I now see the true relevance between the Recognition of Learning module and how it is helping me progress through module one and the entire BAPP Arts course. When looking at Reader 2, I can see that the same names are appearing! These include Gibbs, Kolb and Honey and Mumford, all practitioners who focus on the process of learning and development.
To remind myself of how these various processes have come into play, I have looked back over what I had written before and now I want to expand on these ideas, looking at similar practitioners to expand my thoughts about learning even more.
Blog Recap
The Recognition of Learning Module: Activity Number One
Tuesday 20th September
Gibbs' reflection cycle (1998)
Gibbs' reflection and analysis model is incredibly useful when it comes to structuring a reflection and enables you to not only reflect on what has happened and what you have learned throughout the process, but it also allows you to assess how you may potentially improve for next time if you were to complete the entire process again. I want to look at Gibbs' (1998) Reflective Cycle and use this method in order to create my own reflection of my professional practice as a teacher and director and have a closer look at my process throughout Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. How have things developed since then?
I would say that since this blog, I have developed as a teacher in so many ways and now I focus so much more on the Conclusion and the Action Plan, because I have suddenly found that with teaching, nothing ALWAYS goes to plan!! Because of this, I don't just spend the time planning ahead, but I also spend time reviewing, particular at the end of the day when I come home and ask myself questions such as, 'did that really go as well as I had hoped?' and 'what else do I need to do or make different?' This is quite surprising for me, because I have always been 'in the moment' and focusing on what is going well. Now I find myself not just doing simply that, but also subconciously asking myself, 'how can I be better? What do I need to change?'
Blog Recap
The Recognition of Learning Module: Activity Number Two
Monday 26th September 2016
Honey and Mumford's Learning Styles
There are four types of Learning styles that we can look at in Honey and Mumford's Learning Style descriptions. These are:
Activists
Reflectors
Theorists
Pragmatists
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| Honey, P and Mumford, A, 2006, The Learning Styles Questionnaire 80 item version, Maidenhead: Peter Honey Publications Ltd |
There's a lot of activist skills I have developed since training at drama school. For example, my Improvisation classes enabled me to get out of my head and live 'in the moment' which is something that has really helped me in my profession since.
There's a lot of activist skills I have developed since training at drama school. For example, my Improvisation classes enabled me to get out of my head and live 'in the moment' which is something that has really helped me in my profession since.
Example
When tutoring, there have been many times when I have been given numerous tasks to complete before running workshops and my Creative Wrting classes and as a result I have to learn how to successfully take in information a great deal quicker and run with the current thought and situation. I have found this particularly helpful in terms of working with children, one of the main reasons being that they have a very short attention span so throwing them into a set task straight away has been incredibly useful.
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| Honey, P and Mumford, A, 2006, The Learning Styles Questionnaire 80 item version, Maidenhead: Peter Honey Publications Ltd |
I did alot of this when I had to direct the children and take notes of what needed to be improved. My note taking and constant looking at script annotation meant that I was able to evaluate choreography and blocking and to keep making decisions. This included any changes that had to be made and by writing everything down, Kayleigh and I could go away and truly reflect on what needed to be improved throughout Joseph.
Example
The most obvious example would be when I used the time to make notes in the last few weeks of rehearsals in order to note down anything that was particularly in need of some improving. I would then take the opportunity to share my notes with the cast and highlight any issues that I felt should be addressed. This was a more thoughtful way of doing things and remembered from my own experience how much noting improvements helped me as a performer, because it allowed me to think about what I was doing and therefore grow.
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| Honey, P and Mumford, A, 2006, The Learning Styles Questionnaire 80 item version, Maidenhead: Peter Honey Publications Ltd |
Example
A good example of when I put this into practice would be when I developed blocking for the Joseph Production and wrote and annotated my script. I made sure every single line had something interesting happening and the annotations show my need for structure and perfectionism!
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| Honey, P and Mumford, A, 2006, The Learning Styles Questionnaire 80 item version, Maidenhead: Peter Honey Publications Ltd |
I definitely like to be able to see the relevance of my work in context, espeically when my ideas are put into practice by the children in the rehearsal room. In a rehearsal room it is improtant to explore and put an idea into practice and there were many times where we did that.
Example
Proven techiniques were apparent in Joseph when I used a proven concept already from my pantomime of Beauty and the Beast at drama school. I decided that instead of creating a massive 'story book', we would instead create a massive bible in which the characters were able to pop out and make a grand entrance. The audience as a result would be taken through the biblical story of Joseph that the audience would enjoy and would, as a result, enable the show to open with a bang.
What have I discovered about myself through my learning styles? Which one do I most comply with?
I have learnt that in general I can be a mixture of all of these learning styles at some point in the learning process, however I would say that I am mostly a theorist. But what I have discovered, however, when reflecting on these learning styles is that my actor training has forced me to look at things in various different ways, forcing me to become more of an activist at certain points due to the nature of the situation. Generally, I would say I'm more of a thinker, putting me into more of the reflecting, theoretical category due to my love of structure, my logical note taking and my aim to see the overall image and how to reach that desired image. I've really enjoyed this activity, because it's made me realise that not only do people learn in different ways, but they can also have elements of each of the four types of learning. Depending on the situation, there may be times where we have to be Activists, but there may also be times where we have to be more of a Reflector and this has consequently made me think about the children I teach and that they can work and learn in various different ways, making variety of teaching methods incredibly important.
How have things developed since then?
Not much has changed in terms of what kind of learner I am, because I think this is all part of our natural make up. However, this is extremely important and relevant now that I am teaching full-time! By having knowledge of the four different type of learners, I am able to assess how best a child will flourish and cooperate with me when they are learning. Just by having an open mind and by delving into the different types of learners I can attempt to make things better for the children that I teach, surely?
Are there any similar theories I've recently discovered that link?
I recently read another student's blog on practitioner Howard Gardner and I instantly became fascinated by this diagram that she shared. This is expanding on the four types of learners and delving deeper into these types of learners. This diagram investigates the theory that we aren't just put into four categories, but that we are also placed under sub-categories as well. There are some things about this diagram that instantly struck me and showed me in picture form things that I had felt for a long time that probably also explains why we choose the professions that we do. For instance, I have always been interested in people and how they operate and because of this I am often very quick to judge someone when first meeting them. I find myself asking subconciously 'what do they want?' I once spoke to my drama school friend, Zara, about how people view things differently. She is a very trusting person because she is naturally so open and often looks for the good in people. However, despite also being a relatively open person myself, (we creatives have to be open after all,) I tend to instantly look for the faults in people! Therefore I would say I am very interpersonal and learn things through interacting with people and assessing their behaviours...hence why I am a trained actress and teacher!
Developing Kolb's Four Point Cycle
Honey and Mumford also take Kolb's ideas, creating four points to match his four stages (below.)
Are there any similar theories I've recently discovered that link?
Howard Gardner
I recently read another student's blog on practitioner Howard Gardner and I instantly became fascinated by this diagram that she shared. This is expanding on the four types of learners and delving deeper into these types of learners. This diagram investigates the theory that we aren't just put into four categories, but that we are also placed under sub-categories as well. There are some things about this diagram that instantly struck me and showed me in picture form things that I had felt for a long time that probably also explains why we choose the professions that we do. For instance, I have always been interested in people and how they operate and because of this I am often very quick to judge someone when first meeting them. I find myself asking subconciously 'what do they want?' I once spoke to my drama school friend, Zara, about how people view things differently. She is a very trusting person because she is naturally so open and often looks for the good in people. However, despite also being a relatively open person myself, (we creatives have to be open after all,) I tend to instantly look for the faults in people! Therefore I would say I am very interpersonal and learn things through interacting with people and assessing their behaviours...hence why I am a trained actress and teacher!
Developing Kolb's Four Point Cycle
Honey and Mumford also take Kolb's ideas, creating four points to match his four stages (below.)
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| learn.solent.ac.uk |
Honey and Mumford developed the four 'stages' into simple bullet points (Honey and Mumford, 1992.) These include:
- Having an experience
- Reviewing the experience
- Concluding from the experience
- Planning the next steps
From the pervious task (Task 2B below) I have discovered that I relate well to bullet points and find it useful how they broke the diagram of Kolb into simple steps that are easy to follow when reflecting.
Jennifer A Moon
In Applying Theory to Policy and practice: Issues for critical reflection, Page 89, Steven R Smith, he uses the quote from Jennifer A Moon which states that reflective practice is "a set of abilities and skills, to indicate the taking of a critical stance, an orientation to problem solving or state of mind." 1999, page 63, RoutledgeFalmer.
I could say that this book is research project in itself and research is generally about discovery and not knowing the ansers before on starts."
Page 1, Jennifer A Moon, A Handbook of Reflective and Experimental Learning: Theory and Practice, 2004 edition, RoutledgerFalmer
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| Page 12, A Handbook of Reflective and Experimental Learning: Theory and Practice, 2004 edition, RoutledgerFalmer |
Reading this made me understand so much about the
difference between teaching and learning and that they are two separate things.
Today I had children do a mathematical crossword in which they solved the sum
then wrote the number as a word in the crossword. Some struggled with this so I
showed them how to do it. They then had a go themselves as I took them through
it step by step letting them do it themselves. One child said, ‘oh, I get it.’
This shows that explaining is not everything, sometimes you have to do. I had
the same with column addition today and got the children to physically cover up
each column of tens, hundreds and units so they could take each number at a
time and follow the same process every time. This really helped. Independent
learning is therefore key.
Schön's model (Explanation provided by Solent Online Learning)
Schön (1991) presented the concept of 'reflection in action' and 'reflection on action':
Reflection in action
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Reflection on action
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Schön's theory is that there are two types of reflection, one during and one after an activity or event.
Example of using Schön's model
Reflection in action
Example of using Schön's model
Reflection in action
- You are in a lecture and keep being distracted by thinking about what to have for lunch!
- You want to get the most from the lecture so need to find a way to help you focus.
- You decide to start making some notes of the key points.
Reflection on action
- You notice that sometimes after a lecture you can’t remember what was covered.
- You find out about the lecture topic in advance and write down some questions you want answered.
- You make notes during the lecture to help you focus.
- You arrange to go for a coffee after the lecture and talk with your peers about what was presented, to help you understand and form your own opinions.
- You file your lecture notes and any handouts.
You can put these models into practice through your reflective writing.
I often use a Reflection in Action when I am teaching and was always undertaking this theory whilst at drama school. Performing means simply 'being in the moment' which means subconciously assessing how an audience may be perceiving your performance. I now do the same with teaching when I try a particular method and it doesn't work - I note it down and quickly attempt something else. This is where my improvisation skills come into play and are really made of good use.
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