Critical Reflection on Professional Practitioner Inquiry

Picking a Topic

This module seemed like a big step forward from Module 1 and has largely assisted my self-development and understanding. It helped me to explore ideas for a suitable inquiry topic to aid my career aspirations and brought focus to important elements that the inquiry will involve. At the beginning I had two options that I was keen to explore, physical well being of dancers or management but both topics were pretty broad. I refined them by developing possible questions and posting them to my blog. (Appendix A) Through engagement with others in my SIG about the possibilities behind my subject lines I was able to explore my own thinking on the topics. I also looked via other’s blogs to see similarities that could help and I blogged my thoughts. (Appendix B) Through this I came to the conclusion that the management topic took presidency over physical well being for me ‘…as it encompasses a lot of areas I am interested in and my current employment allows me substantial access to these areas’ (Price, 2014, online)(Task 4c & 5a)

Tools for Inquiry

Piloting tools in this module meant I was able to measure which methods will prove most effective to gather the type of information needed for my inquiry. I piloted both an online survey (Appendix C) and a written questionnaire. The outcome of these helped me decide against the survey ‘…it was useful in gathering a wide range of data and generalisations although I imagine my inquiry to be more of a quantitative nature so I might find the interviews more useful’ (Price, 2014, online) (Task 6b) I am looking at professionals with expertise in management and literature for knowledge already written on the topic and from this reflection decided that the interview was the best tool in gathering this type of information. I also learnt that I will need to get precise information and I can do this by structuring the questions well and being very to the point, not ambiguous.

I decided an observation session of a meeting or rehearsal would help me witness first hand the collaboration between the director, choreographer and dancers and the strategies used. Although due to timetables I was unable to pilot this tool I developed ideas about the structure. (Appendix D) This has also made me more aware that I will need to use time as efficiently as possible throughout my inquiry.

Ethics

Reader 5 and discussions with my SIG helped me to distinguish ethical aspects that I must be aware of during my inquiry. I also used literature from Costly, Elliot and Gibbs’s ‘Doing Work Based Research’. This helped my understanding and awareness of insider research and how working with my professional colleagues can benefit both myself and those in my workplace. It also lead me to seek my work’s official sources on ethical practice. From this I linked the official document’s terms to my inquiry using a brainstorm to expand. (Appendix E) I grasped the importance of data protection of participants and therefore all data such as names etc. will be anonymous unless specific permission is given and likewise with quotes. I also decided to create a consent form for all those involved to solidify this. It gives insight to what my inquiry was about and asking for the professional’s consent to participate. (Appendix F)

I now feel I have developed and gained in depth skills and knowledge about practitioner research and professional inquiry and have established a good topic and structure to continue to progress further in the next module.

Appendices

·       Appendix A

http://emmaprice93.blogspot.com/2014/02/task-4a-inquiry-questions.html

·       Appendix B
http://emmaprice93.blogspot.com/2014/02/task-4b-special-interest-groups.html

·       Appendix C

      https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/W3RSXCW

·       Appendix D

‘I will use the 'covert' method as a dancer because I can easily observe during rehearsals and this is less likely to distort results or behavior. However all those involved will be aware of my inquiry.’       (Price, 2014, online)

http://emmaprice93.blogspot.com/2014/04/6b-critical-reflections-on-inquiry-tools.html

·       Appendix E
http://emmaprice93.blogspot.com/2014/03/5b-codes-of-practice-that-steer-ethical.html

·       Appendix F

     http://emmaprice93.blogspot.com/2014/05/consent-forms.html

Bibliography

Bell, J, 2005, Doing Your Research Project (4th ed), Milton Keynes: Open University Press

Costly, C and Elliott, G and Gibbls, Paul (2010), Doing Work Based Research: Approaches to Enquiry for Insider-Researchers, London, Sage

Nottingham, P and McGuiness, R, 2013, BAPP Arts: Reader 5: Principles of Professional Inquiry, London, Middlesex University

Nottingham, P and McGuiness, R, 2013, BAPP Arts: Reader 6: Principles of Professional Inquiry, London, Middlesex University

Price, E, 2014, Emma Price BAPP Blog (online) Accessed from: http://emmaprice93.blogspot.com (accessed 7^th May 2014)

www.surveymonkey.com (accessed 7^th May 2014)

Consent forms

I intend to give the following to all of my participants explaining the outline of my inquiry, what their role within it is and asking permission for their participation:

Dear ________

I am writing to ask if you would kindle help me by taking part in my BAPP practitioner inquiry. My topic is based on the methods of managing a dance company in particular when putting on a new production and the effects of these methods. I hope to create insight for those looking to go into management and to highlight strategies that enable a company to sustain an effective working environment.

As a professional yourself I would be very grateful for your input. It would involve you taking part in a face to face/written interview and or an observation session whereby I will observe your actions during collaboration between yourself and your colleagues and consequently I will have ownership of the data given to use ethically and accurately in my inquiry. All of your private data will be kept anonymous along with those you reference and you are not obliged to answer all of the questions, just the ones you deem appropriate. You may also pull out at any given time should you be unhappy with anything. If you are willing, I would like permission to quote your responses in my inquiry. If you agree to participate please sign the consent form attached and state whether you would or would not be happy for me to reference your name and job title with your quotes.

Thank you for your time.

Emma Price

------------------------------------------------------------

I am willing to be a participant in Emma Price’s BAPP professional practice inquiry on management and give consent to use my quotes.

I do/do not give consent to reference my name and job title with my quotes.

Name (printed) _____________ Signature _________________ Date ________________

Task 6c) Award Title

I have chosen BA (Hons) Professional Practice (Performing Arts Management) as the award title for my degree. I solely wanted to choose a title that would encompass my knowledge and expertise as well as being beneficial to my future career.
The topic for my inquiry is management of a dance company and the factors that are involved. I will go about this by focusing on the putting on of a new production within my theatre and observing and interviewing experts whom I know to have vast experience in management. As a professional dancer I have a broad understanding of working within a dance company and have been exposed to some aspects of management although I currently lack extensive experience in it. However through my inquiry I plan to increase my intelligence and grasp of the depths of the subject and therefore I feel it is important to include in my award title.
I wanted a simple title in order for me to demonstrate my expertise meanwhile being wary of not restricting my future career possibilities. Having already received a Level 6 National Diploma in Professional Dance prior to this course and currently working as a professional ballet artist I feel my wide scope knowledge and expertise in the subject of dance are already clearly evident and therefore not necessary for my title. My main reason for joining this course was to help aid my future career options by increasing new skills and learning on the necessary topics and subsequently I feel this award title proves this.

Task 6b) Critical Reflections on Inquiry tools

So although I only trialled a couple of the methods for my research I decided to blog about my thoughts on all four tools and how they may help me during my inquiry:

Interview
This was a tool I did trail and found it to be useful. I firstly drafted a consent form giving an insight to what my inquiry was about and asking for the professional's consent to participate. I then thought up the questions necessary to gain helpful and insightful answers from and I was select in who I sent it to. My main focus for the pilot was professional dancers as I wanted to gain a view on management from their perspective.
The interview tool was perfect for me to receive qualitative data back and gave my participant a chance to answer with an explanation instead of one worded answers like the survey. It is definitely something I look to use in my inquiry and I intend to use early on in my process. I feel the response I gained give me good basis to research deeper for example I asked:
"What sorts of problems do you feel are your management’s responsibility to deal with?:

To keep the company running smoothly, build those contacts for possible sponsorships etc." 

From here I would look further into how managers go about running their company smoothly and building contacts for sponsorship. I would also use interviews in my inquiry to learn how these were done by interviewing managers and experienced professionals within the field.

Survey
This was another tool I tried out and this time I was not so select with whom I sent it to. I created it on the website surveymonkey.com which was quick and easy to use and posted the link to my SIG. The results were all anonymous (automatically) and I received a lot more quantitative data than qualitative as this was how I structured the survey. With it being anonymous however it means although I could still quote, I won't know who or where the quote came from.
This tool was useful in gathering a wide range of data and generalisations although I imagine my inquiry to be more of a quantitative nature so I might find the interviews more useful. If I do use this tool it will also be at the beginning of my process as I find it a good measuring tool to see where things are currently at and where to develop further. For example on of my questions was "What attracts you to a specific company/production for employment?” The responses were different to what I had originally guessed (‘Inspirational Performances’: 25%) with the 75% answering ‘Staff you would like to work with’. This makes me want to look further into how managers attract employees to their company and in doing this which methods work best.

Focus Group
Although I didn't literally trial a focus group I have been engaging within my SIG and found this to be very useful in gaining and giving ideas to others with similar interests/situations. A focus group is something I may decide to do during my inquiry as I could get thoughts and responses from other colleagues within my workplace however I feel the negative side is the time consumption of a focus group. With very busy schedules a focus group may be difficult to get together so would involve serious forward planning.

Pilot Observation
This is another tool I didn't manage to try out as again, it's quite time consuming however I feel this will be a valuable method of research in my inquiry and will most likely factor it into my plan. It gives the opportunity for me to view how things are being done currently and learn more via observing. I will use the 'covert' method as a dancer because I can easily observe during rehearsals and this is less likely to distort results or behavior. However all those involved will be aware of my inquiry.’ This tool brings up a lot of ethical considerations in privacy but again, all will sign a consent form. I feel documenting this one could be slightly harder and may turn to video to do this.