Lead by Alan Durrant, the campus session was focused on reflection and part 2. We spent most part of the session in deep discussion about 'Structured Improvisation' within education. As a group we all explored what it meant to us and various topics came up, when we went off on a tangent, Alan would kindly steer us back to the original subject matter. For the sake of the people who were unable to make it, it seemed a sensible idea to conclude and actually define what improvised stricture actually is. Surprisingly, this took along time and proved rather difficult. The theme of balance was suddenly being tossed about, the idea that both words contradict each other, structure being organised and planned, whilst improvise meaning acting on instinct and spontaneously. So using them together in teaching, would essentially mean having to use each one adaptively to the individual class.
However there was a larger learning to be had, as important and interesting as the subject matter was. What was more important is that we took a subject and carefully, concisely and with argument critically reflected. It was this ethos and energy to reflection that would theme the next part of the module.
What was also fantastic was that as soon as the students got in the room, we couldn't wait to talk/moan about the difficulties of studying and working at the same time. It felt good to speak with people on the same page. There is a real sense of a network community growing with the course...
Tuesday, 28 February 2012
Sunday, 26 February 2012
TASK 2c - Reflective theory: A critical reflection on reflective practice.
Please find the link to my critical reflection attached...
https://docs.google.com/document/d/16eh-4lYi6jUn2tVjyKsCDDsd2P0tCCGJ_52zGFVX97s/edit
By far the hardest task I had yet to face. I found the referencing particularly difficult, time consuming and felt that sometimes the quoting could get in the way of the flow of my writing. I also struggled with maintaining an academic tone throughout the piece and had to keep re-establishing my voice and alter the way I put myself across. I did enjoy using the electronic library however and liked reading up on the subject of reflective practice. I feel well pracitced and for when it comes to writing my assessed piece at the end of the module. I look forward to comments on this task...
https://docs.google.com/document/d/16eh-4lYi6jUn2tVjyKsCDDsd2P0tCCGJ_52zGFVX97s/edit
By far the hardest task I had yet to face. I found the referencing particularly difficult, time consuming and felt that sometimes the quoting could get in the way of the flow of my writing. I also struggled with maintaining an academic tone throughout the piece and had to keep re-establishing my voice and alter the way I put myself across. I did enjoy using the electronic library however and liked reading up on the subject of reflective practice. I feel well pracitced and for when it comes to writing my assessed piece at the end of the module. I look forward to comments on this task...
TASK 2b - Journal writing expeience
The 9 day journal challenge.
Over the last nine days I have been playing with nine different ways in which I can write in my journal. Along the way of my journal writing experience I made some great discoveries, the overall finding is that rather than trying to learn one way that works for me, it was more a case of learning the nine ways that I can adopt and use at my leisure. I can choose the journal format to suit the event in question or the desired result from the journal entry. Lets take a look at the nine different ways...
Description
This entry was just a clear description of what happened in the events of the day, I discussed where I was and when it happened and that was it. I found that whilst writing I automatically wanted to put my feelings down after describing the event, but I forced myself not to. When I finished there was a feeling of dissatisfaction toward the journal entry, I felt like it wasn't enough. However on returning to the entry and reading it again, because there are no details of feelings there, I found it enabled me to re-connect to the days events and then it began to induce the feelings for me. This was very interesting as instead of reading about my feelings as an outsider, because I just wrote the description and left the feelings to my imagination, I found that I could not only associate myself with how I felt, but actually remember the emotions of the day more than if they were written. I didn't expect to learn this, I had this method down as a no go... But I was wrong.
Initial Reflection
In this method, I try to put a brief description so I know the background of the event, but I focused the entry more on reflecting how I feel. I explored the different feelings I had toward the day and at the end of the journal, I gave a general mood for the entry. This I liked and felt like it was what I expect from my journal. It was in the exploration of my feelings towards an event that I could indicate learning was happening. I would often make realisations of what action was needed in order to make improvements or grow ideas. At the end of this entry I wrote a summary that really concluded this method for me, "how you feel about something is a good indicator of the idea in question." I learnt that this is my primordial journal method, it's the way most of us write in our journals. I think I would always start here an then maybe perform a few other ways after.
List
This can be a useful tool if you are appose to writing long journal entries, it was a quick and easy method for recording an events details. I like to call it fast track journal writing. Sometimes after a long day of working and studying, the last thing I feel like doing is writing a lengthy, well-structured journal entry. This can provide me with a journal tool without having to take too much time and effort. However, it really is the bare minimum. I don't think I got as much value from this method as the ways above. It is definitely in the freedom of writing your thoughts and feelings that more thoughts and feeling come. This reflection ultimately brings me to new ideas, the poorer the detail of the reflection, the poor the new ideas.
Evaluation
This entry was all about working out the event, why it happened the way it did? What went well and and most importantly what I learnt? This is where reflective practice is at its most useful, here not only am I recording the event and exploring my thoughts towards it, but I am looking further into the thoughts I'm having. With such careful observation and consideration of my practice, there is a sense of understanding to my work and an invitation to any creativity this will bring. This journal entry made me feel like there was a mature reflection being made and the learning this reflection brought wasn't accidentally found, but purposefully looked for. I feel like it gave me an element of control over the reflective process.
Hyperlinked here is the graph, pie chart and diagram that I talk about in the next methods. At first I had a real negative feeling toward these methods, I couldn't see how my reflective practice could actually consist in the format of a graph or chart. I felt that it was a slightly clinical take on the idea and seemed to remove the beauty of the relationship that is forming between myself and my journal. However I discovered that these can be a useful tool to support my journals and help with the evaluation in the reflection process. I found it gave me a clear indication of where I am in the journal and could be used as a vehicle to explore new ideas in great detail.
Graphs
Figure 1: This graph shows the commitment, focus, applied learning and understanding of new skills of the pupils in my Friday drama class.
I used the graph to reflect on the individual ages of my Friday drama classes (figure 1). I teach three age categories and my reflection informed me that I needed to monitor the pupils progress more and develop an awareness of what the class needed to improve. The graph shows the four areas of improvement in the class and on a scale of 1/10 how I rate the classes ability. This depicted how my classes are developing and displayed any weaknesses that are apparent in the different ages that I teach, thus giving me ammunition for new ideas of improvement. Rather than reflecting on this through words, I managed to see this pattern and reflect on my classes through a graph, boring as its sounds - it can be an effective journal tool.
Chart
This chart gave me an overall view of the strengths and short comings of my children's drama class (figure 2). It loudly pinpointed the areas in which improvement was much needed. Used with the graph this again supports any new lesson plan ideas that arise through this type of reflection.
Diagrams
Figure 3: This diagram is to depict the pupil’s performance of my Friday drama class and actions for improvement the lessons.
My diagram (figure 3) again depicts the same points of improvement within my drama classes, however the diagram provides a more verbal figure of the reflection and gives a more eloquent version of reflection, speaking in words as appose to shapes and numbers.
I've learnt that no one chart, diagram or graph is either better or worse. I can use all or one of these tools as either reflective practice alone, or as support to my written journals.
What if?
A strange concept, but this method allows me to think of the possibilities. What could of happened? What would be awful and what would I love to happen? At first this sounded like a self help exercise, a kind of manifest your dreams workshop. I used it on one of my classes, I the teacher let my imagination role on all the different possibilities there were within the classroom. This helped me to know what I don't want and what I do want, it enabled me know myself better within the event and reflect on the what if. There was an element of realisation of ideas not wanted and amazingly far stretched ideas were suddenly seen as not too hard to achieve. Its like I wrote it down, I dared to go there and now, once my imagination played with the possibility, I am able to see my goal within arms reach. Tasting the possibilities is just the beginning.
Another view
This idea is to play around with the view point of the journal, seeing and feeling the event from the eyes of another. It could be another teacher, or a casting director or more obscurely your bag... The idea is to see your self from an outside point of you. I decided to write the entry from the point of my dog, on this particular day I was at home studying. Adora (my dog) always sits next to me in my study and happily watches me type on the lap top, read books and scream at the computer, "why are you doing this to me?" My initial thoughts were fun but very unsure of the method, I felt sceptical as this is my reflective practice, not my dogs. Like always once I got on with the exercise, I discovered some very useful information when Adora said, "he reads a bit, types, answers the phone, talks, reads, types, rings somebody, talks." Adora brought to my attention that my study time needs to be an uninterrupted space for me to venture and find new ideas. It should be a place I go to for a certain time a day, shut off from the world and critically reflect on my practice. Breaking up my process of learning by chatting to friends on the phone in the midst of my reflection, would hinder the value of it. This I learn to be a fantastic tool, I could now start to see myself from the world of the students I teach or the audience I perform to, helping me to see things not how I want them to be, but as they really are.
I am learning there is a private, free writing space called my journal and there is no right or wrong when it comes to writing it, it's about the acceptance of who you are and what you like? Writing in a way that best suits your reflection. I have found a new respect for my journal and the value it brings, it's no longer just a place where I simply store my thoughts and feelings, my journal is the place where new ideas dwell.
Over the last nine days I have been playing with nine different ways in which I can write in my journal. Along the way of my journal writing experience I made some great discoveries, the overall finding is that rather than trying to learn one way that works for me, it was more a case of learning the nine ways that I can adopt and use at my leisure. I can choose the journal format to suit the event in question or the desired result from the journal entry. Lets take a look at the nine different ways...
Description
This entry was just a clear description of what happened in the events of the day, I discussed where I was and when it happened and that was it. I found that whilst writing I automatically wanted to put my feelings down after describing the event, but I forced myself not to. When I finished there was a feeling of dissatisfaction toward the journal entry, I felt like it wasn't enough. However on returning to the entry and reading it again, because there are no details of feelings there, I found it enabled me to re-connect to the days events and then it began to induce the feelings for me. This was very interesting as instead of reading about my feelings as an outsider, because I just wrote the description and left the feelings to my imagination, I found that I could not only associate myself with how I felt, but actually remember the emotions of the day more than if they were written. I didn't expect to learn this, I had this method down as a no go... But I was wrong.
Initial Reflection
In this method, I try to put a brief description so I know the background of the event, but I focused the entry more on reflecting how I feel. I explored the different feelings I had toward the day and at the end of the journal, I gave a general mood for the entry. This I liked and felt like it was what I expect from my journal. It was in the exploration of my feelings towards an event that I could indicate learning was happening. I would often make realisations of what action was needed in order to make improvements or grow ideas. At the end of this entry I wrote a summary that really concluded this method for me, "how you feel about something is a good indicator of the idea in question." I learnt that this is my primordial journal method, it's the way most of us write in our journals. I think I would always start here an then maybe perform a few other ways after.
List
This can be a useful tool if you are appose to writing long journal entries, it was a quick and easy method for recording an events details. I like to call it fast track journal writing. Sometimes after a long day of working and studying, the last thing I feel like doing is writing a lengthy, well-structured journal entry. This can provide me with a journal tool without having to take too much time and effort. However, it really is the bare minimum. I don't think I got as much value from this method as the ways above. It is definitely in the freedom of writing your thoughts and feelings that more thoughts and feeling come. This reflection ultimately brings me to new ideas, the poorer the detail of the reflection, the poor the new ideas.
Evaluation
This entry was all about working out the event, why it happened the way it did? What went well and and most importantly what I learnt? This is where reflective practice is at its most useful, here not only am I recording the event and exploring my thoughts towards it, but I am looking further into the thoughts I'm having. With such careful observation and consideration of my practice, there is a sense of understanding to my work and an invitation to any creativity this will bring. This journal entry made me feel like there was a mature reflection being made and the learning this reflection brought wasn't accidentally found, but purposefully looked for. I feel like it gave me an element of control over the reflective process.
Hyperlinked here is the graph, pie chart and diagram that I talk about in the next methods. At first I had a real negative feeling toward these methods, I couldn't see how my reflective practice could actually consist in the format of a graph or chart. I felt that it was a slightly clinical take on the idea and seemed to remove the beauty of the relationship that is forming between myself and my journal. However I discovered that these can be a useful tool to support my journals and help with the evaluation in the reflection process. I found it gave me a clear indication of where I am in the journal and could be used as a vehicle to explore new ideas in great detail.
Graphs
Figure 1: This graph shows the commitment, focus, applied learning and understanding of new skills of the pupils in my Friday drama class.
I used the graph to reflect on the individual ages of my Friday drama classes (figure 1). I teach three age categories and my reflection informed me that I needed to monitor the pupils progress more and develop an awareness of what the class needed to improve. The graph shows the four areas of improvement in the class and on a scale of 1/10 how I rate the classes ability. This depicted how my classes are developing and displayed any weaknesses that are apparent in the different ages that I teach, thus giving me ammunition for new ideas of improvement. Rather than reflecting on this through words, I managed to see this pattern and reflect on my classes through a graph, boring as its sounds - it can be an effective journal tool.
Chart
Figure 2: This is a
pie chart shows the overall areas of strengths and weaknesses of my Friday
drama class:
This chart gave me an overall view of the strengths and short comings of my children's drama class (figure 2). It loudly pinpointed the areas in which improvement was much needed. Used with the graph this again supports any new lesson plan ideas that arise through this type of reflection.
Diagrams
Figure 3: This diagram is to depict the pupil’s performance of my Friday drama class and actions for improvement the lessons.
My diagram (figure 3) again depicts the same points of improvement within my drama classes, however the diagram provides a more verbal figure of the reflection and gives a more eloquent version of reflection, speaking in words as appose to shapes and numbers.
I've learnt that no one chart, diagram or graph is either better or worse. I can use all or one of these tools as either reflective practice alone, or as support to my written journals.
What if?
A strange concept, but this method allows me to think of the possibilities. What could of happened? What would be awful and what would I love to happen? At first this sounded like a self help exercise, a kind of manifest your dreams workshop. I used it on one of my classes, I the teacher let my imagination role on all the different possibilities there were within the classroom. This helped me to know what I don't want and what I do want, it enabled me know myself better within the event and reflect on the what if. There was an element of realisation of ideas not wanted and amazingly far stretched ideas were suddenly seen as not too hard to achieve. Its like I wrote it down, I dared to go there and now, once my imagination played with the possibility, I am able to see my goal within arms reach. Tasting the possibilities is just the beginning.
Another view
This idea is to play around with the view point of the journal, seeing and feeling the event from the eyes of another. It could be another teacher, or a casting director or more obscurely your bag... The idea is to see your self from an outside point of you. I decided to write the entry from the point of my dog, on this particular day I was at home studying. Adora (my dog) always sits next to me in my study and happily watches me type on the lap top, read books and scream at the computer, "why are you doing this to me?" My initial thoughts were fun but very unsure of the method, I felt sceptical as this is my reflective practice, not my dogs. Like always once I got on with the exercise, I discovered some very useful information when Adora said, "he reads a bit, types, answers the phone, talks, reads, types, rings somebody, talks." Adora brought to my attention that my study time needs to be an uninterrupted space for me to venture and find new ideas. It should be a place I go to for a certain time a day, shut off from the world and critically reflect on my practice. Breaking up my process of learning by chatting to friends on the phone in the midst of my reflection, would hinder the value of it. This I learn to be a fantastic tool, I could now start to see myself from the world of the students I teach or the audience I perform to, helping me to see things not how I want them to be, but as they really are.
I am learning there is a private, free writing space called my journal and there is no right or wrong when it comes to writing it, it's about the acceptance of who you are and what you like? Writing in a way that best suits your reflection. I have found a new respect for my journal and the value it brings, it's no longer just a place where I simply store my thoughts and feelings, my journal is the place where new ideas dwell.
Tuesday, 21 February 2012
TASK 2a - Reflective Practice: My Journal
In one of my earlier posts titled, the journey begins tomorrow, I talk about starting a journal for the course. It was the night before the induction day and it felt like an ideal time to start recording my thoughts and feelings towards my studies. Not sure if I actually consciously decided this, but I feel like I should point out, as I read the journal back so far, it does have thoughts about my practice too, "Titanic opened yesterday, it was fantastic and I enjoyed being a director. I feel like the students really learnt from me and I loved passing on my knowledge to them. Exhausting though." Ahmet, A, 2012. It's not just about the course, but then that's not a huge surprise as the course is about my practice.
References:
Boud, D, 2001, Work-based learning: a new higher education, society for research into higher education, SRHE and Open University Press imprint
Akinleye, A, 2011-12, Reader 2, the reflective practitioner, Middlesex University.
Ahmet, A, 2012, My BAPP Journal.
What I find interesting, is the comparison of my journal to my blog. Firstly there is no way I could let anyone involved on the BAPP programme read the whole journal. It really is a private space, where I feel I can hold that pen and projectile vomit all these words. I have no idea where it comes from, it's not structured or planned. It just pours out of my mind and uses my pen as a channel of release. This got me thinking, is any of this stuff valid or is it just rubbish? Where does it come from? Is it the sort of things you say in an arguement you don't really mean? Maybe by sifting through the rubbish and after careful reflection of a journal, one can find good ideas. However in comparison to the blog, I see it as free writing time, I don't have to think about spelling, grammar or structure. I'ts a place I can go to and express what I really think with out judgement. My blog is different, it has an audience and a reputation. It puts me on a platform for people to explore my ideas and there is opportunity for judgement and interaction. I have to say, I have taken to the blog. I am a performer after all and I like an audience, I like to shout about new ideas and tell people about a particular new discovery.
Just then I stopped writting and sat back and thought (on-line reflection). I've just realised that my blog needs my journal. In order for me to do well in these tasks, I need to be well practiced in reflection. I need to be able to reflect alone in my journal and then communicate that reflection to the rest of the world in my blog. "Writing is a way of puzzling through what is happening in our work and our personal lives." Boud, D, 2001. My practice is all about gathering ideas and communicating that to people, with out the initial reflection that happens in the journal I wouldn't be able to establish my ideas and the developing process they go through. I need to know an idea before I can understand and communicate. I think my journal helps me keep attune to my ideas and helps me know what is missing for my knowledge, "Understanding what you don't know is important because it is the first stage of learning." Akinleye, A 2011-12.
The plan:
In task 2b, I will set myself the nine day journal challenge. I want to discover the nine different ways of writing my journal, once completed I want to blog my thoughts on each one. I am hoping this will allow me to explore the world of journal writing and lead me to some conclusion to my questions above. Once I've done this, I hope to read from the additional reading list to hopefully cement these new ideas, ready for task 2c. Then I want to look at the different forms of keeping journal, such as video or voice and play with the idea of not writing anything - maybe even a dance journal? Then again, maybe not.
References:
Boud, D, 2001, Work-based learning: a new higher education, society for research into higher education, SRHE and Open University Press imprint
Akinleye, A, 2011-12, Reader 2, the reflective practitioner, Middlesex University.
Ahmet, A, 2012, My BAPP Journal.
Sunday, 19 February 2012
Summary of Part 1, Module 1
I just had my first feed back session with Paula Nottingham. It felt good to check in and see where I'm at. I had a list of questions for her from my journal that I wanted to work through.
Questions.
Because the course is self managed, how do I know its time to move on to part 2?
I think I'm ready and I've done the tasks, but there is a sense that the tasks and indeed the whole module never stops, they are ever growing. Its constantly subject to comments and different views and my job is to reflect on these comments and allow my ideas to develop and live on through these comments. I then I remember my blog titled, My first campus session, its not about getting the job done, there is no tick list and right or wrong. It's about opening yourself up to new ideas that might effect your work, it's about looking how you and others carry out their practice, learning about you as a practitioner. This cannot be capped and ideas are all subject to time, I now understand this.
Do I do a summary to mark the move on to part 2?
All the above is great, but still I'm not comforted that I've done enough and need to move on. So I have decided to right a summary of each part in a module, as a sort of marker of my journey on the BAPP programme. Not that this will give me closure on the part, this blog allows my tasks to breath online and enables me to constantly refer back to them, thus becoming apart of one big collective reflection at the end. But for me I need a point where i stop, notice, conclude and then carry on.
I've read some sections from the list of the additional reading. Should I be recording this?
I now know this is a silly question. But I've have developed a critical curiosity. Being told an idea on a reader isn't enough, I want to read about it and have my own take on it. So of course I record it. It's my blog and here is where I store all of my ideas and findings, I'm reading and learning about my practice so naturally I would record my thoughts here.
Referencing. I've read the programme handbook over and over again, but I'm not getting it. What's the point?
Paula Nottingham said something really interesting, "It's like the recipe to your ideas". I now understand its about a new level of thinking, a higher level of thinking. It's now time to make statements that stand up strong within an argument. It's about backing up your ideas and showing the world you know what your are talking about. It would be like telling the story of an interesting journey without saying where you went. Paula said, "an appendix is like the recipe to your learning." If you want somebody to bake your cake, you have to tell them what's in it.
Pressure. I put myself under a lot of pressure with the course. Is this a bad thing?
I'm 30 and there is a definite feeling that I just haven't got the time to mess this up. I realise of course this pressure comes from me, but still I'm worried that it could be a hindrance to my studies. I then notice that the key to solving any issue is first to have an awareness of it. I notice that I have developed the ability to look outside myself and notice the presence of pressure. I may never really solve it, but when there is an awareness of something you can begin to understand what it is and choose your reaction to it. "Awareness is the greatest agent for change." Tolle, E, 2006, A new earth, London: Penguin.
Additional reading.
I thought the best place to start was with What is web 2.0. Tim O'Reilly came up quite a few times in reader 1 so I thought it was only fair that I did some investigating. At the first glace, I was put off my the 'computer talk'. It contained things like double click, synchronise and bit torrents, I thought this all sounds lovely, but where is the relevance to my professional practice. Later on I found some great quotes...
"Hyperlinking is the foundation of the web. As users add new content, and new sites, it is bound in to the structure of the web by other users discovering the content and linking to it." This really pinpoints the idea of interaction is the key to Web 2.0. The very foundations of the structure is built on people communicating.
"It's easy to see how Web 2.0 will also remake the address book. A Web 2.0-style address book would treat the local address book on the PC or phone merely as a cache of the contacts you've explicitly asked the system to remember. Meanwhile, a web-based synchronization agent, Gmail-style, would remember every message sent or received, every email address and every phone number used, and build social networking heuristics to decide which ones to offer up as alternatives when an answer wasn't found in the local cache. Lacking an answer there, the system would query the broader social network." I thought this really displays the fact that we, as a world communicate like this now. It's about a new era of networking.
"In exploring the seven principles above, we've highlighted some of the principal features of Web 2.0. Each of the examples we've explored demonstrates one or more of those key principles, but may miss others. Let's close, therefore, by summarizing what we believe to be the core competencies of Web 2.0 companies:
Questions.
Because the course is self managed, how do I know its time to move on to part 2?
I think I'm ready and I've done the tasks, but there is a sense that the tasks and indeed the whole module never stops, they are ever growing. Its constantly subject to comments and different views and my job is to reflect on these comments and allow my ideas to develop and live on through these comments. I then I remember my blog titled, My first campus session, its not about getting the job done, there is no tick list and right or wrong. It's about opening yourself up to new ideas that might effect your work, it's about looking how you and others carry out their practice, learning about you as a practitioner. This cannot be capped and ideas are all subject to time, I now understand this.
Do I do a summary to mark the move on to part 2?
All the above is great, but still I'm not comforted that I've done enough and need to move on. So I have decided to right a summary of each part in a module, as a sort of marker of my journey on the BAPP programme. Not that this will give me closure on the part, this blog allows my tasks to breath online and enables me to constantly refer back to them, thus becoming apart of one big collective reflection at the end. But for me I need a point where i stop, notice, conclude and then carry on.
I've read some sections from the list of the additional reading. Should I be recording this?
I now know this is a silly question. But I've have developed a critical curiosity. Being told an idea on a reader isn't enough, I want to read about it and have my own take on it. So of course I record it. It's my blog and here is where I store all of my ideas and findings, I'm reading and learning about my practice so naturally I would record my thoughts here.
Referencing. I've read the programme handbook over and over again, but I'm not getting it. What's the point?
Paula Nottingham said something really interesting, "It's like the recipe to your ideas". I now understand its about a new level of thinking, a higher level of thinking. It's now time to make statements that stand up strong within an argument. It's about backing up your ideas and showing the world you know what your are talking about. It would be like telling the story of an interesting journey without saying where you went. Paula said, "an appendix is like the recipe to your learning." If you want somebody to bake your cake, you have to tell them what's in it.
Pressure. I put myself under a lot of pressure with the course. Is this a bad thing?
I'm 30 and there is a definite feeling that I just haven't got the time to mess this up. I realise of course this pressure comes from me, but still I'm worried that it could be a hindrance to my studies. I then notice that the key to solving any issue is first to have an awareness of it. I notice that I have developed the ability to look outside myself and notice the presence of pressure. I may never really solve it, but when there is an awareness of something you can begin to understand what it is and choose your reaction to it. "Awareness is the greatest agent for change." Tolle, E, 2006, A new earth, London: Penguin.
Additional reading.
I thought the best place to start was with What is web 2.0. Tim O'Reilly came up quite a few times in reader 1 so I thought it was only fair that I did some investigating. At the first glace, I was put off my the 'computer talk'. It contained things like double click, synchronise and bit torrents, I thought this all sounds lovely, but where is the relevance to my professional practice. Later on I found some great quotes...
"Hyperlinking is the foundation of the web. As users add new content, and new sites, it is bound in to the structure of the web by other users discovering the content and linking to it." This really pinpoints the idea of interaction is the key to Web 2.0. The very foundations of the structure is built on people communicating.
"It's easy to see how Web 2.0 will also remake the address book. A Web 2.0-style address book would treat the local address book on the PC or phone merely as a cache of the contacts you've explicitly asked the system to remember. Meanwhile, a web-based synchronization agent, Gmail-style, would remember every message sent or received, every email address and every phone number used, and build social networking heuristics to decide which ones to offer up as alternatives when an answer wasn't found in the local cache. Lacking an answer there, the system would query the broader social network." I thought this really displays the fact that we, as a world communicate like this now. It's about a new era of networking.
"In exploring the seven principles above, we've highlighted some of the principal features of Web 2.0. Each of the examples we've explored demonstrates one or more of those key principles, but may miss others. Let's close, therefore, by summarizing what we believe to be the core competencies of Web 2.0 companies:
- Services, not packaged software, with cost-effective scalability
- Control over unique, hard-to-recreate data sources that get richer as more people use them
- Trusting users as co-developers
- Harnessing collective intelligence
- Leveraging the long tail through customer self-service
- Software above the level of a single device
- Lightweight user interfaces, development models, AND business models."
This really highlights some of the key factors of Web 2.0 and it's relevance to my practice.
O'Reilly, T, 2006, What is Web 2.0, Design patterns and business models for the next generation, view at http://www.oreillynet.com/lpt/a/6228, accessed on 1st Feb 2012.
My next additional reading takes me to a study by Feenberg and Bakardjieva. 'Virtual community: No Killer implication' was mentioned in my first blog on task 1b. So keeping with this theme of backing up my statements and showing where my ideas have come from, I thought it a sensible choice for additional reading. I felt more comfortable with the style much more than the previous ebook, mentioned above by O' Reilly.
"it is a good time to remind ourselves that online groups are indeed a qualitatively new medium." This really hits home the concept of reaching people of a certain quality on one single web platform, as appose to searching through a high quantity of contacts. This claims that online groups are a new more effective way of communication.
"Communication technologies stand interface between the technical culture of those who create them, the commercial interests of those who produce and market them, and the everyday life world of ordinary users." I touched on this in my first blog on task 1b (hyperlinked above), the quote really cements this theory of one equal platform for the 'prosumer'. Who ever you are and no matter what background, be it producer or consumer, we all interact and connect through communication technologies.
Feenberg, A. & Bakardjieva, M. 2004, Virtual community: No killer implications, New Media & Society, viewed at http://nms.sagepub.com.ezproxy.mdx.ac.uk/content/6/1/37.full.pdf+html, accessed on 3rd Feb 2012.
Final Summary
I think the most important thing I have learnt is about myself. Yes I think have a good understanding of Web 2.0 and the relevance to communication technology to my professional practice. I have also learned the great web tools available to me to aid my practice. But I made a great realisation last week. I have been directing a theatre in education project at CPA college. In the past, I would dread the last dress rehearsal as the head of department would watch and criticise my work. I would always take it personally and see it as a personal attack on me. This time, I found myself thinking in a different vain. I decided I wanted more than just one person to watch, I wanted a more qualitative opinion on my direction. I asked for all heads of department and any other members of staff to be present and then held a note session after to take on what they had to say. I now remove myself form my work and look at my working position as a professional practitioner, I want to discuss and grow my work. I am developing the ability to stop, notice and critically reflect in a way I couldn't comprehend before. It's a new level of thinking, a higher level of thinking.
Saturday, 11 February 2012
Task 1c - BAPP YouTube video.
Standing in the way of Control.
So this is my BAPP YouTube video. The task was tricky, editing on imovies and trimming the track was quite fiddly. I look forward to hearing what you think?
Wednesday, 8 February 2012
TASK 1a - Professional profile (part 2 - CV)
This was the first task I completed. I blogged and allowed people's comments to influence my reflection as I began editing my profile. This can be seen on the post titled, TASK 1a - Professional profile. Please click on the title as its linked to the blog (I just learnt this and was dying to show that trick off).
I wanted to post a part 2 on this task as I wasn't satisfied that I'd explored it enough. At the last campus session, we discussed that performer's tend to have lots of different CVs. One for performing, one for teaching and one for day jobs. I wanted to explore the process of merging those CVs together, sifting out the unnecessary and focusing on the credits that serve me best. My latest version is to really shout about the teaching and mention the performance work at the bottom. I'm interested to know how my fellow BAPP network are doing this...
Also, I've been looking for an opportunity to use google documents and there it is. Then it occurred to me, my CV is online and I have access to it wherever. What a great tool, gone are the days where someone expresses an interest in my work and I send a hard copy of my CV. Now click a button and away you go.
Monday, 6 February 2012
1st campus session
The first campus session today was lead by tutor Adesola Akinleye. It was a real kick start to the course, full of introductions and advice on managing studying on the BAPP programme. We then explored the content and tasks in module 1, sharing ideas on getting blogs started and briefly looking at professional communication technologies. We then had to draw a diagram on one aspect of the course. In my group we drew a rocket about to launch. Adesola used the rocket as a symbol, in order to launch the rocket of our studies, we had to first gather our past experiences to fuel our journey. Once we have taken off, we need to engage in the experience of the journey and not be fixated on the end destination - the qualification. The Image is attached below...
A really interesting concept came up in the session. As performers we can often focus on the end destination of a journey, getting the job. Even when you are working on a particular role, instead of being present in that journey we sit and obsess about the next job and the next destination. On the BAPP programe old perofermer habits must be broken, engaing in the process is the only way you will reach the end destination. I found this hard, I am used to having a tick list and getting the job done. The idea of starting something without the end insight is a new concept to me. I shall try to let go of where I want to go and engage in the process, but I can't promise I won't at least glimpse at the arrival point.
A really interesting concept came up in the session. As performers we can often focus on the end destination of a journey, getting the job. Even when you are working on a particular role, instead of being present in that journey we sit and obsess about the next job and the next destination. On the BAPP programe old perofermer habits must be broken, engaing in the process is the only way you will reach the end destination. I found this hard, I am used to having a tick list and getting the job done. The idea of starting something without the end insight is a new concept to me. I shall try to let go of where I want to go and engage in the process, but I can't promise I won't at least glimpse at the arrival point.
Sunday, 5 February 2012
Subscribe by email.
Just a little technical thing on blogging I wanted to shout about. Are you finding that when you comment on someone's blog, you don't get a notification email if they reply? I thought you just had to remember all your comments and keep going back to keep the conversation going. But then I found that if you click on subscribe by email, just to the right under your comment. It sends you all email notifications of comments on that particular blog. This will help us keep track of what we are saying and help us with our reflection and criticism tasks.
TASK 1b: Reader in Professional communication technologies (part 3 - Stage Status)
Looking further on my task on reader one. As if by pure coincidence, I came across a new communication technology platform, it was introduced to me via face book message by a work colleague. Allow me to introduce to you the new Web 2.0 platform, Stage Status.
It is the only theatrical networking site, connecting people form all backgrounds, in the performing arts industry. I thought this was a brilliant idea. In my previous blogs on task 1b, I explored the impact communication networks can have on my practice, but this takes it to a whole new level. Yes it works exactly the same as any other communication platform, but this is specific to my industry. We are all heading for the same thing and have the same mantra - Performing arts. Its like one big theatrical party full of potential useful connections to make, only thing is, you can do it from your laptop at home in your pyjamas. This got me thinking, is this now the new generation for communication technology sites? Will they start cornering off and becoming specific to who is on the guest list?
I also thought about networking in the performing industry. We all know those people that go to the right events, source out the most influential people and make sure they are sitting at the right table. Judge them as people do, they are the ones networking and probably succeeding in the expansion of their career. Stage Status allows you to connect to these people without feeling like you are the ambitious 'it girl' at a party. It eradicates any negativity around networking because everyone is on the site to connect, that's why they're on the site and they want to hear from you. Suddenly you are networking and connecting, but instead of having to search for the connection, its already there waiting for an approach. Everyone is there for one reason only, they have performing arts in common and they want to hear from you...
It is the only theatrical networking site, connecting people form all backgrounds, in the performing arts industry. I thought this was a brilliant idea. In my previous blogs on task 1b, I explored the impact communication networks can have on my practice, but this takes it to a whole new level. Yes it works exactly the same as any other communication platform, but this is specific to my industry. We are all heading for the same thing and have the same mantra - Performing arts. Its like one big theatrical party full of potential useful connections to make, only thing is, you can do it from your laptop at home in your pyjamas. This got me thinking, is this now the new generation for communication technology sites? Will they start cornering off and becoming specific to who is on the guest list?
I also thought about networking in the performing industry. We all know those people that go to the right events, source out the most influential people and make sure they are sitting at the right table. Judge them as people do, they are the ones networking and probably succeeding in the expansion of their career. Stage Status allows you to connect to these people without feeling like you are the ambitious 'it girl' at a party. It eradicates any negativity around networking because everyone is on the site to connect, that's why they're on the site and they want to hear from you. Suddenly you are networking and connecting, but instead of having to search for the connection, its already there waiting for an approach. Everyone is there for one reason only, they have performing arts in common and they want to hear from you...
Friday, 3 February 2012
TASK 1b: Reader in Professional communication technologies (part 2 - Twitter)
Continuing on from my first blog on this task. There was a Web 2.0 application that I haven't ever indulged in and I thought it was time to check it out. Twitter - "Instantly connect to what's most important to you. Follow friends, experts, favourite celebrities, and breaking news," is what the home page told me. Twitter is a world of communication where people shout about something through a status update, a community where people follow each other and comment back and forth. This whole process is called tweeting and unlike facebook, there is no friend requesting and accepting needed. If you are tweeting on twitter, your audience is the whole world of the twitter. This means all access is open, from celebrity to professional contact, if they're tweeting, you have access to the information. Yet again the idea is present, no matter how different a persons background or status, everyone is part of one big community and are free to communicate. The more this happens the more the web platform breaths, it relies on activity to allow it to live.
I then remembered a recent conversation I had with close friend and fellow actress, Helen Colley. She was advised to open a twitter account, it was recommended like it was the latest must have for an actor. Helen had decided to go ahead with the idea. When my work began on this task, I couldn't stop thinking about Hellen Colley and how she was getting on with her new Web 2.0 platform? I emailed my enquiry to her and pasted below is my reply...
For the first time in my learning so far, there is a bit of bad press for communication technology. I guess some people just don't want to buy into Web 2.0 culture. I'm learning it can be perceived as self celebratory or intrusive. Still, you can't ignore the latter part of the email that confirms that people in her industry are using this web tool and improving her professional network is possible, should she want to use it.
I then remembered a recent conversation I had with close friend and fellow actress, Helen Colley. She was advised to open a twitter account, it was recommended like it was the latest must have for an actor. Helen had decided to go ahead with the idea. When my work began on this task, I couldn't stop thinking about Hellen Colley and how she was getting on with her new Web 2.0 platform? I emailed my enquiry to her and pasted below is my reply...
Hi Ahmet.
One of my New Year's resolutions this year was to get a bit pro-active about my career. I felt like it was time to actually have a go at "making things happen", as they say, rather than just chilling out with a cup of tea waiting for my agent to call - which let's be honest ain't that often! A mate of mine who is really pro-active had been on at me to join Twitter for ages. Now, to be honest, I even find Facebook a bit of a drag at times - feeling the need to check it, and comment, and post a status... and that's essentially just keeping up with mates. So was this Twitter malarkey going to be a bit of a drag too? Well, the main reason I decided to give it a go was because this friend had said Twitter was the best new way of networking within the industry, without actually going up and making idle conversation with an important yet complete stranger in the hope that they might pull you in for an audition, or, God forbid, give you a job - a past time which generally makes me cringe. So, I joined Twitter. I gave it a bash in the hope that a contact or two would be made, or an audition might be sought. Well, it's been nearly a month since I created my profile, and I seem to have given up a bit already! I have found that in order to get the most out of it, you have to be logged in for a fair amount of time, and quite frankly, I've not got an iphone so I'm not on the internet all day, plus I've got better things to be doing! I think you have to be tweeting interesting, anecdotal, funny or controversial things in order to be considered worth following. This concept in itself, like the "how many friends have you got" thing with Facebook, I find a little patronising - a cyber popularity contest if you will. I simply can't be bothered to compete. I can't be bothered to think things up for the sake of it and don't really want to be telling all of tweetsville what I am having for my dinner! Plus, the absolute drivel that you have to trawl through in order to find anything really worth reading, like a casting for instance, is quite irritating.
On a more positive note, when I do have a little scroll through the people I am following (and I have tried to keep it as business orientated as possible), there are a few jobs, auditions, news items which interest me. Plus, I can advertise myself as an actor, and lots of my actor/director acquaintances are on Twitter, so I spose it may come in handy at some point. Unfortunately, I have yet to really network on Twitter. I don't think it's all it's cracked up to be, or maybe I'm just not putting in enough effort in order to get anything out - very possibly the latter. But I spose I will keep my account active as there's no point closing it down. As yet, it hasn't made a blind bit of difference to my career, and I still find the whole self-promotion thing a little on the cringy side. I'm much happier having a cuppa waiting for my agent to call! Maybe I'm in the wrong business?!
For the first time in my learning so far, there is a bit of bad press for communication technology. I guess some people just don't want to buy into Web 2.0 culture. I'm learning it can be perceived as self celebratory or intrusive. Still, you can't ignore the latter part of the email that confirms that people in her industry are using this web tool and improving her professional network is possible, should she want to use it.
Task 1d: 2d images (part 2)
My Work, a set on Flickr.
After looking at Simone Gradjean's blog on task 1d. I saw that her flickr link came with thumbnails, giving you a taster of the photos before you click on the link. I liked this and felt inspired by her. I went back to my flickr account and after much trial and error, I worked out how to do it. Thank you Simone, I have learnt from you.
Thursday, 2 February 2012
TASK 1b: Reader in Professional communication technologies
My thoughts on the first reader...
After reading reader 1 twice, I decided to do my own research to see if I could retrieve something that might make this whole subject a little clearer for me. That was when I made my first discovery, as I was about to find out Web 2.0 really is a whole world of communication technology. Like anything I goggled it and searched around and nothing really caught my eye. My next step was to search it on You tube, I chose the video with the highest views and watched it (I've linked it below):-
And then I found this video, this one is really good:-
And then I realised. Not only have I just participated in professional communication technology, I have been doing so as part of my personal life and professional practice for years. This then lead me to the idea, that Web 2.0 is an important aspect of communication in the world today. I had no idea what web 2.0 was and I was unknowingly using one of its applications to find out.
I could then go back to the reader with a different attitude, one that allowed me to look at Tim O'Reilly's meme and identify with most (not all) of the diagram and understand this so called phenomenon. The words that stuck out most to me in this section of the reader were 'Architectures of Participation', the idea that this very tool of communication is built on the basis that everyone gets involved and interacts. The very foundations are based on people collaborating and sharing and this keeps the application alive. I was then introduced to remix culture. An exciting platform that enables people to redecorate materials such as photos or music and share their opinions and banter over artifacts of media. Then a new term is born, the 'prosumer'. An idea that producer and consumer are combined and in control. Artifacts are under constant development and ever changing.
Suddenly this all gets really exciting, studies from Feenberg and Bakardjieva conclude that Web 2.0 is an excellent tool in building and developing relationships. It promotes connectivity beyond people's community circle and brings contact to all types of people from different backgrounds. Further more, all you need is an internet connection to get to them. Suddenly I'm aware of what this all means to me as a professional practitioner, Web 2.0 platforms are the modern key to expansion and promotion for me as a performer/teacher. Through the liberation of data and contacts, I find freedom in having access to a world of communication. It's not just about who you know in my industry anymore, its about who are you connecting to using a Web 2.0?...
After reading reader 1 twice, I decided to do my own research to see if I could retrieve something that might make this whole subject a little clearer for me. That was when I made my first discovery, as I was about to find out Web 2.0 really is a whole world of communication technology. Like anything I goggled it and searched around and nothing really caught my eye. My next step was to search it on You tube, I chose the video with the highest views and watched it (I've linked it below):-
And then I found this video, this one is really good:-
And then I realised. Not only have I just participated in professional communication technology, I have been doing so as part of my personal life and professional practice for years. This then lead me to the idea, that Web 2.0 is an important aspect of communication in the world today. I had no idea what web 2.0 was and I was unknowingly using one of its applications to find out.
I could then go back to the reader with a different attitude, one that allowed me to look at Tim O'Reilly's meme and identify with most (not all) of the diagram and understand this so called phenomenon. The words that stuck out most to me in this section of the reader were 'Architectures of Participation', the idea that this very tool of communication is built on the basis that everyone gets involved and interacts. The very foundations are based on people collaborating and sharing and this keeps the application alive. I was then introduced to remix culture. An exciting platform that enables people to redecorate materials such as photos or music and share their opinions and banter over artifacts of media. Then a new term is born, the 'prosumer'. An idea that producer and consumer are combined and in control. Artifacts are under constant development and ever changing.
Suddenly this all gets really exciting, studies from Feenberg and Bakardjieva conclude that Web 2.0 is an excellent tool in building and developing relationships. It promotes connectivity beyond people's community circle and brings contact to all types of people from different backgrounds. Further more, all you need is an internet connection to get to them. Suddenly I'm aware of what this all means to me as a professional practitioner, Web 2.0 platforms are the modern key to expansion and promotion for me as a performer/teacher. Through the liberation of data and contacts, I find freedom in having access to a world of communication. It's not just about who you know in my industry anymore, its about who are you connecting to using a Web 2.0?...
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