Theories Relating to Network.

Task 3b . Theories relating to network.

The first theory I had a closer look at was that of affiliation.  The need we have to create a support network around us.  Of course, I thought about my affiliations both professionally and personally.  My closest, most static affiliation is, like others, my family and a few close friends.  Thinking about my experience in college and school there were people I swore to always stay in touch with, but as my needs and the needs of those people changed it’s safe to say we drifted.   

Some affiliations will last a lifetime, because they are unchanging relationships, family or people you consider as family.  The rest will change, often dramatically.  I was reading the chapter given on our reading list for affiliation when I came across a term I didn’t understand and wasn’t familiar with, ‘ individualistic culture’ so I had conducted an Internet search to find out what exactly this meant.  From my further reading I understand the phrase to be describing a culture, which is very focused on the ideas of self worth and independence. The opposing theory to this is the idea of collectivist cultures where there is a more community and collected feel, people are more likely to act in a way that benefits and entire group of people.

  From the given article and other websites I began to see myself and my experiences being categorized.  As a child I was always invited to everyone’s birthday party… I was in everybody’s friendship group but I wouldn’t say that I had any “best friends”. Clearly at that age, I didn’t feel the need to affiliate myself with anyone in particular.  A similar pattern has continued throughout my personal and professional life, there are only a few people who I consider true friends.  I see myself as a very private person; I value the feeling of privacy.  So in theory I am acting with characteristic tendencies valued in an individualistic culture; in the sense that I have had many friendships over the years but few long lasting and deep.  So, how much influence does our culture have on our networking, our professional practice?  It seems to me to be quite a strong connection; It seems like we connect with people and move through our professional life in a very individualistic way.  This is a very strong concept in the performing arts, it is a very individualistic professional world as shows and jobs don’t often last very long then you are moving on and looking for the next one again.

 I think it is important to note that there is always a strong sense of competition in the arts and sharing information is not always something people choose to do in fear of someone else progressing above them.  In a situation like this it could also be seen as a person who is deflecting instead of cooperating, I have also been looking at the concept of game theory and made some interesting discoveries.  Using the link provided I went online to play a version of prisoner’s dilemma, and used different strategies to see what the outcome would be.  This game works by awarding gold coins to players depending on what their choices are.   The first time I played the game I played to cooperate for every move, both my digital opponent and myself finished that round with 18 gold coins each.  The next time, I played to compete for every move, the results were 14/9 in may favor.  So competing meant I was ahead of my opponent… but it didn’t earn me as many coins as cooperating.  Next I tried a mixed strategy and competed on some rounds and then cooperating, the results were 8/3 in my favor.  Once again, not as many coins as when I made the choice to cooperate.   So what does this mean in relation to my network? What does it mean to me?  My professional practice?  In an ideal world I would like to say that from now on I will cooperate in every situation- like in the game, but that leaves me open to be competed with, to be taken advantage of; would I ever win any gold coins?… This is a massive ethical consideration in my professional practice, especially in the arts.  I think I need to consider carefully the networks I have, do I cooperate enough? As i mentioned in a previous comment i have already considered the thought that in the past, I haven't.  Can I honestly expect to gain from others if I do not cooperate enough with them? How successful are my current networks?  Would we see a difference in the performance world if suddenly everyone cooperated? Well… There’s a nice thought.  Will it ever happen? Within an individualistic culture I think cooperation is less likely, however, not as rare as people might think and definitely not impossible.  

Task 3.a Current Networks.

Task 3a.  Current Networks.

Throughout my career in the performing arts, the word network is used a lot, in relation to training opportunities, and that all important audition slot.   When I think about my networks over the years, I’m instantly struck by how they have all changed and varied.  Since college, I have shifted networks depending on what is happening at that time- from my network at college to working abroad and on cruise ships, it’s safe to say there have been a lot of different people around me at different times.  The most consistent way for me to retain a network has to be through social media and the use of Web2.0.  Having spent a lot of time out of the country, these online communities are extremely valuable in helping me stay an active member of the performing art community.  I am also a member of equity and spotlight, massive communities where a wealth of information can be shared within the network. 

Over the last few years my main networks have been whilst working on Cruise Ships.   Working away for so much of the year can have massive implications and be very stressful; the people around you are from all walks of life and often have a lot you can learn from them.  In my experience, these people quickly become your network, professionally speaking an also on a personal level.  What happens when that contract ends?  That particular network of quickly become absorbed into a group of people that you ‘used to work with.’  In a way, our need of them, their knowledge and support is over, we have moved on and that experience is done.  It seems very sad and cold.  There are people from these networks that I have kept in touch with on a personal level, some relationships will turn into friendship.  However, the others seem to just fade away.  In this case, this particular network was circumstantial in direct correlation with my job at the time; but networks are ever changing depending on what we need.

At the moment I have just moved to a new area of the country and have yet to infiltrate a network in the area, I feel like this takes time and patience.  I am ‘the new girl’ still in work but I believe that this will change over time as I become more experienced and can contribute more as well as just taking information.  I am doing a lot of online research also into things I can be a part of, my next step needs to be physically involving myself in more things in this area and getting to know more people!  If any of my fellow BAPP students live in the Newcastle area… let me know!  

Wednesday the 18th November- Breeze room chat.

Professional Networks

Breeze room chat- Professional  Network.

Wednesday 18^th November 1pm

Today’s breeze room chat was all about reader three and our professional networks.  We discussed several topics within this context and what was meant by the word “network”, what is it to be part of a network?

For me it was a very illuminating discussion as we talked about what happens within a network, especially as time goes on and your needs as a professional change.  A network can be ever changing depending on your needs in the professional world, so, it can become political and often people are not as important to you as they were previously. Having said it out loud, I found a little uncomfortable, although it seems harsh it can be very true.  People move in different directions and relationships formed can become strained and not worth carrying on with.  Sometimes it seems there just aren’t enough hours in the day to keep up with absolutely everybody!  Plus there is the consideration of what it takes to stay connected with someone.  As was mentioned in our chat, purely posting a comment or hitting the ‘like’ button is not necessarily enough.  I feel that often we can become defensive and wary of people who are potentially just trying to keep us close incase they need a favor.  The performing arts is an extremely competitive world and often networks are formed as a way to survive in the industry, to find out about auditions, to meet that certain casting director in hope we make a lasting impression.  The politics can be brutal and based on personal gain alone. 

However this is not always going to be the case- I have formed professional networking relationships previously and now I would consider those people friends.  Through shared experiences, staying connected isn’t just a necessity but a desired outcome.  Personal networks form and can have many benefits to us, not always related to our career development.

I mentioned within the conversation that I have recently moved to a new area and am trying to form new networks of people around me, which is hard.  I have been lucky within my place of work, but I am currently on the outside of the circle waiting to filter through to the middle.  A process I am familiar with and understand will take time.           

Task 2c, Reflective Theory.

Task 2c. Reflective Theory.

What is Reflective Practice?

Reflecting on an experience allows a person to arouse their critical faculties and find deeper meaning and understanding in what happened. It allows a person to understand why something may or may not have been successful.  Reflection is insightful, and can be deeply personal and often uncomfortable - we can consider the thoughts and perspectives of others and take a step back from the situation to gain a new frame of reference. With reflection, we are unraveling an experience in order to expose the underlying thoughts and feelings that occurred during and afterwards.  We can then use this information in a constructive, active way; we may need to make changes to accomplish certain goals and the desired result.

Over the past few weeks I have been researching and experiencing the different theories of reflective practice.  In my day-to-day life, in the workplace and at home, I have been thinking through and trying to implement the different theories into my own reflective practice in the form of reflective writing using a journal.   

The first theories I will discuss are the ideas of John Dewey, who described reflection as:

“Active, persistent and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it and the further conclusion to which it tends… It includes a conscious and voluntary effort to establish belief upon a firm basis of evidence and rationality.” ¹

Applying the concept of rational thinking to reflective practice can have more that one implication.  Giving a more structured and objectionable frame to reflection can be seen to side step any emotional reactions and purely focus on the facts of the experience.  However, it could also help to overcome any emotional barriers we put in place.  We can also use this idea, first by acknowledging that certain emotions were present in our reactions, but then objectionably - and without prejudice - question why. This could enable us to shed more light on and add further meaning to our reflection.  But, I have to ask myself, is it entirely possible to be completely rational in reflection?  I think the answer lies in how much time has passed and how strong an emotional reaction took place.  Emotions such as guilt, fear, and anger are powerful and can often blind us to the evidence which Dewey mentions; it is imperative that we are thorough in identifying these emotions in reflective practice in order to gain a truthful perspective.  I believe that a rational take on reflection is incredibly useful but, at first, difficult to achieve.  A more rational and factual take on events may be easier to accept after the dust has settled and things can been seen more clearly.  Dewey encourages us to keep thinking until enough evidence is present to support a belief. 

Next, I will discuss the ideas presented in reflective practice by Donald Schon.  Schon further developed the ideas of rational reflective thinking by presenting the theory of Reflection-in-action and Reflection-on-action.  Reflection-in-action requires the thinker to be reflecting instantaneously upon an event, perhaps applying changes immediately and thinking on their feet. Whilst this may seem the most challenging, for a person experienced in the performing arts it can often appear naturally as part of a creative process.  When I am rehearsing for a production, learning songs and movement etc., I often spend a lot of time before performing making sure I understand my character, her reasons and emotions and making a detailed musical analysis of how the song will develop.  Then, on my feet, I am more inclined to change things as I go - it is not always a conscious thought but something that feels right within the context of the song. I am also reacting to the other characters around me.  This may be a musical choice or an inflection to change the implied meaning of a phrase.  These are usually unplanned and spontaneous reflections and often they work better than the original idea.  Performers often rely on their ‘gut’ instinct; Schon introduces the concept of Tacit Knowledge, which is further explored by Michael Polanyi, who states:  

“I shall reconsider human knowledge by starting from the fact that we know more than we can tell”²

Tacit knowledge helps us to see that we are often aware of things that we cannot explain, for example muscle memory.  I have often relied on this during performances: my body and feet know exactly where I am going without a conscious thought process.  This is vital in the performance world as your mind is free to focus on other things, Reflection-in-action is allowed because we do not need to fight to remember the “steps”; we can use our more conscious thoughts to focus on the performance and interpretation. “If you are thinking about the steps, you will not be thinking about your performance” was a phrase that was uttered several times during my training.  Reflection-in-action is also paramount in performance when things go wrong.  In the world of live theatre things often happen which cause a performer to change and alter what is happening on stage; whether it be mechanical failings or a sudden injury, a performer needs to reflect immediately on the best course of action to maintain the integrity of the performance.  Reflection-on-action can be used afterwards to ascertain if this was the correct decision or whether the performer could have done something differently; they can use both types of reflection here to learn something new from the experience and perhaps make more informed choices were it to happen again.

 Schon says:

“Competent practitioners usually know more than they can say” ³

Schon is introducing and explaining the ideas of tacit knowledge and the ‘gut feeling’ that we rely on so much in the creative arts process. I think it is important to note that Schon himself was a musician, studying the piano and the clarinet.  I do not think it is a coincidence that this theory could be seen as the most effective and prevalent theory within performance and the arts.  Schon may have experienced this on many occasions and the idea of tacit knowledge could also relate to his musicianship.

When I have been documenting events in my journal, I have found several examples where I have also applied this theory in my current role in the workplace.  When working with a student one-to-one, several factors present themselves: the current levels of the student; their targets and aims; and the current curriculum topic they are studying.  In my role there are several other factors to consider, including any additional needs of the student including their medical condition.  My day involves planning and implementing lessons, often without the full background of the student I will be working with.  In one lesson I was forced to think on my feet as the lesson was too easy for the student - I did not have time to reflect and then present a different lesson, as my only allocated time with that student was at that moment.  I had to think quickly and alter the lesson as I went.  This was successful, but after further reflection-on-action I discovered a number of ways I could have altered the lesson but I still managed to cover the lesson objective to a higher level.  I thank my performing arts training for my ability to think on my feet and for being comfortable with implementing a new idea purely based on the information received at the time, all the while following that ‘gut instinct’.  

Jennifer Moon goes on to further clarify reflective writing in journals and acknowledges that it is not always a tidy process but in her books and articles gives hints, prompts, and clear examples of effective reflective writing.

Jennifer Moon also clarifies what reflective writing should not be: a list of instructions, or a piece of writing which only seems to describe events.  She clarifies and encourages the reflective writer to think of the purpose for the journal.  Her work and activities often use examples of different levels of reflective writing which help to clearly define the most effective techniques when writing in a journal.  In more than one example, the effect of time passing after the event is presented.  We are encouraged to see that reflecting on an event more than once is incredibly valuable and can open up the event to many conclusions and responses.  In her work, Jennifer Moon provides questions to be asked in reflective writing to further facilitate a deeper and more analytical response - questions such as:

“Is there another point of view that you could explore, are there any alternative interpretations to consider?”

“Do you notice that your feelings about it have changed over time- or in the course of writing this- suggesting that your own frame of reference has changed?”

^“Are there ethical/moral/wider social issues that you would want to explore?”⁴

Within my own reflective writing I feel these questions are ways to open new doors and delve deeper into an event.  They are food for thought and inspire me to not only reflect on the outcome but on a much wider scale and possibly into social issues regarding an experience.  After having an experience you may discover other implications on a much wider scale that you were not previously aware of.  Another suggested exercise from Jennifer Moon is that of dialogue within journal writing.  Examples are given of an imaginary conversation between two people involved in an experience.  This exercise could enable us to reflect on another person’s involvement and enlighten us on another perspective.  However in the example given, the writer is using this form of reflective writing to make a decision, and is using a person she thinks will be able to help her the most.  She is, in theory, answering her own questions and coming to her own conclusion, as the responses she is receiving are imaginary and emerging through her own subconscious thoughts.  This process enables the writer to see her true feelings on the subject and to question the pros and cons but from a distance.  Using an imaginary person as a buffer, thus giving the writer the truth behind the reflection, may sometimes provide a more comfortable experience when making personal decisions. 

Reflection takes many different forms and presents itself through all these various theories.  I believe it is possible to gain something from each style and apply it in my own reflective journal. Sometimes I may need to be rational and base my thinking on the evidence I have from the situation, and other times I may need to think on my feet, letting my tacit knowledge lead the way.  My reflective writing may require structure and prompts to be truthful and effective.  My reflective journal is for use within my current line of study and work, but after already experiencing the positive effects, I will be sure to continue writing for future challenges. It is not an easy process, but an assured way to measure understanding and development.   

References and other reading

¹ Dewey, J. 1909. How We Think. Boston: DC Heath

² Polanyi, M. 1967. The Tacit Dimension , New York:  Anchor Books

³ Schon, D.A., The reflective practitioner: how professionals think in action. New York: Basic Books.

⁴Recourses for reflective writing [pdf] http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/12995/1/4215.pdf Accessed on 10/11/15

   

Gulari, M. A., 2012 The reflective practitioner by Donald Schon. [online] Available fromhttps://graysreadinggroup.wordpress.com/2012/12/18/the-reflective-practitioner-by-donald-schon/  [accessed on 10/11/15]

Moon,J,. 2004. A Handbook of reflective and experiential learning, London: Routledge Falmer

Smith,M.K.(2003) ‘Michael Polanyi and Tacit Knowledge’ The Encyclopedia of Informal Education , http://infed.org/mobi/michael-polanyi-and-tacit-knowledge/ accessed 10/11/15

Watton,P., Collings,J., Moon,J. 2001 Reflective Writing Guidance Notes For Students, [pdf] http://www.exeter.ac.uk/fch/work-experience/reflective-writing-guidance.pdf Accessed on 10/11/15

Moon,J,.1999. Learning Journals: A handbook for academics, students and professional development, London: Kogan Page Limited