Online session with Module Three focus: The art of Noticing

We had two online sessions with ACI3633 (Module Three)  focus today. The general topic was 'research terms-what are you doing?' !! The session was really about how all the elements we use to design an inquiry in ACI3622 (Module Two) are actually manifesting in the inquiry process of ACI3633 (Module Three).

Now there were people from Module One and Two in both sessions which is great because these ideas are not secrets only to be discussed on ACI3633 !! And also great because what we are saying about the inquiry in ACI3633 inquiry is 'true' for the 'inquiry' into what your practice is/can be in ACI3611 Module One and the 'inquiry' into designing a practice-based research activity/inquiry in ACI 3622 (Module Two) . In other words its all connected.

So, where is analysis manifesting in your inquiry? - we talked about the relationship this has to noticing and reflecting on what is happening around you. Also analysis is manifesting in how the literature/art work reviews you do inform or shine new perspectives on things ...

We talked about how Method is manifesting in your inquiry - are you noticing how you are doing thing. Are you aware of what it is that you are doing? and that in what you are doing you are making choices. There is a method to what you are doing but it is important to notice and analyze what it is. Just like in ACI3611 you are peeling your practice away from the back ground noise of your training or circumstance, in the inquiry you are peeling your activity (what you are doing) away from the autopilot or assumptions of.... should be done.

We talked about how ethnography is manifesting in your inquiry - in this course you are central to what you are doing. Its about your practice. Noticing yourself and making a space for you to be present. This is not about being neutral (not bias) because from the perspective of this course you can not be non-bias. "Wherever you go, You come along too!" You can only see through your eyes but you can imagine, empathize, notice consider other perspectives = reflection. In the inquiry the learning is in the reflection not finding  something that will tell you what to think!!!

We talked about how methodology is manifesting in your inquiry - The philosophy behind why you are doing things the way you are doing them.

We talked about how ethics is in everything, not isolated.

Overall we talked about noticing things

People are posting about:
The significance of You - see ethnography ....
Ethnography and method can disclose methodology
Methods = looking at/taking note of how you are doing things
Notice everything - keep reflecting
(personally I feel noticing can make you quite raw so hand-in-hand with it is to forgiving yourself)
Nothing is waisted  it is all part of (the) process
Analysis - critical thinking can be happening all the time.

Please 'notice' the glossaries at the end of the handbooks and start to add words and add to the meanings that are there so that you start to develop your own understanding of the language we are using.

Please comment below 

Literature Review

A Literature Review - reviews the literature. It is like standing in the library and saying "these shelves are books and journals on aspects of xxxx", "these shelves are by people who have xxx perspective". It is not about one or two books. A Literature Review overviews what is out there and gives you a context for where you stand.

Thoughts from recent group skype discussions

Module conversations

We have had a number of sessions on skype; conversations with a particular focus on Module topics. Please note a skype with a focus on Module One is open to anyone who wants to think about Module One points not just those on Module One.  From these conversations a few points to share follow below and same for the other Module focus sessions

 From the Module Two focus session on Thursday 16^th :

Making an inquiry plan is an art in itself. You can use your own artistry from your practice to create something… the ingredients or steps or parts of the inquiry that must be included are knowing what your Methodology is, your method and your analysis.

Your methodology is the way you are approaching the inquiry, how you understand the people and things involved it links to any ethical considerations you have considered. It is about explaining the why of your approach.

The method is being able to say exactly what you will be doing and explain why you are doing it that way.

The analysis explains what you will be doing with all the things you generate from doing the inquiry data collecting activity. It is not an inquiry if all you do is ask someone something and then tell us what they said. You need to compare across all the forms of data you collect, looked for significant ideas or themes or things that don’t sit together and think about why they are significant to you, why they are the same or different…

Analysis is how you will be triangulating:  1) the data you collect, 2) the literature and existing arts on the subject 3) your experiences and reflections on it (3 things like a triangle (triangulations) where you look at what hold them together and a part.

Keep asking yourself am I creating a plan that assumes I will go and ask someone the answer to a question I have. If so remind yourself if you don’t know the answer, why should they? And if they did answer it how would you know it was ‘right’. Answers are not what you are looking for. Better understanding the depth of your question is what you are looking for. So you will need to analysis everything you come across.

Look at defining what is meant by the words you are using to explore your inquiry. For instance if you are wondering what makes a good teacher, you will also need to find out what ‘teacher’ means to people and what ‘good’ means to people. Part of your inquiry is finding out if people make the same assumptions about things as you. Finding out more about something is realising not everyone thinks about it the same way as you.

We are using a form of triangulation in Module One as well. We are asking you to look at what your practice is. How your practice peels away from the background of your training, current work situation – how your practice is a thing in its own right. In the module, we ask you to triangulate:  1) your practice in terms of communication (inc. web 2:0) 2) your practice in terms of with reflection 3) your practice in terms of networks

In the Module One focus chats both groups talked about networks and the feedback one gets from people – how much of that you allow to shape your practice and how much and when to let it go. There is something here about the transition between being a student in training (when all feedback is expected to be taken on board) to when you are a professional when you need to decide what you will let define you.

We also talked about how sharing and hearing the experience of others can help you start to see yourself more clearly against the backdrop of the experience you had training or working cyurrently. This especially true if your training experience was more negative than positive.

We acknowledged the small word count for the essay in Module One is part of what is hard. You cannot waffle on about your practice or spend too much time just reciting the Module handbook information back to us. You have to have thought about a clear articulation of what your practice is and how it is growing and shaped particularly using communication, reflection and networks. Do not use the appendix to extend the word count!!! (Imagine no one will bother looking at the appendix.) The essay should be clear and make sense with no appendix.

We are more than half way through the term so now is the time to start thinking about what you are handing in and making sense of how it is relevant and meaningful to you/your practice and to the Module Handbooks information. Keep blogging and commenting on each others posts.