Informed consent

Informed consent will be my one of my initial concerns as regards to ensuring all ethical basis are covered. I will gather consent from all participants before they take any part in the inquiry. This will ensure they know and fully understand exactly what the inquiry involves, any potential risks and there exact involvement before they agree to take part.
I will use an Information Sheet to provide my potential participants with information about the inquiry. This will include such information as...

• My name, university & Inquiry concept.
• Why I would like the particular participant/school to be involved.
• Ensure they are aware that even if they agree to take part, they can change their mind at any time, without giving an explanation.
• Inform that the inquiry will primarily be observation based and what the observation will involve.
• Explanation on how the information will be used, stored and kept confidential.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ethical Considerations

Safeguarding procedures, CRB, Codes of conduct all common place in an educational environment or in any environment involving children for that matter. 
Working with Children on a daily basis has given me a detailed insight into many ethical issues which have to be taken into consideration. As I am looking to base my inquiry within an Educational setting much of my research will take place in such an environment therefore there are many procedures which must be considered and be at the forefront of my inquiry including;

• Correct & current permissions - Permission must be granted from both parents and teachers to include any photographic evidence or comments involving particular children and all faces visible must be depicted. Names of Schools or Children/Teachers will not be referenced unless such permission has been granted and the correct referencing applied.
• Data collection - Any Data and relevant information collated will be kept and seen only by myself and used solely for the inquiry.
• CRB - A current Enhanced CRB must be to hand at all times when in an educational environment to ensure current government standards are upheld.
•  Professional conduct - To uphold professional standards at all times, ensuring work areas are safe and are a space of positive learning. Ensure particular schools behaviour strategies are enforced and maintained and my inquiry and research dose not disrupt students and their learning.
• Duty of care/ safeguarding - to ensure any behaviours, altercations or allegations I believe to be harmful towards a Child are reported to a safeguarding personal immediately.
• To enter my Inquiry with no prejudice or prejudgements as to ensure a fair and unbiased result.

The Importance of Dance within Education

Is there a need for dance within the national curriculum?

A question I believe needs a firm answer of YES!

Just today I had a discussion with a Deputy Head who observed one of my lessons with a year 4 class. She expressed how she could see how beneficial Dance could be in aiding coordination, which not only helps with balance and physical movement but it crosses over into other subjects aiding Handwriting and presentation skills. This is just one of many reason why Dance can play a key part in the development of  a chid through education.

I decided to look for study's or pieces of research on the relevance Of Dance within the Education system as I feel this could be a great way to include many of my questions under one inquiry topic. I stumbled across a piece published in 1992 by Lynnette Young Overby ERIC Clearinghouse on Teacher Education Washington DC (http://www.vtaide.com/png/ERIC/Dance-in-Ed.htm) The research displays current (1992) percentages of participation, curriculum objectives and identifies barriers towards dance the schools may face.

 

''Dance is usually taught as a part of the physical education curriculum. In a survey of 31 state departments of education, 89% of elementary school dance was taught by physical educators (DeBryn, 1988). Secondary dance programs have been described as "understaffed, underfinanced, and unapplauded" (Posey, 1988). A recent nationwide survey of secondary schools found (a) the majority of dance classes are taught in physical education departments, and (b) the styles of dance most frequently offered are aerobic (45%), folk (11%), ballet (9%), social (8%), and creative or ethnic (7%) (Pappalardo, 1990).

At least 15 states have developed dance curriculum guidelines, including California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin (Hilsendager, 1990). Except for North Carolina, however, no states have mandates that the guidelines be implemented (Gingrasso & Stinson, 1989).

Many of the curriculum guides contain specific content, goals, objectives, and limited measurable outcomes for such areas as:

* Dance techniques for social, modern, and ethnic dance;

* Aesthetic perception;

* Kinesthetic sense;

* Creative expression;

* Choreography

Dance elements can also be integrated into other subject areas, which may increase the likelihood of dance being included in the school curriculum (Burke-Walker, 1989). Hanna (1992) provides an example of a physics class in which principles of momentum, force, velocity, and energy are applied to dance to improve dance performance. Franke (1989) identifies connections between writing, tennis, and dance.''

 

Another study Dance Education in Elementary Schools by Liora Bresler, an assistant professor in curriculum instruction at the University of Illinois 1987 to 1990, demonstrates issues still very much relevant today as regards to the fears general teaching professionals have when it comes to teaching dance...lack of subject knowledge, resources and advice.

 

''Not only did teachers have no knowledge base in dance or dance education, there was a lack of resources to help them become more knowledgeable. There were few dance education resources. And there seemed to be no vision of what a dance curriculum could be. The general sympathy that some teachers shared for dance was hard to translate into curricular activities and lesson units. The task of curriculum development in dance is compounded by its lack both of tradition and of availability of materials. Formal materials are rare. Videotapes or books that support learning objectives in dance are not easily accessible to teachers. Unlike the disciplines of music and visual arts education where there are textbooks, detailed methods, and lists of objectives, dance has few resources for curriculum planning. In the schools I studied, when it came to evaluation of student dance work, teachers had no preparation and no expertise to make artistic judgments. In this vicious cycle, there are few programs and resources from which to draw, few job opportunities, few materials designed for experts, and few professional organizations. These problems interact with the lack of budget, time, and priorities within the schools, mutually shaping each other.''

 

When looking over study's and research I found few published within the last 10 years with specification on the importance of Dance within Education, I found many articles and opinion blogs on the subject but little factual research. I also felt many of the study's I did come across had been developed in the States as apposed to the UK ...I feel this could be a good direction to head my inquiry.

Sources of Literature part 1

When research different sources of literature which could possibly help develop and expand my initial inquiry thoughts my first port of call was to look at the syllabus first from a dance organisation  and secondly from a educational curriculum view as I though this could open up other possible though paths involving the syllabuses development over a number of years, interpretation and its effectiveness. Although I found a few general discussion forums/blogs etc. on the topic I couldn't find quite what I was looking for I therefore turned my attention to specific questions I had already developed to see if theses could lead me to a new line of thought of development. One of the questions that had popped up on a number of occasions during conversations with fellow teachers was the affect assessment and/or exams can have on a child...Are they a good indication of ability, how they affect a child's ability to progress, are they setting children up for a fall, or are they in fact they way in which we succeed? The article I found particularly interesting was not specific to Dance but around learning in general. I still feel it holds a great deal of substance and relevance me as I always look to educational styles of teaching to help develop my on styles and techniques. All teaching stems from a set goal in wanting the child to succeed. The article comments on the pressures of examinations and how ensuring confidence is installed in every child is key. 

The source was located from the Thinking inclusion  IQM Blog -  Inclusion Quality Mark Ltd (IQM) was established in the U.K in October 2004 with the objective of supporting both state and independent schools to become truly inclusive. The particular entry was posted by 'Chris' On June 1st 2014 http://www.inclusionmark.co.uk/blog/index.php/examination-or-assessment/
 
One particular point I found very relevant was a comment made on a child having the feeling of failure and feeling inferior. Undoubtable at some point or another there will be a child who lacks self confidence and self worth, as a teacher it is our responsibility to ensure this happens as little as possible. Within many teaching spaces words such as fail, lose, cant and failure are forbidden but is the fact that in place to learn we must fail in order to succeed? Is this not what a learning journey is all about? However the point of reinforce positive praise to motivate learning, not setting a child up to fail are also key elements a successful teacher must endeavour to achieve.
 
''In every classroom there is likely to be a group of children who feel inferior to their classmates, with some actively articulating their difficulty in learning. I can’t…. draw, dance, remember, calculate…I’m not as good as…..  Life is full of pitfalls and the ability to face these is often the real test. Schools should be places where learners can seek solutions with active guidance and support as needed. Is failing as good for the soul as some would make out? Or, on learning situations, should areas for development be the mantra?
 
Pass/fail; win/lose; good/bad; yes/no; success/failure; can/can’t.
 
If we allow regular, polarised usage of such words to colour and determine education, what is the subsequent impact on the learning journeys of young people?''
 
The above point emphasises why everyone teaches in a different way, although we many attempt to follow certain criteria and take on board advised teaching styles we all in fact find our own way and one which works for us and our children.

Although the article in the main is regarding Assessment and examination it touches on many different points as well which is why I really found it insightful and it gave my a whole new range of possible paths of enquiry. It lead me on to want to see if I could find an expert opinion on the role dance plays within the mainstream education system and how they themselves overcome some of the hurdles mentioned above.

 

'Here's the real reason you didnt get called to audition'

When researching different avenues of literature I stumbled across this fantastic article 'Here's the real reason your didn't get called to audition' written by Phil Willmott, published in the stage. Phill willmott is an award winning director, playwright and arts journalist. The article gives a fantastic insight into the process directors go through during a casting process and how at times it can literally come down to your CV's position in a pile and if luck is on your side!

Below is a particularly interesting extract and I have added the link if anyone would like to read further.

'I was still left with 100 or so more people than I could practically audition, who all looked right and were qualified.
I’m not proud of what I did next
I looked over the list again (and again, and again) last week to weed out a few based on considered judgement but that was barely making a dent so I did something I’m not proud of. I prioritised submission from agents I know and trust and deselected those from agents I’d never heard of. I make sure there’s a contingent in my selection to see who haven’t got agents because on the fringe I want to give those people a chance.'
'I was still about 50 people over so – and this is horrible and unfair – I next cut every third person.
All this is to point out that selection really can be that cruel and arbitrary. I hope that’s some kind of comfort if you are wondering what’s wrong with your CV or picture.
You might not have got the job because you don’t look right or haven’t got appropriate experience. You might have an agent who doesn’t know the right people for that job, or just isn’t very good. But equally, it might just be that luck wasn’t on your side that day.'

http://www.thestage.co.uk/people/analysis-opinion/2014/11/real-reason-not-called-audition/

 

Social community - 'Special Interest Group'

My Social Community-
 
Teaching Professionals within the Arts.
 
TPA community
 
Please join and get involved I would be very grateful for any input!

4A Professional Inquiry introduction

Wow after a good few months of very little academia getting back into all the reading and blogging is going to be a challenge...but here goes!!!

Contemplating starting  my professional inquiry filled me with dread and fear...thankfully after looking over reader 4 I feel slightly more at ease, as expressed by Judi Marshall Inquiry develops and works hand in hand with self-reflective practice and practice in action.

'Inquiry involves intent, a sense of purpose. This may be held tacitly.

There may be multiple intents, in accord or discord. Often intents

unfold, shift, clarify or become more complex. Working with this aspect

of inquiry is vital to self reflective practice.'

'I state overtly that an issue, event, theme, dilemma or whatever is an inquiry for me.
This is a deliberate means to keep my questioning open and to help it develop.'

 

Both practices are also vital to Work based learning introducing the many similarity's between WBL and Inquiry. Work based learning uses the workplace as a learning environment, encouraging learning to develop through working and the practices which take place on a daily basis. Similarly an inquiry can evolve from questions, situations and thoughts created by or from our workplace proving the key role Self - reflective practice and practice in action play in both.

 

Professional inquiry requires in-depth knowledge and examination into the key skills required to be a successful professional in your chosen field, in my opinion this can not truly be known unless you are within the profession its self. There is only so much information we can learn from books and second hand learning, the real learning begins when we are engrossed within it, finding out for ourselves and evolving to become the best we can possibly be. This being said each and every person is different and learns differently as previously looked at during earlier readers however I do feel this is greatly relevant to professions with a practical nature. No longer can it just be relied upon to look good on paper, experience is needed every step of the way. This is now much more widely seen as the best place to learn 'on the job', Emphasizing the importance and relevance of Work Based Learning.

 

 WORK

EXPERIENCE

QUESTIONS/EVOLVEMENT/SITUATIONS

QUEST FOR ANSWERS/

INVESTIGATION/INQUIRY

 

'Bell 2005' Defines research as ''seeking through methodical processes to add to one's own body of knowledge and, hopefully, to that of others, by the discovery of non-trivial facts and insights''

'Add to ones body' is a key point in this quote, we need an initial 'body', thought or question, which we can create from experience to build upon with research. The two go hand in hand with both initial developing and final lines of inquiry. We use both as an investigative tool for abstract ideas as well as 'case studies' helping us to gain insight from other professionals and organisations within our practice. Books, Journals, Blogs and the internet can all aid the research process providing invaluable knowledge not necessarily attainable through self experience.

 

All the above play key roles in the development and success of professional inquiry's

 

Reflecting on Module one and initial learnings from Module two I have created a number of questions which I am hoping may spark a starting point towards my inquiry, the questions still cover quite a varied range of topics at this point as I want to ensure I gain as much knowledge  as possible and keep my options open.

I have asked several fellow professionals to fill in and comment on the questions below...

 

 How do you believe your personal energy and mood affects others/pupils during class?

What do you believe to be the most effective way for your Children/ adults to learn within a weekly or one off class setting?

Do you feel exams and performance situations relate to a child's progress and development within dance?

Do you see a difference between children who participate in exams and performance situations and those who do not?

In your opinion what teaching styles/strategies help to guarantee the retainment of Choreography/information and a child's learning.

When delivering a one day dance workshop in a school environment who should be the main disciplinarian...the main school teacher or the visiting facilitator? Why?

Do you think dance plays an important role in mainstream education?

What are your feelings on the Primary and Secondary dance curriculums, are there any ways in which you think dance could be developed within the curriculum?

I will post the completed questionnaire in due course.