Diversity dance troop

Just saw an brief review of Diversity on the news tonight - googling I found this info... I know they have been around, but the news mentioned them moving into the spotlight a bit more.

Continuing students submitting 3861 6th January - reminders for checking final work ADDED TO

I believe I am repeating some things that have been up before on the blogs - but there are several final check you may want to do before submitting your work...

General Middlesex University marking criteria is up that describes what the marking areas should have - this is up on the website.

ALSO

pp. 57 – 58 BAPP WBS 3861 2010 Module Handbook Section 9 Assessment information ALSO ON PAGE 56 A LIST FOR APPENDICES - EASY TO MISS 

9.1 Handing in your project

9.2 What the assessor is looking for

pp 28-29 BAPP Programme Handbook lists the learning objective that you should have done for the project - A1, A2, A3, B1,B2,B3, B4, C1, C2, C3, C4 

e.g. A1 Identification and appropriate use of sources of knowledge and evidence will be wide ranging and critical

The module handbook and the programme handbook (the latest one)  are both on the BAPP libguides if you need them!

WBS3002 September 2010 entry BAPP - How are you getting on?

The biggest thing to do if you are behind is to catch up!!! However, if you need to discuss a delay to your submission, because of work or personal circumstances, get in touch with your Academic Advisor.

You all know my contact details so get in touch if you need to... or leave a comment.

Attending the annual conference Society of Research in Higher Education

From the 14th to the 16th of December I attended the SRHE conference in Wales. The main topics for this conference has to do with higher education practice in all the disciplines - arts, science, languages, history, etc. including work based learning or professional practice. Some of the speakers included Rob Barnett, who talks about the purpose of higher education, Nick Maxwell, who has written a book on Knowledge wisdom, and Etienne Wenger, who has written about communities of practice. Also HE 'practitioners' present papers about the work they are doing. The membership of SRHE is international.

There was a fair amount about social learning and learning using Web2.0.

Wenger's presentation is on this link.

Thank you Lucy

Thank you Lucy for giving the feedback comment on the 24th November much appreciated. This is th blog about updating your blogs- engagement -and self assessment for the module.

Critical Reflection for BAPP WBS3002 - added to

There are some very good posts up about the critical reflection - see Alan's and Rosemary's blog 1 + blog 2 + Adesola's...

Natalie and I just had a phone conversation about the 750 word that was useful to collecting my thoughts - so I would like to add to the conversation.

This is about evaluating what you did this term. It summarises what is in your 'portfolio' - a portfolio is the collection of tasks, blogs links etc. that represent your thinking about the course materials.

This piece of writing is a bit more structured than others you might have written on the blogs. Sometimes blogs are written more in a 'stream of consciousness' style that includes a lot of repetitions and thinking through things... this piece of writing is more about summarising and highlighting specific thinking that has taken place during the module. It needs to be specific.

Try reading the sentences out loud - are they too vague? Do they provide the detail needed to convince the 'reader' about the 'argument' or 'point of view' you are framing? For example, if you say you are now using Web2.0 more in your professional life - be specific how and why and relate it to some of the theories you reviewed in your blog.What ideas really helped you or got you to thinking about what you do professionally?

The first sentences are always important and often need to be rewritten several times. I like to make paragraphs - rule of thumb from USA - paragraphs are at least 3-5 sentences with introductory sentence, sentences covering the key points and concluding sentence- rules to be broken perhaps but grouping thoughts is helpful to the Reader as they follow your train of thought.

Finally, what have you achieved during the module? This is an important overriding idea that should be in this piece of writing. What have you been good at? For example, Natalie has written consistently in both her public blogs and private journals and this process has helped her organise thinking through her various professional roles. Natalie needs to tell us exactly how in her critical reflection - but to take ideas from higher education and create actions or change in professional practice is a purpose of the course. If she can convince us that this has happened, that is a real achievement.

News regarding the Arts Depot and an online petition.

Arts Depot news

The Arts Depot is facing public finding cuts.

Question about Learning extract in Appendices for BAPP WBS3861

Laura-Beth just asked me:

Note All project modules (except WBS 3831) require you to include in this

chapter your reflective insights from your learning which are cross

referenced to extracts from your learning log in your appendices
Does this means extracts from my Learning Journal?  Or does it mean extracts from the 4 Learning Logs we had to post on the blog?

I replied:

Both- represent your learning using the evidence from you person diary and blogs – one is private so you might need to anonymise comments – the blogs could include comments and discussion you have had with your colleagues – mainly this module but earlier quotes might illustrate the learning journey. All 4 public blogs might be relevant  - but your personal journal might explain things in more detail and use your own topic areas.

Hope that helps - I did ask LB if I could post.

Big Thanks to Rosie Lehan

A big thanks to Rosie Lehan for inviting us to City and Islington to give a presentation about BAPP to the the FD programme there. It seems like yesterday, but it was a couple of weeks ago. Rosie is very keen for her students to progress, and we actually went early this year and hope to touch base again in 2011.

Some we information about their news...

City and Islington College students in site-specific dance performance

Dance the Night Away

Irie Dance Theatre

Good Conversations for WBS3002

I have spent a lot of time trying to visit blog sites. Now is the times to visit the BAPP Network to see what everyone is doing as well as to do 3d. I wish now I had more time to compose some more and a determined to do this soon.

We are actually looking at trying to update the website and brochures - so that has been taking a bit of my time. There are some great photos up on the web, it would be nice to use some images from people who have actually been on this course. We also need some folks to describe the ideas of professional practice to others. Because of all the changes in higher education, we have had a number of people want to come onto the programme. Any suggestions or offers would be welcomed.

A few comments about the blogs...

Mark Iles is trying out a video cam from Malaysia and Laura Weir is adding topics of interest and visiting a lot of other blogs making comments. What is really starting to happen are the conversations that indicate that people have taken on the new theories about professional practice and are comparing them to others experiences.  Adrian and Joannah are up now. The best way to check is to go to LibGuides and go to the blog tab. Please don't stop blogging until 'turning in' which must be an american term for submission as people are asking be to explain... Also - toward the end here you might want to refer back to 2d where you considered you inquiry questions. Rosemary has a good blog up about it.

Please also visit my blog on the 24th Nov and leave a comment about my suggestions for self analysis. While the process of looking at your own work is sometimes difficult, I think I would also call it a valuable skill that is worth having. Alicia comments on a certain state of anxiety about blogging.

I am still reading some drafts through on various things - and the folks who need to write 500 words should get an email about it early next week.

Metaphysics in Motion book

A good book that I saw and noted to Alice and Mark.

I also picked up a great book about movement from MDX library by Sandra Fraleigh called Metaphysics in Motion - Is there anyway you can connect with it from MDX - I have it booked out now or http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dancing-Identity-Sondra-Horton-Fraleigh/dp/0822942399/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1291296078&sr=8-1-fkmr0