End of tour!!

As it's getting towards the end of tour all members of the company are getting tired and run down with a few illnesses and injuries circulating. Everyone is getting excited about going home for Christmas and the festivities ahead.

Unfortunately yesterday during our warm up ballet class one of the male dancers went over on his ankle and had to be rushed to hospital 25 minutes before the show. Being such a small company all of the dancers have many roles to play in each ballet and we have no understudies that come on tour with us. This, of course caused mayhem as the roles were reassigned to other company members at the 15 minute call. Dancers were manically watching recorded choreography on laptops before the curtain went up. The first role (Fritz in Nutcracker) ended up being played by a girl in a wig!!! We all worked together and the show actually looked 'quite good' in the words of our ballet mistress. It turns out our inured dancer has a sprained ankle, so unfortunatley with a week left of tour it looks unlikely he will be able to do any more performances.

Although yesterday was completely frantic it actually showed us that even when we are tired/ill/injured we can work collectively as a team and put on an enjoyable show.

In terms of my inquiry it is interesting for me to look how people are behaving differently now compared to the beginning of tour. Are less people completing a full ballet class? More people doing exercises to get rid of injuries? Less people warming up? People tired? How has the mental attitude of the company altered? This are some things I have been writing about in my journal so it will be interesting for me to be able to look back at these notes.

First Tuesday Skype chat.

Shamefully the Skype session yesterday was the first Tuesday Skype chat that I have actually been able to attend due to Tuesday morning normally being  a manic working day for me. However, I am so glad I joined yesterday and I believe I took a lot away from it and will definitely try to make time for them in the future.

It was a very intimate session with only myself, Adesola and Bethany (a module 3 student) participating so it was really nice to actually have the time to talk and question each other about what we are doing/why and how our inquiry is developing. For me, it was very good to speak to someone who was ahead of me in terms of modules because I got a preview of what to come and expect in the next module when producing my artefact. It was also good to have some advice about my current inquiry from someone who has been there themselves recently. I hope I was also of help to Bethany too!

One main thing that I took away from the session was how important it is to take a step back from your work and look at whatever you are doing, whether it be your inquiry or artifiacte or even a blog post and try to look at it from the perspective of someone who has no idea who you are or what the BAPP course is about and see if what you are doing/writing actually makes sense. I think sometimes I forget that people can't see inside my head so it is important for me to make sure everything I am thinking clear on paper so the assessors and readers can actually follow my ideas and train of thought.

Thank you so much for the Skype yesterday Adesola and Bethany.
Here is a link to Bethany's blog:

http://hucklebethany.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/module-2-inquiry-research-media.html

Skype with Adesola

After a pretty manic week on tour being away in different hotels every night I was really looking forward to my Skype session this morning with Adesola to get me back on track with my work. After sending her my bullet pointed draft last week I was ready to talk through her written advice and apply it to my work.

I am a lot clearer about what I want to include in my plan and where I want to take my inquiry. And speaking through my ideas really helped. I voiced my concerns on areas I was less confident and also about how I was feeling in regards to time management in module three. When planning my inquiry I need to be realistic about what I can achieve in the time frame and bare this in mind when deciding which tools of inquiry best suit my circumstances.

My topics to talk about with Adesola were:

1) Is my title OK> Broad enough? Not limiting myself?
2) Clarify about what data collection is, literature review and analysis. (This was in regards to her notes on my draft)
3) Bit confused about aims and objectives.
4) Interest in mindfulness and how to incorporate within inquiry.

I am looking forward to joining the first Tuesday of the month Skype tomorrow!

Thanks for the chat Adesola.

Task 6B - Tools of inquiry

FOCUS GROUPS:

Focus groups are similar to interviews but have different dynamics because of the interaction between  participants.

POSITIVES:

-interaction and though stimulation can lead to people expressing opinions on topics they may not have thought about on their own
- can collect a good range of different people's opinions
- easier to organise than lots of separate interviews
- supportive environment for people who don't like to talk on their own

NEGATIVES:
- difficult to manage and potentially less control
- necessary to plan (seating plan) and think about how to show direction
- some people may remain more quiet and withhold opinions so important to try to encourage everyone to have an input

How would using a focus group develop your line of inquiry within the workplace? Are there any downsides of using this tool? 

SURVEYS AND QUESTIONNAIRES:

Possible to gather a wide range of results in this way. You can take representational results and with random sampling collect more quantitative results. 

POSITIVES:
- ability to gather information from a wide range of sources
- large numbers of people can answer surveys/questionnaires
- ease of use for participants
- efficient in producing quantitative data 


NEGATIVES:

- limited in terms of depth of inquiry (can't ask more specific questions)

Important to carefully compose the questions to ensure participants fully understand and can provide accurate answers. 

Questionnaire checking should be done as soon as the completed questionnaire is returned. Check to ensure all the questions have been answered correctly. Add a reference number to the form that you should put in your data file to enable crosschecking. Ensure that you are recording data anonymously and observing the status of confidentiality to your respondents. Questionnaires are likely to produce quantitative data that can be statistically analysed, so be accurate when organising the responses. Reader 6 

How have other researchers analysed questionnaires? Can you find examples?
Try locating a questionnaire that has been used in a professional capacity and analyse its success or failure as a research tool. Can it be compared to what you need for your own questionnaire? 

Task 6B - 4 Tools of inquiry

I need to match the collection tool(s) to my research problem(s) I will explore.

Purposive- choosing people who can answer the questions using defined criteria (qualitative) in order to look at particular or situated phenomena (qualitative approach)
Representative- selection of the sample population (quantitative and mixed - i.e. the interviews might follow a survey) more ‘scientific’ - using a version of probability or non-probability sampling (quantitative approach)

OBSERVATION: 

- Watching, recording and analysing events of interest

There are a number of different approaches of observation:

• the events may be recorded, either at the time or subsequently by the researcher
  
• the observations may be structured in terms of a predetermined framework or may be relatively open
  
• the observer may also be a participant in the events being studied or may act solely as a ‘disinterested’ observer 
  
  
  POSITIVES: 
  
  
  - rich source of information
  - can show behavioural  nature of individuals 
  - observation can show reactions/events in natural environment. 
  - read body language 
  
  NEGATIVES:
  
  - time consuming 
  - must plan in advance 
  - have to be present at session being observed 
  - confidentiality problems in filming/taping people
  - requires agreement of 'Gatekeeper' 
  
  - ethical considerations, difficulties when observing minors
  
  
  ANALYSING OBSERVATIONS:
  
  
  Analysing and interpreting data recorded from observations is complex and requires a sound understanding of the context for the event/meeting that was observed. Data is often both qualitative (how and why) and quantitative (how much and when). As such the researcher might need to draw up a coding framework that ensures the data is analysed within the neutral framework recognised in academic practice. Bell’s section in Doing Your Research Project (2005) on analysing observations is a good starting point if this is a tool you are using and it is recommended that you practice developing your analytical skills by observing meetings (or similar events) on television or in the workplace. Any notes about the interactions with interviewees can also be noted in the analysis. READER 6
  
  
  

  Questions to consider: 

  What preparation do you need to do for your pilot observation?
  Are there specific things on which you are focusing?
  How are you recording the data? Why? 
  
  
  
  INTERVIEWS:
  
  Qualitative method where you can use what people say as evidence. Can be carried out in an formal or informal method. 
  
  Can be carried out in a number of different ways:
  
  
  • face to face or over the telephone
    
  • with an individual or a group of people
    
  • using a structured list of questions or a more informal method of
    interaction.
    
    The interview method involves questioning or discussing issues with people. There are a number of different types of interview method (indebted to Bell, 2005).
  • semi-structured interview which includes set questions or themes with the flexibility of following interesting or useful emerging issues is often most appropriate for the work-based researcher because of its inherent flexibility.
    
  • non-directive or open interviews that allow the interviewee to talk about anything they like.
    -narrative inquiry (related to open) where the participants use a storytelling format
  • informal interviews which have an overall data gathering aim using an extremely non-structured approach
    
  • informal/guided interview which provides topic areas to cover but no set questions. Interviews are time-consuming but they can allow the collection of valuable data about motives, expectations and attitudes that are very difficult to collect by any other means. 
    
    
    MUST AVOID USING LEADING QUESTIONS.
    
    
    To conduct interviews you must consider:
    
    
    • What data do you need to collect to answer your research questions that may only be provided by other people?
      
    • Who do you need to interview and why?
      
    • Where would be most appropriate to hold the interview – neutral ground or
      ‘home’ ground?
      
    • At what point in the research process would it be best to interview?
      
    • What questions need to be asked?
      
    • The degree of structure in the interview – structured, semi-structured or
      unstructured?
      
    • Whether all the interviews will include the same questions and follow the
      same structure? If not, why not?
      
    • How are you going to record the interview – whether to make notes during the
      interview or use a tape recorder and transcribe notes afterwards?
      
    • How are you going to access the data from the interview – transcribe tape
      recordings, order and/or reflect on your written notes?
      
    • How will you ensure that you comply with ethical and confidentiality issues
      and relevant legislation such as the Data Protection Act? What is the status of what is said, i.e. is everything on the record? 
      
      
      
      
      
      
      POSITIVES:
      
      
      - Adaptable, can conduct on Skype or phone. 
      - Can get a wide range of interviewees
      
      
      NEGATIVES:
      
      
      - Inverviewer could influence the interviewee 
      - Don't ask leading questions
      - If I am interviewing people in my workplace the answers could vary between colleges depending on how friendly we are
      
      
      
      http://paulanottingham.blogspot.com/2010/03/3rd-campus-session.html
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      

Task 6A - Research Inquiry Tools

Now I am beginning to look at different research inquiry tools and find one which is most relevant and beneficial to my individual inquiry and professional practice. I will be researching into the main tools of inquiry; observation, interviews, surveys and focus groups and engage them with my SIG. I also need to take into account how time consuming each tool would be and plan out how I will use this research to collect and compare my data. I will explore the methods other researchers have obtained data and try to learn how this can apply to my inquiry. 

Common distinction between qualitative and quantitative.

Qualitative - relies on peoples words phenomena. Often collect written or audio data.

Qualitative - can be translated into numerical data. 

Three important concepts - VALIDITY, RELIABILITY, GENERALISABILITY. 

In order for me to produce an informative and accurate artefact in module 3 it is necessary for me to ask the appropriate questions and collect data in a format relevant to my topic. I also need to consider the reliability factor and how it is important to be consistent with my research told throughout my research.“if another researcher were to look into the same questions in the same setting, they would come up with essentially the same results” (Blaxter et al., 2001, p. 221). The concept of generalisability relates to whether the research and results from the inquiry could be applicable to other situations outside of the small scale inquiry. 

 

In the reader it clearly states that evidence needs to be categorised in order to analyse and interpret results. It is in this stage that differences and patterns are identified thus it is vital for this to be completely accurate. The reader informs me that often quantitative date can be anaylsed and validated using quantitate data and vice versa using a mixed methodology. I need to plan which inquiry methods I will use in module 3 to avoid being overloaded with data. 

Common pitfalls:
- vague and ill-defined aims
- lacking detail about research design
- being overly ambitious in terms of scope and time 

I need to make sure I am aware of these pitfalls to avoid making these mistakes. This is something I will have to consider in my inquiry plan and when I am trialling methods of inquiry with my SIG.

Personal, professional and organisational ethics

Intro to ethics:

Through doing more research about ethics I aim to find about more about the implications ethics may have on my professional practice and continue to develop my approach to ethics for my inquiry. In module 1 we started looking at the topic of ethics and the effects it may have on your practice via social media and in my previous blog (professional ethics) I created a mind-map about ethics, so it'll be interesting to see how my thoughts and knowledge burgeon and alter.

The professional ethics reader states that there are three main areas of ethics:

- personal (family values, religion, culture)
-professional (professional code of conduct)
-organisational

These all contribute to the promotion of social good in a larger society.

The reader states that there is a rippling effect through all of the different areas of ethics:
Personal - profession - organisational - society.

History of ethics:

The history of ethics is long and its development can be traced from Plato and Aristotle right up to today where almost every philosopher has a view on ethics. The word ethics is widely held to have its origins in the Greek work ethos, which means character. The Greek philosophers were much taken with the notion of good and bad in their discourses and writings. Ethics has its roots in moral philosophy and is concerned about the right or the good way to carry out actions. 

Religion and law are both closely associated with morals and ethics. - I found this an interesting sentence because law wasn't something I had really associated when it comes to ethics, but in reality ethics play a massive part in the justice system and law. Law exists to provide a structure for society and set standards for social norms and expectations for behaviour. 

Ethics comes from the theories of moral philosophy. There is the notion also of the natural man which is animal like and the conventional man who is shaped by the social rules and norms as argued for by Hobbes in his social contract proposal. 

Other philosophers:

Hobbes (1651) viewed ethics as a practical solution to social harmony and good through the vehicle of a social contract. He posited that in order to achieve peaceful, co-operative social order we need to adhere to a set of moral rules. These rules are necessary because of certain facts about human life which he subscribed to. These were equality of need, scarcity, essential quality of human power and limited altruism. Without moral rules, these facets would lead to a constant state of war with one and all, which would be intolerable. In order to overcome this, the social contract would

Thinking point: produce a list of virtues relevant to you as an individual and include the two extremes. Then do the same for your profession.

Middlesex University ©2016

facilitate beneficence through its set of rules. The Social Contract works on the premise that rational people will accept it on the understanding that everyone else will as well and is supported by the idea that morality is a set of rules for mutual benefit. 

Ethical dilemma in workplace:

In the nursing profession, those who were members of the catholic church were forbidden by their faith from assisting in terminations of pregnancy. Again, this is an example of an ethical dilemma which requires negotiation with employers. 

In the corporate world the near collapse of the banking system in 2007, which many would contend was as a result of unethical behaviour where short-term gains were viewed as preferable to ensuring sustainability of the banking system is a case in point. Employers in the banking sector drove short-term profits at the expense of the greater social good. 

Research ethics:

When planning an inquiry or research, you need to adhere to sound ethical practice in carrying out the actions themselves. On another level, it is also good to consider the broader ethical implications attached to the research or inquiry. For instance what is the motivating factor behind the inquiry? Does the inquirer want to bring about a social (professional) good? Who stands to benefit most from the research?
Being a researcher carries many responsibilities to a range of reference groups, including participants, employers (in the case of practitioner-researchers), the academic institution (where the research is part of a course) and the research community. In the special case of research carried out as part of a course, the supervisor additionally has important responsibilities – holding the ultimate responsibility for ethical practice and gaining approval and having responsibility to minimise the risk of harm to the student researcher. 

This section about research ethics is very relevant to me and to my professional inquiry so I need to make sure I where to sound ethical practice in all parts of my research. I have begun thinking about this when filling out my ethics forms  and can see how important it is to have knowledge in this area. 

Key words from the reader about ethics:
- civil
-moral
- rules

Now I have a broader knowledge about ethics and the wide spectrum surrounding it I will continue to do some more research specifically about ethics in the arts, dance and theatre. As this will hopefully continue to increase my awareness about the topic.


References:

Professional ethics reader:
http://mdx.mrooms.net/pluginfile.php/631105/mod_resource/content/2/Reader%205%20Professional%20Ethics%202016-17.pdf

British Educational Research Association (2004, 2011) Revised Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research. Cheshire: BERA. Available from: https://www.bera.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/BERA-Ethical-Guidelines- 2011.pdf?noredirect=1