Artefact done!

As I came to an end, finished my Artefact, my last piece of the module. I realised how much I'd learnt.
I created a flip book, with helpful tips to communicating as a Dance Captain, whilst in the learning process. I was able to take everything I'd learnt from my research and interviews, and write it up into something very simple, but effective. Now I know when I am in the role and having a difficult day or not quite knowing how to react to a certain situation, I can flick through my book and find something useful to help me solve the problem.

Blogging more

A week ago, whilst emailing Adesola about my work, she mentioned to me "keep blogging as much as possible and getting involved". I think I had forgot the importance of the Blogs and how much feedback you can get from people, so now realising that once again, I am on a mission!!

When I look back to our first module, I remember how much everyone used their blog, and I know, I was on as much as I could, but now I feel like I read all the blogs but I never write a comment anymore. The whole point of a blog is to interact, so that is exactly what I much do more of.

Thoughts from analysising my data

I created a survey aimed towards dancers to discover how they felt towards becoming a Dance Captain. Whether they wanted to become a dance captain in the future or had already held the position, or the reason's behind not wanting to hold the role at all.

I made the survey quite general with regards to then holding interviews with people after I'd collected the data and sorted out who I wanted to speak to future.

One of the main things I realised Id overlooked, was how personality traits can come into being successful in a management role, not just our communication skills. One of my collegues made me aware of this, mentioning that she was the kind of person that liked to take charge and doesn't mind the responsiblity. It also became apparent that most of the people in my survey that didn't want to be a dance captain mentioned the didn't want the extra stress or responsibilty.

As I continue to hold interview with people I am future extending my knowledge of people's thought's and creating my own views on what I feel make a success manager.

New survey... please fill out!!!

Here is my new survey, it is tailored towards dancers, so please only fill out if your a dancer, however I will be doing another survey with a focus on management in any profession.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CSWQL5G

Review of inquiry plan and where to go next.

After having a long break from last term and our last module, I feel a little bit out of it and don't quite know where to start back up again. There seems like so much to do, that when I initially looked at our reader I got a little bit scared! But then I remembered to just do a little at a time and start from there.

Firstly I thought Id look over my inquiry and the feedback i got from last term. My first thing to look at is the fact that I havent really got a research question that really sums up my inquiry. I had a little think about this and thought about: "Is it possible to manipulate situations by the use of communication".
I am looking at how we can positively or negatively affect a situation through the way we communicate, particually dance captains and how they communicate with their team. It is amazing to me how a situation can arise from one "wrong" word or a mis communication. This is where I will be focusing my research and looking at other people's opinions and ideas and past experiences. Everyone reacts differently but is it possible to be understood ad not offensive with how you communicate something, even if it wasn't something positive?

I feel I need to be more clear on what exactly I will be analysing... I will be comparing different stories from past experiences professional dancers have had and looking for any common themes. I also want to hear different people's opinions, as I feel there is no right or wrong answer, it is more to learn from other people's experiences and knowledge and put it into use for myself.

Another main thing I need to focus on is setting a timeline, as I start intensive rehearsals at the end of November, and from last years experience, I have VERY little free time to focus on my degree work at that time. I am going to start on this timeline as much new "thing to do" on my to do list.

New things to check out... =)

So with all the time we have had off since our last module, I decided to go back to some of the beginning tasks we did and see if I could improve them.

Firstly I looked at my Flickr account, and thought about what new picture's had I had done that could help me update my profile. I've had some wonderful picture's taken from the last contract I did, both from guests onboard and from friends and colleagues. So firstly I uploaded them and then also some new shot's that I have also had taken since being home.

Please have look and let me know what you think.. =)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/melissagreenhoughdancer/

Next I started to look at the YouTube channel I set up and uploaded two video's of me dancing that I put together. One, of a talent show I did onboard my last ship, performing a piece from "SYTYCD", and another of me doing a few aerial, and partner work tricks.

Check it out too...

http://www.youtube.com/user/melissagreenhough?feature=mhee

Critical Reflection and Summary: Digital Portfolio

Melissa Greenhough

M00334238

Critical Reflection and Summary: Digital Portfolio

As I began this module, I found my attitude towards making enough time to study was not right. This was because of lots of work related issues not leaving enough time for studying or leaving me exhausted. I realised that I needed to make a study plan and tackle the tasks one by one to see what each task could teach me.

Firstly I set up a special interest group on Facebook, (see Appendix A ) to share and exchange thoughts with others on different topics that interested me and see who shared the same interests. A lot of people on the course made groups and I found that with so many different topics it was getting hard to get around each one with a helpful discussion, therefore we blogged about the idea of cutting down the different topics and making them slightly broader. This seemed to help and it brought many more different views into each of the discussions. It made me more aware of different topics on a much deeper level that I could relate to my chosen line of inquiry.

Next I started to look into the Ethics section. Conveniently I was also called up to renew my Ethics training in my workplace so that refreshed all my personal code of conducts for my workplace. I found this helpful as it was exactly what I was researching and it boosted my thoughts into our personal virtues. My training manager was suggesting how our own personal virtues really make what kind of employee we are. I hadn't previously thought of this side of Ethics, mostly thinking on a one dimension level of the “rules” of our workplace, but I went back and re looked at our personal virtues in our workplace too. If you compare your personal virtues to your professional ones, they should compliment each other. I realised how important both sides of the code of conduct are, professionally and personally, and how important it is to understand this for when I am researching my line of inquiry. (see Appendix B)

When I moved onto the tools of inquiry, I found trying each method the best way to discover what worked best for me personally. I found the survey to work well, but only if you knew the exact questions to ask, when you interview someone you have the freedom to open the conversation up and move freely from question to question where ever the conversation starts heading, but with the survey, there is not much freedom to develop other questions that the other person has. With the survey I made on surveymonkey.com, (See Appendix C) I got all the answers I wanted to the few questions I'd asked but I didn't feel satisfied knowing that no other questions arose from my original basic set I started with. I think that using a combination of different methods to help me collect research will be most beneficial as I can gather as much information as I need to help me best understand communication and the power of our communication which I will hopefully discover from my line of inquiry.

REFERENCES:

Appendix A – http://www.facebook.com/pages/BA-Professional-Practice-Arts-Middlesex-University/145821545478191?sk=app_2373072738

Appendix B – http://melissagreenhough.blogspot.com/2011/03/4a-ethics.html

Appendix C -  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Y9WDCYK