Reader 4: Part 1

Inquiry process:

Investigate

Explore

Evaluate

Understand

https://inquiry-learning-representation.wikispaces.com/What+is+Inquiry+Learning%3F

Professional inquiry.......

"Extends and clarifies your professional knowledge"

"Suggests a framework from which you can continue to learn in the future" 

"The ultimate goal will be to explore a topic that will benefit your work and the work of colleagues."

"Identifying your own unique learning needs will be important to the process."

(Reader 4, 2015-16)

The above made me question: What is my professional practice? What is my individual role? What do I personally hope to achieve from my professional inquiry? What do I want to know that I don't already?

My current practice is within a touring, musical theatre production and my individual role is that of an ensemble dancer. I also cover two of the lead roles. From my inquiry I hope to learn something new, develop as a practitioner, extend my knowledge and get to truly know myself. Now the ultimate question, what do I want to find out out that will benefit me and my practise?

PROFESSIONAL  INQUIRY EXPLANATION AND RELATED TOPICS

What is professional inquiry?

"A way to learn what you are doing whilst doing it" and "Examining what you do in order to ask the right questions" (Reader 4, 2015-16)

We do this by.....

"Engaging with relevant problems and scenarios, drawing on existing knowledge, seek out new evidence, analyse & present that evidence" (Kahn and O'Rourke, 2004)

Why do we do this?

Get a better outlook and perspective, understand our practice. Have increased self awareness in terms of our ethics but also our selves, how we work most effectively and our bodies. Learn professionalism and have the best experiences possible whilst working.

Would we do things differently? What would I like to know? What will benefit me and my practice?

Because I was relating my inquiry to problems/issues that had come up at work and personal struggles, it was having quite a negative feel to my inquiry topics and proving difficult in regards to ethical considerations such as confidentiality and moral values. I'd like to focus on the learning of new information and looking at things I'd like to know that I didn't before. Rather than dwelling on past events, I aim to look to the future - how can I change things to make them better?

Professional inquiry - the 3 interests

BAPP (arts) learner / current future career : Me / Dirty Dancing musical

Employee / colleagues / self employed / freelance / networks : Producer / Ensemble / Crew / management 

Middlesex university BAPP (arts) network : tutors / peers from all modules / researchers

The frame work is based on reflecting and learning from experience. This is my 4th musical and 3rd tour. What have I learnt? Do I approach things differently now to how I did during my first musical? What would I still like to know? What will help me to develop and understand my practice further?

"Often intents unfold, shift, clarify or become more complex."

"An issue, event, theme, dilemma or whatever is an inquiry for me."

(Judi Marshall, 2001, p.6)

What is the purpose of my chosen question? What do I intend to achieve? What are my future prospects? Judi classes this as 'self - reflective inquiry'. Focus on things that will benefit myself rather than others. She states that inquiry 'heightens my attention inwards' - I think it is important for the inquiry to be personal in order to stay motivated, interested and for it to have true benefit to your own practice.

LINKS TO WORK BASED LEARNING

"Professional inquiry and work based learning both incorporate social science research methodology." (Reader 4) After looking a little into research methods (www.skillsyouneed.com) I discovered the term 'Ontology' which is how you view the world and the assumptions you make about the world, and 'Epistemology' (management research: 4th edition, Easterby Smith, Thorpe and Jackson) which is the assumptions you make about the best way to investigate the world. Within social sciences, there are two main approaches:

Positivist - objective methods e.g. Observation - realistic ontology

Social constructionist - given meaning by people and their thoughts, feelings, beliefs -  communication methods e.g. Conversation - relative ontology

Work based learning "promotes awareness of the workplace as a learning environment and uses this to extend the learners capability and individual effectiveness" (Durrant et al. 2009, p.1)

It is an approach that is effective when change is involved and problem solving is required. For example: When your touring you are changing venues weekly and can encounter problems such as wing space, raked stages, different temperatures, local staffing, accommodation, access to local amenities etc. Inquiry could be used in this situation to create a plan for the smoothest, safest, most comfortable and most efficient approach to the move. Professional inquiry can affect a number of employees so ethics need to be considered but it also means many people can benefit from the learning experience. Putting on a show is a team effort and I specifically am part of an ensemble. It is essential to communicate and work collectively and collaboratively.

*I'd be interested to look at a UK/international tour and come up with the best way to approach a new move to obtain maximum performance and comfort*