Critical Reflection.

I have written, re written, scrapped and become confused about how I want to go about my critical reflection and what I want to include in the tiny word count!!
I just completed another re-write... I actually found this attempt a really nice process, It was nice to be honest in thinking about some difficulties, but also really nice to consider how much has changed and what I have learned.
Cant decide if this is the final one and I haven't yet added the appendix but I thought I would share anyway. And suggest that just thinking about how you felt at the beginning of this course and how you are feeling now will make all the stress, sleepless nights and considerations of giving it all up worth while!!

Critical Reflection.

In undertaking the BAPP programme, I have developed a professional competency and identity that I previously had not achieved. I have developed critical thinking, practical skills, and knowledge that allow me to have confidence in presenting myself as a professional. I now know I have the ability and understanding to back up my opinions and decisions, whether that is from my own research or the theories and work of other professionals.

This increased confidence has allowed me to forge relationships and develop practices that will allow my professional development to continue beyond the conclusion of the course.

Professionally I have increased my skills set immensely. I am now able to communicate with a vast range of people using web 2.0. I can present my work in a range of formats whether that is academically or for a wider audience. I am able to design and undertake an inquiry to further my professional development. And in creating my artefact I have even increased my practical IT skill in producing a website.

In this module specifically, undertaking a professional inquiry has allowed me to develop research and analysis techniques, giving me skills that I can translate into any area of my practice that I wish to develop. I am able to critically think about my practice, what I am achieving, where I want to move forward and how to go about this.

Initially the inquiry was a difficult task, I felt under qualified to be observing and judging the work of other professionals, making sense of data was a difficult task and at times seemed as though I may not achieve anything from the process.

Eventually I learned to organise and analyse data and undertake a literature review which not only allowed me to frame the importance and context of my inquiry, but to support the conclusions that I was beginning to draw from my own research. Rather than feeling under qualified in the end I found the response of  other professionals encouraging this boosted my confidence further as they respected my opinion and were interested in discussing my results.

The inquiry lead me to understand my practice how to work with a specific client group and how to understand my practice in terms of developing benefit from dance. This is of great importance to me, I have been able to share the results and make changes in my current employment. It is something I am keen to develop further through expanding my practice and undertaking new ventures.

Ideas of ethics touched upon in module 2 were a feature of module 3 as I came up against some concerning issues related to discrimination. I was able to resolve these by making use of the communication skills that have been developed thought out the course, with the help of advisor's, fellow BAPP students on the blog and my professional working network I was able to resolve this. With out the discussion, challenging of ideas and support of my networks this would have been a much more difficult task; again reiterating the importance of developing a professional network a running theme throughout the entire course.

I have found the blogs a great support, particularly in the later stages of the course where I have begun to develop my professional voice and felt more confident in sharing my thoughts and ideas.

In summery when I look back at what I have achieved over the last 15months I would not have thought it possible. From feeling uncomfortable with the title of “professional” opening the first module handbook and feeling out of my depth and being frightened to comment on the blogs for fear of looking foolish…To undertaking my own research, creating my own academic writing, sharing insights into practice with my workplace and truly feeling that I have created a professional identity and voice. I am confident that with the skills and experience that I have gained I will be able to continue to grow and develop as a professional throughout my career.

Artefact. (With a little help from my fellow BAPPERS...Thank you!)

Last time I blogged about my artefact I was thinking about exactly how I should go about it. My two choices being between a website and a booklet.
I got a really good response on the blogs and the general thinking was that I needed to give more thought to my audience and how I would reach them. So I did some brainstorming and came to these conclusions...

My Audience:
 Teachers, dance practitioners, social care managers/ workers providing activities for Adults with learning difficulties.

I am not yet selling a service, I am currently trying to raise awareness of an issue that I think is important and share the information I have gained.

How I would reach them:
The quickest and furthest reaching medium is the internet, we have all learned that from looking web 2.0 and by forging our relationship here on the BAPP blogs, therefore a website seemed the better choice.

The plan being that links to my site can be added to my facebook, twitter, linkedIn, and blog pages. And eventually if it is possible possibly linked to other sites as well, Dance Magazine, LD online and any other relevent connections I might be able to make.

In addition to this on the site there is a button which gives the option to download a booklet, it is printable PDF version of the site.
This fulfils two needs.
1. Some people prefer to read information form a paper copy they find it easier to digest the information this way... I am one of those people and I know there are others out there!
2. Further distribution. In my work place useful and relevent information and articles are pinned to our memo board or distributed at staff meetings. I assume we wont be the only company that does this and so printable version can fulfil this need. Anyone who reads the site and thinks it might be useful to someone they know or to their organisation can print it out and share.

Possible progression. 
The website also gives me options to update the information in the future, I don't yet feel that I am in a place to offer a paid service using the information I have obtained from inquiry, obviously I currently teach but I am employed and at the moment am not looking to expand on this.
 But in the future I think this could be something I grow into, perhaps providing training to other teachers, or offering my owm dance teaching services and a website gives me a changeable medium to use as my practice grows and develops.

So here it is.....

http://danniweb.wix.com/danceopportunity

Let me know what you think!?? And thank you to those people that helped my brainstorm!

Literature Review

I have noticed that on the blogs people have been putting up their literature reviews. I did some research on literature reviews and although I had done mine separately for each book/ article/ journal initially, I saw that most advice said that they should be covered as a whole, this is to enable us to make connections or highlight differences between the opinions of the pieces in order to support or frame our area of investigation. To compare and contrast the information that is already out there in our field of practice or study.

So this is what I have tried to do in this literature review. This is the long version, there is a smaller more concise one that I have used as part of the critical review. Although I am currently re-drafting that section as I am not happy that it covers enough of the valuable information from the literature.... It so difficult though with the word count. We have done so much work and research for this module you just constantly feel like you are leaving things out!

So as everyone seems to be approaching the literature review as separate pieces I though I would include my thoughts and my review to see if anyone else agrees or disagrees with my approach or has any more information!?

D.Webber - Literature Review