Critical Reflection

Critical Reflection

Exploring my inquiry and its components provided me with a depth of understanding and enhanced my confidence in carrying it out. At the start of the module, we were asked to develop questions and this came relatively easy to me, as I've always been intrigued by this subject and was keen to investigate the way the two teaching styles work. I blogged my first set of questions and, after a comment from a fellow student, http://natalieamartin.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/task-4a-developing-questions-for.html#comment-form and upon reflection with a fellow professional, I realised they were broad and non-specific. Therefore, the data I may receive could be too general to work with. After pin-pointing more specifically, one subject in each question, I felt they were of a better standard. Please see this process through my blogs, http://www.ashleighacres.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/4c-developing-my-questions-has-provided.html
Building up my SIG group from my fellow students has proved most difficult. Over the past few months, my communications have been through professionals outside of the course. The reason is, my professional work has built up as the coursework has increased and my time is managed between the two. However, I was able to contact a fellow student and the SIG group touched base on Facebook as much as possible. On reflection, I feel I must comment more than I am on student blogs, giving them encouragement and feedback, because creating an atmosphere where ideas are shared freely will benefit me as much as others.

Finding the appropriate tools to use in my inquiry took some time because the interview was my only one. Thinking more about the possible outcomes and connotations of this approach, I decided it would be helpful to collect thoughts from more teachers to compare ideas. Firstly, I trial ran the semi-structured interview, http://ashleighacres.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/6a-informal-trial-i-have-carried-out.html. After the trial, I explored other tools http://ashleighacres.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/6b-after-reading-through-reader-6-i.html.

Ethical considerations took a different meaning at this point, because now I was not only considering myself, but the interviewee too. My blog on ethical consideration explains some of the human interests I researched and how I came to realise that ethics are there to help everyone at every level. http://www.ashleighacres.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/task-5b-as-dance-teachers-work-is.html

Looking through my process, I have come to understand the useful research sources at my disposal. I've learnt there is much planning and structuring that needs to be done before completing research, as there are others involved. As explained in my proposal, I have drawn up a schedule to enable me to use my time wisely and create a well organised plan. This way I will be able to efficiently collect the necessary data and commit my findings to paper.

5C

After exploring ethics in the last two blogs I have found myself questioning my own ethics in my profession and comparing them to ethical frameworks in different professions.

There are a wide variety of ethics in different working environment. Reader 5 explains in the Greeks view the way they carry out everyday tasks and activities in a ‘good’ way, contributes to an effective society. Just like nowadays, since professions have built up over the years and ethics have become more established, completing your work in a good way is often related to the consideration of ethics.

In the case Study 3, I started to become confused with the quotes included from the professionals. I asked myself, was he thinking about ethics when singling one student out in front of the class? If a complaint was made, who was to be held responsible? The structure of the business seemed a little unusual. no clear set up of managerial roles are made, which can outline a poorly run professional environment, leading to holes in ethical education. It made me realise that ethics and boundaries have to be set in all types of working environments. My inquiry involves interviewing individuals, so my ethical considerations will have to be clear to them as well as myself. I will assure their personal details will be kept confidential and no personal questions will be asked to maintain a comfortable atmosphere.

Reader 5 outlines the three main contexts in which ethics are considered-

·         Personal- Family, Religion.

·         Professional- Code of conduct in the working environment.

·         Organizational- Ethos in the organization, how things are done.

The Professional context is something I can use whilst carrying out my inquiry. After blogging about the types of ethics, my concentration seemed to gravitate more toward the professional codes of conduct, exploring the do’s and dont’s in a working environment. This is the main context I tend to use and put to work in my inquiry.

5d.

Working with my SIG group, I worked around some ideas of the ethical dimensions in my inquiry. We compiled a list of things to consider-

·         Ethics surrounding the tools I intend to use

·         Consider the code of conduct to adhere to whilst interviewing.

·         Ask appropriate questions In interviews.

Exploring more in depth, we decided to brainstorm about the Ethics surrounding the method I intend to use, which will be Semi-Structured interview. 

6A Informal trial

I have carried out an informal interview trial with the questions I have created. This is the main tool I'm experimenting with and feel it will provide sufficient data to aid me through my inquiry. The semi-structured interview style is what I used, after researching the process Dawson (2009) explained, that Semi-Structured interview is the most commen type of style to use when collecting quantitive data. The researcher wants to collect specific information that can later be compared to other interviewees answers. I wanted to experiment with this style to see if I gained informative answers that I can compare and contrast in my inquiry.

I found the process of my trial interview very comforting. I felt my choice for using this tool was correct, as the results I was getting from the interview answers were the knowledge of the interviewees personal experiences (which is what I was hoping for). The data I was collecting would provide an excellent base for me to work from. As mentioned in a previous blog, I anticipated my questions slightly changing with the answers given, which they did. Because my research is qualitative to gain effective and useful data the changing of questions will help me to exhaust all possible answers, " The researcher also wants the interview to remain flexible so that other important information can still rise" (Dawson, 2009, p.28)

Something I have learnt that could help me with this is note taking. Before going into the interview this is something I dismissed as I felt the recording device will provide me with all the information collected. However, during the trial interview, as mentioned some of the answers given helped trigger off possible ideas to ask. As time went on, this idea had been subsidized with another, then another and before too long, I forgot what the first new question was. After this experiment, I went back to my questions and adapted some changes resulting in my final questions being:

1. What techniques do you use to tackle a disruptive pupil?
2. Do you find your energy levels affect the classroom?
3. How does your style of teaching change with different age groups?
4. Do you find it difficult to plan motivating yet useful tasks for the pupils?
5. What are your techniques to keep the pupils attention?
6. How much of pupils participationg is useful to you?
7. What methods do you use with a disruptive pupil?


 The recording equipment helped a great deal throughout the interview. I was able to listen and fully partake in the process and felt the individual who was answering the questions was comfortable to divulge their personal experiences. It was easy for me to maintain good eye contact, allowing there to be a trusting atmosphere.

6b

After reading through reader 6, I will be aiming to collect qualitative research as I feel the results will support my line of inquiry. Therefor, I piloted a interview process with a fellow dance teacher and was satisfied with the results. Not only did I manage to sustain an engaging interview with the participant, but I also managed to explore the option of asking different, unplanned questions that arose from answers they had given. This supported my belief that the interview process will be the main source of my data collecting, and that it will provide a sufficient amount to contrast and compare.

Pros of interviewing

•          Ask and plan specific questions
•          Recording the interview will help write up results accurately
•          Data collected will be based on genuine experience
•          Collecting qaulitive data.

·         Cons of interviewing 

•      Working in a time limit of someone else.
•          Possibility of withdrawal from participant
•         If straying away from questions to indulge in new and exciting topics, information collected could get hazy.

Questionnaire is another tool I’m thinking of using. As I want to be collecting qualitive data I want to make sure my answers are not of a numeric result but in depth answers with explanation. A questionnaire will help me to broaden my questions to other professional teachers, and to have more data to compare and contrast.

Pros of questionnaire

·         Helpful to collect more data

·         Quick way to obtain results.

Cons of questionnaire

•          Chasing completed forms 
•          Forms could be filled out inaccurately.

Using a combination of knowledge and passion that I've nurtured over the years, I've decided to base my inquiry on a question that's always intrigued me; what are the differences and similarities between classroom teachers and dance teachers? I will be able to use my passion for dance as a base and my experience as a teacher to reflect upon my inquiry.

It is believed that, "The teachers style can influence the form of learning that takes place as much, if not more, than the teaching method employed." (The theory and Practice of teaching pg 29) But, in order for the legitimacy of style to be accepted as equally important to substance, it is useful to analyse the affects of various teaching styles to see how different teachers can use the same techniques. In order to collect information and start my research I have developed some questions to ask the two types of teachers. I have chosen to use the same questions for both interviews to enable me to analyse the answers and help me to find parallels.

Writing

After reading some interesting books, I came across a fantastic piece of writing that instantly made me want to add another question to my list. I feel it will provide me with in depth answers to the difference of teaching between the two.

"Teaching methods are about the technical process of teaching whilst teaching styles are more about the teachers and the way that they conduct themselves during the teaching session" Jarvis. P, 2nd Edition The Theory And Practice Of Teaching. pg 30.

Whilst reading the above passage, I asked myself how the two are different. Which one is more useful? I think the following questions will help me gain more clarity, and to see if there is an overlap in the method of teaching and the styles in which they use them.

1. What would you say, is the difference between the methods of teaching and the style of teaching?
2. Which of the two is most important to you as a teacher and why?

4d
After looking at different types of literature to support my topic the first book I came across was A Guide To Teaching Practice which has great knowledge and understanding included. The main interest that caught my eye was how helpful the language it uses, "It is important that teachers resist the temptation to label children as particular kinds of learners and instead try to their teaching so that children have the opportunity to learn in different ways." The use of language gives the reader a sense of support by giving them something to think about and to encourage them to try effective ways to boost their teaching skills. The most helpful part resides later on in the book in part 3 headed, Practising teaching. The chapters have a clear outline of what is going to be spoken about and gives relative theory and researched answers to support the authors thinking.

The second book that I have decided to review was Dance as Education, Peter Brinson. Its a book I've become to find very interesting as it provides an insight into the way dance has formed to be part of the education syllabus and how important it is to education. The argument is clearly outlines as to why dance in education is essential, as it enables to improve on students self-esteem, creativity, communication. "Arts education extends the intellectual development of young people helping them to widen the range of their intellectual capabilities and to make sense of the different qualities of their experiences"( Brinson, 1991, p. 69) I feel all young minds have different ways in which they digest information and learn, having dance part of the education helps those creative minds to strive towards their goals, and understand the learning process in a comfortable setting. This a backed up by Peter saying, "The arts offer direct ways of exploring values, of raising questions of personal, moral and aesthetic value of discussing the ideas and perception to which they relate" ( Brinson, 1991, p. 69).


The third and final book I wanted to use is The theory and practice of teaching, 2nd edition, Peter Jarvis. The first thing that hit me was the way he described the influence of a teachers style, "The teachers style can influence the form of learning that takes place as much, if not more, than the teaching method being eomployed" (Jarvis, 2006, p.29) My inquiry will include talking to professional teachers about their day to day teaching skills, techniques and methods that they use. I'm intrigued to find out if they have the same outlook as Jarvis, or even more interesting each other. The book goes on to explain the differences between teaching methods and styles, Jarvis(1991) explains that even two teachers being evaluated who are using the same techniques will do it in entirely different ways to each other, this points to the significance of the teaching styles. After reading thorough this I feel that out of the other two books this is one I will keep coming back to, as of yet it is the closest book to my inquiry topic.

4c

Developing my questions has provided me with some interesting facts I could include in my inquiry. Working with a fellow dance teacher I have discussed my questions and incorporated pointers that could help enhance my findings, something I briefly touched upon in task 4A.

The first lot of questions I started off with would help achieve interesting feedback and collect helpful data in the interview process, however, after going over them a second time the overall topic was too vague. After seeking the help of a fellow dance teacher we decided our first aim was to discuss how the questions can be pin pointed to a specific technique or method used in the classroom, this is to desirably collect important data to start off my inquiry. After adding words and changing the set up of the questions we felt that if the language was assessed and revamped the answers would ideally be more specific. 

Our second lot of questions looked like this-

Questions

1. What techniques do you use to tackle a disruptive pupil?

2. Do you find your energy levels affect the classroom?

3. How does your style of teaching change with different age groups?

4. Do you find it difficult to plan motivating yet useful tasks for the pupils?

5. What are your techniques to keep the pupils attention spam?

6. How much of pupils participation is useful to you? I.E reading an extract, demonstrating a move.

7.  What methods do you use when the students levels of learning are different in the class?

As I have explored, with trial interviews my questions may change slightly, some questions may get added due to the data being helpful and the possibility of new topics arising in the interviews is likely. 

With the questions becoming more complex we felt it was time to think at how to gain data from our participants on how the techniques and methods could be used in different working environments. As I will be doing more than one interview with the teachers I felt it a good idea to prepare some more questions for the second one. Although these will indefinitely change due to the data collected from the first interview, they can act a base for whats to come-

1. Do you find it hard to experiment with new techniques?

2. How do your teaching methods develop ?

3. Do you learn new possible styles to use from observing different teachers?

4. Does communication with other colleagues aid you to learning new techniques and methods?