- Scan the text - does it seem relevant?
- If it is an article written using academic rules - there should be an abstract or in the case of a book - a summary - are these relevant?
- Read the Table of Context - do to the area you want to read - go back to earlier chapters if you get lost but often chapters are self-contained so can be read on their own.
- Look in the back for the index to look up terms so you can focus on these
- Look in the Bibliography for authors and other sources that are relevant.
Friday, 26 February 2010
Reading literature - bullet points
When you look at written materials for your topic - here is some advice
OasisPlus problems
Please let me know if you can access repository - I have heard of some problems.
Go to library info here for help.
http://www.24-7.mdx.ac.uk/oasisplus/#access
Go to library info here for help.
http://www.24-7.mdx.ac.uk/oasisplus/#access
Thursday, 25 February 2010
Advice on planning the WBL project
Here are a few more words until our next Campus Session on the 3rd March.
Work based learning (WBL) projects are projects that are directly realted to what you do in the workplace in some way. It could bewhat you are doing anyway or it could be an innovation or solving a problem. You could relate it to a job that needs to be done.
What do you need to find out?
Why will that make a difference to your work and career?
What impact will it have on your job, your work colleagues, the sector in which you work?
Can you disseminate what you find out anywhere?
Will your project have some sort of impact?
Are you going to develop some new service? a new product? a learning resource?
MDX has been undertaken a lot of research about WBL.
Topics generate issues and the research or inquiry you undertake is finding out about issues that refer back to concepts and theories from 'thinkers' - other professionals and research based academics. That is the academic side of things. The research is just one part of the project, but it is an important one (refer to Peter's and Rosemary's blogs as well on this one).
However in many areas in which we work, while there is some research that has been published in book, journals, the web, there are a lot of sources - like people- in the context of your workplace that you need to go and talk to to find out what is going on! With WBL it is also about the doing.
People have asked about previous topics. Some of the ones I looked at from finalists included: ‘Method Acting and the Current Thinking of its Use Among a Network of Professional Actors’, ‘Preparing an Optimised Dance Curriculum for a Mixed Ability Performing Arts Course’, ‘The Transition from Dancer to choreographer within the Field of Musical Theatre’,‘Can Elements of Ballet Training Improve Gymnast’s Overall Performance’, ‘Using Creative Methods to Enhance Engagement in Dance Education’, ‘An investigation into the Role of Experiential Learning, and its Contribution to the Progression of a Ballet Company’, ‘Action Research Study on Preventative Care Measures for Dancers’, ‘Behaviour Management within a primary school context, primarily focusing on year three children in Key Stage two’.
As we have more visual artists with us this year - I expect more topics that have to do with that line of work.
I think WBL gets a lot of its methodology from social science and business/management (which does organisational research). Education, for example, is a social science. However, the content is your professional practice. In the Arts, research topics are often about events and issues within the arts and compared to cultural theories, practice, and the industry - be it entertainment, gallery, museums, communication, media, etc.. Often people in the creative and cultural industries study a craft or disciplinary theories and do not actually do things like interview people or do surveys. However, they are a part of working life that most people have to do anyway, and learning how to do things in a project format really helps to do things independently.
Hope that helps.
Paula
Work based learning (WBL) projects are projects that are directly realted to what you do in the workplace in some way. It could bewhat you are doing anyway or it could be an innovation or solving a problem. You could relate it to a job that needs to be done.
What do you need to find out?
Why will that make a difference to your work and career?
What impact will it have on your job, your work colleagues, the sector in which you work?
Can you disseminate what you find out anywhere?
Will your project have some sort of impact?
Are you going to develop some new service? a new product? a learning resource?
MDX has been undertaken a lot of research about WBL.
Topics generate issues and the research or inquiry you undertake is finding out about issues that refer back to concepts and theories from 'thinkers' - other professionals and research based academics. That is the academic side of things. The research is just one part of the project, but it is an important one (refer to Peter's and Rosemary's blogs as well on this one).
However in many areas in which we work, while there is some research that has been published in book, journals, the web, there are a lot of sources - like people- in the context of your workplace that you need to go and talk to to find out what is going on! With WBL it is also about the doing.
People have asked about previous topics. Some of the ones I looked at from finalists included: ‘Method Acting and the Current Thinking of its Use Among a Network of Professional Actors’, ‘Preparing an Optimised Dance Curriculum for a Mixed Ability Performing Arts Course’, ‘The Transition from Dancer to choreographer within the Field of Musical Theatre’,‘Can Elements of Ballet Training Improve Gymnast’s Overall Performance’, ‘Using Creative Methods to Enhance Engagement in Dance Education’, ‘An investigation into the Role of Experiential Learning, and its Contribution to the Progression of a Ballet Company’, ‘Action Research Study on Preventative Care Measures for Dancers’, ‘Behaviour Management within a primary school context, primarily focusing on year three children in Key Stage two’.
As we have more visual artists with us this year - I expect more topics that have to do with that line of work.
I think WBL gets a lot of its methodology from social science and business/management (which does organisational research). Education, for example, is a social science. However, the content is your professional practice. In the Arts, research topics are often about events and issues within the arts and compared to cultural theories, practice, and the industry - be it entertainment, gallery, museums, communication, media, etc.. Often people in the creative and cultural industries study a craft or disciplinary theories and do not actually do things like interview people or do surveys. However, they are a part of working life that most people have to do anyway, and learning how to do things in a project format really helps to do things independently.
Hope that helps.
Paula
iWBL Librarians
THis also looks like a good one stop shop for the library with the IWBL librarians (mentioned at the Campus meeting).
They are also on Twitter for questions.
They are also on Twitter for questions.
Developing new projects - the frustrating bit
Developing new projects can also be frustrating because the topics AND the problems with those topics come thick and fast. To stop the spinning, writie the ideas down and analyse them at this point. Think them through. As I just said to someone in an email:
"Write down all of your choices – you might have a number of options – I would expect that at this point in the planning stage. The process of choosing is actually one of the skills you are working on. Usually in degree work options are limited to the discipline area – and are given to students. Here, the choice you make is related to what you do as a professional. However, in many disciplines the choices are quite wide ranging and students still need to decide on what they want to do – demonstrating ‘selectivity’ and ‘judgement’ is one of the attributes from this level of work."
Also writing them down gets them out of your head - just an A4 'back of the envelope' device will serve you well. You will probably have numerous options to consider i.e. A, B,C etc.
I have a book at home that shows the original drawing of Edison's light bulb in an idea sketch. It is a simple and humble line sketch but represents a good idea that he later developed into something bigger. What you write at this point does not have to be a lot- just enough for you to think through your options.
REMEMBER we have anouther Campus Workshop 3rd March 1-4pm and more stuff going up on the blog to help.
Paula
"Write down all of your choices – you might have a number of options – I would expect that at this point in the planning stage. The process of choosing is actually one of the skills you are working on. Usually in degree work options are limited to the discipline area – and are given to students. Here, the choice you make is related to what you do as a professional. However, in many disciplines the choices are quite wide ranging and students still need to decide on what they want to do – demonstrating ‘selectivity’ and ‘judgement’ is one of the attributes from this level of work."
Also writing them down gets them out of your head - just an A4 'back of the envelope' device will serve you well. You will probably have numerous options to consider i.e. A, B,C etc.
I have a book at home that shows the original drawing of Edison's light bulb in an idea sketch. It is a simple and humble line sketch but represents a good idea that he later developed into something bigger. What you write at this point does not have to be a lot- just enough for you to think through your options.
REMEMBER we have anouther Campus Workshop 3rd March 1-4pm and more stuff going up on the blog to help.
Paula
Wednesday, 24 February 2010
Athens problems
Try this for information about Athens, or contact the library staff if you are having problems.
http://www.lr.mdx.ac.uk/document.htm
Paula
http://www.lr.mdx.ac.uk/document.htm
Paula
Short cuts to searching electronic journals at MDX
As discussed in the 1st Campus Session (16.2.10) there are a number of specialist journals accessible from MDX that have information – this can be in person OR you should be able to get to them distance using Athens with your Student ID. Other universities and libraries have this type of system, so it is handy to know if you are looking up your own information.
Directions for getting into Electronic Journals
MDX website
24-7
Learning Resources
Learning Resources Website
Electronic Resources
Databases – this goes to general journal holdings OR
Ejournals if you know the name already i.e. Research in Dance Education – then got to Intergenta – search articles by year and volume – you can download electronically.
IF THE JOURNAL REQUIRES AN ATHENS LOG IN – GIVE YOUR STUDENT ID and PASSWORD
(this means that the university pays a fee to access the journal). I have also attached an example of some articles I downloaded from Research in Dance Education.
Could you please use these directions to try out the journals and get back to me about how you get on?
Directions for getting into Electronic Journals
MDX website
24-7
Learning Resources
Learning Resources Website
Electronic Resources
Databases – this goes to general journal holdings OR
Ejournals if you know the name already i.e. Research in Dance Education – then got to Intergenta – search articles by year and volume – you can download electronically.
IF THE JOURNAL REQUIRES AN ATHENS LOG IN – GIVE YOUR STUDENT ID and PASSWORD
(this means that the university pays a fee to access the journal). I have also attached an example of some articles I downloaded from Research in Dance Education.
Could you please use these directions to try out the journals and get back to me about how you get on?
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