Summary of Learning Experience

Having completed my Oral Presentation on Monday, I can’t believe that I am now writing this summary of my learning experience. The journey has been long, tough and definitely challenging! However, when to look back to when I began the RoL module, I am surprised about how much my practices have changed as a result of the BAPP Arts course.

I was dubious and apprehensive about what I would gain from the course, which was only intensified by my lack of understanding of how networking was used by teachers. Although I questioned my work in Module 1, looking back I understand that I built the foundations of how to network, reflect and use theoretical knowledge in relation to my practice. I think that the most vital aspect of Module 2, was gaining an understanding of how to carry out an inquiry that would be useful to my practices, whilst still complying with ethical standards. As a result, I now feel that I have developed a strong online portfolio that demonstrates my learning across all modules. I can definitely say that my digital literacy has improved and I am proud to have such an extensive portfolio of work.

The course has been a voyage of discovery for me. Importantly, BAPP Arts has really challenged my conceptions about what makes effective ‘learning’. I have discovered that there are no tick boxes, no straightforward paths from A to B and definitely no ‘answers’. I now realise that learning is as much about the process as the conclusions. I have now established that learning is about a shift in focus or a change of perception, particularly through my inquiry process in Module 3.

I feel immense pride at all I have achieved, but particularly the portfolio of work I have produced in Module 3 including my artefact and presentation. I have learnt not only the skills needed to carry out an inquiry successfully, but the skills needed to complete a degree and work full time simultaneous; I feel that this has prepared me well for the inevitably busy PGCE year!

(BAPP Arts Artefact for Module 3 Middlesex University)

Through the course, I feel I have gained the skills to continue my professional development throughout my teaching career. I have learnt a great deal about ‘engagement’ as a fundamental aspect of teaching and I can’t wait to build on this knowledge in my future practices.

Yet, if I could go back in time, I would give myself some advice: don’t get caught up in finding the answers and make everything relevant to you and your professional practices. For any other BAPP Arts peers about to embark on Module 3, my advice would be to make sure you are absolutely clear about your inquiry questions, the details in the wording matter. Also use the community on the course at all opportunities, through SIGs, online sessions, email and Skype, the more input the better!

I would like to say a huge thank you to the tutors and my peers (especially Paula, Lisa and Lara), as I honestly do not think I could have completed the course without their ideas, feedback and support.

Critical Reflection of my Module 3 Learning Experience

I believe that carrying out an inquiry into engagement in Key Stage 4 Drama and English has given me invaluable skills that will help me to continue of my professional development. Although a challenging process, I find great satisfaction in returning to the beginning of Module 1 and considering how my thinking and approach to learning has changed almost unrecognisably.

I now understand that relying purely on tacit knowledge (Moon, 2004) would not have been sufficient to develop my professional practices. I have come to realise that I had formed many preconceptions (Questioning My Assumptions) in my practices to date, concluding that students were more engaged in Drama compared to English. However, carrying out this inquiry has impelled me to examine beyond the surface level and delve deeper into the wider context of my profession, resulting in a shift in my perceptions.

Before undertaking the inquiry, I believed that engagement was an easily definable term used regularly by all teachers. However, I have found that the definition of ‘engagement’ varies depending on the purpose of the researcher or practitioner (Christenson, Reschly and Wylie, 2012). There are common themes that run between the ‘definitions’ of engagement, but there is not one singular definition, suggesting that engagement is a concept that is structured around the beliefs of the practitioners.

I also believed that ‘engaged students’ were students who completed work that had been set without any displaying and poor behaviour. Now, I have realised through the literature and my observations that I was focusing on the idea of ‘behavioral engagement’ and in fact engagement is a multifaceted-construct consisting of affective (emotional), behavioral and cognitive engagement (Fredricks, Blumenfeld and Paris 2004). I now believe that engaged students show enjoyment towards their work, which practitioners promote through task variety and group work, utilising effective teacher-student-relationships (Furrer and Skinner 2003), autonomy support (Jang, Reeve and Deci, 2012) and modeling and classroom environment to build confidence, manifesting itself in planning. 

Developing and accomplishing an inquiry alongside working full time has been a challenging process, yet Module 3 has enabled me to understand the concepts behind work based learning much more clearly. I struggled to comprehend in previous modules that there were no definitive ‘answers’ in the course. On countless occasions, I have tried to ‘tick all the boxes’ and cover all possible outcomes. Yet, I now understand that there are no ‘answers’ in work-based learning and the real successes arise through making learning meaningful within my own workplace context. Through discussions with my BAPP Arts network, I now appreciate that Kolb’s (1984) learning cycle is comparable to the Module 3 inquiry development; I have accepted that the cycle of clarity to non-clarity is continuous and necessary to the course of learning.

As a result, I have found that professional development is not recreating the practices of my colleagues or BAPP Arts peers, but in fact adapting and utilising approaches, strategies and tasks in effective ways for my own professional practices. This progression has been aided by the use of a professional network, something that I was dubious to use during previous modules. I now find that I relish the communication and discussion among BAPP Arts peers and I have more confidence in using my wider professional network. I have tried to portray this understanding and developing confidence through my artefact, using the professional networking site TES to upload my own lesson plan resource.

I feel equipped to continue my professional development through the independent study skills I have learnt on the BAPP Arts course: networking, reflective practices, critical thinking and theoretical knowledge. I plan to utilise the skills I have developed in carrying out an independent inquiry in addition to the knowledge and understanding I have gained into engagement as a fundamental foundation of teaching. Significantly, I realise that the continuation of these skills will be key in developing into the assured practitioner that I aspire to become.

Reference List:

Christenson, S. L., Reschly A. L. and Wylie, C. (2012) ‘Epilogue’, in Christenson, S. L., Reschly, A. L and Wylie, C. (eds.) Handbook of Research on Student Engagement. London: Springer, pp. 813-817.

Fredricks, J. A., Blumenfeld, P. C. and Paris A. H. (2004) ‘School Engagement: Potential of the Concept, State of the Evidence’ Review of Educational Research, 74 (1), 59-109

Furrer, C. and Skinner, E. (2003) ‘Sense of Relatedness as a Factor in Children’s Academic Engagement and Performance’ Journal of Education Psychology, 95 (1), 148-162

Jang, H., Reeve, J. and Deci, E. L. (2010) ‘Engaging Students in Learning Activities: It Is Not Autonomy Support or Structure but Autonomy Support and Structure’ Journal of Educational Psychology, 102 (3), 588-600

Kolb, D. A. (1984) Experiential Learning. Englewood NJ: Prentice Hall.

Moon. J. A. (2004) Reflection in Learning and Professional Development: Theory and Practice. Oxon: RoutledgeFalmer.