Online Research Access Tips....

While I eagerly await the results from my Module 3 Inquiry I thought I would share a few practical tips that I found really useful for Literature Reviewing...

First, access to online journals via Google Scholar.

While there is a fantastic catalogue of journals available on the University Online Libary I found it really helpful to gain access to an article I had discovered while researching online. Some articles ask for access or for payment but there is also an option to log in via Institution.

This is example is easy to gain access to, simply read online and then Login via your institution! 

However, some journal sites do not give this option... 

I discovered that if you select Shibboleth, it will give you the option to then search your institution and then log in for access.

This tip has really assisted me when following threads from one article to another or from journal bibliographies, which really helped me link my literature review scholars and theorists.

I plan to share a few more tips over the coming weeks that have been invaluable to me, I hope everyone's study is going well.

Charlie x

Light Bulb!!!

I am currently reviewing my literature from Module 2 and searching for new literature to fill in the gaps. A few weeks ago I felt like I was in a fog, I had been given feedback to look more into what Learning and Education are in order to add more depth to the question ' What is the relationship between The Multiple Intelligences and Dance Teaching?' This is a big field with many different theories and I worried that I would disappear down the rabbit hole.

I have been collecting papers and journal articles on a computer folder that I have started systematically working my way through. Filtering out anything that was too far outside the net I had cast. George Siemens talks of Exclusion as a vital learning process.

'We cannot possibly consider every facet of a new idea. We exclude in order to move to the point of active cognition on, or interaction with, an idea.' (Siemens, 2006 pg 36)

Although I am not yet at the analysis phase as I have not finished my practice reflection journal I am starting to see links and threads appearing in my literature. 

(Pintrest, 2019)

And Eureka! I feel like I am starting to get somewhere.... 

I still have a long way to go, unpicking the ethical considerations, viewing my findings from different perspectives, but for that brief moment the sun shone through the fog and I feel I have my Inquiry VIP guest list complete.

Now to get this party started.... 

Bibliography
Pintrest (2019). Lightbulb. [image] Available at: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/677510337667509037/?nic=1a [Accessed 24 Oct. 2019].
Siemens, G. (2006). Knowing knowledge. [Milton Keynes]: [s.n.].

Knowing Knowledge Revisited..

As suggested in the Module 3 handbook, I am revisiting Knowing Knowledge by George Siemans. I feel like I am reading it with new eyes, now in Module 3 I have a greater understanding of the message the book is sending.

In particular, the idea that the many different parts of ourselves holds different perspective - points for perceiving and (filtering) knowledge (Siemans, 2006) 

This made me think of the above meme, not only do we have our own perspectives of our practice but those in our networks and communities have their own perspectives too. My data collection tools are literature review and a reflection journal. I am feeling very anxious that am not holding interviews or surveys as my research outcome depends solely on me working reflexively and being able the critically reflect on my own thoughts.

However my re-reading of Siemans Knowledge flow cycle has reminded me that the process of the inquiry is to further my own ideas and knowledge and not to solve a problem. 

The following stages;

 'Personalization... at this stage, we bring new knowledge to ourselves through the experience of internalization, dialogue or reflection.

Implementation... is the final stage, where action occurs and feeds back into the personalization stage. Our understanding of a concept changes when we are acting on it, versus only theorizing or learning about it.'
(Siemans, 2006 pg 6)


This is where I feel I am at the moment. The literature I am reading is giving me new information to incorporate into my practice, it is giving me new things to think about as I teach and bringing new processes to my reflections.

Where are you at?  Is there anything you are reading at the moment that is helping clarify your process so far? Or anything that has thrown you off into a new direction?


Bibliography

I am a dance teacher. (2019). [image] Available at: https://www.memesmonkey.com/topic/dance [Accessed 8 Oct. 2019].
Siemens, G. (2006). Knowing knowledge. [Milton Keynes]: [s.n.].

Some light bedtime reading...

I am now officially into the first week of my literature review, and I have found the best way to concentrate is to go to bed at 8pm with my post-it notes and I am currently Frames of Mind - The Theory of Multiple Intelligences by Howard Gardner.

I familiarised myself with his work in my Module 2 literature review but now I am reading his work with more focus on the Ethical considerations of his theory and applying this to my practice as a dance teacher.

I have enjoyed how reflexive Gardner's writing is, at no point does he portray his theory as 'The be-all and end-all' and for every intelligence, he highlights the cultural perspectives and considerations of disabilities and different cognitive abilities.

His introduction hi-lights that there is no definitive explanation for intelligence and probably will never be one. And in fact, we need to think critically about our attachment to the word 'Intelligence' and also apply this thought to many things that we label.

'There is a universal human temptation to give credence to a word to which we have become attached, perhaps because it has helped us to understand a situation better.... Intelligence is such a word; we use it so often that we have come to believe in its existence, as a genuine tangible, measurable entity, rather than as a convenient way of labelling some phenomena that may (but may well not) exist.' (Gardner, 1993 pg 69)

My reading also reminded me why I found interest in this topic, I hate the idea that we are all measured by the same system when our talents and intelligence are different.

'There must be more to intelligence than short answers to short questions- answers that predict academic success; and yet, in the absence of a better way of thinking about intelligence, and of better ways to assess an individual's capabilities, this scenario is destined to be repeated' (Gardner, 1993 pg 3)

This has made me think about how we measure dance ability. Is it only those with the highest kicks, best technique and performance that are the best dancers? 

Gardner places his theory of intelligence across lots of different cultures from the Anang of Nigeria who by the age of five sing hundreds of songs, play several percussion instruments and perform dozens of intricate dance movements (Gardner, 1993) and how skills that to the western world may seem primitive actually require a high level of intelligence. Such as in Kikuyu in Kenya, a young child is taught how to recognize every head of livestock in his family's herd from its colour, markings and size and type of its horns. (Gardner, 1993)


How would these children fair in an audition? They clearly have remarkable talents but these would not necessarily be tested if they were just mirroring a choreographer. Or their talents would not be realised if they were just judged on a dance they had presented by themselves.

Instead of looking at the aesthetic of a performer and that being the marker of their talent, could we look further into their intelligence so that they can develop from a deeper place?



Bibliography
Gardner, H (1993) Frames of Mind The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, Fontana Press.

Through The Fog

(Symmetry Magazine, 2009)

Wednesday was the first group discussion shared with all modules for me this term. I think a lot of us joined the call with the hope that the discussion would help create some clarity through the fog that is the first few weeks of the term.

I am familiar with THE FOG! It's been present at the beginning of all 3 modules for me. Like the beginning of a new day, it's early and dark and a haze lingers across your line of sight.

However I now take comfort in the fog, it means that I am in the process of adding more to my learning. I'm aware there shouldn't be a clear answer and as was mentioned on the call, I need to trust in my ability to think critically and reflect on my journey so far.

In using the processes I have learnt, I can visually map where my thoughts are and start looking for themes. I can record my thoughts in my journal so that they marinade and develop substance.

I have taken time re-reading my Module 2 inquiry and although it's a bit daunting that I am now changing my data collection methods, it reminded me WHY I choose this subject.

I am looking into the relationship between Dance Teaching and Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences. This idea first came to me in Module 1 when I reflected on one of my classes where a pupil asked "How many steps they needed to take?" It made me think that I use music counts and descriptions of left, right, left but very rarely do I say " Take 3 steps!"

I am not a numbers person but looking at Howards Gardner's theory made me think that maybe some of my pupils are, and they would have a better chance understanding my teaching if I used techniques that spoke to their Mathematical - Logical Intelligence.

In Module 2, my literature review comprised mainly of Gardner's work through books and interviews, scholars that supported Gardner's theory and have applied it to dance teaching and scholars that stated the Theory was often misused and may narrow pupils learning.

In Module 3, I now plan to explore further literature of Intelligence Theories (without getting lost down a rabbit hole) and to find what other Theories are being used in education.

I would love to discuss anyone's experiences that made you question past or current teaching methods whether you were the teacher or pupil. Or if anyone currently in education has had experiance in theories or methods that may be transferable into dance or teaching in the arts.

If you would like to know more about Howard Gardners Theory and test your Intelligence there is more on one of my previous blog - Multiple Intelligences - Where do you fit in?

It will be great to hear your thoughts.

Photo CreditSymmetry Magazine (2009). Dancing with Physicists. [image] Available at: https://www.symmetrymagazine.org/article/august-2009/dancing-with-physicists [Accessed 27 Sep. 2019].

Keeping it simple

I plan to create a visual map for my literature review, I have been collecting literature throughout my inquiry planning that I will use for examples of different perspectives and discourses but I wanted to make it more visual and wanted to include images of the key scholars and theorist I have been researching. One of these is Howard Gardner, I have read through some (not all he has over 30 books) of his key books, articles on google scholar and watched interviews on youtube.

It was only when I realised I needed an image of him that I simply googled 'Howard Gardner' this is when I had a total OMG moment and slapped my own forehead, why hadn't I done this before???? 

Image - Pinterest  - https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/769482286304388853/

Howard Gardner has 2 dedicated websites, with questions and answer pages, I can even follow him on twitter and he has over 5000 hashtags on Instagram! I had been so wrapped up in finding literature through 'reputable sources' that I hadn't done a basic google search. 
This realisation has helped me find new literature to add to my research and reminded me to sometimes Keep It Simple.