My Critical Reflection of Module 2

Critical Reflection on Professional Practitioner Inquiry

Introduction

I finished module one with a sense establishing a professional tone within my practice, my journal captures my overall learning in module two as, “being brave and getting on with it… Having discovered my new professional voice, I feel ready to go out there in my world and find out what I don’t know” (Ahmet, A. 2012). In my blog about my initial reaction to module two (Appendix 1), I notice, “going from a position of looking at myself as a practitioner to exploring how my network does things” (Ahmet, A. 2012). This notion lies at the heart of my inquiry.

Principles of Professional Inquiry

My critical reflection of Reader 4 (Appendix 2) and answering its questions in a blog (Appendix 3), allowed me to collect some theories behind professional inquiry and apply them to my practice. My blog about creating a list of questions within my practice (Appendix 4), helped me come to the realisation that the questions point to an, “area of interest” (Ahmet, A.2012), within my inquiry. Martyn Descome (2002) supports this as a good starting point. Having created a Special Interest Group (SIG) via my blog (Appendix 5), I engage these questions with my SIG, take them to a fellow practitioner and blog their development (Appendix 6). This blog task proves useful and the comments display the importance of asking clear, concise and open-ended questions.  By engaging with my SIG, my inquiry is able to construct knowledge and understanding in a supported process of inquiry (Kahn and O’ Rouke 2004). When summarising this part I noticed that my writing has improved, comments describing it as mature and clear (Akineye, A. 2012) gives me a great sense of confidence and achievement for my learning on the course.

Professional Ethics

My learning begins with a blog on my ethics as a practitioner (Appendix 7). I express the idea that ethics isn’t necessarily something the practitioner conceptualises, rather, “my ethics are in place because of my community of practice” (Ahmet, A. 2012). Using a code of conduct within my practice, I notice in a blog (Appendix 8), that rather than a list of rules, ethics are more of a complex idea of moralistic approach over your actions. I then continue with my critical reflections of Reader 5 (Appendix 9). I find great guidance to my professional ethics in an article about theatre arts education (Lazarus, J. 2004). Blogging about the ethical framework within my inquiry (Appendix 10), confidentiality and respect arise as key elements.  I then summarise (Appendix 11) highlighting that as an insider-researcher I will have to live with the mistakes and should proceed carefully in negotiating with colleagues (Costley et al, 2010). After sensing a feeling of struggle to the topic of ethics, the notion of applying it to my practice was the key to broadening my awareness of the subject (Ahmet, A. 2012).

Tools of Professional Inquiry

In a bid to enrich my understanding of Reader 6, I continue with my critical reflections (Appendix 12).  While Mason (2002) introduces qualitative and quantitative approaches to research, the approach will depend on the nature of the inquiry (Bell, 2005). Fox et al (2007) highlight the importance of planning and piloting. With a sense of “planning ahead and being efficient” (Ahmet, A. 2012), and putting my SIG at the heart of my design, I construct my tools for inquiry (Appendix 13, Appendix 14 and Appendix 15). Comments on a fellow student’s blog (Appendix 16) express the survey failed in, “capturing feelings and ideas”, (Ahmet, A. 2012). I then decided on the survey’s role as the quantitative support for my qualitative data, giving my findings triangulation (Bell, 2005). I understand that these tools are, “the backbone of my inquiry” (Ahmet, A.2012) and learn that they are the, “bridge that connects me to my research” (Ahmet, A. 2012).

Conclusion

Having established my area of inquiry, the ethics within it and the tools to facilitate my research. My summary of the module concludes that by having discovered a, “hole of knowledge within my practice, I hope that my work… provides the sealant I'm looking for (Ahmet, A. 2012). From establishing my practice in module one to planning my practitioner research in module two, the BAPP (Arts) programme is feeding my future practice beyond imaginable lengths and my thinking and practitioner confidence developing in ways incomprehensible before.

Bibliographies

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Ahmet, A (2012). Ahmet Ahmet’s Blog [online], Available at: http://mrahmet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/literature-review-3.html [Accessed 23 Nov 2012]

Ahmet, A (2012). Ahmet Ahmet’s Blog [online], Available at: http://mrahmet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/task-5d-ethics-within-my-inquiry.html

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Bell, J (2005). Doing Your Research Project [online], Available at: http://www.dawsonera.com/depp/reader/protected/direct/AbstractView,title.$ReaderFunctions.eBookView.sdirect?state:reader/protected/AbstractView=ZH4sIAAAAAAAAAFvzloG1XJiBgYGJkYG1JLMkJ5WBNTWzOCmvhIHX0tzCwNjY1MjIxNDCoJyDAYcMABobgnRDAAAA [accessed 06 Nov 2012]

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Appendices

Appendix 1:

Link: http://mrahmet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/my-initial-reaction.html

Appendix 2:

Link: http://mrahmet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/reader-4-my-critical-reflection.html

Appendix 3:

Link: http://mrahmet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/reader-4-my-answers-to-its-questions.html

Appendix 4:

Link: http://mrahmet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/task-4a-my-quetsions.html

Appendix 5:

Link: http://mrahmet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/task-4b-your-sig-needs-you.html

Appendix 6:

Link: http://mrahmet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/task-4c-developing-my-questions.html

Appendix 7:

Link: http://mrahmet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/task-5a-my-ethics.html

Appendix 8:

Link: http://mrahmet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/task-5b-code-of-conduct.html

Appendix 9:

Link: http://mrahmet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/reader-5-my-critical-reflection.html

Appendix 10:

Link: http://mrahmet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/task-5d-ethics-within-my-inquiry.html

Appendix 11:

Link: http://mrahmet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/summary-of-module-2-part-5.html

Appendix 12:

Link: http://mrahmet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/my-critical-reflections-of-reader-6.html

Appendix 13:

Link: http://mrahmet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/task-6b-my-developed-interview-and.html

Appendix 14:

Link: http://mrahmet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/task-6c-my-developed-observation.html

Appendix 15:

Link: http://mrahmet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/task-6c-my-developed-survey.html

Appendix 16:

Link: http://sgandjean.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/survey.html