Learning Domains and MAPP

We have talked about Connectivisum as a principle that this course responds to. Module One Handbook discusses this and it is worth going back to again and again when you are in other Modules (we see the handbooks as working documents you access across the whole course – not manuals for what to do in the moment.) 

Hopefully you have also read Knowing Knowledgeby George Siemans– the recommended reading at the start of the course.  

Here are two (over)views on connectivism:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8kqcs2aR9c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyF5k2ab9qI   (2013)

One of the things we value is Learning Autonomy and Connectedness which we feel are key concepts learnt when we carry out the activity of being an artist. (So you already know about these in the arts setting). 

We also value Diversity, Openness (which can be present by their absence in the arts setting!)

We know of things but when do we identify what we know as learning. Each Module you have to ask yourself how to make ‘things happening’ into learning. At one level you have to decide for yourself what the value of learning is to you. We insist that learning is more than just being told exactly about it and doing exactly it. In learning there is something about truth, belief, being gullible, being wrong, and for me most importantly kindness. (Kindnessis a massive idea. For me not a neo-liberal act, but being willing to… be brave and respectful, learning while not contributing to the lack of opportunity for others to do the same). I will write a separate blog on truth and kindness later this term. 

In his book Seimens talks about Learning Domains

In this course, we create the situation for all four of the domains he discusses in this course. But it is the combination of the four that is the Learning Environment of MAPP. The dance, the music, the play, the yoga class are made of a combination of elements and so is the learning environment of MAPP. 

Transmission Learning- The learner is brought into a system through lectures and exposed to ‘facts’.  The Unihub and Module Handbooks do this.

Emergence Learning– involves greater emphasis on the learner’s cognition and reflection. What you do with the UniHub and Handbooks and Blogs, and Skypes and conversations with your Supervisor.

Acquisition Domain– learning is exploratory and inquiry-based. This has to be self-directed (because it is your practice not anyone else’s) but self-directed does not mean alone you need to remain connected through sharing ideas (on blogs, in Skype discussions etc…). You explore this domain through looking at what you have done in the past (and writing AOLs about it), looking at your current practice and how the course and ideas you encounter connect with it, through carrying out a project based inquiry. Sometimes you are considering all three at once (if you are in Module Three for instance).

Accretion Learning– is continuous, the learner forages for knowledge when and where it is needed – Real life and ongoing. This is shared through your blog – which is why your blog is so important to keep contributing to and why commenting on others people’s blogs is so helpful to them. 

Across all this ‘relevance’is crucial to look at critically.  This returns us to thinking about what truth, deception, distraction and fact mean to you/do to you. 

Lastly feedback (to each other on blogs and back and forth with your Supervisor) becomes a conversation - ongoing and not as set of instructions to get an 'A'. Go back to 'The Test'  in my blog on September 16th 2019 for John Green to explain that again...

Looking forward to your comments...

Tuesday Skype - learning in and as Professional Practice

In this Skype discussion we talked about the learning, knowledge, skills and information. We discussed the idea of learning from experience/ from doing/ from practice. In Module One you are developing a context for the learning you have derived from your practice.

We talked about discourses in learning and education that separate Theory and Practice or set up academic and vocation as different values. This discourse is a part of the field your discussion your learning reside in too.

We also talked about the importance of discussion for learning. This following video engages with the idea that discussion creates different understanding or learning...
The blogs in this course are where discussion happens for us... (discussion with yourself and with each other).

Please comment below...

Noticing

Here are some thoughts from talking to people and looking at drafts

1)    Read the handbook more than once.

2)    Module One is about seeing, noticing and articulating your practice. At the end of Module One you are asked to write reflectively about your practice. In order to do that you need to have been able to ‘see’ step outside yourself to critically look at it: to consider and wonder at and notice how you practice manifest at this time. The AOLs as a task help you to also see the history and legacy of your practice as it is today.

3)    Module Two once you have some idea of data collection methods you must plan what you will do with the data. How you will analyse it. You have to do more than just compile the answers people gave you when you asked them a question. When you start to think about what you will do in terms of analysis this frees you up to think of more practice-based data collection methods – it becomes more exciting more relevant to your practice. More than just asking people the answer to a question you are asking. The people or books will not have the answer. YOU ARE NOT LOOKING FOR AN ANSWER. (You are looking to find out more about something). You are looking for themes significant ideas, patterns in the data/ activity of the data collection. Then in Module Three you can think about what this Themes, significant ideas and patterns mean to you and your practice (which you started to identify in Module One)

4)    The professional artefact is something that fits as a way of sharing in the culture of your practice. Just as the written essay is a University artefact. Something you would expect to come across in the University setting. The way you explain your inquiry through the professional artefact is something not out of place in your professional setting. If you don’t yet know what you want to say then you will also not know how to say it. The artefact is how you say it. You cannot decide how to say something before you know what it is you want to say. If you don’t know what you want to say it will be because you need to do more analysis to help yourself understand what happened doing your inquiry and what it means to you.

5)    Put page numbers on things. Name the document you send with regard to where it is going. Your computer might have only on ‘first AOL’ but the Advisor receiving it is getting 7 or 8 “first AOLs’. Name it your name and what it is!! Have a title, use the header or footer to make sure your name is on the document. Don’t forget normal detail in the stress of writing something ‘academic’!

The artistry in what you are doing

On Sunday we had two discussion groups. In the morning we talked about a number of points. One that resonated with me was Choreography ‘v’ technique. The discussion was about how students tend towards one or the other. Chelsie spoke about how her year 3  students preferred choreography because they are thinking about working professionally and auditions etc… where they will need to do choreography (rather than ‘technique’). This thought made me think about part of the reasoning behind the discussion groups.  The Discussion groups are like your opportunity to discuss with people who are interested in your work. Once you have your MA you will be expected to be able to think critically and discuss your area of expertise. These discussion groups are when you can practice this – the choreography of your own thinking how you express, improvise, connect, and present your thinking and feeling. This is different from the discussion groups being like a technique class where you attend to be told what is right.

There were some other interesting topics discussed people attending both groups are posting in the comments to overview their thoughts and link you to the post they have written as a result of the stimuli of the discussions.

In the PM discussion, again we talked about a number of things. At the end I pointed out the whole artistry of the course in terms of the language of your profession: The AOLs in Module One are like a bridge from your profession into the university. They explain (bridge) the learning of your practice, in the language and symbolism of the university). The Professional Artefact in Module Three is the bridge back to your practice it explains what you have been doing  in the University (your learning) in the language and symbolism of your practice.

Answers - Google X Factor

I have been thinking about the way students treat me over the last year or so. I have also been to a number of conferences and events when teachers get together and they have clearly been talking about it too. Then this is a little like what Sam https://dixieogivar.blogspot.co.uk (for instance April 10^th) was talking about last term. It is also something that I think Module One starters face in challenging their own thinking.

, what I have noticed is that many students now treat me in a way where they expect to ask a question that I will answer and then they will know something more toward what they are doing. This is as if they can get the correct question then the answer will be revealed. While guest teaching in USA recently I had one student ask why she had to do the suggested reading in a conversation that was clearly about her expectation that I just tell her the relevant parts since I was the ‘teacher’ and would know them. Reflecting on this I have come to call it the Google X factor of education. I think people are used to just asking (typing in a question) and waiting for a range of answers. Then choosing what one they thing is best!!

The ‘what one is best’ is the other part of the phenomena. The student decides that the answer is not good enough and there for the search engine (in this case me) is faulty. So, as teachers if we don’t answer the question satisfactorily then there is something wrong with us!! Students then give advice on how we could do better. (And as Sam said that is often not done in a friendly manor!!!)

But in this search and find relationship with students there is no room for them to grow beyond what they already know. This is because you cannot recognise the ‘correct’ answer if you do not already have a strong concept of what you expect it to be. Students can only be extended to the limits of their own knowledge in this model. This is a binary approach (learn/teach). I am not sure I even think it is teaching it is more like instruction. I see teaching as facilitating learning. Creating the environment for something to happen but the student must be willing to enter that environment and give it a try.  

Lessons learnt from this:

Module One is going to be a shock if you are used to being a part of this ask- give-answer culture (which we all are at some level). However, at MA level is about having the confidence to just get on with it. The handbooks have taken many hours in creation as an environment to enter. They suggest what to do but you have to give yourself the permission to do this. What do you think Module Twos?

Module Two is about finding an inquiry topic… do not make it about finding a question you subconsciously think you will ask a few people in order to get (Google) the answer from them.

Module Three the data you collect is not the answer – it is the ingredients for your analysis where you will come to some conclusions.

- Discuss

What topics are you thinking about to talk about on Sunday. Look at my post below for commenting on which time on Sunday you will attend the discussion group.