Log 4 – critical reflection on your learning across the BAPP course

In the past eighteen months I have undertaken a long journey, full of twists and turns but I finally feel that I have reached the first service station on the way to my destination. The completion of my research project has proved to be a mile stone both in my academic and ‘normal’ life. When faced with the prospect of a 12000 word project my initial feelings were a mixture of fear and excitement, and these two emotions have stayed with me throughout. I am so glad that I chose an area that I had a large amount of passion and interest in, because 12000 words was just the beginning, what ensued was months of reading, researching, collating, evaluating and writing up to a high enough standard to keep the perfectionist in me content.
This course has developed many of my skills, especially my grasp of IT programmes, including Delicious, Google Docs and opened my eyes to the word of blogging. I have had a mixed relationship with the blogs, whilst I have enjoyed reading the posts of others and have often found encouragement in the realisation that someone else is struggling with a certain subject area and that I am not wholly alone in finding something difficult, I have been less open with pouring my heart out to an online community. I have enjoyed the opportunity to comment on others ideas, as it has often helped me to re-evaluate mine in the process, and I have found the comments on my blog to often be very beneficial.

I have been able to develop the academic style of writing which was an integral part of my final research project, as well as using Harvard referencing, something that, now grasped, will prove invaluable in my academic future. The project has also taught me to efficiently, effectively and logically research and evaluate a variety of statistical data. My ability to interview and disseminate information from others, as well as having a wider understanding of a broad range of view points, have all improved as a direct result of undertaking this research project and the course as a whole.

I had always considered myself to be an organised individual, but working a forty hour week whilst completing this project and indeed the degree as a whole has made me realise the true meaning of organisation. The general planning techniques, implemented in earlier modules, set me in good stead to complete my project not only on time but three weeks early due to an imminent operation on my hip, which rather inconveniently fell just before the final hand in date.
The process of Kolb’s learning cycle which was learnt in the second module was, for me, one of the key techniques learnt throughout the course, as I was able to implement the ideas at many stages throughout my time. It was also instrumental in the development of jumbled ideas into a coherent research proposal.
I found one of the most challenging elements of the final research project to be the literature review. This wasn’t something that I had come across before, and my first attempts were not good. However, with guidance from my programme advisor and lots of reading around the subject, I was able make a marked improvement on my initial attempt.

The findings of the research project should be of benefit to my work-based learning organisation, which have helped me with the research no end. This would not have been possible without their input and it feels good to be able to give them something back in the form of ideas which should help future generations of young dancers.

Finally, I have found that the process and findings of my project have inspired me to move onwards and upwards with my academic study. I feel as if I have just scratched the service and that there are many more avenues for me to explore in greater detail. So what advice would I offer to a student about to embark upon this course? Planning, organisation and a close relationship with your organisation are all necessary tools to be able to flourish in this course.

Log 3 – summarise your main project findings in 100 words or less, what do you think is the main benefit of your finding

The project aimed to identify what nutritional education is currently available to vocational dance students and professional dancers and how it could be delivered in the most appropriate format. The recommendations have identified alternative methods of delivering this education to those currently being employed. Interviews have identified how education has evolved over a number of years and how this is assimilated within the participants working lives. The aspirations of the organisation are not yet realised and the recommendations of the research project should provide them with a platform to deliver an improved programme of study. Secondary data has highlighted the dangers of poor nutrition on dancers which ultimately can lead to the cessation of their career.

Log 2 – reflections on working collaboratively using Google Docs

Another fantastic resource that has proved to be no end of help. I am on the move a lot and not often at the same computer so had taken to emailing parts of unfinished work to myself to save and then continue with at another location which was proving not to be ideal, then along came Google Docs. Now I can access my documents from any location, work on them, save them and move on without having to worry about if it is secure or losing the USB stick that all the work has been saved onto (something that has unfortunately happened before!!) I have also been able to share my ideas and documents with the handful of selected people, so that I can get their feedback. I have kept the number of people I am sharing this with to a minimum but even so it has proved to be incredibly useful. I hope that I have been able to help fellow students with the comments that I have shared on their work too.

Log 1 – commentary on sharing resources using delicious

In my reading stage before I started on the main body of my project, I found a lot of websites which I knew would be useful, but how to save them? I started by using the unsophisticated method of copying and pasting the URL into a word document and saving it, a timely process. I thought that was the only way until I heard about delicious. I am now able to save precious time by simply bookmarking a particular website or online source to come back to at a later date. I have managed to build up a ‘library’ of websites that I can go back to time and time again without having to search for them. I have also been able to share these sites with other members of our online community and I have found useful sites that they have bookmarked. A fantastic resource.

On my way....

I am really getting to grips with this project now and am finding that all of the reading that I have done prior to starting the write up has really helped. It is very easy to get carried away and engrossed in the books and medical journals but I have to remind myself that these are only an aid to my overall project. I have just clicked send on my first 2 chapters to my project advisor and eagerly await her feedback. I have also secured interviews with some key dance figures which will provide me with some invaluable information for my project.
I look forward to continuing with my project....onto Chapter 3!!

Back to work!

I have been busy researching throughout the summer and it's now time to put pen to paper. I have begun by setting up my Google Docs and Delicious (natasha.massie if anyone wants to add me). I am looking forward to this module as it represents the culmination of last years work and allows me to get my teeth into something that I am passionate about.

I will be keeping this updated with my progress :)

Learning Diary 1 - 20th February 2010

I started this week feeling rather unsure and overwhelmed; however after reading the handbook 3 times! (armed with a highlighter) and getting stuck into Judith Bell's book things are beginning to get clearer.
I found Rosemary McGuinness's blog particularly helpful; especially "Thinking about a research topic" the video interview with Peter Bryant. Having read so many words over the last few weeks, having them in a different media, in this case spoken to me, helped the concept "sink in" even more. I work well with clear guidelines which is why I found Peter's list of things to think about and do (kindly posted on Michelle Wallbank's blog) incredibly useful as it sat well with my methodical thought process.
I was worried that I would be at a distinct disadvantage being unable to attend the Campus sessions, however having it clearly and concisely posted online has helped me feel as if I am keeping up.
I have some ideas on the direction that I would like my project to take, however I need to develop these further before I will be ready to share them.