Sources of information

Friday 16th November 2012

Reflecting back on all that I've done so far, I feel as though I have managed to explore many ideas and I have been discussing issues that have never crossed my mind before. I feel as though I am developing well and now able to criticise and take on different views. It has been so interesting reading the ideas of other students and to see how every individual is dealing and working with the set tasks. Engaging in the tasks and topics, I have been on time and focused. I have been enjoying the work and reading and am now fully aware of how good and quite essential critical reflection is.

From what I have learnt and researched in these three modules, I have summed up my current top 5 most important sources of information. They are as follows:

1. Personal contacts - As discussed in previous blogs, I have become more aware over the past couple of years that a lot of professional networking comes from 'who you know'. We can find out about many jobs, auditions, meetings etc through our friends or professional colleagues. Simply by discussing our similarities and the routine of our professional practices, we are able to further our knowledge and become aware of any events that we can attend to develop and improve ourselves as professionals. Personally, I have been able to discover jobs applications and possible opportunities through my friends. They have connections themselves which can help me out. Without these personal contacts, there would be several jobs that I would not have applied for purely because I would not have been aware of them and I would not have had those that I know to 'put a good word in' for me. It is so important to keep your options open and allow your network (both personal and professional) to continue to grow. You may meet someone through a friend that could be a potential employer or attend an event where you get noticed - you then keep that person as a contact/connection in the professional world.

2. Social networking (Facebook) - I know it may seem a bit odd to have Facebook in my top 5 but I have discussed it on several occasions and although it is known to be a 'social' network, I think it also plays  a major role in professional networks. Through Facebook we are able to learn more about people, we can see the lifestyle they lead and whether there are similarities between them and ourselves. As mentioned on several occasions, we can all join Facebook 'groups' which allow us to share and discuss as well as view thoughts, ideas and images with people that have the same interests and live similar lives. These groups are an excellent way to communicate with those following comparable professional practices. 

3. Interviews (auditions) - Having been to several auditions in the past, I learnt a lot from both the panel of judges and the other dancers that were attending. All being put in the same situation and all going for the same job meant that, naturally, you would talk to one another. The same applies in my professional practice now, with job interviews. Having been to two this week I became fully aware of the connections that you can make and just by talking with those who are there, I learnt more about the jobs themselves and what else is around. I spoke to an employee of the business and she was able to tell me more about the role and what it involved. I also spoke to others attending the interview and learnt that sometimes it is best just to make your face seen by handing in your CV personally to managers etc. Having been to the interviews, if I do end up being unsuccessful this time, the employers have now met me (and, in a sense, are contacts - point 1.), they may be able to remember me for possible future positions and opportunities. 

4. BAPP students - Without all of the other students and their blogs, none of us would be able to discuss or be critical of one another's work and we certainly wouldn't be able to learn more about our individual professional practices. I have found it fascinating so far learning more and more about everyone and seeing how their work has developed over these three modules. It is brilliant both giving and receiving feedback because not only does it develop our critical reflection skills, we then are given responses which help us think of new ideas or look at something from another angle. (Thank you to everyone for your thoughtful comments!) I am already seeing a mixture of contrasts and similarities between mine and other's work. Claire Orlandi (http://orlandi1.blogspot.co.uk/) has recently commented on my 'Theories relating to networking' blog, she too has seen links between my thoughts and her own. She commented:
"I have just posted about cooperation and then read your blog and realised we have some similar ideas, I even posted about "survival of the fittest" aswell..it is true that if we look at evolution that is the way the world works!" 
Also, although we are going down different career paths, I can see some similarities between myself and Hannah Stewart (http://hannahmairistewart.blogspot.co.uk/). Hannah talks about the usefulness of Web 2.0: 
"We can use it to network, advertise our talents on youtube, a website to show the world how amazing we are, source information about up and coming auditions (the stage, casting call pro, star now etc), research shows, blog, look at online magazines such as the stage, whats on stage, have our online Cv's on spotlight, the list is endless!". 
I completely agree with this and some of her thoughts link to mine on Facebook and social networking. She also discusses that 'friends in the industry' are a key source of information, linking to my thoughts on personal contacts.
It is interesting to know that there are others with the same ideas as me and it will be great to keep in touch to 'compare notes' and to also pick out the differences we may have. 
I feel that we can link these blogs to the idea of cooperation, if none of us took part and did the required work, we would have no ideas to work from and nothing to discuss. Although we are all in separate places and a lot of us leading down different career paths, we can still work together and provide help and support through out. 

5. Books - I read a lot. I enjoy all sorts - novels, fiction, factual, documentation, historical, scientific etc. I am constantly learning through reading. Whether I learn similarities between the characters and the people in my life or learning facts about the world and it's history. Having good general knowledge and continually learning enables me to make comparisons with the words on the page to my own life, surroundings and personal connections. I have done an adequate amount of reading on Dance Movement Therapy - the career I am considering. Before reading 'Dance Movement Therapy: Theory and Practice' by Helen Payne, my knowledge on it was honestly quite poor. This book gave me a real insight to the reasons and meanings behind this form of therapy and with examples and quotes etc it allowed me to really get a sense of the job and what it involved. It made my interest in the subject grow and I now want to learn more (hence wanting to do the MA after gaining this degree!) I have read books about certain lifestyles conditions that people I know suffer from, to get a better idea of how they live and what they go through. I have also read novels such as 'Jane Eyre' by Charlotte Bronte which has been an inspiration for art work. It is amazing how much we learn from books and how much they can help us develop or increase our knowledge of a certain subject. I know that nowadays we can use a search engine i.e. Google and find all the answers we need (which don't get me wrong, I do use), but I still love books and letting my mind get stuck into the words I am reading.

Having looked back on these, there are plenty of other ways in which we can source information. A few other examples I have thought of are:

• Business cards - always have them at the ready, or take them from other people when offered. You never know when you'll need that certain person, or when they may need you and your assistance!
• Lectures/classes - there are several meetings and lectures that we can go to, whether they be linked with our BAPP course or general life issues and subjects. We can always learn more from the lecturers, but also the other people attending.
• Community/charity events - an excellent way to meet new people, making connections with those sharing similar interests.

Theories relating to networking (part two)

Wednesday 14th November 2012

Here are my continued thoughts on 'Theories relating to networking'...

Social Constructionism

"...meaning is not discovered but constructed" The constructionist view interests me. As seen on my other blogs, I am one who questions the world and it's meanings! The idea that we, as humans, create the meaning behind matters, fascinates me. I had never really thought about it until reading the extract from Crotty. I like the thought that things and ideas are there but they are almost 'inactive' until someone or something engages with it and creates a cause for it. It grabbed my attention when it says: 
"What the 'commonsense' view commends to us is that the tree standing before us is a tree. It has all the meaning we ascribe to a tree. It would be a tree, with that same meaning, whether anyone knew of its existence or not. We need to remind ourselves here that it is human beings who have construed it as a tree, given it the name, and attributed to it the associations we make with trees"
I have often thought about this. Why should a tree be called a tree? Why is the colour blue called blue? I understand that many words have come from latin words but still, we wouldn't think any differently if what we call an eye, was called a lamp (as a random example!) Scientists and people are still always discovering new things in our world. With technology constantly improving, we are able to learn more and more. Still today, we can think about the idea of "...properties of this worldstuff had yet to be represented by a mind."  These undiscovered items are unknown until a human has seen and then researched them. As discussed by Crotty, we construct the meanings behind 'worldstuff' as we are the ones who found them and interpreted them as we saw them. All other human's have taken the information on board and as mentioned earlier, we do not think any differently about it as we know no other 'meaning'.

Connectivism

In my professional practice and studying of the BAPP course, connectivism is playing a major role. It allows us all to connect, using technological networks, learning from one another and constantly furthering our knowledge.  Obviously, when connectivism came about, it was "...developed in a time when learning was not impacted through technology." Now, connecting and networking for both social and professional reasons, is a lot simpler and can be done over the internet. Thanks to the development of technology, we are now able to learn more easily and "The amount of knowledge in the world has doubled in the past 10 years". This is incredible. From looking at another blog, or viewing certain websites we are reading new information, gaining knowledge and allowing our minds to stretch further. Without this advanced way of learning, the way we study our BAPP course would not exist and we would not have the option to produce blogs and keep connected through Facebook etc. This technology will continue to grow and develop, allowing a progression of an easier and faster way to learn and connect. 
Looking back to 'Reflective Theory', I believe we are gaining knowledge through experiences. Whether these experiences be going out and about, connecting with people face to face or gaining it through online networks, learning from other people's views and discussions.

Communities of practice

This is a subject that I have discussed in previous blogs. The idea that we join 'groups' on sites such as Facebook and make profiles of ourselves on other networking sites. Again, they are for both social and professional reasons. Connecting with various social groups enables us all to share and discuss the ideas and interests that we have in common. Socially, this could be our favourite people, films, food, music etc where as in a professional environment, we may discuss issues within our jobs or upcoming lectures/auditions. 
Sharing this information through social 'communities' allows us to be aware of upcoming events and keep up to date with the current ideas of those around us. Being able to interact with one another in such a way is a good learning process. Without seeing other blogs, talking through social groups/communities, we may not learn specific facts. Simply reading someone's opinion of something allows us to learn a new view or angle on a subject. As well as this, it brings us all closer, as we are enjoying the same ideas and lifestyles.
Agreeing with this, the extract from Lace and Wenger states that the communities of practice "define possibilities for learning". Once we have gained knowledge through others, we can then further it by using our own thoughts and adapting it to our individual professional practice. We learn to adjust the way we work from the people around us and our surroundings and it is dealing with these changes that becomes a part of the learning process.
It all seems quite a lot to take in and understand and I realise that there are several other views and takes on these ideas. Without networking, I would not be taking part on the BAPP course and developing myself as a professional. I admire those who have brought social networking sites into our lives and thank them for allowing us to have constant, easy access to new ideas and information. 

Theories relating to networking

Sunday 11th November 2012

Lest we forget...    

When first reading of 'The Networked Professional' course reader, I must admit, I felt like I had been bombarded with information and a lot seemed quite alien to me. Having read it again, and thought about it more, I have a much better understanding and can now discuss the different concepts and how they are taking part in my own professional practice...

Cooperation

Having worked part time in retail I can relate to cooperation within a working environment and the idea of dealing with situations as a team in order to produce the best possible outcomes. As well as being a cooperative team, I can also fully understand that the concept can be associated with 'Game Theory' and how it's origins are “where one player succeeds at another's expense”. My experience in retail reflect this. If one team member were to excel in sales and customer service, they would be given more working hours which could then, potentially, lead to promotion. Other team members, those who either didn't push themselves enough or were purely unlucky and not seen when doing a high standard job, would miss out on such opportunities, falling behind those that were successful. Within networks, professionals can see this as competition. They all strive to be the best – back to the old 'survival of the fittest' theory. We all want to succeed in life and in our professional practices. This will always happen if we do cooperate with others in our networks but sometimes, as individuals, we do have to give that extra bit more, use our initiative and push ourselves forward, above the rest.

I can also relate to this idea from my experiences of dance auditions. The majority of dancers will help one another through out the audition process. Working out steps and timings of the given routine etc. As soon as they come to perform for the panel, the sense of cooperation tends to leave them and they are there purely because they want the job. I know that this isn't the case for everyone, I don't want to stereotype! But personally, I have seen this on several occasions.

Axelrod says: “Should a friend keep providing favours to another friend who never reciprocates?”.. I am guilty of this. As I have realised so far on this course, I enjoy and get satisfaction from helping others. I will always go out of my way to help someone, friends in particular, and more than often, I don't get the favour in return. I don't get offended or affected by this but it does make me realise that sometimes, as a person, I am 'too nice' – if that's possible?!

“Sometimes the selection process is direct: a member of Congress who does not accomplish anything in interactions with colleagues will not long remain a member of Congress.” Very true. I agree with Axelrod here. If we do not do as we need to within our professional network, we will not succeed and progress. We must get along with who we should and obey the rules and regulations. Interaction with other team members and cooperating day in day out is essential. With out it we would be working alone, no other opinions or input which could potentially lead to wrong doings. Cooperating with others allows us to see the other side of things, gain ideas of various solutions and enables a good, strong working environment where everyone's input is equally important.

Affiliation

Creating strong, close relationships with those in our professional networks allows us to gain good connections with those following similar paths. As I have previously mentioned, it is more about 'who you know' that seems to get us further in life. Knowing you have the support to go to or fall back on is essential. There is nothing worse than having no one to turn to or to ask for advice from, receiving a second opinion. By forming these close relationships, whether it be a professional or a friend, we have that person or people that we know will be there when we need them and give us their help. Personally, I need affiliation where I have someone that will sit and listen to me, discuss the matter and offer me advice. It seems a lot to ask but I know that I would happily offer this to any of my friends and will go out of my way to help them.

Within my professional practice and networks, I have to affiliate with those on the course and my academic adviser. Without them, I'd be stuck and it is so important to have the opinions and thoughts of these people for my own professional development. I need their reflection on what I am thinking to enable me to think differently about things and see ideas in another light. If they were not there to say these things to me, I would never know and certain thoughts and ideas may never progress.

The extract from Crisp and Turner mentions that teenagers were "...happier, more alert.... when in the company of others”. I can fully relate to this. I am a 'people person' so I love having company and people around me to discuss things with. Whether it be about the Universe, my working life or a programme that was on television last night. Don't get me wrong, I don't feel the need to constantly be surrounded by others, I do also very much enjoy 'me' time. Reading, going for walks or sitting listening to music. These allow me to process my thoughts alone, without any distractions and I can then figure them out my self before discussing them with those I affiliate with. This extract also quotes: “..a network of support that will help us when we are in need” which is exactly as I was saying earlier! I agree with a lot of what is said in this extract, they talk about feeling “isolated” with too little contact but “crowded” with too much. This is how I often feel and it would be good to be able to operate to the principle of homeostasis.. but sometimes, we can not. Depending on our work environment, we may have to be around more people than we wish for lengthy periods of times or, as a contrast, we may be set tasks that require us to be alone and work as an individual. If we were always able to control it, we may all feel happier but as said earlier, we have to do what we need to do and work with those who we must to enable a better professional practice.

As always I have so many thoughts going through my mind, I am beginning to write an awful lot down... I will continue this blog soon to discuss social constructionism and connectivism... once I have gathered my ideas and more information!

Inspirational image...

Saturday 10th November 2012

After discussing those that I admire and find inspirational in my Inquiry, they are now showing Sir David Attenborough's 60 year 'affair with nature' on the TV. This image on the front of the Radio Times magazine grabbed my attention. It is a beautiful photograph and an excellent portrait of the great Sir Attenborough...

Current Networks.. my ideal network

Friday 9th November 2012

Here is how I would go about creating my ideal network and the ideas I have behind it...

Current Networks

Thursday 8th November 2012

Currently, I use Facebook, Blogger, Google + and Flickr as networks for my Professional Practice. IOn Facebook, we can join groups with others from all over the world that share similar interests.. some may be your favourite films or books where as on a professional level, we can see upcoming vacancies, auditions and all share our knowledge. With Blogger, it has linked the BAPP group together, we interact by viewing and commenting on one another's blogs. We can learn new ideas from people or be critical and discuss the different view points of subjects. Along with Blogger, Google + has also linked us altogether. I don't use it to it's full capacity.. maybe I should explore into it further, I do however have other BAPP students in a 'circle'. Flickr, again, due to this course, I am sharing photographs from both my Professional Practice and personal trips to various places. I can view all other photographs on Flickr, learning more and able to reflect on the images and also comment.

When in dance training, I was part of Dancerspro and Spotlight. These allowed me to keep up to date with any auditions and allowed employers to find and contact me should they want to. I was also linked up to an agency who also gave me a profile online which again, pushed me out into the open. Along with these, attending auditions allowed employers to see you. Whether you got the job or not, they may remember you or keep you on file for something suitable in the future. Auditions also allowed me to speak to other dancers, all of us living similar lives. I could find out about future auditions and be prepared for what would happen. If others had had experiences, sharing them was important. It always helps others for when they have the same experience. 
I have previously gained work from an agency I applied for who didn't need classical dancers on their books at the time, but kept my details just in case. They have phoned me with several auditions and jobs since..! 

There are various other ways I could use networks within my Professional Practice and I feel that now would be the perfect opportunity to sign up to others such as LinkedIn which works with professionals, and allows us to view employers as well as employers finding us! 
My sister uses networking to find new clients and has had several clients come to her through websites. They found her on such sites and have also seen her work via the internet. It just goes to show how networking can always work in our favour. I admire the hard work she puts in. People can criticise and say that working this way 'isn't real work'.. They're wrong.

As mentioned earlier, we all join specific networks or 'groups' to communicate with others that share our interests, have done the same things as us or been to the same places etc. For example, I am part of the Elmhurst School for Dance group on Facebook.. this allows me and all other students to keep updated with the school and any events that may be happening. It is a great way to learn the history of the school and it's pupils and enables us to be aware of any upcoming alumni days that we may want to be a part of. Keeping in contact with previous teachers etc may just land you a job somewhere down the line.. these days, it tends to always be 'it's who you know' that gets you places. Networking and 'getting your face seen' will help with future employment.

For me, Facebook is both a professional and social network. I can keep up to date with friends activities but also talking to friends from different working areas, I gain connections. For example I have recently been back in touch with an old friend. When updating each other with our lives, he mentioned that he knew a new school was opening where I want to move to and that maybe I could research into it and possibly help with the dancing there... he would find out the name of the school for me. Without talking to him, I would never have known that the place existed. This was done through Facebook, it is the only form of communication I have with him now.



To be continued...

Inquiry

Friday 2nd November 2012

The course has so far dealt with us finding our inner reflective skills which I feel myself are already improving and from seeing other blogs, it seems that it is the same with everyone! I am starting to see common themes through out the way I think, how I act around people and the things I say. For me, an interpersonal approach continues to crop up and it is this that I have become so much more aware of since starting the BAPP course. The reflection reader asks us questions which at first appeared quite personal and daunting, but then I got thinking...

"What in your daily practice gets you really enthusiastic to find out more about? Who do you admire who also works with what makes you enthusiastic?"

For those who know me well, know that I enjoy walking... a lot. I absolutely love the outdoors and wildlife. I wouldn't say I'm the average 21 year old. If I'm honest, I'd rather be sat with a massive cuppa looking through photographs I've taken that day of places I've been, than going out until 3am not remembering what has happened the next morning... 
I would say that walking is something I am particularly enthusiastic about. I feel lost without my routine morning walk. It sets me up for the day, gives me fresh air and clears my head, ready for what is to come. Walking and exercise are an important part to anyone's daily routine but for professional practice, keeping active will allow my body and joints to stay healthy. Although I'm not actually in dance training any more, I still like to 'feel good' and want my body to keep in a respectable shape, especially if I do go into a career such as Dance Movement Psychotherapy. 

Walking also lets me explore new places.. there are many places I should love to go purely for the scenery and beautiful surroundings. Such places liberate me, make me think of the wider picture and standing on a hill top overlooking a stunning view really puts everything into perspective.

The following link shows a series of walks.. many of which I should love to do. I hopefully have years a head of me so I'll be able to tick places off one by one. http://www.walkmag.co.uk/walks/

I have various friends who also enjoy walking and will happily dress in their scruffy clothes, walking boots on and go trekking in the mud. One in particular also enjoys wildlife and photography so that's an added bonus! I admire Sir David Attenborough - what an inspirational and incredible man.  For those of you that watched 'Frozen Planet', you'll understand why! His TV documentaries and the places and things he has seen fascinate me. I would love to travel, see the world and document it all with writing and photos. 
One day...

Here is the link to a website on Sir David's works: http://www.davidattenborough.co.uk

"What gets you angry or makes you sad? Who do you admire who shares your feelings or has found a way to work around the sadness or anger?"

Not a lot of things will get me angry, sad, yes, but no so much angry. Going back to the theme of myself having an interpersonal intelligence, it makes me sad to see those close to feeling angry or sad. I do it myself, I see so many other people doing the same. I bottle up emotions and sometimes don't share them with anyone until it all gets on top of me and there is a sudden outpour.. I always feel sorry for the unlucky person that I drop everything on! I think I feel sad when I see family and friends in such a situation, as I always want to be able to help them, make them happy and enjoy themselves. Sometimes it can be out of my hands but I find it so hard to see people upset, it affects me just as it affects them. I will always offer my best advice and try to point other's in the right direction.

"Any emotion, if it is sincere, is involuntary." - Mark Twain


I admire my sister. We can be very like-minded and are both the worst worriers around! We tend to be each other's agony aunts but this allows us to not 'bottle up' and express how we are feeling. Even if we aren't involved in each other's troubles, we find it best to let our thoughts out to someone else, just so that it isn't continually going over and over in our minds! I feel that this is where our reflective journals also come into play. As I have mentioned in a previous blog, letting out emotions and thoughts allows us to clear our heads more and focus on what is important and how to go about solving and improving any given situation or event.

"What do you love about what you do? Who do you admire who also seems to love this or is an example of what you love?"

I love the varied ways of expressing opinion and emotion. Having an artistic background and lifestyle - dance, art and music, I have learnt that everyone expresses themselves differently and I find it truly fascinating. I love that the arts can portray happiness, anger, sadness or celebration etc. For example in dance, a slow, heart felt adage could be a romantic or sad moment where as a fast-paced allegro would show joy. 
I shall show examples of the different way emotions are shown in art work...

Henry Moore's 'Tube Shelter Perspective' - 1941
really does put the cramped, dirty life of World War II survivors into perspective!
The darkness of the tunnel with every single body highlighted, an endless row of people living this way in order to live brings out emotions of sadness and tiredness but also determination.
The simple colours and sketchy style adds a rough touch, how it must have felt to those taking shelter in the tube tunnels. For those of us that have been on London Underground we have seen the filth and darkness that those tunnels include. I know that I personally would have found it extremely difficult living that way so I feel that this image by Moore gives a real sense of what life was like there and the feelings that came with it.

In contrast we have Piet Mondrian's 'Broadway Boogie Woogie' - 1942-43. Produced only a year after Moore's image, it has quite a different quality.. the name alone is exciting! The vibrant colours and abstract shapes are joyful and make us smile. The lines of roads and bright lights are a complete contrast to the dark, over crowded tunnels in the image above. If you have been to Broadway, Mondrian's version of it really portrays how I felt about it when I visited! The bright lights, the yellow cabs and the energetic atmosphere is shown perfectly through this abstract work. I feel that colour plays an important role in our emotions.





..in music, just listening to the tempo and notes included tells us the story and brings out certain emotions in us all. One particular piece (my favourite classical piece) - Elgar's 'Nimrod' from 'Enigma Variations' brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it. I have been in performances of it where people get the tissues out because of the emotions they go through. 
It isn't the best quality but I wanted a clip of an orchestra, not someone's photo montage so here is a Youtube link of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performing it.. see how it makes you feel. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUgoBb8m1eE

"What do you feel you don't understand? Who do you admire who does seem to understand it or who has found a way of making not understanding it interesting or beautiful, or has asked the same questions as you?"

Space, the Universe, our planet, galaxies...Incredible. I wish I could fully understand it. When I look up at the sky or read articles about Mars Rover and space observations, I find it difficult to get my head round it all. Where does space end?.. Does it ever end? What's beyond what we can see and know about? .. but will these questions ever be answered?! 
I find space so interesting, the fact that there is so much of the unknown out there just makes me want to know more. It may not seem as though it really fits into my professional practice but looking at how huge everything is out there makes me realise how small I am within it all and that at times, I needn't worry so much. We share this beautiful planet and I take things for granted too often. Looking at distances, planets and how many millions of stars there are gives a real sense of perspective and when I worry about what my future holds.. it really is quite insignificant. It makes me think that we have to take each day as it comes, enjoy what we have and think about what we can do with our lives. It may all sound quite silly, but I honestly enjoy the ideas and theories behind life and the universe. I am extremely jealous of the views Felix Baumgartner got when breaking his World Record... 

Obviously, Stephen Hawking (http://www.hawking.org.uk/) would be the most admirable man for this! I have read some of his book 'A Brief History of Time' and I tell you, there are a lot of words I didn't understand but it is fascinating stuff. His knowledge and research is sensational and reading his theories and information allowed me to open up my thoughts even more and learn things such as how time can be slower in one part of the world to another.. He explores things that seem impossible yet have clear explanations and shows us the complexity of the Universe we live in.