Task 2b....Part b!

I wasn't completely clear on what Task 2b was, as I explained in Task 2b confusion - HELP! So I thought I would attempt cover all bases with Reflective journal, Task 2b, part A, and this blog. Let's hope.

The problem with not knowing something, is that you don't realise that you don't know it. That is, until you need to know it and realise there is a hole.  The problems that come with realising you don't know something are huge.  Take not knowing how to spell something, for example.  The dictionary is there.  You (hopefully) have the knowledge to go to the place to find out, but what do you do once you're there? If indeed you do not know how to spell something, where do you start?  Your current knowledge extends to the means to find the dictionary and potentially first letter. You could probably even take an educated guess at the second and third.  But what then?  Let's take scissors, for example. How would a dictionary every help you to spell this word if you did not already have the knowledge that 'c' was the second letter. I genuinely spent five minutes earlier trying to establish how to spell discipline. The answer these days is, obviously, Google. 

I have noticed of late that I have some gaps in my knowledge of terminology.  These were not gaps that were apparent when teaching ISTD Ballet in the UK. Although as a teacher my ballet classes are, and have always been few and far between.  And I have always, if I'm honest, thought of my Ballet steps etc in Jazz terms and translated them, almost like a foreign language (and this has served me well for a number of years!) However the school that I am currently working with teaches the syllabi of the RAD and not the ISTD (where I hold my qualifications). Nevertheless both are Imperial Ballet and even as a late comer I studied both, up to grade 5 (circa 1998) after which I moved to the syllabi of the ISTD to take my majors. 

Each week I teach two Ballet classes, along with a full programme of Tap and Jazz. The differences between the awarding bodies are slight, but definite. On the most basic of levels, I need to remember to refer to my arm positions in numbers. It also seems to me the RAD do not differentiate between their ronds de jambe a terre and their assembles soutenus, although I am yet to clarify this as it makes little difference providing I am clear when setting my choreography.

I am fortunate enough to be working with a Licentiate of the RAD and she is able to clarify anything I notice in class, I think of her as my 'Ballet Google'.  I have other Googles too.  The principal of my old college is my Google for most things dance related and my assistant here is my Google for all things China related.

Last week I asked the girls for a pose assembles soutenus en tournant at the end of an exercise.  I know that my pose assemble soutenus are correct because I spent all of last year studying for the ISTD DDE Ballet examination and went on the ISTD's residential ballet course (a very brave move for a Modern and Tap - er)  this summer and we had to analyse the movement (amongst a lot of other steps!) individually in front of the class during the week. The girls were missing out the circular movement and I so went through the step, action by action, including directions with them to resolve any uncertainty.  

In the same class they were also unable to execute echappes sautés battus femme beating on both the journey out, and the journey in with or without a change of feet.  I was particularly surprised by this as it would be expected at Grade 5/6 level in ISTD and these girls are Advanced 1 RAD. 

The following day I spoke with my boss, and discovered:

- The RAD do not circle their pose assembles soutenus en tournant

- The RAD do not expect echappes sautés battus femme beating on both journeys either with or without a change of feet until Advanced 2.

This week I went back in and apologised to the girls.  But given that it is a competition class stressed the importance of being able to adapt steps and having knowledge of what is required by other bodies/a vehicle to assess yourself against.  There is also the possibility that when they move on, as many families do here once their contract is up, they will not be able to find an RAD school.  We are therefore giving them the best possible broad ballet education we can. 

Following this conversation later in the class I taught and asked the girls to perform the 1st Set Allegro from ISTD Intermediate Ballet to see how they faired, and asked them (as would be expected) to dance this four times. I was surprised to see them struggling with their stamina. Since taking on the Jazz and Tap programme I have already established a strength and flexibility class  (as I believe one without the other is useless) on top of their Jazz and Ballet timetable, and will now look to increase their cardiovascular work throughout the week. Cardiovascular fitness is often a problem in dance, and I believe this is due to the anaerobic nature of the discipline. The girls had no problem technically with the work, even when asked to dance the allegro through (after a brief moment) another four times, beaten. 

Below is a list establishing the 'What, Where, Why, When and How' I have taken away from the above 

What didn't I know?

- RAD execute steps differently

- RAD have different expectations at different level

- Girls need to work on stamina

Where did/do I find the resources to improve my knowledge?

- Speak with my boss

- Current knowledge

- Use the internet

Why didn't I know this anyway?

- Because I am only qualified with the ISTD and ballet is my weakest subject.

- Because I have only been teaching the girls for four weeks and I am still learning their abilities and limitations

When did/will I put this knowledge into practice?

- During the girls last lesson

- in there subsequent lessons (not just with me, I will speak with their other teacher and see what can be achieved)

How can I help the girls to work on these things/improve my knowledge?

- Give more cardiovascular work in each lesson - making exercises longer for stamina

- Ensure I am clear with my explanation and demonstration so they are able to hear and see what I require

- Clarify their execution with them, and check with my boss if unsure

In this case of this blog, I have spoken to the girls involved and asked them if they would be willing subjects.

Task 2b...Part a!

I feel good about my ideas on task 2a and I'm confident I made the right choices, however as described in Task 2a - Reflective journal I struggled a little with writing my journal in the different styles.  Being incredibly strong minded, I have to admit to, on occasion, not being very open to ideas which are not my own, or that I do not see as beneficial.  Especially when not able to talk them through with someone who thinks they are a good idea! Nevertheless, I attempted to write my blog in the styles suggested.

Some of the styles were fairly straight forward, and not a long way from my own style, again described in Task 2a - Reflective journal 

The first four styles: Description, Initial Reflection, List and Evaluation were just isolated version of parts of my own style.  Graphs, charts and diagrams at least lead me to learn how to make a flow chart.  I found these all useful in their own right and although I have not changed my style because of them I at least understand the way I choose to write. 

"What if?"  And "Another View" however, were less helpful. I don't have the time in the day to reflect on every situation that could have arisen.  I understand that this is useful for some processes e.g Risk Assessments or when trying to puzzle through an event that has not yet happened for example, how best to run the whole school rehearsal of a show?  "What if we tried...?"  What about if...?" "What happens when...?" but in the instance of an everyday journal could be detrimental to my sanity... and time consuming (never-ending). 

Another view is interesting, and I like the idea of looking at the day from the perspective of someone you have had a professional disagreement with, but teaching dance is an isolating job and I am rarely around other adults to have a professional disagreement - I also, on the whole look at most situations as a conversation arriving at a collaborative outcome, and not a disagreement. I know if I wrote from the perspective of the children they would sometimes wish I wasn't being so hard on them, or from the perspective of the parents they might wonder what exactly I was shouting about this time (often, but not always, I am just shouting over the music so the children can hear me). But I already know this, I've already reflected on it. In an update to Facebook before the summer I wrote:

"I'm always really hard on my kids; they might not always love me for it but it always pays off. Today the examiner said: "Their teacher deserves a medal, they really knew what they were doing" Well done guys, you survived me and I survived your exam"

and after an examination session a few weeks later:

"Another examiner congratulated me yesterday on the high standard of work at M.A.Dance..."

I have recently changed jobs, however the principal at my current school and I have very similar teaching methods.  Maybe it's our level of training, or maybe it's our personalities. I often joke that here is the first place I have ever been considered 'the nice one'. We have standards to maintain, and a work ethic to uphold.  The work ethic here is phenomenal - but if a member of the team falls below par the whole team is affected. Conversely, whilst enforcing these standards I always make sure the children know when they have succeeded, or exceeded my expectations and I congratulate where appropriate; a recent example being a child who missed her show rehearsal.  The ethos of the school is about being a team, and understanding what that entails. We have a rule where if you miss class, you are not choreographed into that section. The child took it upon herself to get together with the other students outside of class time and learn the work she had missed in case there was the opportunity for her to be in the section. This is the kind of behaviour that is encouraged and rewarded. The parents and students are all looking at the long game, and they stand by us. 

Task 2b confusion - HELP!

I am confused as to what is required by Task 2b.


During the main body of the reader, the task that is given is as follows:


"Having done this exercise was there anything about the events or about yourself that emerged.  Were you surprised by anything? 


The different boxes are all ways to begin thinking about an event so that you can try to deepen the way you write your reflective diary. Was there one way they really made you think? Is there one you might use again? 


Was anything useful for the way you plan or reflect for work / your practice? 


Blog about this, title your Blog ‘Journal writing experience’." 


I think I have that all but covered in my Task 2a - reflective journal but am happy to repeat, entitling it Task 2b and answering these specific questions.


However in the summary at the end of the reader the instruction given is:

"Based upon the Reid and Moon framework critcally reflect upon a specific day.  Blog about this titled 'journal writing experience'.  


Within this blog consider any ethical considerations that have affected your thinking but remember to anonymise where appropriate and review the way that you sepak about confidential matters when speaking on a public forum.  


Comment on other people's Blogs and share your experiences."


So now I am left confused, and would be grateful of any ideas you have: 


Are we supposed to be just taking one day from our journal and blogging about that?  Should it be done in a specific framework? Who is Reid?

Task 2a - Reflective Journal

Before commencing my journal I blogged about my ideas on what format to use.  Two weeks into my journal journey and I am sure that for me, using the computer is the best medium.  I have had to search for ideas (which app to use) and learn some new skills along the way too.  I didn't know how to make a flow chart, for example, and I had no idea different shaped boxes meant different things. 

Many times over the last two weeks I have felt like I was just going through the motions of writing my journal.  I like to talk things out, and so I have always done a kind of verbal/mental journal, speaking with my contemporaries, colleagues and superiors about issues I have had, things that I need clarifying or things I thought went well. I had therefore puzzled through the days events either in my head or with colleagues long before I got to write my thoughts in my journal, already forming questions and answers, possible further problems and solutions. I couldn't see how a journal was going to benefit me.  This whole process of writing things down is very new to me.  I have never even kept a diary or calendar and have, to my knowledge, never failed to attend an appointment/class or arrive on time for a job despite working different hours every day for the last 12 years.  I think I have quite a good memory.  Something I have always done, however is communicate professionally in a written format, even with my colleagues.  I always use email to create a visual trail of anything I am saying, often sending written correspondence after a verbal conversation.  This has proved invaluable at times. 

When studying the reader I really identified with the way Robert Kottcamp had put forward Donald Schon's idea of reflection-in-action as ‘online’ and reflection-on-action as ‘offline’. In an excerpt from Reader 2, Kottcamp states that reflection-in-action is harder to achieve

"...differentiation between reflection-on-action

(reflection on past event) and reflection-in-action (reflection in

the midst of an ongoing action). The latter type is the more difficult

to achieve, but the more powerful for improvement of practice

because it results in “on-line” experiments to adjust and improve

one’s professional actions...."

I believe this depends on your previous knowledge and experiences. As a both as a dancer taking and retaining corrections in class and dance teacher adapting my plans, steps or choreography as the class unfolds, I am well practiced in reflection-in-action and it is something we are assessed on in qualification. Sometimes my lesson ends up so far away from the plan I entered the class with, and this is fine. Classes are often moving at such a pace that reflection-on-action, even for the teacher, is more difficult as essential elements can be forgotten or misremembered. 

During the past fortnight I have been keeping my journal, writing in it throughout the day.  I wish we had been asked to start this process earlier, as I feel 3 weeks is not long enough for true reflection given the number of tasks. I gave myself a week to establish the routine of writing, and then this last week I started trying out the styles of journal writing suggested in the Reader, leaving me 7 days to complete the four tasks. Over the course of the second week I have discovered that without meaning to I kept returning to my own style of writing - a kind of list/initial reflection/evaluation/description hybrid depending on the time of day I was writing. I signed up to www.listography.com but didn't feel this was for me. I didn't feel it allowed me to gain enough detail to fulfil the brief. 

However, I have written lists at the start of the day not just as a way to remind myself of everything I wanted to do but to make myself feel, or make myself realise how much I have achieved by the end of the day. I used to get terribly frustrated as I would make my lists so long and feel like I was getting nowhere.  I made a New Years Resolution one year to establish just how long an hour was and exactly what you could fit into it.  It's really not very long!  Two people gave me advice during the time:  The first piece of advice was to always write "make a list" as your first task and then you feel good straight away.  If I am handwriting a list I still do this! The second piece of advice was to not make your list too long, but have a reserve list of things you could move onto should you complete your initial list early - I suppose an alternative here would be to prioritise your list with numbers. These pieces of advice have really helped me to become more efficient and have stopped the negative feelings I had when I didn't complete tasks on an unrealistic time frame. Some days I like to start my journal with a list of things I know are happening or I would like to complete, and how I would like things to pan out and reflect on this later. 

Right at the beginning of this task I made the conscious decision not to edit my journal.  This was for two reasons:  The first is that it would just take too much time!  I usually like to write and re-write until I am happy with my work.  The second reason being I felt an unedited version would be more raw and allow me to learn more when looking back.  The unedited version might even help me to reflect on the situation from a new angle as I'm trying to figure out what I meant. However I am unsure about how I will feel about this when I have to use an except for public viewing.  Would editing be acceptable then?  Providing I did not markably change the content or add further thought without referring to the expansion of my reflection since the initial stages I don't see there would be a problem. 

Some questions I have always found useful throughout my professional development are: HOW? WHEN? WHAT? WHY? and WHERE? These questions have allowed me to expand on my thinking.  For example: How did the situation arise? When did I first see it unfolding? What could I have done to change things? Why did I react that way I did? Where can I take things from here? But it could be as straight forward as just adding "did it happen?" after each of these.

Regarding anonymity, I am yet to establish a suitable practice within my journal. Because I have chosen to use the computer as the medium for my writing, the security is higher than a note book might be.  I have therefore allowed myself to write quite freely about situations within my professional life, and my thoughts and feeling on them.  I do not know how I would go about anonymising people if I were to use an excerpt from my journal as the situation would always be recognisable to those involved should they stumble across my work.

What I have found more useful than writing the journal itself, is being able to reflect back on the entries days later. Reviewing the importance of an event or assessing what my students and/or I have achieved and re-reflecting on it.  Something I am considering is completing a written review of my journal each week enabling me to reflect on the week as a whole highlighting areas of importance and further ideas, maybe in bullet point format allowing me to set myself further goals.

Task 1d revisited

I finally have some content on my Flickr account!

I have added a collection (or 'set') of images of the proposed scenery for our forthcoming production of The Wizard of Oz. We are incredibly fortunate to be working with 5th year university students who are just graduating.  This collaboration came about thanks to a parent at the studio, whose brother is a professor of scenery production at one of the top universities serving the City Opera.  

The other set I have added is from a workshop that went on at an International School the studio is affiliated with. The New England Patriot Cheerleaders came to work with the Elementary children and the Cheerleading Squad and we sat in.  

Adding the images was really straight forwards, but that was never the problem - hopefully now I'm more settled I will be able to get some photos up of my current work.  I've been asking about the rules regarding adding pictures of children and I've been told multiple times that the rules are different here, you don't need permission.  My whole journey here so far has been a real learning curve!  I need to think about this, as coming from the UK there are many things that happen here that are not acceptable at home.  I need to look at how I can continue to uphold my own personal levels of professionalism and expectations whilst fitting in with the way of life. 

Blog participation and RSS technologies

I had my first known experience of using RSS technology this week.  I was looking through the BAPP blogs and realised that everyone's blog has 'subscribe to posts' very faintly at the bottom, and so I clicked on one!  A message popped up telling me I would need to download an RSS application to allow me to proceed and directed me, via a link, to the app store.  As I didn't really know what I was doing (and as is my usual practice in these times!) I chose the free application with the highest rating. I don't know who's rating these applications, but whether it is accurate information or not I choose to base my application purchases on this as I've decided it's a little better than a blind stab in the dark and if it turns out to be awful, it was free!  Try another one.  

After I'd downloaded the RSS, I realised just how easy it was and, I THINK, what it does. I couldn't believe I hadn't used one before.  Then I remembered until now, there has only been one blog I even semi follow. Esther Walker's Recipe Rifle.  This link takes you to a favourite post of mine. The blog as a whole really is terribly entertaining and also very frank and honest. She writes freely of the stick she has received due to her blog and how this has or has not affected her (amongst a lot of other subjects!)

At first I thought that my discovery of the RSS bot might render my idea of everyone having a subscribe via email option pointless (I have noticed that a few of you have all already added this to your blog - swift work!) and I was a little bit deflated - I thought my idea was a really good one!  So good in fact I decided to tell you all about it.  After further thought, which I have to be honest about, I didn't know was happening inside my head, I came to the realisation that it was still a good idea.

I think subscribing via email and subscribing via RRS both have their uses:  

Subscribing via RSS allows you to collect a list of all the blogs you wish to follow and alerts you immediately if someone adds a new post to their blog PROVIDING you are on your computer.  I am yet to discover if there is an application you can sync with the RSS technology on your laptop and an application on your smart phone.  

However using 'subscribe via email' allows you to refer back to what has been updated at a later date.  Once you have looked at the notification the RSS bot sends you, it's gone.  The email is there for constant reference.

Both are working well for me for different reasons.  When I am at the computer everything comes through the the RRS application and when I am away from my computer I am still able to keep up-to-date on the go with my email notifications. In addition to this, I am able to see when someone comments after me on a post.

I've also been thinking about replying to blog posts via email too when the opportunity arrises, giving me a reference of what I have done.  Hopefully these things will help me become more efficient in both my blogging, and the participation of others.  

"I wonder if any generation will see the kind of advances mine has?'

When I awoke this morning, as many off us do (and some of us have been discussing) I checked my iPhone. It was the first thing I did.  It's always the first thing I do. Initially I check it to see what time it is.  Or at least that's the excuse I'm making to myself. But almost immediately I am sucked in by the bright screen. Every morning before I get up I (attempt to) check, in varying orders, my Emails, Facebook , Twitter, Whatsapp and a varying news website depending on my current taste. 

Bethany and I were discussing on her Blog post how although we see ourselves as almost obsessed by what we now understand to be Web 2.0 technologies, in actual fact, for me at least, the obsession is my iPhone.  I do not wake up and dive for my computer to see what has happened, even though often it is next to me or even in bed as I have fallen asleep working. In fact, I am not even sure I know how to use Facebook outside of the mobile application these days, and I certainly am not 100% sure of my Twitter login.

On my Blog entry Task 1b in the second paragraph I pose the thought: 

"I often wonder if any other generation is going to see the kind of advances mine has seen."

I mentioned this in a conversation I got myself into after class this week.  I was chatting to a really interesting couple about the BAPP and this blog etc whilst their daughter got changed to go home. I've discussed briefly in previous Blogs some of the negatives of being here, but one of the positives is being surrounded by people who are 'high up' in their job, really know their trade/craft, work in incredibly diverse fields and have a broad wealth of knowledge and experience.  These people, and their families, have been sent by their respective companies, all expenses paid to work in a foreign country. For me, this along with the 'ways of the country' mean I get my knowledge, thoughts and ideas expanded, developed, challenged or changed every day.

The consensus from the couple was that if you look back at records and accounts from 100 years ago the same statement would have been made by generations of that time, and with a quick Google search of "inventions 100 years ago" I believe the same question would have been posed. Their experience should have given us the knowledge that whilst many advances are to be celebrated many can be destructive - a lesson we might do well to remember.  

This leads me to an article by Giles Coren written for The Times which I saw on Twitter this morning:  Here is the original article for those of you who have a subscription.  For those that don't please see this version. For me it is particularly interesting (and relevant) from paragraph nine.  Within the article Coren states:

"In 1913-14, the world stood on the brink of a confrontation in which the old would collide with the new in a most horrific way. Modern technology — originally developed with the best of intentions — would sweep away a generation..." 

So they were right.  100 years on and the technology in question might be different but the advances, in comparison, were still there and we are once again jumping headfirst into a world we have allowed ourselves to believe in.  A world we hope will better us. 

Coren's final thought:

"A century on, the lamps are going out again

There isn’t any turning back now, as there was not 100 years ago. And just like 100 years ago there are vested interests, in cold alliance with lazy thinkers, telling us to stop worrying, it is all going to be fine. But it wasn’t then. And it won’t be this time either."

Web 2.0 and its limitations for me

"There’s little doubt that 2.0 applications afford important tools to organize citizen activism." (freedomhouse.com 2009)

In our weekly feedback, it was suggested to me once again that I comment more on other peoples blogs in order to increase traffic to my blog.  I felt I had, up until now, done a fair job on commenting but took on board this feedback, and in an attempt to fulfil what is required of me I have this morning been busily commenting where I felt I could help or I had something to say.  However not all the posts I read I feel compelled to comment on and I definitely do not feel the need to write on a public forum for the sake of writing. I also have to ensure what I write is constructive: I have very strong ideas on a lot of things, and as I think most of my friends would tell you always think my ideas are good ideas (that's a nice way of saying I always think I'm right).  

Which brings me nicely onto....I find it very time consuming (as I'm sure many of you do) and an inefficient use of my time to trawl through everyone's blogs in one go making sure I don't miss anything, so have suggested to everyone today (I think) that we add a 'subscribe via email option' which I think will make all our lives more productive.  We can peruse each post as it goes live and think about our thoughts and feelings in relation to the topic.  I feel this would allow us all to give better feed back.  Let me know what you think.

My main point to this post was wanting to highlight the following: For those of you living in the UK you do not even question the use of Web 2.0.  You want to go on Facebook you do it.  You want to Google something, all the information you could possibly require is at your finger tips.  You want to write a blog post, not a problem!  For me, it's not always so easy. Here is a link showing a non-exhaustive list of sites that are banned. I'm sure you'll agree not being able to access these sites would change the way many of us live our lives today. Fortunately, on the whole you can get around this problem, using something called a VPN.  Before coming here, I'd never heard of a VPN and I certainly didn't know what it did.  Now my life can't function without it...although sometimes, it has to!  For example today, whilst trying to comment on blogs my VPN would switch itself off having been inactive for a period of time whilst I was typing - will I lose everything I've written?  Please don't let me lose everything I've written! Without my VPN I cannot even access my blog, or indeed anyone's blog.  Without my VPN I cannot upload anything to YouTube or Flickr.  Even with my VPN I am limited on my Google searches until I remember to type in 'google.co.uk' before doing anything and even then I'm not sure I can access what I could in the UK. 

I also have to be even more careful what I write.  Just because I can't access these sites legally from here doesn't mean what I write on them can't be seen.  There are words I avoid using, usually anything I think might be flagged up. I very rarely, on any public platform (Facebook, Twitter, my personal blog or here) write where I am or specifically refer to entire situation. 

A plus to this, is that I do not allow Facebook (and other Web 2. tools) to take up as much of my time these days.  I just don't think to check it as often as the facility is not always there. I'm living a little more in the 'real' world.  

These are obviously situations I have had to work around whilst exploring web 2.0 over the last few weeks, and will have to continue to work around.  It makes my life interesting!  Less productive sometimes, but interesting.  As they say here, there is always a way...

 

Ideas on Task 2a

I spent some time last night and this morning reading Reader 2, and its supporting literature and I started thinking:

How would be best for me personally to keep my journal?
How could I ensure I always had it with me, so I was able to make entries?
How could I ensure I could read what I had written months later?
How could I keep it secure?

I thought about using pen and paper, but my life does not support carrying additional items around at all times - I have so much to carry anyway!  And I don't think I can guarantee not to leave it somewhere, where the issue of confidentiality creeps in again. Also, I get home from work so late that I have very little 'free time' at home, most of my free time is spent at work.

The sensible thing seemed to me to use my computer to keep my journal as this would mean I could never lose an entry or indeed I would not lose my computer, I would be able to read everything I had written (even years later, should I wish), and my computer locks if I don't touch it for 5 minutes meaning no-one will 'pick up' and start reading my journal.

I thought about how I would use my computer and decided to have a look at what Apps were available.  I'm an apple girl and really believe in their products; downloading something from the App Store would truly ensure I was able to add an entry to my journal at any time! Even if I am without my MacBook - which is rare as I use it both in the classroom to play music/for my lesson plans and at home for everything - I am never without my iPhone (the app is not available on the iPad).

There were lots of apps available.  Many of them were paid or seemed to do too much for what I felt I needed at the moment - although on reflection maybe an all singing all dancing photo, video and audio application would have been good? I can always change and copy the information over. I didn't want to spend too much money initially until I'd decided my idea was actually a good one, and it was going to work and so I decided on an App called My Diary 2 which seemed to have fairly basic functions and only cost 69pence on the mac and £1.49 on the iPhone.

I'd be really interested to know how everyone else is keeping their journals, how they came to their decisions and if anyone has found a really good app.

Task 1b

Reader 1 has certainly got me thinking.


I had no idea the web was so complicated. Or that so much work had gone into it. I had certainly, in my head, never differentiated between the possibilities of having Web 1.0 and Web 2.0. I'd just accepted the internet for what it was.  Much in the same way I went into my front room one day and discovered we had a new TV set that no longer required the remote to be plugged in.


I don't remember exactly when I became aware of an interactive platform, one where content changed from being purely '”published' to being “participatory” but suddenly everyone was “MSNing” and “Facebooking” (although back then they were 'MySpacing”) and I along with my contemporaries embraced it. I often wonder if any other generation is going to see the kind of advances mine has seen.


A question that had certainly never occurred to me is: What is Google? Much like I've never thought about a lot of things! I like the way Google was described:

“Google's service is not a server--though it is delivered by a massive collection of internet servers--nor a browser--though it is experienced by the user within the browser. Nor does its flagship search service even host the content that it enables users to find. Much like a phone call, which happens not just on the phones at either end of the call, but on the network in between, Google happens in the space between browser and search engine and destination content server, as an enabler or middleman between the user and his or her online experience”

During my schooling I often used Microsoft Encarta or more relevant to this topic Britannica Online as a resource for my homework, and that was perfectly acceptable. However its web 2.0 successor, Wikipedia, is an interactive platform allowing anyone to contribute to the information it supplies. For me, the differences between Britannica Online and Wikipedia are a great example of the differences between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 and one I was able to relate to: Britannica Online was published whilst Wikipedia is participatory.


The Reader highlighted many aspects that contribute towards a site being classed as web 2.0. The example above highlights one of those aspects; the question of trust within 2.0. Which made me consider: Is this all good? Wikipedia for example is not a respected information centre due to 'anyone' being able to write or change it despite it being the majority of our 'go to' for information. On a separate issue of trust, we enter our personal details into these platforms, on Facebook for example and then wonder how 'appropriate' (semi-relevant) advertisements pop up.


The article by O’Reilly mentioned that some people consider Web 2.0 just “a meaningless marketing buzzword”. I thought that was really interesting, and brings me back in my thinking to my opening paragraph.


Another aspect that interested me was the idea that software gets better the more people use it:


"Network effects from user contributions are key to market dominance in the Web 2.0 era.”.


A resent example of this being brought into the public eye, rather than just happening 'behind the scenes'- was when in the iPhone took google maps off the IOS 6 update: Apple v Google Maps. I think I remember them saying “the more people use it, the better it will get” at the time...


This Reader also reaffirms a point Alan raised on a previous blog post of mine about getting involved: Blogging in itself is not a use of Web 2.0 platform. It's the participating in the conversations which your blog creates, or that of others.  It also raised the idea that 'tagging' helps to create traffic, which is not something I had thought about before and will look into.


There are many things I now understand to be 2.0 applications that I would have had no idea about, prior to the Reader. Things I use everyday: Facebook, Twitter, Shazam, YouTube, Google, Amazon and the list goes on.


In addition to all these things, I have also learned some new vocabulary! Folksonimy, Taxonomy and RRS Technology to name a few.


I was reading on a blog that some people had the function to 'subscibe to blog' on their page. RSS technology allows you to subscribe to pages - notified each time something changes, and this is something I have now put on my blog. I think it would be a really useful and time saving tool for everyone studying the BAPP to add as we would automatically get notified of all new posts.


However the big issue for me, is still the ethical issue of confidentiality and safe guarding with regard to my job which I have been fairly vocal about in previous posts, and in emails to the university before commencement of this module. The issue of my privacy within Web 2.0 technology continue to raise concerns for me too. These are all things that I am hoping to find ways around as my knowledge and thought processes increase. 

Task 1c

I have completed task 1c, and here it is!

My First Video

Let me know your thoughts!

Megan

Task 1a and My Resume

My understanding of this task is that we have to take our current CV and rewrite it as our blog profile. We then need to view others and discuss what we have learned and adapt ours accordingly.

I noticed whilst looking through other blogs that some people had posted their current Resume on their blog, and asked for advice like Beth's Task 1a Blog post. Whilst others had added the information to their profile: Some to their Google+ (like me), and others had opted for the 'limited profile' of the blogging platform (see Laura-May's Blog profile).

I do not feel that either Google+ or the limited blogger profile allowed me enough space to say everything I felt necessary. And so today I have been trying to find a way to upload my Resume without taking up miles of blog space and I discovered this YouTube video:

How to insert documents on Blogger

As a result of my findings, please find my Resume(s) and cover note below which I will also link to my google+ page:

Megan Lewis Resume (brief)
Megan Lewis Resume (detailed)
Personal Statement (April 2013)

I have uploaded two resumes.  A brief one that I sent out last academic year whilst applying for jobs, and an extended one that was also completed last academic year but as part of the Recognition of Learning module with Middlesex University. I read on Beth's blog (link above) a post about whether or not a covering letter should be sent.  I believe the covering letter is invaluable as it allows you to talk more about yourself and your qualities/aspirations that your CV - which is just a collection of facts.

In line with the task, I have added a very brief version of my Resume to my profile - please click on "Megan Lewis" under the "About me" section of my blog (on your right hand side) to see this version.

If anyone has any feed back, that would be great.

Take care

Megan

I feel like one day, I'll get found out...

I was talking the other day about how I always feel like one day somebody will find me out.  It will suddenly be discovered that despite my experience and achievements both as a dancer and a teacher I can't dance.  I have no technique.  I'm rubbish at my job.  Or some other thing. Someone might question something I've done, and I won't have an answer other than "I just felt it instinctively", which is only really an answer in a dancers' world.

I'd had this conversation with my mother some time ago and she (a teacher herself) assured me that that this feeling in itself was exactly why I was good at my job.

Out of the blue, a dear friend sent me a clip from YouTube.  He was completely oblivious  to my previous conversations.  Here is the link: Success and Failure . It's a speech Neil Gaiman gave at the University of the Arts to the class of 2012. Within this speech he says, amongst many other things:

"...The problems of success can be harder. Because no-one warns you about them. The first problem of any kind of even limited success is the unshakable conviction that you are getting away with something and any moment now they will discover you. It's impostor syndrome... "The fraud police"...would be there to tell me it was all over and they'd caught up with me and now I would have to go out and get a real job...and not make things up anymore..."

I also noticed this blog post from Alan whilst I was reading today -  Developing Professionalism and smiled to myself at how both Alan and Mr Gaiman had chosen to conclude their thoughts.

This speech reassured me, and let me believe it's okay not to have all the answers. I hope you find time to watch it. I hope it does the same for you.

Task 1d

I have today created a flickr account, and I have to say it was completely painless.  The link to my account is below:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/104564597@N08/

At present you will find no uploaded content.  This is because I am struggling with suitable photographs to upload.  Due to the nature of my work (I work predominantly with children and young adults) and given that I have just changed jobs, I'm in a quandary. All evidence of my work is with students from my old job, and I am unable to get the permissions to use these. Given that I only started my new job 2 weeks ago I am yet to have any videos or photographs with my new students.

Rehearsals commence this week for our Christmas show, so hopefully I will be able to get some content up soon.

A question that keeps coming back to me however is: As a teacher of dance how will uploading still images of myself or my students benefit my professional profile?  I can see the benefit if I was an owner of a studio, as they are a nice illustration of what is happening within the school and help to keep people interested in and discussing the schools work. But as a teacher at the studio it is not my place to decided to publish photographs of the children. Any thoughts?

Editing 'About Me'

Has anyone else had difficulty working out how to edit their 'About Me' section on their blog?  I've now got it sussed, but lost around two hours in the process.

I spent last night googling. I googled and googled and still didn't get the answer I wanted.  I just didn't get how the google+ stuff and my blog linked together.  I'm sure if I'd actually read my uni notes, there would have been something in there, or if I could have accessed YouTube I might have been okay.  Or even if I'd been able to start my blogs at the same time as the rest of you, I might have already read the answer on your page!

Back in the UK, you see, YouTube and Google are pretty much my answer to most things I don't know, that and my friends - I  have a great bunch! Much like the contestants on Who Wants to be a Millionaire I choose which particular friend I am going to ask for 'help' depending on my needs. The Lawyer, the PR manager, the events manager, the teacher, the editor, the computer genius, the dance master and so on and so on. But my options are somewhat limited here.  Google itself is limited, and YouTube banned.  I have a VPN, but sometimes it kicks me off, and maybe sometimes it just doesn't feel like working. We've all been there! I also have to plan a little more with my 'phone a friend' as for me, right now, it's 13.45 but for them it's 06.45 and much as they love me, I don't think they want to be awoken by a chirpy me asking "how do I add an about me section on Blogspot.com".  So, for anyone in the same predicament as me, this is how:

• Go to your Google+ profile
• Go to 'Story' (for me, it's the top right hand box of my profile page)
• Click 'Edit'
• Type away until your heart's content in 'introduction' 
• And then click 'save'

I hope that at least helps someone.  

Now, to work on my privacy settings, decide what I'm going to say in my YouTube video (if I can even do it!), and look at what photos I'm going to upload!

Until next time...

First post...

Hi All

I have to admit to feeling a little overwhelmed currently.  I've just moved Countries and am on a 7 hour time difference to the UK which is really hindering my productivity!  Getting things done here is not easy, and now due to the time difference getting things done there (UK) is not easy either!  I'm not really sure what to write here, so I'll explain my journey over the last year...

I am Megan, an ISTD teacher, and have been since 2003 when I first qualified with my Tap Associate.  Dancing is all I've ever known. Over the years I had taken various further qualifications including my DDI in Modern and Ballet, and my FDI in Tap and trained extensively with both the ISTD and free classes.

My current journey started back in April 2012 when I contacted the Principal of my old college to enquire about possible classes. However an event in June last year took my life slightly off the course I had been merrily and successfully cruising along and as a result I took on a series of tasks that lead me to where I am now.

I'd been reading in the ISTD Dance magazine about a BAhons program affiliated with Middlesex University and decided that, despite moaning about them for years, I was actually going to bite the bullet and finish these new ISTD qualifications and get myself on that course... from then on, I barely got a chance to breathe:

Despite all of my other commitments, I took classes leading to the following examination/course schedule:

August: ISTD Chichester Residential Course / Elite Summer School
September: DDE Modern unit 4
October: DDE unit 5
November: DDE unit 1&2 interim examination
December: Advanced 2 Tap examination
January: DDE unit 1&2 External examination
February: BAPP RoL course starts - I'D DONE IT, I'D GOT ON THE COURSE!
April: New Advanced 1 Modern
May: Submission of work to Middlesex
June: GCSE Science examinations
July: Advanced 2 Modern examination / Licentiate Modern examination

I'd done it!  I'd achieved everything I'd been thinking about doing for years! And I'd expanded my opportunities.

When I look back over the last year I can't believe what I achieved, or the journey that it has taken me on.  I've had to make some tough decisions, and do things more mentally and physically demanding than my body was happy with. But I did it. And I did it well.

Back in the real word, where I am not a 30 year old dance student wondering how I ever had the confidence when in full time training to run across the floor and dive at it without thinking I might do myself a mischief, I ran a high achieving Dance School, and a house and taught full time. Balancing everything was tough.  But I managed. As I'm sure many of you are too, us dance teachers are married to the job.

However, following the completion of my RoL module on the BAPP I decided I needed more.  How could move forward? How could I top last year?  What new adventure could the career I LOVE take me on? I know, I thought!  I'll move abroad! And here I am...