Alys May-James BA Professional Practice Blog

The last week before all our work is due in. Where has the time gone? I can’t believe we are coming the end of module 3, the end of the course. A few thoughts from the group meeting we have had recently. Using reflection to keep learning Its good to take some risks Be clear in your communication and language Continue to evolve and develop your work Analysis methods- triangulation- finding common, emerging themes throughout all the data of each method of data collection. E.g., reflective journal, interviews and literature. Make sure you analyse the data rather than describe it. What is the data telling you- link it back to yourself and your practice. Critical reflection- explore how this research has changed you and will continue to change you and your practice. Editing- check for: Adjectives Long sentences Repetition   I look forward to hearing about everyone else’s research in the presentations in a few weeks.

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...

Where has the time gone? I can't believe we are in April already, nearing the end of module 3. It is getting close to draft deadlines which I think is a stressful time for many people, including myself. I find myself wondering if what I've done is right or any good. Although it seems fairly common to feel this way, I think it is also really important to look back at what we have accomplished so far. The work we have produced, the new skills we have learnt, all whilst we are in the middle of a pandemic! The fact we have continued on through this and done the best we can in this situation, is something to be proud of. So although this time is stressful, remember to take time for yourself and think how far you've come. Especially in more stressful situations it is important to take time for ourselves. I have found sometimes it is more productive to step away from the work and come back to it later with a fresh perspective. Personally I think walking and yoga are amazing for cl...

This week we had a Zoom call where everyone on each module could attend. It was a great opportunity to see what everyone is currently doing within their module. Module 1- starting to talk about their practice and what it means Module 2- thinking about what they want their inquiry to be about Module 3- Looking at starting to gather data for their research Although each module is looking at different things, all of them link with some overall themes- the ones we spoke about are listed below, however there are many more. Creativity The idea of ‘self’ Experience Reflection Motivation and Inspiration Ethics Creativity was a really interesting point to start with as it is so personal to each of us, and so we all had a slightly different view on it. Some people class themselves as creative and others don’t. Here are some of the key points we spoke about with regards to creativity. Are we taught it? Or is it innate within us? Are we born with it? Are we showing our vu...