Jane Syder's Blog

If a Picture Paints a thousand words You can read a thousand words into one expression, one movement, one dance. Art - Dance Music Drama can connect so many non-verbally on so many levels. The Art of self-expression offers an individual the chance to be heard without actually saying anything. Is this the appeal?? A space we all need to visit? Cognition = experience + sensory motor capabilities + environment % physiological, psychological, cultural, biological, sociological = embodiment through interaction.  But each picture Paints a thousand words and that’s why I find it easier to talk to you without them as you can say so much more in less time even if it holds a thousand meanings. Interpretation is based on the researchers constructs and so even quantitative research won’t bring a fixed result of any real importance, will it?  Qualitative research will open possibilities and generate new thought without any firm conclusion.  As we all see the world different...

Initiating change Research must be relevant and make a difference to all involved. My personal feeling is ‘What is the point if it makes no difference?’ Qualitative / non-positivist can be perceived as ‘wishy washy’ where nothing fixed/straight forwards is discovered.  Again, this resonates with no finite outcome. The end result may be uncertain as each piece of the research jigsaw will alter its composition.  There is a sense of excitement in the not knowing how the proposal may unfold. If everything in life was certain, where is the spontaneity in that! As I become older, the desire to discover new modes of thought gains pace. Children’s differing constructs depend on certainty or surprise and so do their needs. I find myself contemplating my own life places and how they emotionally impacted my feelings of security, safety and well-being thus implicating my own professional practise. As dance teachers I find we are in a privileged position to acquire a holistic...

“If anyone is unwilling to descend into himself, because this is too painful, he will remain superficial in his writing. . . If I perform to myself, then it’s this that the style expresses. And then the style cannot be my own. If you are unwilling to know what you are, your writing is a form of deceit.” ― Ludwig Wittgenstein The best performances in my opinion are the ones that are truly 'felt' from within.  Where the pure enjoyment of dancing overtakes a need to impress. There are many ways to encourage the inner voice in our students, but the most important is to encourage the love of dance and not set up a fierce competitive environment.  One challenge when starting Module 1 was the feeling of discomfort in group Skype sessions.  Particularly heightened by not being able to see each others faces or being able to read expressions. This opens up discussions in how we feel when our senses are challenged or removed, particularly as we rely on them so much...

Reading materials and qualitative research. Now feel organised for a week of reading and note taking after ordering some books from the library. Most keen to gain a greater understanding of qualitative research approaching from a non-positivist viewpoint and how this will impact on my inquiry and professional practise. Contemplating a Gant Chart and how to time manage the process. How are things going for you?

Research Avenues. Influences resulting in distortion of data in an interview situations will impact results for the research. I am contemplating the best foot forward.  To conduct interviews one to one will depend on the interviewee and how comfortable they feel with this.  I am keen to explore a set line of questioning and repeat this and weigh up similarity or may feel compelled to be lead by my gut-feeling and alter questioning as I go along, recording as I go to listen back later. How honest we all are when presented with a line of questioning may hinge on how we set up the interview environment and our approach. How are you getting on? What are your thoughts on research methods or your preference?

Are you a collector? I have made a decision to list my antiques, whimsies and rare china teacups on Ebay and start a new much more interesting collection! My son recently decided my rare antique collection of china cups was in need of recycling and decided to de-clutter our French dresser to Relate.  I found it difficult to share his contempt shown towards my rare china! The collecting and culmination of our experience and ideas assisting each other in the development of our inquiries has taken place, much to the relief of my family! On the last skype session we agreed that a problem halved is a problem shared and sharing with each other will inevitable provide reinforcement and support in our journey into Module 2.  The only way we can do this is to trust each other with our ideas and open up.  If we are guarded and secretive and protect our ideas from others thinking we are truly special and unique then this collaboration will fail. So I am going to start wi...

The appropriation of other people's stories. This struck a chord with me. How we read into others and how our own concepts alter what we hear/chose to hear. This is fascinating. Our complex minds. I am looking forward to 'recognising what I don't recognise I know' and eventually to 'know it, recognise it and recognise I recognise it!! The first step is to decide on the research.  Many ideas to research interest and excite.  Pin pointing one will be difficult and so I am looking at how these ideas might connect and reinforce each other. Looking at the Research model and the differing approaches is really interesting and these will be decided on when I can decide on the Research Inquiry!! Positivist and non-positivist.  Nothing is really clear-cut and so I come from a non-positivist viewpoint and embrace the qualitative research methods.  However, to define things sometimes can make things easier for others and some technical aspects of dance can be fairl...

New Term.  Module 2 and exciting challenges on the horizon. Todays skype session embraced new Module 1 recruits to our learning community and an opportunity to reflect on prominent newfound perspectives over recent months. Mostly, we felt the need to reassure newcomers and to offer a supportive collaborative network of friends to aid those foggy beginnings and moments of self-doubt and confusion which we all seemed to agree we had felt at the start and still do. My own difficulty speaking to faceless voices on Skype which magnified my insecurity in saying the wrong thing in front of so many or without having faces to read, running the risk of being misunderstood. The course has highlighted for me that all of our viewpoints count, irrespective of the answers being different creating a neutral environment and way forward. It is natural to feel vulnerable. Researching the dance studio's environment and offering a more holistic approach has been central to Module 1for me....