Critical Reflection Portfolio

To begin the module I made a spider diagram to highlight topic areas relating to me. (Appendix A) I then formed some questions relating to areas that I felt I could write an inquiry on. I found it difficult to find a subject that I had an interest in, have enough contact with the relevant community, which would help to move my own professional practice in the direction I am seeking and that a wide audience will benefit from. Blog 1 (Task 4a)
I created a Special Interest Group to encourage discussions around my inquiry topic via LinkedIn. BAPP (Arts): How to survive the performance industry. With hindsight, I do not think I had a strong enough idea in the direction of my inquiry to create a SIG. I found it hard to juggle the other aspects of the module and a SIG and so it suffered, although I am glad that I did create one as it solidified my line of inquiry.
My Inquiry question: "How to survive the resting period with the aim to create some sort of helpful guide, possible book for others"; interested me as I felt it was quite an unexplored subject.
I then looked at Ethics, firstly my initial understanding and my personal ethics, Blog 2 (Ethics, Task 5a). Initially I believed that ethics was about stating the obvious and about covering oneself. It was not until I read in Reader 5, case study 2, that I realised that ethics is a lot more complicated and sometimes professional ethics do not necessarily go hand-in-hand with personal ethics. Blog 3 (Professional Ethics, task 5c).
I then conducted a pilot interview with two professional colleagues. Pilot Interview. I found the use of the interview extremely helpful not only to gather the data for my inquiry, but once the interviewee was talking, she bought new ideas to the table that I had not previously thought of using. For this reason, interviews will be the primary tool for my inquiry and I have now developed categories for my interviews to gain a broader understanding of my inquiry subject. I set up a pilot survey. Hannah KM, Survey. Initially I had high hopes for the data I could collect from the use of surveys, but I did not get many who completed the survey. I think it is easier to secure people for a coffee and an interview than to rely on the completion of something without your involvement. I believe I can gain enough data from a well-designed set of interviews and therefore surveys are no longer necessary to my inquiry.

Though at first I struggled to find a line of inquiry that I could pursue whilst not being employed in the performance industry it highlighted how important my professional network is, and enabled me to look at the issues within it. I believe I have become passionate about my line of inquiry and look 
forward to the rest of the inquiry process.


Appendix A:

Key = 

Orange: Past

Blue: Present

Green: Future