I'll be honest, I connected to Tuesday's 12.30 group discussion Skype call hoping that there would be advice on exactly how or where to start. Suggestions of what books people had read that they felt were really useful, tips on what people might focus their essays around. However this is far from what actually happened, and I'm glad. Instead I took away a lot more, the reassurance that there is no definitive answer, and that it's ok that one train of thought may lead to many others.
From now on I will take comfort in my supervisor Adesola's comment that -
" Learning doesn't happen when you are told what to do"
At the beginning of the discussion I commented that I felt I may be missing something from my list of networks and asked if anyone had any thoughts outside of the usual Facebook network groups? I felt that after reading through the handbook, and listing ideas for each lens, my list for networks, community and Connectivism were rather short. Through our discussions and then later through my own reflection I realised the following -
- I shouldn't be trying to separate each lens in list form, I should be exploring them all as subjects that mould into one other, so it's not necessarily wrong that my discussions on networking will be entwined with my ideas of how web 2.0 is related to my professional practice.
- The majority of all my networks are all dance teaching based and mostly on social media. As a now 34 year old I was in the peek of my professional career before Facebook was part of our everyday lives. There for it wasn't as easy to keep in touch with fellow professionals, it was often emails swapped on pieces of paper that now 14 years down the line have been lost or email addresses no longer in use. Grabbing an addition of The Stage newspaper is how I got some of my first auditions, where there are now apps with attached forums. I only have a handful of contacts from dance college where as if I had graduated a few years ago I would most likely be "friends" with everyone from my year. This realisation has brought me much contentment, while my networks may be small and mainly all dance teachers, these small networks have served me well, providing me with an abundance of knowledge and job opportunity's. Reminding me again that this is about my personal professional practice and my community is personal to me. But also making me think, how will our networks continue to change in the future?
- A very important network that I didn't initially think of was our newly formed BAPP network, we are now connected via our being on this course, through our blogs and through us being professionals in the creative arts industry. Also not just those on module 1, but also students on other modules, those that have already completed the course and our supervisors and advisers.
There was also some great discussion on Ethics. I feel in my role as a dance teacher I have lots of different ethical considerations, however some of these also cross into safe guarding which I will be looking into further as an interested area of learning. I found the following link useful in my initial brain storming on ethics http://www.ethicsdance.co.uk/downloads.html
At the beginning of the call there was also a lot of mention of the reading list. I took away from the discussion that a recommendation from the reading list from a fellow student may not have been helpful due to them having a slightly different practice or them exploring a different stream of thought. I am pleased with how my thought processes are now changing and instead of worrying that I haven't read a book for the sake of reading it, I will use the bibliography to start finding quotes and explanations that resonate with me and then explore further chapters within those books or writings.
I feel our group call has helped with my confidence and given me more direction, instead of looking at fellow students blogs for answers I will be searching for ideas. I am planning to start with the suggested study activities in the handbook, simply to get used to blogging more and building up my relationship within our BAPP network, however if a particular task leads me in a different direction I look forward to not only embracing the idea but also discussing it further in the coming group calls.
The official beginning of this course for me was receiving my unconditional placement email. I was sat on the train on my own and thought I was going to explode with excitement. Then came fear, anticipation and self doubt. I felt so in the dark as to what was expected of me, I knew I had the qualifications and experience to get on the course but would I be able to perform?
This conquered up feelings of my first college performance 'Confined'. We were set on stage before the audience had entered, crouched down in a large circle with a large singular piece of black cloth covering us all, it was dark in the theatre with lots of dry ice. This set a feeling of anticipation and the unknown for the audience. As performers we didn't know how long we would have to wait until our first cue, on a more personal level we couldn't peek at the audience to be at ease seeing where our family and friends might be sat. It was a real test of patience and nerves, however the minute the music began we emerged singularly, strong, confident and ready to perform.
My energetic beginning was the few days between the introduction Skype call and my first 1-2-1. I felt like I had the information required to get cracking and with the clarification from Adesola that my study plan and ideas sounded on the right track, I have started gaining some momentum. However between my daily journal, the tasks I have set myself such as getting my blog going and deciding where to start with the reading lists, plus the suggested reflection/blog activities in the hand book I feel like its all my head and can't quite yet grab it and get it down on paper.
I can liken this to one of my newest teaching appointments. A KS1 Musical Theatre class, 15 children who have only known me for a week who are not quite sure of my ambitious vision for The Greatest Showman - A Million Dreams. That first class was tough trying it keep them motivated while giving them individual directions and trying to be fun at the same time. Reassuring them that at the moment it may not all make sense to them but with practice it will be great. Once all the pieces (the children) are in the right place and have confidence in the new steps they have learnt, the final picture will come together.
I am hoping the effective beginning comes once I start to draft my essay. I would love to have an 'Eureka' moment but I think it is only going to come together with time, research and commitment. Not unlike the path I took to become a professional dancer. Gaining knowledge, honing my technique, putting in the hours and simply living everyday with thoughts of dance in my head. Be it choreographing to songs on the car radio (in my head of course) practising ballet behind my work reception desk or simply lying in bed awake for an extra 10 mins processing my learning from that day.
So like that little girl who couldn't wait to put on her leotard for her first dance class, I am ready with excitement and anticipation to make every moment count.
My First Blog...... I created my blog a week ago, yet had been unable to start writing. I found the idea of embarking on a University degree quite daunting and felt I had to create some epic creative piece of work for my first ever Blog, just to prove to myself and others that I can handle what is yet to come. I am glad to say today's Skype call with Helen has changed that view and I now feel more relaxed and excited about starting this new journey.
Having had already scanned through the Module One Handbook I was a little apprehensive about the introduction Skype call as there were many terms and phrases that I didn't understand and I didn't want to seem clueless on the call. My worries were for nothing as Helen did most of the talking thankfully, explaining how to use our UniHub and were to find all the information we need.
My mind was put at ease when Helen explained that we are not expected to understand it all straight away otherwise there would be no point in us doing the course.
I asked a question about the up and coming online sessions just to clarify the invitations to these call's will work the same way as today's. I am planning to attend all available online discussions as I definitely gain more confidence in a group setting and enjoy discussing ideas and trains of thought with others. I found it reassuring that there is a list of all students blogs on Unihub and look forward to networking with my fellow Module 1 students and following the work of those students now undertaking Module 2 & 3.
I have now made a plan to complete my Study Plan and thoroughly read through the Module One Handbook again compiling notes ahead of my first 1 to 1 on Wednesday.
