WHAT AM I DOING HERE! or Frogs in a Bucket!

I must quote the Module Three Handbook: Section Three on page 18

“Frogs in a bucket –
Two frogs fell in a bucket of milk. One couldn't see a solution for how to get out and slowly sank to the bottom. The other one swam round and round contemplating how to solve the problem of hopping out of the milk. By the morning that frog's swimming round and round had churned the milk into butter and he was able to hop out of the bucket.”

WHAT AM I DOING HERE –

I find as I write this blog, as I collect data, and reflect over the entire process that has been involved with my knowledge in pursuing a master’s degree that it is not necessary for me to know exactly what I am doing or precisely where I am going.  Being aware of the final outcome or a general direction I sometimes all that is needed; especially in regard to this study.  This is becoming more and more evident.

Qualitative research is oriented towards investigation of meaning; data is often in the form of words and can be derived from in-depth observation.  When the paradigm of research shifted to qualitative as viable and credible research, a myriad of methods developed. Also, considering race, class, gender the writing became reflexive… My process of deciding what type of method my research is followed this path….and this confusion, so to speak, may be helpful in comforting some of you who are in Module Two and having feelings of being a fish out of water.

I was not aware of trying to come up with some unknown theory, although research about Grounded Theory seemed relevant and interesting to me.  The stage of analysis for grounded theory seems to be appropriate for my research – investigating and examining goal-setting; affirmations; mindfulness; and visualization in the training of dancers.

I had really not come to an appropriate understanding of the methodology I would be using in my research by the time I completed Module Two.  I spent too much time concerned about other things in the research process. Mainly in formulating an inquiry and trying to have a perfect question.

Now as I collect data now through recordings, media, lecture, interviews and literature review about mindset and these positive psychology tools(goal-setting; affirmations; mindfulness; and visualization) which is the context of my inquiry – certain concepts, related elements and themes are becoming apparent.

Ah – INDEED! “Data does have a life of its own!”

Question: Is my task to gain knowledge about critically-shared meaning that form the behaviours and reality of participants being studied?

Me:  “Hmmmmm, this is getting frustrating, because what I think I wanted is different from what I am getting! I am becoming increasingly curious as to what it is that I am getting, though, so let’s just keep going!”

I find comfort in another quote from the Module Three Handbook:

“What kind of data is it that you gathered? – you may have intended to get one thing and in fact when you did your data collection you got something else. So although you said what you wanted to do in your project plan (and you will also explain this starting point in your introduction in the Critical Review) it is important to show you know what it is you got.”

Codes, categories, concepts, and theories – SO MANY – However there are certain themes that are emerging!

I am finding that this blogging, note-taking, are leading me to other methodologies – if I am understanding methods correctly.

Narratology – The study of narrative and narrative structure and how these affect our perception!

Me: “WHAT! Storytelling is a qualitative research method?”  (Hand to head)  Of course, it is.  This is interesting because my research has to do with the effects of visualization, mindfulness, goal-setting, and affirmations (or self-talk)….doesn’t that follow a narrative paradigm?

Question: Does my interpretive perspective consider an organization as a subjective universe grasped through the representations that the ‘actors’ summon in their narrations?

Notes: Narrative, central values, culture or organization, differences, contradictions

Notes: Perhaps this is structure only?

Transcript Poetry is found between field notes/texts and the final research report  - code for themes, collaborate with participant to make sure the message of the original message is in text.

Are these Forms of Evaluation?

Other Notes:

I AM I THINK:

- engaging in extensive field work where data collection is mainly by interviews, symbols, artifacts, observations, and many other sources of data.

- researcher in ethnography type of research looks for patterns of the group's mental activities, that is their ideas and beliefs expressed through language or other activities, and how they behave in their groups as expressed through their actions that the researcher observed.

- the researcher gathers what is available, what is normal, what it is that people do, what they say, and how they work.

Perhaps what I am doing here is an ethnography –

In any case, I MUST GET ON WITH IT; and if I could or would describe a consistent theme in my study it is…..GET ON WITH IT….

That being said I am aware that the data analysis equals/and/or involves interpretations of the functions and meanings of my findings – the words, images, context, and actions of every aspect or my inquiry.

I’M GOING TO GET ON WITH IT!

The following are helpful resources in informing this blog.




1. Pernecky, T. (2016). Epistemology and Metaphysics for Qualitative Research. London, UK: Sage Publications.

2. Aldiabat, Khaldoun; Navenec, Carole-Lynne (4 July 2011). "Philosophical Roots of Classical Grounded Theory: Its Foundations in Symbolic Interactionism" (PDF). The Qualitative Report. 16: 1063–80. Retrieved 5 December 2014.

3. Richardson,L. (2000). "Evaluating ethnography," in Qualitative Inquiry, 6(2), 253-255

4. Module Three Handbook

Reflection on Assessments

Assessments of Learning in Dance Education

Over the course of achieving higher qualifications from ISTD and while studying a Master’s Degree in Dance Pedagogy from Middlesex University, I have been applying theories of reflection to review own practice as a dance teacher, including making informed and balanced decisions for my own professional and personal progression. These have included recording and reflecting on my own learning experiences; evaluating the effectiveness of and developing opportunities to improve my professional practice; and analysing the impact of planned activities related to my own teaching.  The following reflections are about assessment in dance learning.

What type of assessment have I been using to evaluate my student’s ability to perform a dance with a specific sequence of movements?   There are a variety of ways assessment can be carried out in a dance context.  I sometimes construct assessments to reflect a student’s level of accomplishment and to demonstrate their understanding of the content.  Assessment can be formative, which happens throughout the learning and sometimes summative at the end of the lesson. 

How do you place this assessment into a plan of learning (POL) for my students and then how is this assessment carried out in lesson plans?

This reflection is an exploration on how I might better be able to assess my own students.  Rather than merely auditing their learning, I want to use assessment to ‘educate students and improve learning’ (Theresa Purcell Cone, 2005).   

Diagnostic Assessment Classes for Learners

I recently carried out a diagnostic assessment class for learners.  I wanted to consider the psychomotor, cognitive, and affective learning aspects in the assessments. Therefore, I was considering the following:

Psychomotor:How is coordination, balance, endurance, and strength in regard to the phrase of choreography that I was teaching the students.

Cognitive:  What knowledge did the students already have about the names of dance steps? Are they able to achieve the movement, repeat it or make adjustments as I give vocal instruction?

Affective:  How is the student’s participation and effort in the lesson? Are the students eager to answer questions? Are they shy? Is performing and expression in the movement new to them? Are they used to working in a team?

I often assess the ability of my students by asking them to respond orally to questions, because this is the most convenient and efficient way to assess my students learning. In the past I would to simply ask students to recall or remember facts through verbal questioning. However, my understanding of higher order thinking and learning has developed my assessment abilities.  For example, some of the questioning that I can use to include a balance of lower- and higher- order thinking include:

1.    Knowledge: Please execute the movement that happens on count 8? Who can show me a ‘cross-turn’?

2.    Comprehension: Why is it important for your arm to be parallel to the floor?  Why it might be necessary for us to use a wide stance at the beginning of the dance?

3.    Application: Create a movement phrase using three steps from the dance? 

4.    Analysis:  What about Kieran’s demonstration of the dance made you smile?  How was Group 1’s demonstration of a ‘cross-turn’ different from Group 2’s demonstration?

5.    Synthesis: Can we create a dance using one movement from each person’s dance? What aspect from watching the video can you add to your performance of the dance?

6.    Evaluation:  What did you like about the performance?  Why did you like it? Are there other reasons you think this performance was particularly good?

Identification and recall describes knowledge. Comprehension is about understanding. Application is how the use of facts and principles are used. Analysis dissects the whole into different components.  Synthesis combines these components into a new whole, and evaluation is the development of opinions or judgements. 

I identified that oral questioning is not only an excellent way to assess, it also engages my learners and allows for a connection to be made between us.  Trust is established and we begin to have a more in-depth experience in our learning process.

A variety of assessment provides an organised and comprehensive representation of what a child knows. Videoing is a way to capture this. Subjectivity is overcome when I can decide with the leading organisation, students’ parents, and students themselves the criteria for assessment.  For example, a rubric can be created.  Rubrics are not being used in my practice very much, but I believe it might be possible for me to discuss the use of a rubric measures to more objectively identify how appropriate a child is for performing on stage.  I often hear my colleagues say things like, “Wow, so cute!” or “It factor…”  and other extremely vague ways of describing the abilities of children when they are auditioning.  It annoys me and I become frustrated as I explain to them in what I describe as a more articulate and objective way of explaining a student’s ability.  

I can monitor my student’s progress during a single learning experience or over time.  These can include my observations recorded on a checklist, written notes, or comments through electronic forms such as video. Journal writing, drawings, or quizzes may help this, but it will be important for me to be mindful of the different abilities of students. Those students who do not read or write as well may not benefit so much from a rubric that requires writing.   In my intensive sessions with students where I am allotted more one to one time with the students, journaling has been very useful in identifying criteria and individual assessment criteria.  

Another assessment tool that I find very useful is peer to peer assessment.   Not only does this enhance communication and collaboration in our environment, but it develops the higher-order of thinking and learning according to Bloom’s taxonomy (Theresa Purcell Cone, 2005).   

Having my learners’ perform for each other has been extremely fundamental in their progression.  They are able to assess each other and check with each other the level of their performance.  Although, we have not written out a definitive rubric for assessment criteria, our understanding and developed language together over the course of several weeks together most often proves to be enough time for us to have come to a shared understanding of criteria.  However, as I write now, I see the error in assuming that there is no need for a definite rubric.  

Self-assessment is used in my lessons so that the students can assess their own learning.  This is done through journaling and discussion. However, I wonder what other ways I can use for the students to assess themselves so they better understand the material.

Some questions that I ask to encourage self-assessment include:

1.    What did you learn today?

2.    What was most difficult for you when you learned the dance today?

3.    Did you learn something different about how to do this step?

4.    Did anything make you feel uncomfortable about dancing today? Why?

5.    Name one or two things you improved about the dance today?

According to Theresa Purcell Cone (2005), a dance portfolio is a like an album of learning that provides a collection images showing growth and learning over a period of time.  Often, parents ask me for feedback about their own children’s learning after they are released from our program.  I feel that my words never really articulate the growth and progress of the students when they are in my class.  However, if I only had some way to communicate to them in others way the leaps and bounds their child made in psychomotor, affective, and cognitive learning, I am sure they would have a much better understanding of the growth and learning that has taken place.  This has really inspired me to really take care and apply more thought into the variety of ways to assess learning and also record the progress.  My only concern is the time that it takes to mange this type of portfolio.   The children are already participating in an activity that carries extra time, rehearsals, and pressure.  We are learning for the potential to participate in a West End show?  In the future I will experiment with how I can properly use time constructively to develop a learning portfolio for my students so that all stakeholders can review and objectively assess the learning of these students over a period of time.  

Conclusion

It is clear that assessment in dance can be challenging to designn and facilitate. However, in order to be viewed as an important component to learning and propell curriculum, I must provide evidence of student learning.  By defining criteria and applying practival rubrics I will better help my learners to understand what I expect from them.  I already use reflection to assess my effectiveness as a teacher. I assess student learning by oral questioning, rubric systems, recording, peer assessment, and self – assessment.  Creating portfolios, using journals, drawing, and video will help me to keep track of learning, educate, and improve learning through assessment.  

Bibliography

Theresa Purcell Cone, S. L. C., 2005. Teaching Children Dance. 2 ed. Champaign(IL): Human Kinetics Association.