are there any ways in which I could overcome these problems and are they feasible.
All these need to be considered in order for me to choose a topic for a realistic project proposal; therefore I am now looking at answering these questions on my other project ideas.
This revelation made me evaluate the priorities of what I need to consider before choosing my project idea in order to complete my project proposal. Primary data collection is an important aspect of our final project and therefore I must ensure that the research that I wish to conduct is feasible which means answering the questions:
1) Do I have persons to conduct the research on (my sample group)?
2) Will my sample group be representative (think validity of research)?
3) Do I have the equipment (if any) to conduct the research.
4) Is the research possible in the time period for the project when considering balance with my other commitments?
5) Are there any problems that I could encounter when conducting this research
6) Are there any ways in which I could overcome these problems and are they feasible.
All these need to be considered in order for me to choose a topic for a realistic project proposal; therefore I am now looking at answering these questions on my other project ideas.
Activity 2
A new influence that perhaps could be classed as an advantage or a disadvantage depending on your point of view is the insider knowledge of the subjects that you are conducting your primary data research on or thinking of conducting your primary data research on. I believe that this is a distinct advantage as it enables you to make more informed choices/ informed conclusions when either planning or analysing your research, for example when trying to put together a group of subjects/ participants that are truly representative of the type of persons/ group of persons that your research is about (your ‘sample’), your insider knowledge will help choose the subjects/ participants in order to make sure that they are truly representative group in order to help ensure the validity or your results.
Activity 1
Social Constructivism: The construction of the social setting in which learning occurs and the effect of learning the construction of the social setting.
Reflexivity: Work with which the researcher tries to be as objective as possible but with which the work takes into account bias and subjective views of the researcher for example, any research that I conduct will be from the perspective of a teacher, a third party academic may draw different conclusions/ have a different opinion on my findings.
Reflexivity: Work with which the researcher tries to be as objective as possible but with which the work takes into account bias and subjective views of the researcher for example, any research that I conduct will be from the perspective of a teacher, a third party academic may draw different conclusions/ have a different opinion on my findings.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Athens!
Can anybody log into Athens? (the portal to let Middlesex uni students look at online books/ journals) I've done what the book tells me to do and what Paula said on the last campus day but its still not letting me in. Can anybody help?
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Learning Diary Blog One 18/02/10
Since the beginning of starting the BAPP course I had an idea about what I had wanted my final project to be about ‘the use of imagery in teaching dance’. This concept was based on a subject that I found interesting and what I knew there was a substantial amount of existing literature about, as I knew from my teacher training there has been substantial research into the use of this teaching method. From peer experience I pre-conceived that the literature review was the most integral part of a research project. During the first Campus session we were asked the question ‘What is research?’ My immediate answer was ‘to find existing information about of topic ‘ as this was the only type of research that I had previously experienced, however from the discussion I now realise that this was a very blinkered way to view research. Research is in fact investigating both the known and the unknown in order to advance ones knowledge and understanding , by applying this new thinking I now know that I must consider both what existing knowledge there is on the subject and what new knowledge I can gain from my own active research and experimentation. Aiding to this, I was particularly struck by the advice that we should endeavour to choose a topic where something entirely new can be discovered, not just re-affirming what a number of others have thoroughly investigated.
Now I have taken a completely new approach (since our campus session) in beginning the long process of choosing a topic for the proposal of my research topic. I started with my purpose for being on this course; teaching, then expanding on this by thinking of areas of teaching that I find interesting/ what areas I can expand my knowledge in, in order to improve understanding/ knowledge of teaching?. Having begun to investigate these ideas through a number of mind maps exploring what I already know about the topic and exploring the research potential (I found this process very useful as it enabled me to express all my thoughts on paper and visually link ideas and concepts together). Now I must take my learning further and use my existing and newly acquired research skills to find out what literature there is on the subjects and what ways I could investigate the subject (when I fully comprehend the approaches to research as described in our set text) as this will aid in determining what project I will undertake and thus what my proposal will be.
Now I have taken a completely new approach (since our campus session) in beginning the long process of choosing a topic for the proposal of my research topic. I started with my purpose for being on this course; teaching, then expanding on this by thinking of areas of teaching that I find interesting/ what areas I can expand my knowledge in, in order to improve understanding/ knowledge of teaching?. Having begun to investigate these ideas through a number of mind maps exploring what I already know about the topic and exploring the research potential (I found this process very useful as it enabled me to express all my thoughts on paper and visually link ideas and concepts together). Now I must take my learning further and use my existing and newly acquired research skills to find out what literature there is on the subjects and what ways I could investigate the subject (when I fully comprehend the approaches to research as described in our set text) as this will aid in determining what project I will undertake and thus what my proposal will be.
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