Task 3d; Critical Questions

Task 3d; Critical Questions


Do some very specific ideas emerge about your networking and sources? Does your engagement to date seem appropriate? Limited? Focused? Planned? Unplanned?

The industry is quite small once you've found the section that your interested in so the sources I find might be similar if not the same as the next performer who has the same interests as me. However the way I network is individual to me a if would be for anyone else, I have a certain way I like to address myself when connecting with an employer. This is something I have be unconsciously doing since I graduated almost three years ago now, it becomes a way of life day to day contacting people for job opportunities. I tend to stay focused when knowing there might be a chance I'll be in contact with a future employer but sometimes when meeting with friends it can turn into an unplanned conversation about jobs and auditions. With the help of Module 1 I have been able to identify appropriate techniques when contacting an employer.


Are your ideas, position or concerns shared by others within and/or beyond your professional area of work?

My position is shared with my friends, family, colleagues and beyond my control with the use of Wed 2.0 and how data can be shared instantly, I try and only put positive ideas out on the web again not knowing my full audience this is something I have to be mindful about. There is an advantage and disadvantage when promoting yourself online, you want to get your image across and connect with the right people but that cannot always be helped when it's beyond your control at times. My friends, family and colleagues also share my interests and ideas when around them as I have a good relationship with these people close to me, However, I do try to keep my concerns to a minimum and I'm mindful with who I tell these to. Remaining a professional manner at work and with people related to my profession is important but when with family I would share my work life concerns with for advice.

Does sharing ideas and communicating with others shift your thinking, planning or practice?

Since reflecting on my practice and talking previously about the techniques I use when learning through reflecting I have started sharing my ideas with my colleagues to help me get a better understanding of their needs from me as a dance captain. Their feedback has lead me in the right direction to know the most efficient way of working. Saying that I don't revolve my planning around them, I have a way I like to plan a rehearsal and stick to that but let the influence of my colleagues see what I could improve on.


Does critical reflection help you decide what really matters and the actions to take?

Critically reflecting on myself has taught me how to break down my feelings in a situation, what caused those feelings and what actions to take. This also helped me identify the feelings of others and is interesting to see the actions that others take. Doing this in person is fine however transforming my thoughts and feelings into words for others to read is something I haven't found so easy. I have struggled with giving critical feedback on other peoples blog as I'm unsure if I'm being too harsh or my comments may not be useful to that persons text. This is something I want to improve at and will come with trail and error.


To what extent do concepts and theories assist you in thinking about your professional networking in different ways? And do these different ways of thinking have some purpose for you?

Before starting this module I can't say I was aware of using theories and concepts of others or if I even knew theories of others. It has really opened me up to how much information is out there supporting an idea alone. I have learned about so many practitioners and important people that have put knowledge behind the behaviour of others and the actions we take. They have given me answers to my own questions and made me more mindful to people's learning abilities.

• Are you left thinking differently prior to this part of the module? And if so, how?

As I come to the end of Module 1 I reflect back on all the tasks Iv completed and the journey Iv come on in the last 12 weeks. I feel a lot more aware and interested in my practice and the psychology of others, I feel knowledgeable of practitioners and their techniques and reassuring myself that I am on the right track with my work and the steps to progressively move forward into Module 2. My critical reflection is a summary of everything I have covered and tied together since starting the course in February, which is quite scary that Iv put it all into 1000 words. I am very much looking forward to Module 2 and the new information and techniques I will learn.

Task 3c; Sources of Information

Task 3c; Sources of Information

In task 3c I will be talking about the different ways people source their information. In previous tasks I have explored different theories on people's learning techniques and I now go on to the roots the information comes from and the five main sources I use to gain information.
'Different types of information require different sources of information. Information sources my be observations, people, speeches, documents, pictures, organisations, websites etc. They might be primary sources, secondary sources or tertiary sources and so on.. '(Wiki -'Sources of information')
The following sources are key to help me grow as a performer and contribute to my knowledge and keep me 'in the know' not to miss out on opportunity.

Web 2.0 is key for gaining information for my practice, using applications for research, inspiration, connecting with people though email and Skype, building my online profile, searching for new jobs, auditions and classes, buying necessary tools and uniform, watching videos of past and future jobs the list can go on. In today's world it is imperative that I am connected with the web to increase my knowledge on my industry and get my image across. One thing to be mindful about is if the source is correct that is supplying the information your researching from, Web 2.0 applications are unfortunately not always 100% accurate and can provide false information. However, there is also a huge benefit from using Web 2.0 application that can speed up the process of learning.

Connecting with friends, family, colleagues, new faces is the most obvious way to source and pass information on to one another. When starting out in the industry your circle of people is quite big, eventually narrowing down to the key people who share the same ideas that interest you and relate to your practice. This is a process that will result in a smaller community of people who will help each other with work. Meeting new faces at auditions, classes, events and workshops is an exciting and interesting way to get information across with so many performers having a different style and job ambitions.

Looking at my external links I look at the use of a journal and blogging my work. This is something that is new to my way of thinking and working but has made a positive impact on my practice and the way I address myself in and out of work. Keeping a diary or journal has helped me look back on events and reflect on my actions whilst understanding the actions of others. It also allows me to look back and pick out information from a certain day or topic that I can renew in the future. Being involved in a blog over the last two months has opened up my ideas of work and they way it can be presented to other, it allows me to read other people's ideas and pick out information that inspires me that I might not of thought about, so we end up feeding off each other over the same topic and creating new information.

Having a profile with someone higher up than you in the industry is really useful as they connect with their contacts that I might not have access to. Having an Agent when searching for jobs and auditions can save you time looking for information that they will easily have and know the right people to connect with that's right for your job type. Keeping a good relationship with past directors I've worked with is important as they have a smaller circle that they connect with that share the same ideas and can provide future jobs and opportunities for me. Having a profile with job applications such as 'Dancers Pro' and being part of online communities such as 'The Hustle' where information for jobs is provided with easy access to see information and get in contact with the right people.

I gain information from images or posters posted in a dance studios or audition space to collect future audition or work details that will include information about the job, the location, time and fee if it applies. Also reading up on arts material in papers such as 'The Stage' where audition and job information is clearly posted and also information on other arts news to keep up to date with the industry. Reading books with relevant information in can be so useful and you can build a library that interests you and know the information if legitimate.

A mixture of the key points I talked about contribute to me gaining information everyday within my practice. I have become aware of new ways over the last two months to collect information and how to apply these to my practice.

Second draft of Critical Reflection (screenshot)

Second draft of Critical Reflection (screenshot)

Completing my critical reflection has been taking over my free time over the last 3 weeks, trying to compress all the information over the three topics into 1000 words ended with me writing and rewriting sections whilst managing time to allow feedback and thinking when to finish part 3c and d. It's been pretty stressful with work but feel it coming together in the last week we have to submit our work. Hope everyone is getting on well with their reflection.

Alicia