Module One - thoughts for all

We talked about how Module One asks you to re-think and re-feel the assumptions you have about yourself and what you do as a way to better position and recognise what your own practice is.

For instance, thinking about

modesty ‘v’ showing off

and

modesty ‘v’ generosity

When you write a cover letter to an interview modesty ‘v’ showing-off makes you feel the thing to do is ‘I would really like to work with your company’ so you don’t ‘show-off’. But thinking in terms of modesty ‘v’ generosity means you write ‘I am a trained actress … giving your credentials…’ because you are giving the people short-listing for the interview all the information they need about you. Thinking like this you might give different information then ‘showing-off’ but more information than your perception of modesty would have let you.

This stepping back and critically reflecting on your actions in terms of your practice is what Module One is asking you to do. NOT the change what you are doing but to use the tasks to look at what your practice is today.

Cycle Module One!! As ever do not think about only doing the tasks once through. Do them all and then do them again and again. Each time you engage with a deeper or different layer of your practice and task. Module one you are looking at what you already do and applying critical thinking/reflection to what it is you are doing.

The thoughts of people in the session:

Nicole is partly going to use the Module to explore her goals and better understand these goals mean to her:

‘To really get myself out there and thinking of yourself as a professional rather than a student. 

Finding my purpose in what I am doing and making myself an asset to the company.

See how I can adapt myself to communicate with different people of different ages.’

Matthew D. suggests Module One has 3 lens - communication of how you position yourself in the world, what you think you need to do and why you need to do it?

Reflection: reflect on what you do and why you do it, how what you do works and how it can be improved, how could you use that process in the future

Networking: the give and take of relationships within the aspects of your life/professional life.

To not overthink what you are doing Module one is about growing as a person and developing and then looking back on where you started from.

Arghierenia says Module 1 is about your practice, you are not being asked to do something new necessarily but to look at what you do through a different perspective by using critical thinking. There are three different lenses through which we will look at our professional practices; communication, reflection and networking. It’s useful to do the tasks a few times, as the module progresses as the way you do them will change and that will help your learning and understanding of them.

We also talked about criticism ‘v’ reflection. Reflection should not start from a deficit stand point. That is, it not about what you ‘can do better’. It is about if you can see different or varied perspectives.

We about doing the tasks as a cycle also you do not have to stick to the week suggested.

The course is like the seasoning to you the meal of your life, it is not about cooking a whole new meal!

The course is about how you pull information to you meaningfully. This is difficult at first because we are often used to ‘educational’ experiences where information is pushed at you and you have to receive and memorise it! However, we are suggesting in professional settings you have to have the confidence and independence to be proactive not sit and wait for someone to tell you what to do.

What do you think-feel comment below...

Module Two - cycle and crafting your inquiry is a way to better understand your own field of practice

Module Two sessions

Also have a look at what people in the session posted about it.

Amanda  https://amcbahonspp.blogspot.co.uk ,

Lauren http://laurenharper26.blogspot.co.uk,

Henry http://henryrhodes.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/skype-call-discussion-031017.html?m=1,

Jessica http://jessicastokesbappblog.blogspot.co.uk,

Ann http://annwall95.blogspot.co.uk

Emily http://emilyrichardsbapp.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/module-2-group-skype-assumption.html

Important points we discussed:

Do all the tasks in the handbook as a cycle – go through them once, this will help start to shape your inquiry. But do not take too much time on one if it does not move you forward. Then go through them again this time the parts that you were stuck on will have shifted because of the work you did on the other tasks. For instance – in the first cycle of doing the tasks, your inquiry field might be vague. Don’t spend days and days trying to get a perfect question. Have an area then start thinking about the ethical considerations/ concerns/ arguments/ reflections in that area. This might make you clearer about the area in the general field you are interested in. Or it might be as you start to think about data collections tools you have an aha moment. After the literature review you should have had some changes because you would have explored and discovered new ideas from other people around the topic. Try to do the cycle of tasks at least three times layering and shaping your inquiry each time.

The literature review is the most important tool to help you see what you don’t know. It helps you realise other perspectives on your topic and it is these other perspectives and ideas your inquiry should be about. Your inquiry should not be about proving something you already feel or know because:

Firstly, the 12 weeks of Module Three is not long enough to ‘prove’ something.

Secondly, this does not help your practice or helps you develop  – it just makes you feel better about where you are currently! That is not what your BA is for – that is your best friends job!!

The inquiry should inform your practice – help you develop it. BUT NOT help you start a whole new branch of practice. You should be able to clearly explain how your past work, and current work inform your inquiry. But the inquiry gives you time to really focus or understand something within your practice. It is very useful to focus on a kind of historical inquiry where you find out what other people have done and how that fits with the 2017 field of practice that you are involved with.

Tip: if you think not much has been written or done on your topic – a historical inquiry will be really useful because it is likely you just don’t know about it not that nobody else in the history of arts practices has thought of what you are thinking of!!

In the on-line session we used a adapted version of Liz Lerman’s https://lizlerman.com   Critical Response Process: A method for getting useful feedback on anything you make from dance to dessert.

Each person in the call spoke about their practice and their inquiry and we followed the Liz Lermans Critical Response Process to feedback. This is something you can do with a friend or your SIG group. Describe your inquiry and get feedback on what people understand about what you are doing and how clearly they see it fitting with your practice. IT IS NOT to get feedback that you are doing a good job!! Or to get them to tell you what to do. It is to see if what you are thinking makes sense outside of your own head!! Also talking about your inquiry plans  and asking and answering questions helps you to better understand your own thinking-feeling.

Liz Lerman is presenting at Middlesex University this month as part of Dance Umbrella. Tuesday October 10^th 6pn at Hendon  MDX and Wednesday 11^th 4;30 at National Theatre http://www.danceumbrella.co.uk/event/dance-umbrella-lecture/  (if you are in London, UK those days).

Have a go exploring your ideas through feedback. Here is how her steps are described: