Module 2 here we come!

2020 has definitely been a rollercoaster so far- from starting this course in January, to being in lockdown and not being able to dance, to being a key worker in a pandemic…it has been a very weird time. If anything, it has enforced the need to be flexible and enhanced the use of transferable skills.

On Friday I joined the welcome back skype. It was lovely seeing and hearing people from each module. We spoke about a few key areas which I found really useful to remind myself of as I start back for module 2.

  • Blogs- When I started module 1, I found it very helpful to read peoples blogs who had already completed the module. I’m going to take some time to go back as I start module 2 and read blogs from other people. It can be reassuring and inspiring reading what others have to say, as well as helping build a network of professionals. I find it quite daunting posting blogs. To help I have a specific focus for each one which helps me plan, write and then post them.
  • Handbooks- I printed out my module handbook and read it through many times. I highlighted it and made notes around sections from skype calls, blogs and books I had read which all linked to my own practice. Whenever I felt a bit lost, it was somewhere I could go to for inspiration.

Feeling lost is ok! If everything was set in stone and fixed, we could miss out on learning so many different skills and pieces of information because our mind is closed from different possibilities. Not knowing gives us the freedom to explore ideas we wouldn’t have known otherwise.

Something both Adesola and Helen spoke about on this skype was how we use information. It isn’t always about learning new information but learning the skills on how I value and use the information. It’s important to question the information and its validity and be able to criticise it. What are we going to do with the information we have? We have to question ourselves as well as how we interpret it- what does it mean to us? It's not about collecting information, it’s what we do with the information that matters.

I’ll finish with a quote from Rumi;

‘As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.’


Comments

  1. Serina Faull12 September 2020 at 06:42

    The idea of feeling comfortable with being lost, with no particular end goal as it were, is something that will continue throughout the course. Glad you are ok with feeling lost! I am attending the welcome back Skype today, it will be nice to get back into the swing of academic speech and writing again. As artists, whatever our specific practice, it is so important to be flexible. It is great that you picked up on the transferable skills aspect. Using the skills we have developed as artists, a solid work ethic, being sociable and outgoing giving us great people skills, can really put us in good stead for other fields of work. Whether it's temporary, due to covid-19, or a career change, we are ready for it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alys May-James18 September 2020 at 08:52

      Hi Serina,
      Yes I feel like the current times are teaching us how to use current skills we have as well as lots of new skills for whatever the future may hold! I hope the other welcome Skype was helpful!

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Module 3 Meeting

Last week people on module 3 were invited to a zoom call to see where we are all at with our research. It was lovely to catch up with everyone and see where their ideas and research have taken them. Below are a few key points that I took from the meeting. This process is cyclical, not linear. We aren’t looking for a set answer to end our research but trying to gain a deeper understanding which we can then feed back into our lives and practices which can then bring up more questions. Always link it back to my practice- this is a common theme through our research. Identify themes found from analysis clearly and state why it is a theme. Connect the themes we find in our research back to our professional practice. In our analysis we are looking for patterns, it isn’t about giving raw data. But can use quotes from interviews to show how themes have come up. Include methodology in your overview, what you did, why you did it, how it went, what changed Artefact is a ‘practice-based thing’ th...
Read more

Touch

Image
It has been 2 weeks since lockdown lifted for schools and so I have been back at work with the children. It has been tiring being back, but lovely to see everyone in person and not through a screen. It has been a busy but rewarding time. Since being back I have noticed a change in the children. Many of them seem to be craving a close connection to the staff, including staying in at breaks and lunch to talk to us, drawing us lots of pictures or writing us notes, but also some of them wanting to hug us. This is really interesting to me as it fits into my research on the use of touch. As teachers, we have to be very careful and strict with the use of touch as sadly there have been cases of misconduct reported in the media, which have made people very wary of touch. We also have to be very strict due to Covid-19 and the health and safety of everyone. There is a lot of negative associations with touch, but very rarely do we acknowledge the importance of it. Touching is ‘an essential e...
Read more

Interviews

Last week we had a zoom call about how to conduct interviews. Here are a few of the main point I picked up from the discussion. Be open and receptive. Create space for your participants so they can open up about what they want to talk about. Don’t go in with a fixed idea about what you want to find. Let the data you collect speak for itself. You don’t need to include all the information you collect from your interviews. Be selective. Use open questions to allow for further discussion, rather than yes or no answers. Start with an easy question to break the ice. Be an active listener. E.g. Nod, comment on what the participants are saying. Respect everyone’s opinion, even if you don’t agree. Don’t let your own opinions get in the way of the data. Be aware of your own bias and question it. I hope this helps people to carry out their research!
Read more