Starting back

In the last two days Helen https://helenbapp.blogspot.co.uk  and I have had a few skype sessions. We did two Induction sessions for Module Oners. If you are Module One and have not had an Induction session look at the post about the make-up Induction session and comment there include when you are free next week. Read what other people have posted so we can coordinate a time when everyone can do it.

Today (Saturday) we also did a starting back Skype for Module Two-ers and Three-ers.

We talked about how people are getting going again after the Summer break.

I think starting is a really interesting concept. I feel there is always more than one start to anything you do. I have talked about this as being more like three plus starts:

When the official date or time of something is.

When you feel you have woken-up within the thing and are engaged with it.

When you start to experience a change or the impact of the thing.

They do not all happen at the same time or in the order above. 

With BAPP the officially start is often quiet it’s just a date. It is the waking-up start that it is important to consciously do. This might mean starting to organise your time and activity to engage be a part of it all.  Waking up in the course. Make sure this ‘waking-up doesn’t happen a few days before you have hand-in your work !!! That can happen.

Here another post I did about starting back http://adesolaa.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/welcome-back.html

In the Skype session, we talked about different peoples strategies for this:

Lauren talked about how she has ear-marked two nights a week as study nights and one day in the weekend to relax and one to study. Emily said she gives herself weekly aims to achieve.

We also talked about making a space for your study – maybe a coffee shop or place that you feel you can get some concentrated uninterrupted time in – clear a table in where you live and making that your spot to work from.

Other parts of the conversation people thought were valuable to discuss and share.

Lauren https://laurenharper26.blogspot.co.uk is going to post further on the idea of reading and exploring everything – not just looking at things because you ‘know’ they are about what you want them to be about but actually exploring and researching to find out new ideas and connections you would not find if you didn’t ‘wonder and wander’ a bit more in your reading.

Henryhttp://henryrhodes.blogspot.co.uk/?m=1  is going to post about extending beyond yourself through writing more on the blogs, commenting more, reading but also going and seeing other artist’s work in shows and galleries etc… people have made comments in their art work as well as in written books.

Emily http://emilyrichardsbapp.blogspot.co.uk is going to think about making sure your blog is easy for people to find and comment on. Sometimes you can leave a comment with a gmail identity so when people click on your comment they don’t go directly to your blog or can’t find your blog. The blog address for everyone is on Unihub too.

Hannah https://oneillhannah25.blogspot.co.uk/ is thinking about how work changes and/or scheduling shift from this Module from the last. Maybe you have a different job or you are now auditioning more than paid work. The course needs to flow along with what is going on for you in general and this means thinking about how it fits and benefits and inspires what you are doing. How it can be practical as circumstances change.

Eleanor http://ellebyrne.blogspot.co.uk  is looking at thoughts around reading more and opening things up and the liberation of not yet knowing what you will be doing. Especially for those in Module Two, which she is in, where you have a whole 12 weeks to explore and look at questions that interest you as you design your inquiry project proposal.

Jennifer https://jennifersimm.blogspot.co.uk/ is thinking of making a list of tips she picked up from the conversation.

This post is a little longer than our word count of 400 work per blog post. Overall we are asking you keep post short so people can read and comment more easily. Make sure you have posted at least one post a week and commented on at least two different people’s blogs per week. Much commenting and posting is more fun though! Keep checking Helen’s blog and my blog for up-dates etc…

What are your thoughts about starting and starting back.

Please comment below.

Knowledge, information and Web 2.0

I have been looking a texts about on-line teaching. I thought that the following was really useful. Especially for module two-ers and three-ers. It is important you don't just use information you happen to come across when you google a subject. Researching into things is not just about finding something someone has written on it. It is about evaluating what things mean in terms of what you already know (and who you respect who also knows about it) with what you want to know more about.  Don't let Google determine what you know; allowing your information on a subject to be whatever comes highest in a search! So here are some questions to ask yourself: 

 Authority. Who says? Know the author.

• Who created this information and why?
• Do you recognize this author or their work?
• What knowledge or skills do they have in the area?
• Is he or she stating fact or opinion?
• What else has this author written?
• Does the author acknowledge other viewpoints and theories?

Objectivity. Is the information biased? Think about perspective.

• Is the information objective or subjective?
• Is it full of fact or opinion?
• Does it reflect bias? How?
• How does the sponsorship impact the perspective of the information?
• Are a balance of perspectives represented?
• Could the information be meant as humorous, a parody, or satire?

Authenticity. Is the information authentic? Know the source.

• Where does the information originate?
• Is the information from an established organization?
• Has the information been reviewed by others to insure accuracy?
• Is this a primary source or secondary source of information?
• Are original sources clear and documented?
• Is a bibliography provided citing the sources used?

Reliability. Is this information accurate? Consider the origin of the information.

• Are the sources truth worthy? How do you know?
• Who is sponsoring this publication?
• Does the information come from a school, business, or company site?
• What's the purpose of the information resource: to inform, instruct, persuade, sell? Does this matter?
• What's their motive?

Timeliness. Is the information current? Consider the currency and timeliness of the information.

• Does the page provide information about timeliness such as specific dates of information?
• Does currency of information matter with your particular topic?
• How current are the sources or links?

Relevance. Is the information helpful? Think about whether you need this information.

• Does the information contain the breadth and depth needed?
• Is the information written in a form that is useable (i.e. reading level, technical level)?
• Is the information in a form that is useful such as words, pictures, charts, sounds, or video?
• Do the facts contribute something new or add to your knowledge of the subject?
• Will this information be useful to your project?

Good habits

It is week !!!! (holidays), but you are probably in writing-up final draft time. As the module ends it is a good idea to reflect on how you organised your time, what good practice you want to adopt and what things did not work for you.

I have just finished writing-up a project, myself. I have thought about what I liked about how I did it. I am going to (try to) keep my habit of waking up early to do two good hours each morning before everything starts. I find I get more work done in the first two hours after a good nights sleep than in four hours later in the day. I want to keep the habit. Some people have talked about coffee shops and places they go to work. Are you going to keep going there just to keep in the practice of having time set aside for reflection or study.

I also had to read a lot I want to keep that too since I don’t exactly ‘read for pleasure’ in the conventional sense. So I want to keep up the habit of making myself read by keeping a time during the week when I sit down and read for a block of time. Things I want to let go of is the mess my computer files are in. 

Remember you are inquiring in life long habits for professional practice so think about what works for you to keep don’t just do things because the module made you and then you drop the good practice.

I have planned four days off over Christmas: that’s really exciting; hope you make time to just relax and reflect too.

Adesola