Module 2: Task 4d - 'Reviewing of Literature'

I have recently commenced my contract at sea. It’s taken me a few days to settle in, so I apologise to those who have been awaiting responses from me on the comments on my blog posts.

Having already created an online SIG, I have also put some effort into creating an SIG here on board the ship. Being at sea, I have a lot more access to communicating with people physically than maintaining efficient levels of communication on my online SIG using the Internet.

Although away and with limited access to the Internet and other resources, I have managed to search out and identify three significant important pieces of information relating to my inquiry interests. I have reviewed the pieces of information below.

The first piece of literature that I found was the work of Shelly J. Correll and Stephen Bernard, titled, ‘Biased Estimators? Comparing Status and Statistical Theories of Gender Discrimination’ which I discovered whilst reading the book ‘Social Psychology of the Workplace’ (2006), written by Shane R. Thye and Edward J. Lawler. Surprisingly, in the latter section of this book, I found several pieces of information significant in relation to my line of inquiry. Particularly, what was written about ‘the importance of commitment and effort.’
 “In fact, it is easy to imagine situations where employers might rely more heavily on anticipations of effort/commitment than ability/competence. For example, when a job requires sufficiently low skill such that most potential employees have the requisite ability, effort anticipations will likely be the basis for forming relative performance expectations.” (Correll. Bernard.)
Upon reading this, it caused me to dedicate some time to think about how I should approach my analysis of observations should I choose to use it as a tool for my inquiry. For example, this could be in relation to taking a decision whether or not a member of my team is producing high quality work due to the difficulty of skill they are executing or the amount of effort/commitment they are putting in.

The second piece of literature that I came across was the work of Jerald M. Jellison, PHD, from the book ‘Managing the Dynamics of Change’ (2006). There were many interesting points from this book that I found interesting. Especially the point stated in the chapter; ‘Putting the J-Curve to work’. Where Jerald wrote,
“Where performance drops to the level of the negative benchmark, there are two basic options. One possibility is to simply abandon the new initiative entirely. Or the poor performance may trigger a dispassionate and comprehensive reevaluation of whether to commit more resources or to consider other alternatives.” When putting this writing in context with my work place. I can relate it to previous experiences, which could be used to prove Jellison’s point. For example, the shows that my fellow cast members and I perform are scored out of 100 using CSQ’s (customer service questionnaires) that are filled in by the passengers. As a department, we have a minimum target score of 85 out of 100 to achieve by the end of the cruise. Should the cast not score high enough, this often will cause a dissatisfaction amongst my fellow cast members and often result in them committing more energy and effort in their work during the following cruise in order to boost the scores once again.

Thirdly was the work of Frederick Herzberg in his book titled ‘One More Time: How do you Motivate Employees?’ (1987). I found this piece of literature to be equally as interesting as the work mentioned above. Herzberg writes of a term/formula he coined calls KITA (Kick in the...) and its variations. It was useful to see how Herzberg presented his findings through research. (Using text, diagrams and graphs to support his points.) Not only that, the work of Herzberg has given me several ideas of tools that I could use for research when conducting my inquiry.

There are many other pieces of information that I have come across whilst researching into my line of inquiry. It is safe to say that there is a lot of relevant information available in relation to the topical area of my line of inquiry. But I cannot seem to find any works that directly answer the latest development of my inquiry question. This gives me more reason to continue working with this line of inquiry.

I shall continue to research different pieces of literature, to aid the continual development of my line of enquiry. For I believe that the more research I conduct during the development of my inquiry, the more I can take into consideration the information discovered whilst planning my inquiry.

Module 2: Task 4c - Developing my Questions with my Professional Community

I thought it would be both interesting and beneficial towards developing my questions for inquiry by presenting them to an industry professional outside of the industry of my own. I had the opportunity to present my questions to a professional working in the Financial Technology industry, who holds a similar managerial/team leading role to me. With the view that I could learn, identify any key pieces of information that could help develop my questions for inquiry from each of his responses.

• What are the distinct outcomes of using positive criticism and negative criticism in the workplace?

“It depends on the person and how they take criticism. Some people need negative feedback to be pushed. Sometimes they need a clear message so that they 'get it'. - And that they get the right pressure to get the stuff done. But then there are other types, especially when they are not confident (like 'juniors'), who definitely need positive criticism, otherwise they will give up. I, personally, am someone who will always try to spin it in a positive way.”

• How does my own personality affect the quality of work output in my fellow cast members?

“I always have a can-do attitude, I think it animates people in my team to think outside of the box. Where as other people may say they can’t do certain things, I will always try and be creative to find a way to solve a problem. I always try to put myself in the person’s shoes who will receive the work. And I will always challenge myself and I am never satisfied with my work and I will always keep improving my work. I believe that there are always improvements to do. I don’t believe that there is something is perfect. And I produce a better quality of work for it. And I believe it rubs off on my team in a positive way.”

• How does the atmosphere in my working environment affect work output?

“A lot. It puts you in a completely different mindset. For example, If you’re positive about something, you are always driven to find a solution about a problem. I hate negativity and that definitely affects the work. Negativity in the workplace doesn’t push you not does it produce the best results because you’re not motivated or driven and because you already have the mindset that it won’t work already.’

• Is there any correlation between the standard of work ethics and age/place of training etc?

“It’s definitely the geography. Certain ways of how you’ve been brought up have an effect on the quality of work. It definitely has an influence on ambition and confidence. I think young people these days are worse because they don’t have as much respect because of how they get raised these days. So they might be quite hard to manage. The gap between very intelligent kids and non intelligent kids is getting wider.”

• What causes complacency in the workspace? (What is the main cause)

“In the area in what I’m in. It’s definitely in the success of selling the software, so as soon as you think that your software is wining the competition, you think that you don’t need to carry preparing and pushing and perfecting the software anymore. But you must treat every client with the same thoroughness. There may come a point where you may lose a contract, and then you’ll be in trouble.”

• Does being amicable with your co-workers produce better work compared to the work of non-amicable co-worker?

“Yes, it does produce better work because in some tasks where you may need help, they are often more willing to squeeze in the extra time to help you or try and find a compromise. If you are friendly with them, they are often more willing to help you. In the area we are, communication is the key. If you don’t have a friendly environment you can potentially lose out on other knowledge because you won’t feel like sharing information.”

• What is the optimum method to teach a group of with different learning styles?

“What I like when teaching, is learning by doing it. -I will always try to give people little tasks by asking them to complete an objective and tell them what the end goal is that I expect to achieve. And I will let the individuals solve the tasks how he thinks will suit him. That way they should be able to learn the way they feel comfortable to. But when necessary, I show them, step by step, how its done. I record it. So that they can always look back at it again.”

• How peoples attitudes in the workplace affect the quality levels of work?’

“A bad attitude can bring it down (quality of work) and destroy your whole team if you have someone who can’t be bothered or who isn’t pulling his weight. And it can be even more frustrating if the managers don’t see it. You also end up with a rubbish team spirit in the workplace if they think they are 'carrying one' in the team. The people who don’t contribute well do not help the workplace environment. But you need someone in the workplace who will be critical in the team to challenge a few things, and who brings a different view. If you have someone in the team who always questions aspects, you get better results and you can see things you didn’t notice before.

• Why do performers often continue to work through injuries instead of taking rest or recovery?

“Maybe they fear the team can’t do it without them. Maybe they fear potentially to let the team down if he doesn’t finish his work. Perhaps he doesn’t want to miss out or fall behind on work etc. Perhaps, even the fear of potentially being replaced.”

Reflection

There are several things that I can take from receiving the answers above. 

Primarily, one of the most surprising observations is realising the amount that I have learned just by reading the answers to my questions above. By reading and reflecting upon these answers given to me, I believe that I can now try to take on board all of the beneficial observations, methods, attitudes that I may not have been aware of or accustomed to and incorporate these in my professional practice. This will greatly benefit me in bettering myself as a professional.

This exercise has also made me aware of the key benefits of using tools/methods such as an interview or questionnaire to obtain useful information to aid the development of an inquiry when there is a need for accounts of personal opinions, views and experiences. 

Thirdly (and probably most importantly), is that upon discussion about the questions presented above, it was noticeable that several of the questions above were based on a similar area: The quality of work produced in my working environment. Nearly all of the questions above make an assumption that I am looking to find out ways that I can ensure high quality of work in the workplace. It is clearly a key area of interest for me. 

However there's more to think about here. I'm questioning myself whether this link/connection between my initial questions for inquiry is an assumption insinuating that I am dissatisfied with the quality of work being produced by my cast members and it is a result of respect and leadership issues and therefore base my inquiry on leadership. Or that I would benefit from basing my inquiry on what causes high quality work in the workplace. Inquiring the latter of the two could tackle many more issues in the workplace than that just of leadership.

What I feel I must do now is to retrace my steps. I shall take my findings upon this reflection as use it to construct a more carefully thought out question for inquiry that has a clear purpose and motive behind it. As always, for those reading my posts, please feel free to share your views, observations and opinions. 

Module 2: Task 4b - 'Developing my own Special Interest Group'

I am in the process of creating an online Special Interest Group (SIG). Having never hosted an SIG before, I am eager to discover how doing so will aid the development of my question for enquiry and to see what other benefits it brings. Once I have completed the process of setting up my SIG, I shall publish a post on my blog containing all the relevant information for my fellow BAPP students and other blog followers to join.

How does your SIG compare to other groups or communities that you are a part of in the workplace? 

I feel that in my online SIG I can discuss information that I wouldn't necessarily be able to discuss with the communities that I am part of in my workplace. (As some topics that would would be interesting for discussion could affect the work of my fellow cast members in some form or another.) The information that I would be presented with from groups or communities within my workplace would be specific to my area of work. Whereas information from my online SIG (which would be made up of Fellow BAPP students) would present information on a wider spectrum given the variety of work and experiences that they would contribute.  

How will you use your SIG? 

Having studied through Module 1, I understand and appreciate the significance and usefulness networking can have on developing my learning. Evidence of this can be seen in the text I wrote in my post 'Module 1: 'Task 3d - Critical questions and issues that emerge'. 

"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. "

(http://gjswittering.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/module-1-task-3d-critical-questions-and.html)

I shall use my SIG to aid the development of my question for inquiry by frequently posting questions or comments, photos, videos to stimulate ideas for discussion. I shall collect information from the opinions and responses made by the SIG members and use it for analysis for the development of my question for inquiry. I shall maintain communication with my SIG members as it will function not too dissimilar from a Social Networking group which thrives on communication.  

How will you evidence the shared practice within your own professional inquiry process?

In order to evidence the shared practice within my own professional inquiry process, I shall first of all archive the discussions and comments that are made. This way should there be any technical issues I should still have most of the information available to me. I shall then write about the topics and discussions raised within my SIG on my blog, using the opportunity to further reflect on how the SIG is aiding the development for my inquiry. 

Module 2: Task 4a - 'Developing Lines of Inquiry'

After a very busy summer and eventually returning briefly back to the UK, I am eagerly looking forward to progressing further into Module 2 and just as keen to uncover how studying through this module will further develop me as professional. I've recently decided to take on a contract where my role is that of Company Manager/Dance Captain which I hope will help me to carry out a lot of my research for my inquiry.

Initially, after reading through the Module Handbook, I thought that it would be rather difficult to think up and decide on a set of specific questions for inquiry immediately. Having to choose to research something that not only will benefit me as a professional in the workplace that I will be able to successfully carry out the tasks needed in order to do so, is something that I must give some thought to.

For some more inspiration, I referred back to what I had written on 'Task 2d'  of Module 1 to see what my lines of inquiry were then. Even though I was working on a different job back in May, I found that my lines of inquiry are similar or have similar links to the questions i'm putting forward for development now.

Initial Questions for Inquiry.

Written below are the questions I had initially thought up, with the aim of developing them for professional inquiry to benefit my work, the work of my fellow colleagues and other industry professionals.

• What are the distinct outcomes of using positive criticism and negative criticism in my workplace?

Whether or not it be a matter of respect, I find that occasionally using 'negative criticism' to get a message across and obtain better standard of work from my cast members will achieve greater success than using 'encouragement'. It may be useful to find out why this is often the case? Perhaps by doing so, I may discover other vital pieces of information that I could benefit from which would better me as a professional. 

• How does my own personality affect the quality of work output in my fellow cast members?

As I am now in the job role of Company Manager/Dance Captain in my cast, I am in the position where I am in effect in charge of managing the cast. It could be beneficial to research this with the view to discovering ways that I could better myself as a 'team leader' and better the quality of work produced by my cast. 

• How does the atmosphere in my working environment affect work output?

I'm of the opinion that atmosphere in the workplace has an effect on the work produced. Perhaps researching into this would eventually provide information that would be of use to produce a continual higher quality level of work?

• Is there any correlation between the standard of work ethics and the age/place of training of the members of my cast?

Recently I have seen distinct differences in the standard of work ethics and the standard of work of my cast members. It could be useful to find out if the age and location of where my cast members trained has any correlation with the standard of work ethics.  

• What is the main cause of complacency in my workspace?

When you have been doing more or less the same job for two years in a row, it is understandable that complacency may kick in. However uncovering what the main causes of complacency are in the workplace may lead to finding out methods in which to combat this.

• Does being amicable with your co-workers produce better work compared to the working with a non-amicable co-worker?

This question may seem like it calls for a straight forward answer, but does it? Not being amicable doesn't necessarily mean not being co-operative. 

• What is the optimum method to teach a group of with different learning styles?

We can take from the knowledge developed from working through Module 1, that in one room with a group of people in, there will always be a variety of people accustomed to different learning styles. As everyone has a different learning style, it can prove difficult to be able to teach a group of people efficiently and effectively. I could take the views of my fellow cast members and use them to create a modal answer which would improve the way I teach my cast as a whole.

• How peoples attitudes in my workplace affect the quality levels of work?

There are many different characters/personalities in the workplace, and it seems apparent that attitudes have a a knock on effect to another. For example I often notice that if one member of the team isn't working hard, another member of the team will follow suit and so on. Perhaps researching into this will be beneficial for me and even other managers or team leaders who want to ensure continual high level quality work from their team members/employees. 

• What are some of the experiences of how performers often continue to work through injuries instead of taking rest or recovery?

This is not an uncommon practice in this industry. However, in my work place I come across this all too often. (I, myself, am guilty of this.)  Colleague's will injure themselves, however have the urgency to try and disregard it and continue on working. It would be very interesting to uncover the reasons behind this. 

Reflections - After group Skype conversation with Adesola.

After presenting a couple of my questions in the group Skype conversation hosted by Adesola, I found that several of my questions that I had initially considered useful for research, written as they were above, were not actually feasible for its practically when taking into account what will be needed for undertaking the research. Looking in forethought, if I had chosen to use some of the questions written as they are above, I would have found myself struggling to cope with the monstrous amount of research necessary to achieve something that may not end up resulting in what I had first envisioned.

Some other points raised from the conversation that I found very beneficial and eye opening to me were, when reading my question to myself, ask what assumptions I am making to myself? As in to say 'how much is this question is me making an observation rather than me wanting to find out more of...'. I.e. a couple of my questions talk about the effects different factors have on the quality of work produced by my cast members. - Does this question assume that I am dissatisfied with the quality of work currently being produce by my cast members or that I am generally keen to find out what the factors do to quality of work produced. The objective is not to just collect evidence to back my opinions but to ask a question of something I want to find more of. This, I found very interesting and I shall definitely be incorporating this point when developing my questions further.

Following on, another point was to take a step back from the assumption and to see if I can see any links between what I am questioning. Doing so could help identify any gaps or key information that you have missed out.

And lastly, not forgetting that what results from the inquiry is to be useful in my practice in the end.

 My next step will be to take on board the points raised from the Skype session with Adesola and alter my questions accordingly to achieve a question that will achieve the best results from inquiry.
I shall be continue to use Reader 4, to help me further develop my questions and present them to my peers to aid the development. Perhaps I would also benefit from expanding my research by not only presenting to questions to members of my workplace but to other people in the industry, people who used to, but are no longer involved in the industry and people who are currently in training - awaiting to commence life as an industry professional. 

I would love to know what any of your views or opinions are of my possible questions listed above?
Do they relate to any of your questions for inquiry?
Have you come across any other research on these topics for enquiry?
Or if there is anything else you would like to comment or share, please feel free to write me a comment in the comment box. 

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)