Back to the reader....

I decided to back to the reader to gain a little more clarity on professional inquiry and relating it to my practice.  As I start to ask questions it is easy to get engrossed in exploring lots of different avenues and loose sight of what I actually have to do - these are a few things that stood out to me from the reader:

Inquiry based learning expects the adult learner to engage with relevant problems and scenarios, drawing on existing knowledge, seek out new evidence, and analyse and present that evidence in appropriate ways. (Kahn and O'Rourke, 2004)

I took a moment to break this down to see how it relates to me:

Engage with relevant problems and scenarios:

• Trying to find a career path that combines my passion for theatre and working with young people.
• Need to let go of having a set career, it won't work in my field - I can still have a sense of routine just with a variety of employers/roles.
• Lack of knowledge about new field - how to get involved.
• Lack of knowledge regarding the skills that I need - leads to lack of confidence.
• How? Where? When? Who?

Drawing on existing knowledge:

• Drawing on all experiences of different companies I have worked for can see things that I liked and things I did not in order to progress my own practice.
• My training - extensive theatre skills.
• My every day practice - diary.
• Drawing from current employers - feedback forms on my workshops, getting involved in their wider practice/opportunities.
• My peers - endless supply of information/opinions.

Seek out new evidence:

• SIG's
• Literature

In breaking this quote down I can see where I stand in the process of inquiry based learning.  There is lots more I can do - it helped me realise that I need to draw more on what I am currently doing after all it is work based learning.  Because I am looking for new career opportunities I tend to constantly look outside of current practice. I reality my future plans stem from my current and past practice so there is lots I can draw from in my existing field.

I moved on to look at how I work in a transdisciplinary manner - I found this diagram which makes the process of transdisciplinary inquiry a little clearer for me as I am a visual learner:

By the way if like me you don't know what Pedagogy means it's definition is the principles and methods of instruction so basically what teachings are out there to draw from. 

In relating this diagram to my practice my disciplines would be as follows:

Discipline 1: Workshop facilitating/teaching
Discipline 2: Performing
Discipline 3: New avenues - Inclusive, community, outreach

This image has helped me realise that I need to draw from all areas of my work in order to create my PROJECT aka Professional inquiry.

Within my workshop facilitating/teaching I also work in a transdisciplinary manner and I feel it is important to recognise that and the most prominent roles I take on within this:

Discipline 1: School educational workshops - Representative
Discipline 2: After school clubs - Responsibility
Discipline 3: Private parties - Personal/Supportive

It becomes clear that I have a lot more knowledge than I give myself credit for or take notice of in order to improve my practice.  In looking at how I fit within my current organisations there is research avenues that are so accessible to me that I am not using mainly because I am scared to ask - which is a rubbish excuse I know:

• Email developed questions to senior professionals to get opinions.
• Get feedback forms from my employer that I know they get from schools that I do workshops in - outside opinion on my practice.
• Explore/enquire about other work my company does that I am not involved in - regarding outreach I know they do workshops in Great Ormond Street they I know little about.
• Use the contacts in theatres I am going into and production companies I work for - how do they cast? Opportunities?
• Explore theory behind practical of programmes at the theatre I am going to. We do school shows and shows for visual and hearing impaired but I do not now how this started or what other outreach programmes are in place.

 What do I know?

• Theatre skills.
• Workshop facilitating/teaching skills.
• Engagement, energy, passion.
• Subject knowledge - lesson plans, resources.
• Experience - environments, companies.
• Communication/people skills.
• Managerial/business awareness.
• Behaviour management and rapport with children.
• Practical/hands on knowledge.

What knowledge and skills do I need for the future?

• Processes behind getting to the practical stage.
• Theory of different approaches.
• Knowledge of inclusive, community, outreach field.
• How can I get involved? How can I market myself in this field?
• What existing opportunities are there? Do I have the correct skills?

The knowledge and skills that I need for the future can be found in my SIG's and literature.  I am already finding great help in my SIG's as I have made contacts with people that are senior professionals in the field that I am a novice in.  I find it hard that these connections I have made are through a screen and so time dependant but I guess this is the nature of the course and the modern world.  In regards to literature Penelope Hanstien's diagram within the reader highlighted the importance of it to me:

Penelope Hanstien (1999, p.27)

In moving round the spiral in relation to my progress I come to an early stop as I am yet to explore literature!

In looking back at the reader I feel I have gained more clarity in order to move forward!

Hollie x