Hi all! I hate to admit it, but I am in a state of panic. I have had so much on recently with all nine of my jobs......it's all got a bit too much. Last minute, I couldn't attend the campus session and it frustrates me that I've no doubt fallen even further behind. So if anyone could enlighten me with information or things I may have missed, you will be much appreciated. So I've tried my hardest to get myself back on my degree-driven-track and would like to update my blog with some survey news.
My survey has been out and about collecting information and ideally I would like to collect 100 responses!! So........cutting to the chase, if you are a professional dancer or are in professional training please click on the link and complete my survey. It is eight questions long and shouldn't take more than five minutes if less. Hopefully it will give me the results I am looking for. It's been tried and tested so it should all go to plan but any comments would be appreciated also. Thanks in advance dancers!
It is all about choreography and concentrates on the opinions as a professional dancer on learning choreography. I would like your honest opinions on how you think you and others learn best, what elements within learning/teaching choreography are most important and who you've worked with in the industry who has choreographed successfully with you.
Click here to take survey
Friday, 15 October 2010
Project Part One: Survey Notes
Analysis of Survey Draft and Creation Notes/Reasoning For Official Project Survey
The first part of my project is a survey to be completed by professional dancers or those in professional training. These results will give me the basis in which to develop my experiment (the second part of my project involving student/amateur dancers). Below are notes used to form my final survey.
I have looked back at my first draft of my survey and analysed the results concentrating on the relevance of each question, thus creating my official survey for the project. (See figure A below for draft survey questions)
I have allowed the initial questions for some back ground and basic information from participants, for example gender and length of professional dance training.
The question asking which gender; male or female to useful to know for varying results, my project is only aimed at female students, so survey results may show that there is a difference or no contrast between opinions of gender
I queried the question asking “how many years of professional dance training” had the participant experienced, concerned as to whether it should it be how many years of dance training (professional or non) had they completed. The dancers completing the survey should all be professional dancers so is it relevant to know any of this. I concluded on asking how many years of professional training has they experienced, followed by how many years had they worked professionally. I decided on this version of the question because the survey is concentrating on the professional aspect of their dancing career so questions should focus on that.
I added in the question of how many years have they worked professionally as a dancer as the amount of experience can affect opinions on the best way to learn choreography.
The point of the survey is to find out how professional dancers believe they learn best so it would be of relevance to their opinions knowing how many years they've trained and how many years they've worked both professionally. Options include not having trained, yet they may have worked professionally, less than one year as they may have dropped out or got work during training, one to two years, a short professional course, 3 years the standard length of training, 4 to 6 they may have done a couple of consecutive course and 7+ they may have attended a dance school then continued on to college.
I scrapped the question about age as this doesn't tell me anything, dancers can train at different ages and talent is not based on age therefore the answers would not fit with their careers and tell me nothing about reflecting on their opinions to learn dance.
“What element of learning a piece of choreography accurately is most important?” I added in this question as this directly gives me answers to my main question from a professional dancer's opinion, which means if 100 dancers complete the survey I would have 100 different ideas in which to base my experiment or ideas to trial in my experiment.
I eliminated the question about famous choreographers as this holds no relevance as the dancers have not danced with them, however asking their favourite choreographer that they had worked with and how they taught their choreography was an interesting question and it showed different approaches to teaching that dancers enjoyed and got on well with professionally. This question also helps to bring an awareness to dancers' own learning.
The “style of dance question” is not relevant to my project, as I will be teaching street jazz either way. I have to stick to the usual outline of the class I will be imposing the experiment upon, therefore I need to stick to the usual street jazz style. The students come to the class out of choice not just another part of their training as some professional dancers do, which means finding out if a style makes a difference would be unnecessary as the experiment can't allow a change of style. However I did mention in my proposal about mixing styles into street jazz such as street ballet and street Bollywood..
The question asking about “liking the choreography or not”, 80% said yes that if they liked the choreography they would learn it better. This is an obvious question to ask and is irrelevant to the experiment. Also the “familiar steps” question is bound to be a yes answer from most, making it pointless to be included. During the experiment choreography will be kept similar to control the changes of variables.
Figure A First draft survey
1.What is your gender?
2.How old are you
3.How many years have you trained professionally as a dancer?
4.Who is your all-time favourite choreographer that you haven't worked with and why?
5.Who is your all-time favourite choreographer that you have worked with and how did they teach their choreography to you?
6.How easy do you find each aspect of choreography?
7.What style of dance/choreography do you most enjoy learning?
8.Does it make a difference to how well you a dance whether you like the choreography or not?
9.If movements are familiar does it make it easier to learn a routine?
10. Which ways do you find easiest to learn a dance well?
The first part of my project is a survey to be completed by professional dancers or those in professional training. These results will give me the basis in which to develop my experiment (the second part of my project involving student/amateur dancers). Below are notes used to form my final survey.
I have looked back at my first draft of my survey and analysed the results concentrating on the relevance of each question, thus creating my official survey for the project. (See figure A below for draft survey questions)
I have allowed the initial questions for some back ground and basic information from participants, for example gender and length of professional dance training.
The question asking which gender; male or female to useful to know for varying results, my project is only aimed at female students, so survey results may show that there is a difference or no contrast between opinions of gender
I queried the question asking “how many years of professional dance training” had the participant experienced, concerned as to whether it should it be how many years of dance training (professional or non) had they completed. The dancers completing the survey should all be professional dancers so is it relevant to know any of this. I concluded on asking how many years of professional training has they experienced, followed by how many years had they worked professionally. I decided on this version of the question because the survey is concentrating on the professional aspect of their dancing career so questions should focus on that.
I added in the question of how many years have they worked professionally as a dancer as the amount of experience can affect opinions on the best way to learn choreography.
The point of the survey is to find out how professional dancers believe they learn best so it would be of relevance to their opinions knowing how many years they've trained and how many years they've worked both professionally. Options include not having trained, yet they may have worked professionally, less than one year as they may have dropped out or got work during training, one to two years, a short professional course, 3 years the standard length of training, 4 to 6 they may have done a couple of consecutive course and 7+ they may have attended a dance school then continued on to college.
I scrapped the question about age as this doesn't tell me anything, dancers can train at different ages and talent is not based on age therefore the answers would not fit with their careers and tell me nothing about reflecting on their opinions to learn dance.
“What element of learning a piece of choreography accurately is most important?” I added in this question as this directly gives me answers to my main question from a professional dancer's opinion, which means if 100 dancers complete the survey I would have 100 different ideas in which to base my experiment or ideas to trial in my experiment.
I eliminated the question about famous choreographers as this holds no relevance as the dancers have not danced with them, however asking their favourite choreographer that they had worked with and how they taught their choreography was an interesting question and it showed different approaches to teaching that dancers enjoyed and got on well with professionally. This question also helps to bring an awareness to dancers' own learning.
The “style of dance question” is not relevant to my project, as I will be teaching street jazz either way. I have to stick to the usual outline of the class I will be imposing the experiment upon, therefore I need to stick to the usual street jazz style. The students come to the class out of choice not just another part of their training as some professional dancers do, which means finding out if a style makes a difference would be unnecessary as the experiment can't allow a change of style. However I did mention in my proposal about mixing styles into street jazz such as street ballet and street Bollywood..
The question asking about “liking the choreography or not”, 80% said yes that if they liked the choreography they would learn it better. This is an obvious question to ask and is irrelevant to the experiment. Also the “familiar steps” question is bound to be a yes answer from most, making it pointless to be included. During the experiment choreography will be kept similar to control the changes of variables.
Figure A First draft survey
1.What is your gender?
2.How old are you
3.How many years have you trained professionally as a dancer?
4.Who is your all-time favourite choreographer that you haven't worked with and why?
5.Who is your all-time favourite choreographer that you have worked with and how did they teach their choreography to you?
6.How easy do you find each aspect of choreography?
7.What style of dance/choreography do you most enjoy learning?
8.Does it make a difference to how well you a dance whether you like the choreography or not?
9.If movements are familiar does it make it easier to learn a routine?
10. Which ways do you find easiest to learn a dance well?
Tuesday, 28 September 2010
Skypemania
Ok so the invention that is Skype....
I have downloaded, installed and set up my Skype machine, it's all ready to go go go.......
My name is: florence.clark50 if any wants to have a chat!
I had this before, but it didn't work with the one person I set it up for, so here's hoping it'll work this time.
I have downloaded, installed and set up my Skype machine, it's all ready to go go go.......
My name is: florence.clark50 if any wants to have a chat!
I had this before, but it didn't work with the one person I set it up for, so here's hoping it'll work this time.
September 26th Permission Slips
So the letters have been handed out to my students. They have a deadline of 19th October to return the form giving three weeks to think about the decision to take part in the project or not. Several were confused about the importance of needing three weeks to state they would like to be apart of it as to them the project didn't seem a big deal. I advised them it would be best to take time to consider the elements involved, such as filming.
Hopefully, I will have enough students with permission to take part. This will be an enjoyable part of my project, doing what I love.
Hopefully, I will have enough students with permission to take part. This will be an enjoyable part of my project, doing what I love.
Google Docs Is Amazing
I am somehow connected to it without effort, love that, plus it has all my documents on there! Documents I own, documents I've opened. Google is a brilliant company at times, I'm quite impressed, well done. Now I'm looking for an item worth sharing......I don't have one at the moment but when I do, it'll be on there. I just need to figure out how to share them now!
So to use it just log into your google account and go to the documents option or go to http://documents.google.com/
If anyone knows how to invite people to share your documents I would appreciate a comment por favor, is it merely just a google email address? Thanks in advance.
On reflection on using Google Docs over the past few months, I have found some uses. One being a way of backing up my work if something were to happen to my computer. I backed up my work throughout my writing just in case. In terms of sharing my work, I didn't feel to comfortable on this aspect and I found many shared this view. So in that respect, Google Docs is not amazing. Finally, in my professional practice, where I need to organise running orders for shows or songs lists, by using Google Docs I can collaborate with my work colleagues with ease.
So to use it just log into your google account and go to the documents option or go to http://documents.google.com/
If anyone knows how to invite people to share your documents I would appreciate a comment por favor, is it merely just a google email address? Thanks in advance.
On reflection on using Google Docs over the past few months, I have found some uses. One being a way of backing up my work if something were to happen to my computer. I backed up my work throughout my writing just in case. In terms of sharing my work, I didn't feel to comfortable on this aspect and I found many shared this view. So in that respect, Google Docs is not amazing. Finally, in my professional practice, where I need to organise running orders for shows or songs lists, by using Google Docs I can collaborate with my work colleagues with ease.
Mmmmmmm Delicious
This system of bookmarking websites which you can then share and adapt information is brand new to me......
Well, I firstly attempted signing up to this at http://www.delicious.com/ but failed as it would not accept my google email address. So I created yet ANOTHER email address, this time with Yahoo. I then went on to add those who had also signed up, but everyone I tried to add Delicious informed me they "didn't exist". So after several furious attempts, re-reading instructions and clicking everything possible; I gave up. I returned to it again a few days later having completely forgotten my new email address, password and delicious name!!! Sometimes I swear these sites/technology just hates me!
So sorted that all out, jotted down the new email etc and my Delicious name is Lucyflorenceclark.........i think! So I've added some of you already, but some I STILL can't, and I've seen on some of your blogs that I'm not the only one who's had problems. Grace Hoy - I can't add you and someone else, but I forget!
Well, I firstly attempted signing up to this at http://www.delicious.com/ but failed as it would not accept my google email address. So I created yet ANOTHER email address, this time with Yahoo. I then went on to add those who had also signed up, but everyone I tried to add Delicious informed me they "didn't exist". So after several furious attempts, re-reading instructions and clicking everything possible; I gave up. I returned to it again a few days later having completely forgotten my new email address, password and delicious name!!! Sometimes I swear these sites/technology just hates me!
So sorted that all out, jotted down the new email etc and my Delicious name is Lucyflorenceclark.........i think! So I've added some of you already, but some I STILL can't, and I've seen on some of your blogs that I'm not the only one who's had problems. Grace Hoy - I can't add you and someone else, but I forget!
The Project Module Begins
Starting off........
A quotation from my Project Proposal explaining my project to refresh my intentions during this module;
My research project will be looking into the study of teaching choreography efficiently. I will be specifically working with a group of young amateur dance students, with the ultimate aim of creating a dance that looks presentable and professional as possible......I shall focus my research on a dance class whom I currently teach at The YEM Theatre School based in Hampshire. I have been a teacher with the school for six years and presently teach drama, street jazz, tap and ballet. In this research I will primarily be working with my senior street-jazz dancers. At the time of my research taking place; the school will have just finished their biennial show and be starting a new term of work.
So with the show over, the project will be the perfect element to get the students back into training. The project will give them something new to focus on with the outlook of improving their dance abilities.
The Project Module
Learning Outcomes
This module will involve "planning and developing" "implementing and delivering" and finally "monitoring and evaluating".
A work-based project usually involves the same factors, including:
A quotation from my Project Proposal explaining my project to refresh my intentions during this module;
My research project will be looking into the study of teaching choreography efficiently. I will be specifically working with a group of young amateur dance students, with the ultimate aim of creating a dance that looks presentable and professional as possible......I shall focus my research on a dance class whom I currently teach at The YEM Theatre School based in Hampshire. I have been a teacher with the school for six years and presently teach drama, street jazz, tap and ballet. In this research I will primarily be working with my senior street-jazz dancers. At the time of my research taking place; the school will have just finished their biennial show and be starting a new term of work.
So with the show over, the project will be the perfect element to get the students back into training. The project will give them something new to focus on with the outlook of improving their dance abilities.
The Project Module
Learning Outcomes
This module will involve "planning and developing" "implementing and delivering" and finally "monitoring and evaluating".
A work-based project usually involves the same factors, including:
- role/impact of the worker-researcher = This project involves teaching a class and choreographying in order to gain data.
- organisational context = set up of the class involved and class plans plus other methods of data collection i.e. a survey of professional dancers
- aspects of change = the class format may alter accordingly and elements connected with the set experiment
- self-managed with advisor/principal support = organised but overseen by the university and manager of the school
- specific knowledge base = teaching skills and choreographic skills
- collaboration = with staff and students
- ethics = permission for filming, disposal of video content after analysis is complete
- methods = quasi-experiment and survey of professional dancers
- end product = to have found the best method of teaching choreography, improving teaching methods, raised an awareness of learning
- personal learning = individual levels of class members and how they learn, my own teaching/choreography abilities
- university requirements = education related and beneficial to areas of teaching, learning, education and choreography
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