I have decided to create a survey surrounding the topic of my Professional Inquiry. The informal trial of this survey will involve asking for the participation of my SIG before I determine the relative merit of the survey in the development of my inquiry. Please follow the link below:
Legal Assistance for Dancers
If you would like to participate I would really appreciate your help. All comments, thoughts, feelings, ideas, opinions are very welcome!
Lil' Blogger
Monday 28 March 2016
Sunday 27 March 2016
BAPP Task 5c
Reader 5 on Professional Ethics highlights so many interesting, complex approaches to ethics. After reading it through, it is a challenge to fully absorb the wealth and breadth of information that it offers. So I just want to touch on some points that specifically got my brain ticking; ones which I found the most relevant to the continuing development of my professional inquiry.
Ethics has its roots in moral philosophy and is concerned about the right or the good way to carry out actions.
(McGuinness, 2015, p 7)
Ethics underpins the moral values of our society and links closely with both religion and the law. If you look at it from this perspective, you realise that it is such an intrinsic part of our lives; it is something that we cannot and should not avoid.
Various theoretical interpretations of ethics are given in Reader 5 and I happened to be interested by the ideas proposed by philosopher Thomas Hobbes; as described in his book Leviathan (1651). He was one of the first theorists to support the idea of a Social Contract; bringing together natural and legal rights to create social harmony. Natural rights are what Hobbes, amongst others, used to justify the establishment of a Social Contract around the mid 17th century.
I like the thought that moral decency links directly to social harmony. That the conventional man can be shaped by abiding to social rules whilst maintaining good, healthy morals which ensure an avoidance of conflict. We as humans can choose to uphold high morals and encourage modesty and decency within our society. In terms of ethics, we must be accepting of different cultures, religions, professionals etc., and find ways to coordinate personal and social morals; as highlighted by the Hart-Devlin debate raised during the mid 20th century.
Below is a link to an interesting article written some 30 years on from the Hart-Devlin debate. It is wordy but, after a brief scan through, it raises some interesting discussions from the time of the debate which, to a certain extent, are still relevant to our society today.
http://scholarship.law.wm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1563&context=wmlr
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have been thinking about the moral compass of a legal professional and how this will come into my professional inquiry. A consulting professional, such as a solicitor, will have very specific social morals relating to their line of work and their personal morals will run alongside this and create their individual characteristics. In terms of the desired characteristics of a solicitor, I would want someone who was:
Communicative
Trustworthy
Intelligent
Fair
Compassionate
These are just a few of the terms that could be applied to a well-rounded legal professional. I can imagine it to be difficult for them to adhere to their professional code whilst upholding their personal ethics; especially if they are dealing with a difficult client, a challenging case or are the defendant of a criminal. Ultimately their loyalty is to their client; this is the expectation placed upon them by employers and as society as a whole.
(http://www.picturequotes.com/morality-quotes)
The quote in the image above is, in my opinion, a truthful one. I can particularly relate this to my professional inquiry in that, as highlighted in discussions I have had with a few BAPP students; dancers may often feel afraid to pursue legal action as they feel it pervades the moral grounds of their profession. A dancer has to be committed, dedicated, loyal to their work and to their employer/colleagues. They have a duty to perform to the best of their ability and a responsibility to those around them to maintain a safe environment. Dancer's may feel that by pursuing an issue that they may have with their employer, especially if they brought in external help (such as legal aid), that they were somehow betraying that employer and causing them-self harm in terms of their reputation/future progress in that particular dance company or perhaps elsewhere.
Dancers like to make a good impression. They like to come across as hard-working and determined in all that they do. But I would not like to think that, if being taken advantage of, a dancer was unable to receive the help that they needed and stand up for their personal morals whilst still respecting their professional ethics. Courage is an incredible asset to any individual and being able to apply it to both the personal ethics and professional codes of an area of expertise is an invaluable asset to have. Moral courage is a scary thing, but without it social change for the greater good would not occur. If no-one chose to speak out and initiate change, we would be standing still in a non-developmental society; a society that would perhaps cause us to feel misrepresented, under-appreciated and down-trodden.
This is certainly food for thought!
Lil' Blogger
Bibliography
Anon (2016) Morality quotes, sourced from http://www.picturequotes.com/morality-quotes accessed 27.03.16
Dworkin, Gerald (1999) William and Mary Law Review, Devlin was right: Law and the enforcement of morality, sourced from http://scholarship.law.wm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1563&context=wmlr accessed 27.03.16
McGuinness, Rosemary (2015) Reader 5 Professional Ethics BAPP Arts, WBS 3630 (Module 2), Middlesex University
Various theoretical interpretations of ethics are given in Reader 5 and I happened to be interested by the ideas proposed by philosopher Thomas Hobbes; as described in his book Leviathan (1651). He was one of the first theorists to support the idea of a Social Contract; bringing together natural and legal rights to create social harmony. Natural rights are what Hobbes, amongst others, used to justify the establishment of a Social Contract around the mid 17th century.
I like the thought that moral decency links directly to social harmony. That the conventional man can be shaped by abiding to social rules whilst maintaining good, healthy morals which ensure an avoidance of conflict. We as humans can choose to uphold high morals and encourage modesty and decency within our society. In terms of ethics, we must be accepting of different cultures, religions, professionals etc., and find ways to coordinate personal and social morals; as highlighted by the Hart-Devlin debate raised during the mid 20th century.
Below is a link to an interesting article written some 30 years on from the Hart-Devlin debate. It is wordy but, after a brief scan through, it raises some interesting discussions from the time of the debate which, to a certain extent, are still relevant to our society today.
http://scholarship.law.wm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1563&context=wmlr
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have been thinking about the moral compass of a legal professional and how this will come into my professional inquiry. A consulting professional, such as a solicitor, will have very specific social morals relating to their line of work and their personal morals will run alongside this and create their individual characteristics. In terms of the desired characteristics of a solicitor, I would want someone who was:
Communicative
Trustworthy
Intelligent
Fair
Compassionate
These are just a few of the terms that could be applied to a well-rounded legal professional. I can imagine it to be difficult for them to adhere to their professional code whilst upholding their personal ethics; especially if they are dealing with a difficult client, a challenging case or are the defendant of a criminal. Ultimately their loyalty is to their client; this is the expectation placed upon them by employers and as society as a whole.
(http://www.picturequotes.com/morality-quotes)
The quote in the image above is, in my opinion, a truthful one. I can particularly relate this to my professional inquiry in that, as highlighted in discussions I have had with a few BAPP students; dancers may often feel afraid to pursue legal action as they feel it pervades the moral grounds of their profession. A dancer has to be committed, dedicated, loyal to their work and to their employer/colleagues. They have a duty to perform to the best of their ability and a responsibility to those around them to maintain a safe environment. Dancer's may feel that by pursuing an issue that they may have with their employer, especially if they brought in external help (such as legal aid), that they were somehow betraying that employer and causing them-self harm in terms of their reputation/future progress in that particular dance company or perhaps elsewhere.
Dancers like to make a good impression. They like to come across as hard-working and determined in all that they do. But I would not like to think that, if being taken advantage of, a dancer was unable to receive the help that they needed and stand up for their personal morals whilst still respecting their professional ethics. Courage is an incredible asset to any individual and being able to apply it to both the personal ethics and professional codes of an area of expertise is an invaluable asset to have. Moral courage is a scary thing, but without it social change for the greater good would not occur. If no-one chose to speak out and initiate change, we would be standing still in a non-developmental society; a society that would perhaps cause us to feel misrepresented, under-appreciated and down-trodden.
This is certainly food for thought!
Lil' Blogger
Bibliography
Anon (2016) Morality quotes, sourced from http://www.picturequotes.com/morality-quotes accessed 27.03.16
Dworkin, Gerald (1999) William and Mary Law Review, Devlin was right: Law and the enforcement of morality, sourced from http://scholarship.law.wm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1563&context=wmlr accessed 27.03.16
McGuinness, Rosemary (2015) Reader 5 Professional Ethics BAPP Arts, WBS 3630 (Module 2), Middlesex University
Thursday 24 March 2016
Campus Session 22.03.16
It was so enjoyable to once again meet up with and have informative discussions amongst other BAPP students earlier this week at the Hendon campus. It was a successful turn-out with students attending from all 3 modules. Having opportunities such as this to actually meet the people behind the blogs and find out more about their professional practice and how they engage with the course, is really insightful and I look forward to further meetings in the future. Sessions such as the one that took place on Tuesday allow you to open yourself up to others' ideas and opinions and nothing feels better than being able to help someone out with their studies whilst you receive some much-needed advice in return.
Paula started us off with a variety of games intended to get us thinking about how we approach tasks and what our brains, as individuals, instinctively tell us to do. Each game had a time limit of say 2-3 minutes and involved both individual and partner exercises. My favourite game involved concept drawing. Paula went round the room and had us each think of a word that reflected an action. For example; sculpting, growing, beginning and ending, evolving, energising etc. From this list we each chose a word and had 3 minutes to do a concept drawing; so create an image that did not generically reflect the action but could be interpreted as doing so. I chose the term growing. The image below is my response to this game:
A main focus throughout Tuesday's session was the idea of Appreciative Inquiry. I hadn't heard of it before and was intrigued to find out what Paula meant by this alien term...
In general, it can be said that it is human nature to constantly engage in negativity and approach problems and issues, be they personal, national, worldwide; in a negative manner. When we are problem solving we focus on the problem; we dwell on it and obsess over this problem until we can eventually find a solvent. Problems start off "from a negative perspective - something is broken, something could be done better, something needs to be fixed" (Thomas, 2006, p 1). From recognising a problem, we look to possible solutions and how we can implement change to set improvement in action. Although it is right of us to seek solutions to our problems, we often go about this in ineffective and therefore unsuccessful ways.
Appreciative Inquiry therefore is a positive way of approaching problem solving. It takes into consideration that we, as humans, are part of a social system; "living, breathing entities that stay healthiest when they are focused on their positive life-giving characteristics, rather than their problematic aspects" (Thomas, 2006, p 2). Appreciative Inquiry looks at what is right in a situation; what is good in a situation; and what personal attributes are brought forth by individuals involved in the situation. What a far more wonderful approach to life we would have if we always looked at the best in people, in our workplace, in our society.
We approached Appreciative Inquiry during the session with the intention to look at how the BAPP course can be improved for present and future students. In groups, we used the 4-D Cycle to recognise ways in which we can go about this:
Resulting from this exercise were some really great and realistic ideas as to how the BAPP course can be improved; such as increased campus sessions in different areas and more solid guidance on when tasks are to be completed by.
To finish the session, we split off into our separate modules giving us the chance to discuss directly with other students who are at a similar point on the course. I sat with Module 2 students Katrina and Charnelle, and we had an interesting, supportive discussion about how we are finding Module 2. I think that all 3 of us agreed that it is quite overwhelming to begin with but we had all managed to find topics of interest for our inquiry. We discussed research methods, how to find literature and also decided to organise a time to meet in the future to once again bring together all of our Module 2 ideas. The advice given was really useful and I look forward to continuing Module 2 discussions in the future.
Until next time
Lil' Blogger
Bibliography
Thomas, C. Edwin (2006) Appreciative Inquiry: A Positive Approach to Change, Introduction, pages 1-6, sourced from http://www.ipspr.sc.edu/ejournal/ejournal0611/appreciative%20inquiry.pdf accessed (24.03.16)
Esbin, Howard (2015) Appreciative Inquiry and Prelude, sourced from https://app.refme.com/home#/project/2579761/reference/confirm accessed (24.03.16)
Paula started us off with a variety of games intended to get us thinking about how we approach tasks and what our brains, as individuals, instinctively tell us to do. Each game had a time limit of say 2-3 minutes and involved both individual and partner exercises. My favourite game involved concept drawing. Paula went round the room and had us each think of a word that reflected an action. For example; sculpting, growing, beginning and ending, evolving, energising etc. From this list we each chose a word and had 3 minutes to do a concept drawing; so create an image that did not generically reflect the action but could be interpreted as doing so. I chose the term growing. The image below is my response to this game:
A main focus throughout Tuesday's session was the idea of Appreciative Inquiry. I hadn't heard of it before and was intrigued to find out what Paula meant by this alien term...
In general, it can be said that it is human nature to constantly engage in negativity and approach problems and issues, be they personal, national, worldwide; in a negative manner. When we are problem solving we focus on the problem; we dwell on it and obsess over this problem until we can eventually find a solvent. Problems start off "from a negative perspective - something is broken, something could be done better, something needs to be fixed" (Thomas, 2006, p 1). From recognising a problem, we look to possible solutions and how we can implement change to set improvement in action. Although it is right of us to seek solutions to our problems, we often go about this in ineffective and therefore unsuccessful ways.
Appreciative Inquiry therefore is a positive way of approaching problem solving. It takes into consideration that we, as humans, are part of a social system; "living, breathing entities that stay healthiest when they are focused on their positive life-giving characteristics, rather than their problematic aspects" (Thomas, 2006, p 2). Appreciative Inquiry looks at what is right in a situation; what is good in a situation; and what personal attributes are brought forth by individuals involved in the situation. What a far more wonderful approach to life we would have if we always looked at the best in people, in our workplace, in our society.
We approached Appreciative Inquiry during the session with the intention to look at how the BAPP course can be improved for present and future students. In groups, we used the 4-D Cycle to recognise ways in which we can go about this:
Resulting from this exercise were some really great and realistic ideas as to how the BAPP course can be improved; such as increased campus sessions in different areas and more solid guidance on when tasks are to be completed by.
To finish the session, we split off into our separate modules giving us the chance to discuss directly with other students who are at a similar point on the course. I sat with Module 2 students Katrina and Charnelle, and we had an interesting, supportive discussion about how we are finding Module 2. I think that all 3 of us agreed that it is quite overwhelming to begin with but we had all managed to find topics of interest for our inquiry. We discussed research methods, how to find literature and also decided to organise a time to meet in the future to once again bring together all of our Module 2 ideas. The advice given was really useful and I look forward to continuing Module 2 discussions in the future.
Until next time
Lil' Blogger
Bibliography
Thomas, C. Edwin (2006) Appreciative Inquiry: A Positive Approach to Change, Introduction, pages 1-6, sourced from http://www.ipspr.sc.edu/ejournal/ejournal0611/appreciative%20inquiry.pdf accessed (24.03.16)
Esbin, Howard (2015) Appreciative Inquiry and Prelude, sourced from https://app.refme.com/home#/project/2579761/reference/confirm accessed (24.03.16)
BAPP Task 5b
Following on from Task 5a, I have been browsing numerous online resources in an effort to gain clearer insight into the various practices and regulations involved in the dance industry, and how these can be related to legal services. I found little, if anything, on these 2 subjects in conjunction with one another and so instead, I decided to approach this task from 2 different angles:
1. What a dancer's code of conduct/practice involves
2. What a solicitors/legal professionals code of conduct/practice involves
I feel that clarifying and further expanding my knowledge on these 2 areas will assist me in ensuring that I perform my research professionally, appropriately and ethically. If I can grasp the differing but very specific codes of conduct/practice that are involved in my 2 areas of interest, I will have more confidence to pursue the topic area that I have chosen for my inquiry.
For my research process I have thought about how, realistically, I will be approaching say professional dancers on one side, and legal professionals on the other. Then, once I have collected my material, bring it all together to produce an inquiry that is well-rounded and representative of all who may be involved in bringing legal aid to dancers. This is my intention; I do hope that I fulfil it!
Below I have included some links to various websites. These pages outline codes of conduct/practice for both legal professionals and dancers.
Solicitors/Legal Professionals
An example of a solicitors code of conduct:
https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/For-the-public/Using-a-Solicitor/Code-of-conduct/
An example of the ethical codes of a solicitor:
http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/support-services/ethics/
https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/For-the-public/Using-a-Solicitor/Code-of-conduct/
An example of the ethical codes of a solicitor:
http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/support-services/ethics/
A solicitor's commitment to behaving ethically is at the heart of what it means to be a solicitor.
I have also included a link to the Solicitors Regulation Authority's Handbook, as published on 1st November 2015. It sets out the standards and requirements expected of solicitors for the benefit of their clients, whose interests always come first, and for the benefit of the general public whom they dutifully serve.
file:///C:/Users/Lily/Downloads/handbookSelection.pdf
These are mandatory Principles which apply to all.
You must:
1. uphold the rule of law and the proper administration of justice;
2. act with integrity;
3. not allow your independence to be compromised;
4. act in the best interests of each client;
5. provide a proper standard of service to your clients;
6. behave in a way that maintains the trust the public places in you and in the provision of legal services;
7. comply with your legal and regulatory obligations and deal with your regulators and ombudsmen in an open, timely and co-operative manner;
8. run your business or carry out your role in the business effectively and in accordance with proper governance and sound financial and risk management principles;
9. run your business or carry out your role in the business in a way that encourages equality of opportunity and respect for diversity; and
10. protect client money and assets.
Dancers
In terms of dance, codes of conduct/practice vary depending on whether they apply to, for example; a dance teacher; community dance; freelance artists; a dance company member. A dance teacher will have very specific ethical standards to abide by as outlined in the link below from the Royal Academy of Dance:
file:///C:/Users/Lily/Downloads/Code%20of%20Prof%20Practice%20for%20teachers%20EN%20web%20(1).pdf
Dance teachers, in general terms, must uphold high standards of dance education that inspires, fulfils and enhances dance students worldwide. To become a professional dancer, you are hugely reliant on your dance teacher to train and mould you into a strong, dynamic individual who displays the qualities needed to venture into the dance profession. A dance teacher is a trusted mentor hence why their ethical values should be maintained at the highest level.
I have also included a link to codes of conduct relating to dance within the community. It has some interesting information about the core values of community dance and the ethical standards for which the people involved are responsible.
http://www.communitydance.org.uk/member-services/professional-code-of-conduct.html
Outlined are 5 areas that describe the professional, ethical values upon which people are expected to approach their work. They are as follows:
The Code covers five areas:
- Commitment to the Code of Conduct.
In terms of professional dancers themselves, codes of conduct/practice are individually upheld and will depend upon the type of environment a dancer is working within and also the style of dance they are practising/performing. Classical ballet, for example, is one of the most disciplined forms of dance requiring respect, responsibility and commitment. Ballet dancers will have in-built attributes which run alongside the codes of practice expected from them.
For dancers in general, the following list well outlines the code of conduct that is to be expected from any individual participating in dance activities. I have compiled this list from reading codes of conduct proposed by dance studios, picking out key points that are essential information to every dancer:
- Dancers are expected to attend classes regularly. Dancers who miss classes are encouraged to attend make-up classes.
- Dancers are expected to be punctual. Warm-up is conducted at the start of every class and it is imperative that all dancers participate in warm-up to ensure that their body is ready for physical activity.
- Dancers are expected to wear the appropriate dress code to each and every class.
- Dancers are expected to demonstrate respect for all staff at all times.
- Dancers are encouraged to establish new friendships with dancers in their classes, treating each other with respect and enforcing teamwork and fairness.
Overall, I have found this task really useful in that I have had the opportunity to really get to grips with some of the ethical issues that may be involved in both the legal and the dance profession. Now it is up to me to find ways to link the 2 together and compile a solid basis of research upon which to develop my professional inquiry.
- Dancers observing a dance class for any reason are expected to be quiet and courteous to all who are present.
- Dancers are expected to focus and pay attention to the teacher's instructions at all times, keeping talking to a minimum.
- Dancers must treat their environment and the possessions of those within it with respect, care, and consideration.
- Dancers are expected to be clean and tidy and eliminate any mess that they have caused.
- There is a zero-tolerance policy to inappropriate behaviour. Dancers behaving inappropriately may be removed from the dance class.
Any suggestions welcome!
Lil' Blogger
Bibliography
Anon (2015) SRA Handbook, page 5, sourced from file:///C:/Users/Lily/Downloads/handbookSelection.pdf accessed (24.03.16)
Anon (2016) Code of Conduct - The Law Society, sourced from https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/For-the-public/Using-a-Solicitor/Code-of-conduct/ accessed (24.03.16)
Anon (2016) Ethics - The Law Society, sourced from http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/support-services/ethics/ accessed (24.03.16)
Anon (2016) Code of Professional Practice for teachers registered with the Royal Academy of Dance, sourced from file:///C:/Users/Lily/Downloads/Code%20of%20Prof%20Practice%20for%20teachers%20EN%20web%20(1).pdf accessed (24.03.16)
Anon (2016) People Dancing - Foundation for Community Dance: Professional Code of Conduct, sourced from http://www.communitydance.org.uk/member-services/professional-code-of-conduct.html accessed (24.03.16)
Anon (2016) Code of Conduct, Cortem Group, sourced from https://www.cortemgroup.com/en/about-us/code-of-conduct accessed (24.03.16)
Wednesday 16 March 2016
BAPP Task 5a
The first thing I thought about when approaching Task 5a was how do I identify my place of work/professional community which is most familiar, where I can comment on the codes of practice/regulations. As I am not in a full-time job, I find myself in various working environments throughout the week each with their own set of regulations. I thought about which of my working environments would fit best with what I am researching for my professional inquiry. I decided to go with the dance industry as I am very familiar with both training and working within this setting.
Here I am wholly relying on my own thoughts and hopefully my better judgement of the ethics that are taken into consider in the dance industry:
- health and safety of rehearsal/performance space
- mental and physical health of dancer is monitored
- DBS checks are cleared on all those working with dancers
- when working with children, parents consent is needed
- respect to all of those around you
- personal presentation is appropriate at all times
- being aware of those around you and not putting others in compromising positions
- being responsible for warming-up, cooling-down and managing injuries
- no prejudice exists, all who have the ability to dance can
Following this, I have been thinking about what codes of ethics/conduct specifically relate to my chosen inquiry topic; legal aid within the dance sector. If legalities are involved, I would imagine that very specific codes operate in such a setting that brings law and dance together. Consider:
- legal professional privilege (protects communication between legal adviser and their client)
- dancers right to access legal advice/aid
- insurance to cover liability and risks
- contract terms
- meet legally enforced salary requirements
This is all that I can think of off the top of my head although the next task allows me to use existing sources to find out further codes of ethics/conduct that exist in this professional field.
- legal professional privilege (protects communication between legal adviser and their client)
- dancers right to access legal advice/aid
- insurance to cover liability and risks
- contract terms
- meet legally enforced salary requirements
This is all that I can think of off the top of my head although the next task allows me to use existing sources to find out further codes of ethics/conduct that exist in this professional field.
Lil' Blogger
Dance as Intellectual Property
I was browsing online last night with the intention of finding useful literature, of any format, to use for my inquiry research. I stumbled across this fascinating video clip about how intellectual property law intertwines deeply with the running of a dance company. I was amazed to hear about how essential intellectual property law is for directors, choreographers, dancers, musicians, stage crew and all other staff working for a professional dance company. I hope that you find it as interesting as I did!
Anon (no date) Talks on Law, Dance as Intellectual Property, sourced from https://www.talksonlaw.com/talks/dance-as-intellectual-property, accessed (16.03.16)
Tuesday 15 March 2016
What am I trying to find out?
Exploratory Process...
During a Breeze session earlier today, Paula discussed how, through the BAPP programme, we very much go through an Exploratory Process when deciding upon, researching and finally presenting our professional inquiry. Our process is full of twists and turns; we constantly raise new questions and discover new avenues to explore; it is never an easy route but it is guaranteed to be an interesting one!
My exploratory process at this moment in time has brought me to a place where I am planting seeds for future growth when I reach Module 3. I am looking to establish the theme of my inquiry and put feelers out to other professionals who can aid me in my research. I now need to be looking into gathering as much existing literature, articles, documents, data etc., as I can as well as keeping up with current SIG discussions and constantly reviewing the questions that I am putting out there.
Paula also commented on how many BAPP students will connect their professional inquiry with something that they wish to pursue in the future. This is often because they are interested in a specific area and know that they want to immerse themselves further into it. I can very much relate to this in that I know that I want to have a career in the legal profession but find a way to connect this with my love for the arts. I have a background in dance and a solid knowledge of the sector. Law is something that I am yet to learn so much more about but I am excited by the thought that I am striving to find a way to connect the two. This is what I am bringing to the forefront of my professional inquiry.
Imagine it as thinking about something that goes beyond the craft that you already know so much about; so in my case, dance. I want to apply dance to the real world approaching it from an entirely different direction that will give me a fresh insight into the profession and how it relates, however distantly, to the legal system.
Thesis Statement...
Paula also talked about a thesis statement, in other words, the title of your professional inquiry. Think of it as a summary of your inquiry topic; so what is to be developed, supported and explained throughout the course of your inquiry.
I decided to create a sort of mind map so that I can visually project all of the aspects that are feeding into my professional inquiry. Below is a photograph of my take on how I can craft my thesis statement (it is a work-in-progress).
It has certainly helped in organising my thoughts and pulling out key words which I can string together to form my inquiry question. I had to keep reminding myself of the question "what am I trying to find out?", in order remain on track and find leads to answering questions. I am feeling positive after today's session however I have so much to cover. Tackling the densely packed Reader 5 on Ethics is my next challenge!
Lil' Blogger
During a Breeze session earlier today, Paula discussed how, through the BAPP programme, we very much go through an Exploratory Process when deciding upon, researching and finally presenting our professional inquiry. Our process is full of twists and turns; we constantly raise new questions and discover new avenues to explore; it is never an easy route but it is guaranteed to be an interesting one!
My exploratory process at this moment in time has brought me to a place where I am planting seeds for future growth when I reach Module 3. I am looking to establish the theme of my inquiry and put feelers out to other professionals who can aid me in my research. I now need to be looking into gathering as much existing literature, articles, documents, data etc., as I can as well as keeping up with current SIG discussions and constantly reviewing the questions that I am putting out there.
Paula also commented on how many BAPP students will connect their professional inquiry with something that they wish to pursue in the future. This is often because they are interested in a specific area and know that they want to immerse themselves further into it. I can very much relate to this in that I know that I want to have a career in the legal profession but find a way to connect this with my love for the arts. I have a background in dance and a solid knowledge of the sector. Law is something that I am yet to learn so much more about but I am excited by the thought that I am striving to find a way to connect the two. This is what I am bringing to the forefront of my professional inquiry.
Imagine it as thinking about something that goes beyond the craft that you already know so much about; so in my case, dance. I want to apply dance to the real world approaching it from an entirely different direction that will give me a fresh insight into the profession and how it relates, however distantly, to the legal system.
Thesis Statement...
Paula also talked about a thesis statement, in other words, the title of your professional inquiry. Think of it as a summary of your inquiry topic; so what is to be developed, supported and explained throughout the course of your inquiry.
I decided to create a sort of mind map so that I can visually project all of the aspects that are feeding into my professional inquiry. Below is a photograph of my take on how I can craft my thesis statement (it is a work-in-progress).
It has certainly helped in organising my thoughts and pulling out key words which I can string together to form my inquiry question. I had to keep reminding myself of the question "what am I trying to find out?", in order remain on track and find leads to answering questions. I am feeling positive after today's session however I have so much to cover. Tackling the densely packed Reader 5 on Ethics is my next challenge!
Lil' Blogger
Friday 11 March 2016
BAPP Task 4c: Developing my questions
Creating a SIG has been an immensely useful tool. Although only still in its early days, I have found the input from several BAPP students to be truly thought provoking. I read earlier today a comment posted by Laura Kennedy again bringing up the point that dancers "would need legal representation if their working conditions are bad or the way they're being treated unfairly by directors about injuries etc"(Kennedy, 2016, np). Points similar to these keep cropping up so I know that this is definitely an avenue for me to explore further.
Laura also commented on previously made points made regarding how dancers may feel compromised if they were to complain and pursue legal action. Interestingly she went on to say:
I'm sure that most companies have a neutral representative in the company that people can go to with their complaints, therefore people's complaints are anonymous."
(Kennedy, 2016, np)
This point raised by Laura highlighted to me how wrong it is if dancers do feel as though they cannot speak out and seek the advice or action that they need. All professional performers should be aware of any individual(s) who they can go to and speak to in confidence regarding any issues they may have with their current employment or working environment, as well as if they have had a bad experience at say an audition, an independent dance studio or at a vocational school. Dancers need to be able to feel confident in those who, in conjunction with themselves, are responsible for their well-being. Again, all of these strands are being brought to light and are sparking lines for my inquiry.
How can I make my questions more specific?
Paula left a really helpful comment on my previous blog which urged me to look at what I want to find out and why. It became aware to me that I do need to place my questions in the context of what I want to research for my inquiry in order to make them more relevant and specific. I know that I am interested in researching legal aid/action within the dance profession and so I feel, from personal reflection and some fantastic help from my SIG members, that I can start by asking the questions:
What do dancers know about legal aid?
Is it something that they learn about, for example, when they are in training?
Would it be something that a dancer would be reluctant to pursue?
Are they afraid of the consequences?
Would they know where to look for legal aid?
In their current situation, do they have anything of the sort available to them?
Do they feel that having access to legal aid would be beneficial to them?
As a starting point, I am going to pose questions, as above, to a few friends of mine who are dancers. I am hoping that this will give me further insight into what those directly involved in the profession feel and what can be done to further explore whatever points are raised.
I will keep you updated!
Bibliography
Anon (2016) The Law On Your Side a DVD, Belfast Area, sourced from http://belfastdvp.co.uk/the-law-on-your-side-a-dvd/ accessed (11.03.16)
Kennedy, Laura (2016) BAPP Module 2- Advice Needed, extract from comment, sourced from https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/112282308913631891593 accessed (11.03.16)
Monday 7 March 2016
Reader 4: Further Development
As I unfortunately missed the Module 2 Skype session on Friday 26th February, I have found it really useful to read Adesola's blog which gives a really informative overview as to what Module 2 students should be focussing on.
I gathered that after selecting my area of interest I should do some research into existing literature to broaden my knowledge and build a foundation of relevant evidence. Alongside this I need to be aware of any ethical issues that may prevent me from conducting my research and how I can appropriately deal with such issues.
Below is a brief list of the sort of areas that I will be looking into initially for my research. I have been looking at websites for organisations or legal firms who specialise in law for the arts as well as articles and previous case studies. I have found some useful websites so far such as:
http://www.lac.qmul.ac.uk/advice/arts/index.html
http://lawandarts.org/
I also found this fascinating article from the Guardian:
http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/aug/07/arts-law-freedom-speech-legal-knowledge-packs-arts-organisations
Special Interest Group (SIG)...
Also during Tuesday's Skype session, I queried how we could go about organising our own SIG. Jessica Plant helpfully suggested that setting up a Google+ community is a really convenient way of communicating with others online - so I went ahead and created one!
Below is the link to my Google+ community and I would love it if you would join. It is a useful and informal way for all of us BAPP students to help each other out and offer ideas and opinions that can aid in our research. I look forward to your contributions!
https://plus.google.com/communities/112282308913631891593
Already this forum for communication has been really helpful for me. Module 1 student Grace Hume suggested that I look into reasons why dancers would want to seek legal aid, for example; injury due to poor conditions (unsprung floor or slippery surfaces), unfair pay, excessive hours etc. Additional to this, Lisa Meiklejohn challenged me to think about whether many performers are reluctant to pursue legal action for fear they may gain a bad reputation or upset others in the industry who may have an effect on their future. This is a really interesting point to have made and something that I would like to take further.
Jess Boswell highlighted to me that legal representation isn't something that students at say a performing arts schools are necessarily made aware of. But what if they were to need it later on in their career? They should, in my opinion, be able to have the necessary means to access legal aid and have prior knowledge as to how they can do this without being afraid to do so.
All of the comments made in my Google+ community so far have been really useful and I am pleased to have broken down the barrier of creating a functioning SIG which will certainly aid me in my research. Looking onwards to the next tasks, I would like to continue to converse with other students and gather a stronger basis for my research. I will also persist in doing my own digging for information and look to further external support from professional associates.
I gathered that after selecting my area of interest I should do some research into existing literature to broaden my knowledge and build a foundation of relevant evidence. Alongside this I need to be aware of any ethical issues that may prevent me from conducting my research and how I can appropriately deal with such issues.
Following on from my previous blog, I have continued to look through Reader 4. Martyn Denscombe, one of the authors mentioned in Reader 4, makes some helpful suggestions regarding 'good practice'. When it comes to doing research for an inquiry, Denscombe proposes that your area of research should be;
- ...appropriate for investigation using social research methods.
- There needs to be some element of originality in the purpose.
- The purpose should reflect what is feasible in terms of the available facilities (time and resources) and access to necessary sources of data.
(Denscombe, 2009, p 20)
As well as considering these few points I need to think about making my inquiry specific to a certain area so that the subject does not become too broad and too complicated. I feel that in my previous blog (http://lilygrundy95.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/bapp-part-4-developing-lines-of.html) the questions that I created as a starting point are not definitive enough for starting my inquiry and leave far too much room for interpretation that may not be so relevant to the direction in which I want to head. I therefore, as a result of this reflection, wish to refine my initial questions.
I made the following mind map whilst writing my previous blog (please see photograph below). I can see instantly that although it helped me to interpret the various concepts in Reader 4, it was not so useful in identifying specific strands of research for my inquiry. By noticing this I have decided, as recommended by Adesola, to start on my literature review to try and build a clear-cut basis for my inquiry.
Starting my literature review...
Below is a brief list of the sort of areas that I will be looking into initially for my research. I have been looking at websites for organisations or legal firms who specialise in law for the arts as well as articles and previous case studies. I have found some useful websites so far such as:
http://www.lac.qmul.ac.uk/advice/arts/index.html
http://lawandarts.org/
I also found this fascinating article from the Guardian:
http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/aug/07/arts-law-freedom-speech-legal-knowledge-packs-arts-organisations
Tuesday 1st March Group Skype Session...
I was really looking forward to last Tuesday's Skype session as it has been a lot to take in starting on Module 2. Everyone's input proved to be useful and it was so reassuring to hear about other students' journey on the course and how they dealt with various tasks and issues that I myself am facing. I asked of the group how I would go about starting my research process and where I should be looking for information. Jessica Plant (http://jessicaplant.blogspot.co.uk/) in particular gave some very practical advice and commented that you should keep your options open and not limit yourself to choosing a topic straight away.
The major points that stuck out to me were:
- Do not restrict yourself so early in the process to only looking at one area
- Even if you have found an area that you are interested in pursuing for your inquiry, still allow your ideas to develop and evolve naturally
- Absorb as many external influences as possible so that other interests and areas for discovery are kept at your disposal
- Do not be afraid to let your inquiry change as you move forwards
- Blog about your ideas, write down questions and take notes
- Have discussions with other students as well as external professionals to gather a variety of viewpoints
To finish, Adesola motivated us to "snap out of starting mode" and just throw ourselves into our next Module whether it is 1, 2 or 3. She mentioned that it does not matter if things seem unclear as this is the way in which we learn; by shedding light on the things we do not yet know.
As challenging as it is to start something new - just go for it!
Special Interest Group (SIG)...
Also during Tuesday's Skype session, I queried how we could go about organising our own SIG. Jessica Plant helpfully suggested that setting up a Google+ community is a really convenient way of communicating with others online - so I went ahead and created one!
Below is the link to my Google+ community and I would love it if you would join. It is a useful and informal way for all of us BAPP students to help each other out and offer ideas and opinions that can aid in our research. I look forward to your contributions!
https://plus.google.com/communities/112282308913631891593
Already this forum for communication has been really helpful for me. Module 1 student Grace Hume suggested that I look into reasons why dancers would want to seek legal aid, for example; injury due to poor conditions (unsprung floor or slippery surfaces), unfair pay, excessive hours etc. Additional to this, Lisa Meiklejohn challenged me to think about whether many performers are reluctant to pursue legal action for fear they may gain a bad reputation or upset others in the industry who may have an effect on their future. This is a really interesting point to have made and something that I would like to take further.
Jess Boswell highlighted to me that legal representation isn't something that students at say a performing arts schools are necessarily made aware of. But what if they were to need it later on in their career? They should, in my opinion, be able to have the necessary means to access legal aid and have prior knowledge as to how they can do this without being afraid to do so.
All of the comments made in my Google+ community so far have been really useful and I am pleased to have broken down the barrier of creating a functioning SIG which will certainly aid me in my research. Looking onwards to the next tasks, I would like to continue to converse with other students and gather a stronger basis for my research. I will also persist in doing my own digging for information and look to further external support from professional associates.
Bibliography
Akinleye, Adesola (2016) Module Two On-line session (good and healthy for all moduler!!!), BAPP blog, sourced from http://adesolaa.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/module-two-on-line-session-good-and.html, accessed (28.02.16)
Anon (2016) The Columbia Journal of Law and the Arts, sourced from http://lawandarts.org/ accessed (07.03.16)
Anon (2016) Law for the Arts, sourced from http://www.lac.qmul.ac.uk/advice/arts/index.html accessed (07.03.16)
Anon (2016) The Columbia Journal of Law and the Arts, sourced from http://lawandarts.org/ accessed (07.03.16)
Denscombe, Martyn (2009) Ground rules for social research: Guidelines for good practice, 2nd edition, Maidenhead: OPEN UNIVERSITY PRESS, United Kingdom
Farrington, Julia (2015) The arts, the law and freedom of speech, sourced from http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/aug/07/arts-law-freedom-speech-legal-knowledge-packs-arts-organisations accessed (07.03.16)
Grundy, Lily (2016) BAPP Part 4: Developing Lines of Professional Inquiry, BAPP blog, sourced from http://lilygrundy95.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/bapp-part-4-developing-lines-of.html, accessed (28.02.16)
Farrington, Julia (2015) The arts, the law and freedom of speech, sourced from http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/aug/07/arts-law-freedom-speech-legal-knowledge-packs-arts-organisations accessed (07.03.16)
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