Module two has been quite a
journey. After completing my first module back in May I got out of the habit of
posting on my blog and making time for my studies. It wasn't easy to make the
transition back into the world of work and at first I found it to be quite
overwhelming. However looking back now I’m quite proud of the struggles I've overcome and feel excited to begin my inquiry.
The first task of composing
my questions (Appendix A) seems light years ago. Reflecting on
these now, I can see now that the majority of them are unanswerable. They
really lack the specificity and detail required for degree level work.
The development of these
questions has probably been the most challenging part of the module for me. I
felt like I was searching for something that didn't’t exist; I almost wanted the
answer before the question, which totally misses the point of the inquiry. I
remember reading something Alan wrote somewhere, it was along the lines of ‘ask
a question you really want to know the answer to’. As obvious as that seems the
comment really helped me. It brought my focus back to the task in question and
out of my head fog!
After a discussion with my SIG the questions began to evolve (Appendix B) and from there grow further into my inquiry question.
After a discussion with my SIG the questions began to evolve (Appendix B) and from there grow further into my inquiry question.
The ethics part of the
module raised some really interesting discussions for me. In particular the the Kevin Carter case study allowed me develop my critical
thinking skills (Appendix C)
With regards to my Inquiry,
the main ethical consideration I found was the well-being of my participants. Ultimately when dealing with sensitive topics like emotional accesses you have
to make sure the well-being of those involved is a priority. I’m not sure this
is something I was aware of before the module. I would say I’m quite an
emotionally intelligent person, so of course would of handled, an interview for
example with sensitivity but I wasn't aware of the formalities one has to go through
before conducting an interview in the first place.
By piloting different
inquiry tools I was able to get a broader understanding of each tool and assess which method would help me best meet the aims of my inquiry. By
reflecting on the issues that emerged from my piloted questionnaires I was able to look into the
composition of the questions in more detail. I now feel more confident about getting results that I can analyse effectively.
I also feel more informed
about the interview process and the benefits of using these two contrasting
tools.
The module has taught me to
have more faith in my abilities and to allow myself to enjoy the process rather
than constantly stressing over the result. As the modules gone on it’s all sort
of revealed itself and is finally becoming clear.
I think depth and detail are
the key skills I have refined over this module.
(Appendix
A) Hurley,K. 2013. Module 2 – Task 4a. Professional Practice Katherine Hurley.
Blog. 6th October 2013 http://dramabapparts.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/module-2-task-4a.html?m=0
Accessed 12th December 2013
(Appendix
B)Hurley,K. 2013. Back to the drawing board 4c…again! Professional Practice
Katherine Hurley Blog20th October 2013 http://dramabapp-arts.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/back-to-drawing-board4c-again.html?m=0
Accessed 12th December 2013
(Appendix C)
Hurley,K.2013 5C Ethics Reader.
Professional Practice Blog10th November 2013http://dramabapp-arts.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/5c-ethics-reader.html?m=0
Accessed 5th Jan 2014
