Module 1: Task 3d - Critical questions and issues that emerge

Do some very specific ideas emerge about your networking and sources? Does

your engagement to date seem appropriate? Limited? Focused? Planned?

Unplanned?

I think that my levels of engagement in my networks are appropriate. However, after studying Module 1, I now know that there is much more that I could do with the networks that I have already established. Learning of the different concepts of networking has made me more aware of what it is that I have been unknowingly doing in the past which, looking back, must have limited me in part in my career and professional development. I am now able to understand how I can learn by utilising my networks in different ways and think about applying the concepts. I am aware that I could be more focused when it comes to networking, as it is most probable that I would achieve more success by doing so, which is hopefully something I expect to become much better at as I learn and develop throughout this course.

Are your ideas, position or concerns shared by others within and/or beyond your

professional area of work?

The ratio between work available and the number of people seeking employment in my professional area is very low. There are many people seeking to fill the same position. Therefore, it wouldn't be too bold to suggest that a lot of people are likely to share the same or similar ideas on how to obtain any given role. One of my concerns is that given the government's budget cuts to the arts, will these cuts cause so much strain on the industry that the amount of work available will decrease, making it even harder for professionals to find employment? 

Does sharing ideas and communicating with others shift your thinking, planning

or practice?

I think sharing ideas and communicating with others constantly shifts my way of thinking, planning, and practice. A vast majority of what we learn is through communication, so it would be wrong to suggest that the sharing of ideas and communicating didn't affect my way of thinking. I believe that, generally speaking, we are all nurtured and encouraged to share ideas and to communicate. I have mentioned the term 'mutual inspiration' in previous posts. I believe that working with others can often help the improvement in quality of my work, frequently listening to and learning from other people's opinions and experiences can improve my creative insight and inspire me to persevere with my work. 

Does critical reflection help you decide what really matters and the actions to

take?

Yes, I believe it does. I think that critical reflection enables us to knowingly learn from our experiences rather than just letting the experience be a memory. Since working on this module, I have been actively reflecting considerably more than before. It helps me to extract a lot more information from my experiences, including other perspectives beyond what is obvious, causing me to think and to look at things in a different way which, in turn, helps me to make wiser, more educated decisions on what actions to take. 

To what extent do concepts and theories assist you in thinking about your

professional networking in different ways? And do these different ways of thinking

have some purpose for you?

Concepts and theories have most definitely enlightened me on the value of networking and the different forms in which we do it. Learning about these concepts has certainly made an impact on increasing the efficiency of my networking. I now think to use relevant concepts of networking, both online and in real-life situations. I understand that I always managed to network successfully, I just didn't recognise how I was doing it. Now that I can identify this, I can be far more effective with my efforts.

Are you left thinking differently prior to this part of the module? And if so, how?

At the beginning of this module, I think that I was very set in my way of doing things. It wasn't until I tried out and discovered the different methods of journal writing that I really became more open to doing something in a different way to the way I was accustomed to doing it. Now, I definitely appreciate the importance of networking, not necessarily just when applied to my profession but when applied to my life in general, too. I am appreciative of the fact that studying this module has enabled me to develop my learning skills and has improved my professional development. 

Module 1: Task 3c - Sources of Information

Important Sources of Information.

One of my favourite hobbies is to carry out research. I could almost consider it as an addiction. I love discovering new facts and pieces of seemingly unimportant information to make use of in the future. There are many different sources which I use to gather my information. Currently, the five most important sources for me, I consider to be:

The Internet

The Internet is arguably my most important source of information. I imagine that this is where the majority of new information that I acquire comes from. The Internet is home to millions of constantly growing pools of information on almost any given topic accessible via many different forms of digital media. It is also time-efficient, with information arriving at ultra-high speeds, making trips to the library seem like an absurdity. Websites such as Google, Wikipedia and Youtube are notable examples that deliver innumerable amounts of free information for Internet users located all around the World.

Word of Mouth 

I still consider word of mouth to be a very important source. I appreciate that I am not the World's best researcher and that I could miss valuable pieces of information. This is why talking to other people in my profession in similar circumstance can be very beneficial, as I know that they are spending time conducting their own research, too. Not only can the people I engage in conversation with provide me with information, they can also benefit me by giving me their opinions and reflections on the information they are sharing with me.

Television

After accumulating hundreds of hours in my childhood and adolescent life of watching television, I can vouch that it was, and still is, an important source of information. There are 24-hour news channels that provide constant updates of news all around the globe, so that we can always stay up-to-date with current affairs. Breakfast shows and late-night entertainment shows often include live interviews with artistes and celebrities from our profession, giving us insights on their experiences, recent work and, occasionally, advice. In addition, documentaries covering a wide variety of topics are often broadcast, providing alternative views to already well-known conceptions.

Newspapers/Books

Although much of the information I obtain is in digital format, I still like to have some information presented to me on paper. I still buy and use books such as encyclopaedias and other literature for reference on specialised topics. Newspapers such as the Evening Standard and The Metro are often available in the vicinity of tube stations or on board buses. These newspapers are freely available to us and can be picked up during our commutes adding value to the busy lifestyle that we live. Newspapers and books can succeed where mobile technology fails, for example, in underground stations and other locations where there is no phone signal or connection to the Internet.

Mobile Phone

As per my earlier post, I view the mobile phone as one of the most essential tools for instantly obtaining information. Courtesy of the Internet, all of the above is accessible through the use of today's smart phones. Not only do you have access to the worldwide web, you are also able to contact others directly in real-time, using standard GSM services to obtain word-of-mouth information, watch television and even view digital copies of newspapers or books (E-books). The best thing about it is that it is truly portable and that I have the power to do all of this using a small item stored in my pocket.

Module 1: Task 3b - Theories relating to networking

Concepts of the Professional Network

Cooperation

Cooperation is a term used to describe a theory in which the phenomenon of whether to cooperate or not is examined. Perhaps the best known example of this is the Game Theory, a game in which, players are rewarded or not depending on whether they choose to cooperate or not. Cooperation, here, is a means of studying strategic decision making.

This sounds rather academic but the phenomenon can be found in a number of different aspects of everyday life. Take, for example, wild animals living in groups. They stay within the group and enjoy the nurture and protection afforded by the group until such time that they no longer need the support and leave the group to go their own way. We can even see this in human family behaviour where adolescents stay with their parents until the urge to feel independent becomes overpowering. As American political scientist, Robert Axelrod wrote, "Cooperating fully with others until you reach a point of maximum benefit, and then to 'defect". (1984)

Cooperating with someone until he is no longer of any use to me is something that I don't think I have knowingly done. I liken Cooperation and the Game Theory to the difference between usage and 'abusage'. I know that in my profession, people have done very well from 'using' other people and then when they have attained what they wanted, 'defecting'. I regard this as a natural cycle in life with each generation of performers at first using the network (cooperating), then abusing the network (defecting), then being used in turn by the next generation.

Sometimes, cooperating in this way isn't always to everyone's taste, as I can think of instances where people use false hoods or insincerity to do what is known as 'playing the game'. An example of this could be when people brown nose others they do not like in order to gain some advantage one way or another.  

Affiliation

Affiliation is a concept of social psychology. It's purpose is to find out why we humans "form close relationships". It apparently provides us with "a network of support that will help us when we are in need" (Crisp & Turner, 2007). Homeostasis, (O'Connor & Rosenblood, 1996) the principle theory of affiliation, affirms that our demand for affiliation may differ from one person to another. However, we all, as human beings, require it in some form or another.

A far simpler way to understand affiliation is to ask "why we are social creatures in the first place (Crisp & Turner, 2007). They claim that the reason why we human beings seek others and form close relationships is because it is instinctive, helping us to survive by supplying a network to help when we are in need. "Homeostasis is the idea that people control their level of contact with others to keep it stable and as close as possible to a desired level" (Crisp & Turner, 2007).

Affiliation doesn't always have positive aspects. We are not always able to get what we want and because we all have a need for affiliation, failing to attain our desired levels of social interaction can sometimes have a "detrimental effect on people" (Crisp & Turner, 2007) such as disheartening, loneliness and social anxiety.

I can relate this to my profession by referring back to my claim that people in my profession understand the significance of using networking to achieve success. In order to expand their network, they need to socially engage or affiliate with whomever can assist them in their progression/survival in the industry, for example, engaging or making contact with the likes of a choreographer or casting director. If they do not get a reply or, in other words, if they cannot achieve the social contact they need to succeed, after a while it is possible to become disheartened. This isn't helped by the apparent 'second life' requirement to keep up appearances that social media has created, which constantly informs us all of how well we are doing in our lives and with our careers.

Social Constructionism

My understanding is that Social Constructionism is a theory that knowledge and many aspects of the world around us are not in fact real as we know them to be, but only exist because we give them reality ('construct' them) through social agreement. For example, money is in effect just paper or metal, however we socially constructed it's value in today's society.

To link this to networking, if we subscribe to the view that 'through our interactions, we can make meanings', this, in turn, should explain how we attach value and form the identity of our networks. So, we can acknowledge from this theory that what we receive through social interactions, results in how we view or value our network. This is why other people consider some things to be better than others. For example, if there are two people interacting in the same network, one of them may value the network differently or higher than the other, should one of them have had more frequent or higher-quality social interactions than the other.

I have to be perfectly honest here and say that I have never thought of spending time thinking about my networks in this way. To me, it is pretty obvious that people will value things differently, depending on how they experience them. That is not to say that I haven't learned anything from this theory. I am becoming increasingly aware that networks can be of different values to different people in different circumstances, as witnessed by members of my profession who critically reflection on their experiences in different ways and come up with different opinions.

Connectivism

Connectivism is the theory of how we learn by connecting through social networks and can also be linked to Network Theory, which uses technology. In principle, according to the theory of connectivism, "learning rests with a diversity of opinions" (Siemens 2004), by the process of connecting information sources through social networks. It thrives on the "nurturing and maintaining [of] connections" (2004) for continual learning, providing learners with up to date "knowledge of their field".

In layman's terms, the simplest way to describe this concept is by stating that it is a theory of how we learn through social networks. It succeeds in a similar way to how Web 2.0 does, through user, or in this case, learner interaction, which creates a constant flow of information which allows continual learning one way or another.

I would agree that learning through connectivism is a useful skill/tool that we use on a daily basis without realising it. I can think of many instances in my professional life where this theory would apply, but I do not think it is something that should require us human beings to stop and think about applying. I am of the belief that learning through our social environments, be they living, digital or spiritual, is a natural, instinctive process, as we are all social beings intended to learn through nature and nurture. That being said, I appreciate that connectivism is a valid theory relating to this way of learning.

Communities of Practice

Communities of practice is a term used to explain learning as the result of engagement in cooperative or social relationships rather than a process of acquisition of knowledge as an individual. Lave and Wenger (1991) suggest learning can stem from situations of co-participation describing it as 'situated learning'.

My understanding of communities of practice is that it is, instead of singularly seeking an answer for yourself, finding other people in your chosen area of interest to discover the information/answers you are looking for by collectively sharing, as a community, what you already know. The social union and combined knowledge should, in effect, bring more than just an interchange of information but learn through being included in a co-operative that everybody can benefit from.

"Rather than learning by replicating the performances of others or by acquiring knowledge transmitted in instruction, we suggest that learning occurs through centripetal participation in the learning curriculum of the ambient community." (Lave and Wenger 1991.)

I accept that the communities of practice is a very valid form or learning through networking. I can certainly see its value when applied to my profession. It makes me aware of the fact that I can benefit from learning by engaging with others in my networks rather than seeking out the information myself.

Ethical Considerations for Networking

Even though a lot of our modern day networks are dependant on the Internet and the use of Web 2.0, the above concepts of social networking, both real-life and online, are fundamentally the same. We can say that all the issues and ethical considerations that engaging with others through social network websites present apply just the same to real-life social networking, too. We still have to consider our etiquette, our reputation, the publishing of digital media and the release of sensitive information whilst remaining aware of the many negative factors that social networking brings.  


REFERENCES

'Essential Social Psychology' - R. J. Crisp, R. N. Turner (2007)
'A Learning Theory for the Digital Age' - G. Siemens (2004)
'Chapter 4: Legitimate peripheral participation in communities in practice' - J. Lave, E. Wenger (1991)

Module 1: Task 3a - Current Networks

I consider networking to be part of my every day life. Even without intentionally doing so, I find myself networking. I am always thinking of my future self, and what it is I can do to ensure continual progression in my career. There are many different ways and tools that I use to engage in my professional network. 

For me, word of mouth is an important tool for networking. I always try to keep in touch with my friends within the industry because I know that they, more likely than not, will have been investing their own time in researching and networking, too. They sometimes provide me with information that I have not come across or even provide me with answers to questions that I have gathered. 

Auditions can present valuable opportunities to meet new people within my industry. Often, the people that I meet at the auditions come from many different parts of the World and are at many different stages in their career. On engaging in conversations, it is clear to see that almost everyone has a story to tell and I nearly always come away having learned something new or picked up some useful information. 

These day's, the Internet has been one of the most useful tools for networking. The growth of Web 2.0 now means that networking is possible from the comfort of your own home or anywhere in the World as long as you have a connection to the Internet. 

As per my previous post on this subject, there are many different Web 2.0 sites that I currently use. One of my favourites is Facebook. I find the site to be very useful because it presents me with the opportunity to connect to and interact with millions of different people all around the globe. Its powerful search engines make it very easy to identify someone with a specific area of interest or work. In this case, it would be my industry. 

Facebook offers numerous different services. I have access to user profile pages, on which I can easily post information and communicate using any form of digital media. I can also privately contact users, as Facebook has the capability to function similarly to E-mail, along with allowing the creation of social groups, pages, events and many other features with the ability to promote them.

One of the many groups that I am a member of on Facebook is often talked about, 'The Hustle!' It's members actively share advice and information regarding upcoming jobs and auditions, as well as offering to help with other opportunities and services. Since I last wrote about 'The Hustle!', it's membership has grown to 23,312. These are almost entirely made up of performing arts industry professionals, including vocalists, dancers, musicians, models, photographers and teachers, to name a few.

There are also online agencies and other casting websites that I use, such as 'Dancers Pro', 'Spotlight', 'Let it Cast' and even 'Star Now', to provide a few examples. They are beneficial because not only do they provide information on current castings, they can also provide a platform for employers to get in touch and communicate with the artist/performer. 

Although the E-mail technology has been around a long while now, it is still a perfectly acceptable means of contacting people. I always have my E-mail browsers open when using the laptop and I always leave my 'pop3 push messages' service working on my smartphone, so that I am always notified of an incoming message, one way or another. Best not forget that the conventional postal service is still an acceptable way for contacting people such as agents, who frequently require hard copies of photos, CVs and contracts.

With today's technological advancements in mobile services, I consider myself very lucky to be able to access nearly all of my networking tools from the smart-phone in my pocket. Not only can I receive incoming calls and messages, as long as I have access to the Internet, I can also access my E-mails, log in to most of my Web 2.0 sites, visit online casting agencies and other websites that I use. It is a quick and efficient tool, one perfectly geared up for networking. 

I am also a member of the Musicians Union. This is a trade union which focuses on the careers of musicians. Trade unions such as the Musicians Union and Equity provide support to those in the industry. Not only do they help to resolve issues and give career or legal advice, they also provide the opportunity for members to inter-connect and communicate with each other.

There are many different ways of networking in my industry that are used by established practitioners. I am a firm believer that if you wish to engage in specific social circles, you must first immerse yourself in the environment. Because the industry has changed so much in recent years, this could now be perceived by some as being outdated. Nevertheless, I still consider London to be the top social hub for people within the performing arts industry. Being at the right place at the right time has benefitted many people in the past with their careers. In London, I know that there are still a lot of places that I could benefit from if they were to be added to my social haunts. 

Although I use many technologies for social networking, there are still other Web 2.0. tools available that I could, but do not, use often enough for professional purposes. There are many industry professionals who are very successful at using Twitter and Instagram, for example, as other tools for professional networking purposes. These sites are also well suited for generating publicity, as posts can be made more open to the general public by the use of '#tags' or hashtags, which could definitely be used as a means of marketing oneself.

Upon reflecting on the make-up of my current networks, I am able to recognise some of the motives and the reasons why other professionals in the industry would want to do the same. The importance of engaging in networking is not to be understated. Amongst many, I think the often-heard saying "It's not what you know, it's who you know" is a good example of how people perceive the way of achieving success in the industry. I think many people appreciate the efficiency of using these networking tools, as it is neither time-consuming nor costly to engage or interact with others and do many of the things listed above. 

My ideal network could be compared with existing networks. It would be continually growing, constructed of reliable sources drawn from my areas of interest and well-established industry professionals. My network would allow me to engage with the other members across multiple platforms, and allow interaction through written, verbal and visual media. It would include a free pool of information to be verified by the very people who use the information, resulting in giving the information a high reliability score. 

In my view, it would be too costly and time-consuming to develop my ideal network myself. Understanding the way Web 2.0 works, the issue would not only be in developing the network but putting in the work to get the people I want involved. Realistically, what I could do is manipulate the networks that I already have, using and focusing them on functioning the same or as close as possible to my ideal network. 

Moving my residential address to London could prove to be beneficial. Immersing myself in the environment of my industry would most likely help focus my social groups in the areas I wish to engage with and make me more available for short-notice opportunities. When it comes to communicating with people verbally, I know that I may benefit from the practice, which may result in me speaking with more confidence and conviction. So, with the aim of developing my conversational skills, I would try to ensure that I networked more on a face-to-face basis. As for what I don't know, I am not in a position say... as I don't know what I don't know. This is the reason why I shall continue networking. 

Module 1: Task 2d - Inquiry

What in your daily practice gets you really enthusiastic to find out more about? Whom do you admire who also works with what makes you enthusiastic?

I am very enthusiastic about music. I enjoy searching for new music to listen, play, dance, choreograph and work out to. Not only do I use music for my own enjoyment, I use music to stimulate new ideas and to motivate me during exercise at the gym. I find that driving sounds within music motivate me to continue to perform the strenuous movements which I would normally find difficult to do without. There has been much research into to the psychology behind this,  research which provides evidence that listening to music during exercise can alter the way the brain interprets how we feel whilst exercising. This includes the way we interpret pain and fatigue, often elevating levels of arousal, mood and perceived effort. A leading psychology expert on exercise to music wrote in one of his publications that "[Music]... can be used as a legal stimulant or as a sedative prior to or during competition, it is known as pre-task music". Dr Costas Karageorghis (et al 2010). So, in other words, it is the equivalent of a legal, performance-enhancing drug. 

I am sure that there are many people, who are as equally enthusiastic about music as I am. 

Michael Grimm, my former guitar professor, is someone whom I admire, who also works with music. He, too, uses it for his own enjoyment and for stimulation purposes. Through music, he finds new ideas and many ways of motivating himself, developing creativity in his students and helping them to find an identity within their music. I consider him to be most fortunate that he is able to use music, something that he feels so passionate about, as a way of earning his living. After many years as my guitar professor, Michael has become one of my great friends whom I am able to discuss everything about music as an art form and as an industry. 

Possible ideas for further lines of enquiry:

How does music in our workplace environment affect the way we work and think? Is the use of music to control moods beneficial?

What is the relationship between enthusiasm and quality of work? Does a high level of enthusiasm always mean high quality work?

What gets you angry or makes you sad? Whom do you admire who shares your feelings or has found away to work around the sadness or anger?

Throughout our lives we find ourselves working with many different people from many different backgrounds. I love the variety that this brings and I love performing with them. However, I can not say that I am entirely in love with the industry. One thing that frustrates me is the common misconception or prejudice that those who work in the performing arts do not have a 'proper' job. After my performances, it is not uncommon to receive comments such as "when do you think you'll get a proper job, then?" or "do you ever think of getting a real job". Because this frustrates me, on every occasion I tell them that what I do is 'proper' and that it is how I earn my living. Unfortunately, the reply alone is not always sufficient to change their misconception.

Without sounding too rude, I often have to re-school them about the meaning of the very word 'profession'. I explain that a profession is any paid occupation and that it is very 'real' and that I do work hard for my living. Many forget that my fellow colleagues and I are, in fact, providing a service of entertainment and not giving up our own time for our own enjoyment.

Definition according to the Oxford English Dictionary:
"profession"

A paid occupation, especially one that involves prolonged training and a formal qualification:his chosen profession of teachinga barrister by profession

The name of any individual doesn't come to mind. Nevertheless, I have held many conversations with other people in my area of work who think the same as I do regarding this. I admire anyone working in the industry who holds the same or similar opinions and who attempt to rectify the common misconception.

Here are links to a couple of articles regarding a controversial incident where the Passport Office rejected a photo counterpart signing because the Passport Office staff did not consider 'acting' to be a proper job.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/9116749/Acting-not-a-proper-job-says-Passport-Office.html

https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2012/exclusive-outrage-as-passport-office-says-acting-is-not-a-proper-job/

Possible ideas for further lines of enquiry:

How does criticism affect the way that we work and react? Where does constructive observation end and unwelcome criticism start? 

Why can't the arts be accepted as a socially-credible profession? Who takes this decision?

What do you love about what you do? Who do you admire who also seems to love this or is an example of what you love?

There are many different things that I consider help to define what I love about what I do. These have matured and developed over the many years I have dedicated to training and even more dramatically so during my time working in the industry. Today, what I love the most is the enjoyment of working alongside other talented people. I enjoy interacting with other cast members, sharing the same enjoyment and having fun. (Sometimes hidden from the audience.)

An example of this can be seen in a video of the Australian tap group, 'Tap Dogs'. Where you can clearly see them interacting and having fun on stage (especially towards the end of the video). Should the embedding of the video not work, you can visit https://youtu.be/YDlkqJGCx-w .

Possible ideas for further lines of enquiry:

Does enjoyment of what you do enhance the perceived quality of your work? If not, what effect does it have?

Whilst in the process of creativity, how does working with others compare to working alone? How can we profit from mutual inspiration?

What do you feel you don’t understand? Whom do you admire who does seem to understand it or who has found a way of making not understanding it interesting or beautiful, or has asked the same questions as you? 

I do not understand why some people in my industry think so little of themselves that they agree to underprice themselves or even work for free. I understand that it can be difficult, initially, to obtain credentials to put on a CV. However, I am of the opinion that nobody should ever work for free unless for charity or by amicable agreement. Working for free affects those who use performing arts as their main source of income. It lowers the value of the work, thereby making it increasingly difficult to find financially-feasible employment. It is becoming a growing problem. I agree with the claim that "action is needed before working for free becomes so endemic that artists are forced out of the profession." Equity (2014). From the point of view of the employers, I do not blame them for trying to get artists to work for them for as little as possible as it would be better financially for them, however, I do not understand why performers succumb to this, even though it appears to be in their better interests to do so. I admire the members of the group 'The Hustle!' who banded together to help raise awareness of the implications of this practice.

Possible ideas for further lines of enquiry:

Can 'experience' be used as a substitute for salary? Is there any evidence that working for free ever results in meaningful employment?

How do you decide the appropriate ethical response in a given situation? To what extent are disciplinary responses different to that you might expect more generally in society? 

In the performing arts industry, working in physical contact with another professional is considered the norm. As a male dancer, performing sophisticated lifts with a partner is not an uncommon practice. On occasion, in order to execute some of the lifts, I have to place my holds on various different parts of the partners body, some of which can appear to be quite intimate. However there is always a mutual, professional understanding that what is being done is necessary in order to successfully achieve the end result for the benefit of the choreography and eventually the audience. Placing your hold in an intimate location, in a general environment, quite understandably, would not be deemed appropriate and would not be acceptable without prior consent.

Here is an example of a lift that demonstrates a situation discussed above:

Possible ideas for further lines of enquiry:

Do we, as artists/performers, sacrifice ethics for the benefit of creativity? If the audience isn't bothered, do we need to be?

REFERENCES:

Inside Sport Psychology - Costas Karageorghis, Peter Terry 2010

Funny Video TAP DOGS.mov - Youtube.com
ACE must tackle 'working for free' culture Equity says - Equity Feb 2010
Oxford English Dictionary

Module 1: Task 2c - Reflective Practice

'Critical Reflection' on 'Reflective Practice'

Before commencing the task of reflective writing, I have had some experience in using critical reflection in my journals during my training at Leicester College of Performing Arts. After reading through 'Reader 2' and other works, it became clear that I had not fully understood it, nor had I felt as much appreciation of critical reflection and reflective practice as I do now. Naturally, as a human being, I often looked back to reflect on my actions and think upon what I could have done differently to achieve a better outcome. However, I don't think that I recognised that I often learned through my critical reflections, or as scholars could more fittingly put it, "Turning experience into learning" (Boud et al 1985). I think this is an example of knowing something without realising what it means to you. 

One of the things that helped me to identify reflective practice within my profession was the work of educationist and philosopher John Dewey and his definition of the educational process. He describes the process as a "continual reorganisation, reconstruction and transformation of experience" (Dewey 1916). An instance in my profession that can best be associated with this theory and where I have been aware of reflective practices is when performing in front of a mirror in the studios. Whilst doing so, I have been and am still, constantly observing and reflecting on myself and my performance there and then, ensuring that I am hitting all the correct lines or positions, and ensuring that the stylisation is to the choreographer's or director's liking. Using the mirrors enables me to assess myself in 'real time' and apply immediate corrections where necessary.

Another scenario in which I was able to identify and make sense of reflective practice is where a dance captain sits back and watches the technical rehearsal of a performance, making notes for correction/direction purposes to be used at the end of the run. The dance captain will analyse and assess what needs to be done from afar, from the point of view of the audience. He/she reflect upon it and decide upon the best way forward on behalf of the cast members and announce which actions should be taken to improve on our work. This example here can also be associated with David Kolb's learning cycle. (See Fig. 1).

Harvard graduate, David Kolb, is an educational theorist who is known for his work and publications on experimental learning and learning style theories. He has always claimed that "learning is the process whereby knowledge is created by the transformation of knowledge" (1984). Inspired by the work of John Dewey and Kurt Lewin, his experimental learning theory is based on a cycle of reflective learning, involving four different styles of learning as depicted below. It is plausibly one of the most useful and acknowledged models of the experimental learning process.

Fig. 1 - David Kolb's Learning Cycle (1984)

IMG: www.simplypsychology.org

According to Kolb, in order to identify your learning style, you must first locate your entry point into the learning cycle, which derives from the moment you begin to learn and become aware. Based on this theory alone, I can not easily identify my learning style, as I do not believe that I hold preference to any one learning style at all.

Nevertheless, we can refer back to the 'dance captain' scenario to help convey the significance of Kolb's learning cycle to my profession. We can take the dance captain watching the performance as the concrete experience, taking notes for correction/direction as reflective observation, deciding the better methods to apply the directions as abstract conceptualisation and, lastly, practising applying the corrections/directions as active experimentation, before performing on stage later for another concrete experience.

It was Donald Alan Schön's views on the process of reflection and his coinage of the terms "reflection-in-action" and "reflection-on-action" (1987) that really made it clear enough for me to comprehend and to be able to identify some of the practices for reflection in my profession. This was also aided by Robert Kottcamp's acknowledgement of Schön's thesis, in support of his view that reflection-in-action is harder to achieve.   

"[Reflection-in-action]... is more difficult to achieve, but the more powerful for the improvement of practice because it results in 'on-line' experiments to adjust and improve one's professional actions. It is more difficult to achieve because the actor must simultaneously attend to performing the action and observe and analyse his or her action, as if from an external perspective." (Kottcamp 1990.) 

This theory, I can relate to. Not only do I refer back to performing in front of a mirror and the dance captains annotations in support of this, as a performer on stage along with the rest of the cast, I am constantly aware and thinking of what it is that I'm doing and continuously adapting to different situations within the constantly changing environment. One example would be when assessing my own levels of fatigue, reflecting-in-action to decide on how I should pace myself to successfully complete the performance to a high standard.

Donald Schön's theories were not left uncriticised. Professor Michael Eraut raised the issue of 'when time is extremely short, decisions have to be rapid and the scope for reflection is extremely limited' (1994). I can whole-heartedly second Eraut's claim here. And I can most certainly relate it to my profession. For example, a situation may develop spontaneously in the middle of executing a lift with a partner. It is possible that it may not go according to plan, and that almost as quickly as an involuntary action, an undertaking of action occurs. As you can imagine, if one were to reflect-in-action in a situation like this, one would have to assess the situation, decide on the plan of action for rectification or solution, think of cause for safety, ensure that the actions taken remain acceptable from an external (audience's) perspective. Not forgetting that you not only have to think for yourself but for your partner, too, as you are in control of his/her bodily safety. This is an example where Schön's reflecting-in-action would come under critical scrutiny. Neither reflecting-in-action or reflecting-on-action would be the optimal choice here. Having said that, it would be a good idea to do so afterwards. Jennifer A. Moon, author of Reflection in Learning and Professional Development: Theory and Practice (2000), suggests that it isn't necessary to put it into writing but, in my opinion, thinking about the experience, critically reflecting on it, deciding on a plan of action in order to prevent a similar situation from happening again, and recording this in a journal is essential.  

In my profession, there are several tools for and practices of reflection, these being used more often then I first presumed. Now that I am able to more readily understand the definition of reflective practice, I am aware that reflective practices take place on a daily basis. However, until now, I have never thought of it in identifiable terms. I merely accepted what was to be done as a means of serving a purpose. I had never previously sat down and thought in-depth about what else it could be or even how it related to the different ways we learn. Now, I am of the opinion that it is not just the actions and the time that we put in to our work that allows us to learn and improve but, in fact, the many ways of reflecting on our experiences. In the words of philosopher and educationalist John Dewey stated, "we do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience".

References

'BAPP Arts Module 1 Reader 2' - Middlesex University (2014)
IMG: www.simplypsychology.org
'Kolb - Learning Styles' - Saul McLeod (2010, 2013) 
www.simplypsychology.org 
'Learning and Teaching; Experimental Learning' - Atherton J S (2013) 
http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/experience.htm
'Kolb learning styles' - www.businessballs.com 
'Democracy and Education: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education, Facsimile Edition'
- John Dewey (1916) Charleston: Nebu
'Art as an Experience' 1958 re-print - John Dewey (1934) New York: Putnam
'Experimental Learning'  - Kolb, D A (1984)  Englewood NJ : Prentice Hall
'Developing Professional Knowledge and Competence' - M Eraut (1994) London: Falmer Press
'Donald Schon: learning, reflection and change' The encyclopaedia of informal education - Smith M.K. (2001, 2011)

'Turning experience into learning'  - Boud, D, Keough, R & Walker, D. (1985) London: Kogan 
Page.

Module 1: Task 2b - Reflective Writing

I've spent several days trying out the different methods of journal writing. For most of the methods, at the end of each day, just before I settled down for bed, I would try one of them out. It was interesting to see how apt some of the methods were, depending on what had occurred that day, and to note that some worked better than others. Many of the methods I tried out, I had never used before. So, I'm very pleased to have carried out this task, as I now have added a few more ways of writing my journal that I had never thought about using before.

I've listed the different journal writing methods below and written a short brief of my opinions and experiences of using each of them. I wonder if any of you share the same opinions or have had similar experiences.

Description

The description method is one I'm very accustomed to. I still find this very useful to document my day. I find that I am aware of having to be liberally descriptive in what I write down as I know that I won't have any other aids to help me recall the events of the day in the future. I'm also not limited to what information I can include in comparison to methods which make use of graphs and charts. I enjoy using this method a lot. I think combining images and diagrams with this method would have to be one of my favourite methods of documenting my day in a journal.

Initial Reflection

I obviously could not try this method out by waiting until the end of the day. At work, I always have my notebook to hand so I can quickly jot down my initial observations and opinions. I thought that this method was similar to using the description method of journal writing, however not as detailed. Because whilst working, I don't have the opportunity to stop and log every detail in my journal. I found it very useful for capturing fresh thoughts and opinions however somewhat limited to how much I could write down at any one time. In an ideal situation, I would use this method and then expand on my records later on using the 'description' method described above.

List

I found writing lists to be all right. It was simply a case of writing down the titles of events that happened in bullet/numerical form without any great detail.

e.g.

I. Drove to the Airport
II. Checked in/ Boarded the Plane
III. Journey
IV. Landed in Valencia.
V. Took Taxi to Hotel.  and so on...

You can see that the lists are great for logging the essentials of key events. However, although it is quick to write some information down in list format, the list does not show much detail. I found that I had to spend more time trying to recall details of the events than I would use with other suggested journal writing methods. If I were to try this method again, perhaps I should consider including a little more detail in the lists to help me to remember what occurred throughout the day more accurately and efficiently.

Evaluation

Evaluating my day's actions/performance was something that I'd never considered doing before. It was interesting to look back at my actions on any given day and to write down how effective or productive I had been. I tried using the evaluation method two different ways. The first, was similar to a list where I marked myself out of 5.

e.g.

Rehearsals RFX - 12/04/2015

Performance - 4/5
Attitude - 4/5
Mood - 3/5
Focus - 4/5
Stamina - 5/5
Collaboration - 4/5

The second way I used the evaluation method was considerably more descriptive than the above (list) evaluation method. It included information containing my thoughts and opinions on what I could have done better for next time, reasonings for my evaluations and a lot more information in general. I think this method is great and I shall more than likely be using this method of journal writing again.

e.g.

Performance - "In the morning, I was somewhat tired. It took me a while to gain concentration and to become motivated. I shall, in future, have to ensure that I have enough sleep the night before and that I am fully awake, ready to work as my colleagues would expect."

Graphs, Charts and Diagrams

I initially thought that using graphs and charts would have been very useful. However, I found that it wasn't as straight forward to decide on what to base the charts/graphs on. (x,y axis: my fatigue levels, concentration levels, my mood throughout the day).  I tried a few charts and graphs, but I found them to limit the information that I wanted to present. The diagrams, however, were useful. Again, they don't always depict all the information but they definitely helped me to remember the key events and my emotions and moods of the day. I won't dismiss the graphs and charts yet as a journal writing tool, as I may find them to be more useful with further practice.

What if?

I found that the 'What if?' method can be naturally appended to the evaluation method making it a lot more useful and specific. When writing in my journal, I would have to think about and assess the events and actions throughout the day and write down different 'what if?' scenarios or suggestions. After trying this method out, I wouldn't recommend this for documenting information. However, I would recommend it for use when drafting and implementing action plans, both in terms of production/performance and even health & safety. Using this technique can add a different, more meaningful dimension to your journal.

Another View

This method was completely new to me. I decided to write from the point of view from my notebook which I use to annotate the choreography and other notes for my work. I have to say that I found personifying my notebook rather time-consuming and somewhat difficult. (Expressing it's thoughts and opinions). Although an interesting method and amusing to read back, This is not the most effective way of writing a professional journal for me. Nevertheless, I still hold the opinion that including another individual's (not an object's) view in a journal could be very useful. This I would be willing to try again.

Summary

Conducting this task has proven to be very interesting. I've learned several new things and learned to look at the methods I knew already from a different viewpoint. I am aware that I have preferences, as stated, but I don't intend to exclude any of the above from my future work as some have proven to be more than useful for the reasons given in this post.