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.

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...

This is the last weekend before our assignments are due in. I have been going through my work, editing, checking and reflecting on everything that has happened this past year. When I started this course in January, I had no idea how it was going to be, let alone everything else 2020 has had to offer! There have been good bits, bad bits and the usual life ‘in-between’ bits. Something I have learnt from this course is the art of reflection. It isn’t about living in the past, but about embracing your past to enhance your future. Especially when times are tough, take a look back and see how far you’ve come. See everything you have learnt, the things that have changed. But don’t dwell in past errors and mistakes- no one is perfect. Instead of criticising ourselves for our mistakes, why don’t we celebrate the learning that has come from them? I have been looking back at how I felt at this time in module 1- the last week before everything is due in. I am having similar feelings now, as I ...

This week I attended a skype discussion group for modules 1, 2 and 3. It was great getting to talk to everyone and discuss where everyone is at with the course and general learning and development. There were 2 main points that I picked up on from our discussion. Questions Reflection Questions I am becoming more aware of how important it is to question yourself, not only for this course but in life. By questioning things, it means you don’t just accept what is. Questioning isn’t always about finding an answer, but about gaining more information. Things are constantly changing and we do not have the capacity to know everything. There is too much information in the world for it to be accessed by everyone. This is why when we question, we never get a full answer because it’s impossible- hence why we gain knowledge to develop on, not an end point. As George Siemens talks about in 'Knowing Knowledge' (2006), we should look at ‘knowledge as a river, not reservoir.’ Page 53. H...

I feel with the current situation, now is a good time to go into transferable skills. Things have changed drastically for pretty much everyone in the last few weeks. We have all had to adapt and change just to get by. Our day to day life has been turned upside down. It is amazing how we have all ‘settled’ into this new way of life so quickly. We have taken skills from our previous life/jobs and are now using them in completely new ways. It is incredible how adaptable we are. The past few weeks I have been reflecting on skills that people gain and how we are constantly learning. We don’t give ourselves enough credit for the amount of information we take on everyday and how we process it. Some information may come and go and we never need it again. Other information comes and we need it for a prolonged period of time. But certain information comes and at the time it doesn’t seem relevant so our brains discard it, but months/years/decades later that information becomes useful. Somehow, ...

Following on from my last post about feeling lost, I have taken comfort in the recommended reading list. A few days ago, I finished my first book - ‘Getting Started with University-Level Work Based Learning’ Alan Durrant, Garth Rhodes and David Young, 2011 I really recommend this book, especially if your starting module one, as I am. It explains the course in a general sense, so it's not specific to the performing arts, and it explains what is expected of you in a clear and concise manner.  There are three points in particular I would like to share with you. ‘Independence does not mean isolation’  Page 39, Getting Started with University-Level Work Based Learning, Durrant, Rhodes and Young, 2011 I believe this idea is vital for this course. We are ‘Independent Learners’ but that does not mean we are by ourselves. Have you ever herd someone say ‘I am alone but I’m not lonely’ … I believe the blogs and skype sessions are p artly set up ...