Campus Session on Ethics

 

Having discussed ethics in depth at the campus session yesterday I now realise that it is a very personal thing. Ethos means character. Ethical beliefs and values will be unique to every individual and it is the approaches and perceptions around ethics which will differ and change.

It is how we conduct ourselves on a daily basis. How we carry out our practises within our professions. The rules we follow due to obligation and those which we create for ourselves/students. This will influence how we treat and respect others.

Motivation for ethical values may come from a wide variety of sources, such as personal beliefs, morals and values, background, experience and situation. What is acceptable in one area or culture may not be ethically acceptable in another place. We all strive to contribute something to society and particular rules must be followed to maintain a social harmony. However ethics are how people perceive you and may change and vary over time.

Re-visiting task 4 questions

Having realised my questions lead to a yes or no answer and are created for the participant, I have now considered what else I must find out in order to devise my line of inquiry.

1) What is already known about the benefits of using ICT in Education?

2) What is known about the effectiveness of using Power Point Presentations in teaching?

3) How widely is ICT being used today in business / the working environment ? And how can this prepare students for their future employment?

4) Is there research which already exists on using ICT in dance lessons?

5) In your own experiences, how may ICT be used to support your work?

I will be researching the above questions prior to revising my questionnaire tool, which I will use to receive valid and reliable feedback.

5C part 1

From this study I have learnt a great deal about the values which create the structure of my organisation, and how these have linked to ethical beleifs and policies. I will in future consider how my own ethical values influence my decision making as a teacher in the Performing Arts. An obvious value here would be the health and safety and welfare of my students, and how I must gain their permission in order to carry out research. I do beleieve this may benefit and enrich their own learning, however understand that they have the right to choose weather to take part in my inquiry regarding the use of ICT. I will need a disclaimer advising that I will not be publishing any of the video footage made or revealing student names in my results date.

What are the ethical beliefs and values in my organisation - 5B

Once having researched the ethics which drive my own organisations structure, I have discovered alot about my place of work (and own teaching habits) which I must admit I previously knew and thought little about.

Instructions have been given to me in order to conduct my lessons following health and safety and ethical policies. For example, I must inform my students of their target levels and ensure that my lessons are planned inclusive of every student and their indidivual learning needs, in order to give them the greatest opportunities to continually improve their own working at grades.

"We aim to work in an environment in which every Learner:

• has access to timely, meaningful Assessment information;
• knows their targets and current assessments;
• knows how to improve: - as member of the Hundred of Hoo team,
  • in their personal Academic performance,
  • their contribution to society through fair play,
  • in their effort,
  • as a leader;
• regularly reviews and improves their own learning and achievements;
• acts on advice;
• has success rewarded. "

(http://www.hooschool.co.uk/pupilprogress)

I must also ensure a safe and positive learning environment. I now recognise how this relates to policies within my organisation, such as the "Every Child Matters" government policy of 2002 in which all students must be kept safe.

"It is the central goal of Every Child Matters to ensure every pupil is given the chance to be able to work towards the goals referenced within it. Most of the legislation passed and guidance applies to England and Wales and all maintained schools have implemented the policy; it has also been influential in the rest of the UK and in some independent schools." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Every_Child_Matters)

My organisation follow the SMSC policy for children to feel socially, morally and emotionally safe. As a member of staff I have been directed to follow these policies as outlined in the "Staff Handbook". The School belief is that there is No celing to indidivual achievement. Encouraging students and staff to continue to develop and excel. Which has been reflected in their Assessment for Learning policy (AFL).

"Assessment for Learning is internationally recognised as having a positive impact on learning outcomes. As its heart is the philosophy that "no child is left behind" which links exceptionally closely to the "Every Child Matters" policy.
At Hundred of Hoo School we make the link between these two major initiatives and "Every Parent Matters" to ensure that the School, Learners and Families are equal Partners in ensuring that Learners achieve academically, as team members, in fair play, effort and leadership.
We recognise:

• the crucial role that timely, meaningful Assessment can make to the learning of Learners and the improvement in Teaching and Learning;
• that Parents, the Hoo Staff and Learners are equal partners in the use of assessment to improve Teaching, Learning and Achievement;
• that assessment informs teaching and learning and that it is an integral part of this process;
• that the learning takes place when the planned teaching is appropriate to the needs of the Learner;
• assessment informs planning;
• effective assessment provides feedback to Staff, Learners and Parents about progress and achievement, and helps to ensure continuity and progress across Hundred of Hoo School. (http://www.hooschool.co.uk/pupilprogress)

This year our annual staff appriasals also reflect pupil progress. Our individual appraisals came with an Action plan negoiated by our line manager. For example I am to attend teacher training courses, observe other colleauges good practise and achieve outstanding in my own formal lesson observations (which I have achieved twice this term :)
These appraisals are pay related and I beleive that this new format will promote the Continual Professioanl development (CPD) of all staff within my organisation. This will then ensure that good teaching practise is maintained throughout the school, in line with the codes of practise and ethic values of our professional community. By committing to the good quality of teaching, my organisation are striving to continue to develop the well-being, learning and progress of every of its pupils.

My place of work also created a new Behaviour For Learning Policy (BFL) giving clear instructions on how to deal with students who are un-willing to co-operate. By following the BFL policy I am ensuring the welfare of every student as well safe-gaurding myself the school's reputation. This policy favours a positive approach to behaviour issues, outlining methods to use for praise and rewards, having introduced a new system this term for awarding house points for students good work.

　
"Term 1 has seen major changes to the house system at the Hundred of Hoo Academy with the introduction of 4 Heads of Houses. Our vision is that every student within the academy will have the opportunity to become involved in activities where they compete against other houses. It is our belief that an effective house system will encourage competition, increase student engagement and attendance and allow students to have a voice in a system that will lead to whole school improvement. I hope that your son/daughter will participate fully in all activities available and will enter into the house spirit that we aim to foster within the academy."
(http://www.hooschool.co.uk/Mainfolder/Newsletter-Autumn-2012.pdf page 5)

Task 5A

At my place of work, I/we (the teaching/staff community) have a responsibility to its students. Ethics are an under lying factor which steer every movement within this organisation. Legal requirements for child safety and well-being must be followed by every member of staff, reflecting on the "Every Child Matters" policy 2002.

Be healthy

Stay safe

Enjoy and achieve

Make a positive contribution

Achieve economic well-being

The social, moral and emotional welfare of each child is also of up most importance. I believe that it is these ethics relating to child development that guide the schools own policies, thus promoting our own working methods and strategies.

I had not previously given this much thought, and now find myself questioning 'Why' and 'How' I represent myself in a particular way within my place of work. Devising lessons, assessing students and inputting data must all take into account the ethic values of my organisation and individuals. So what exactly are these?

Award title - 4D

I work within the discipline of dance and drama, having trained full time and gaining my teaching qualifications in dance genres with the ISTD. I have been teaching dance for the past ten years in private dance schools and colleges. In recent years I have been working within comprehensive secondary schools, where I have become more versatile as a performing arts practitioner. I now devise schemes of work for dance and drama classes from key stage three to sixth form students, assessing and grading BTEC work for examination.

Due to the Government changes to the national curriculum dance may become less favourable as a subject for enriching students creative learning. Headteachers will become more pressurised to place greater emphasis on curriculum subjects for raising examination results in their school. I plan to continue to expand my knowledge and teaching abilities. This diversity in my workplace will certainly benefit me in the forthcoming years.  I therefore propose my award title to be;

BA(Hons) Professional Practise in Performing Arts

Based on these findings I have adapted my survey to include questions relevant for this enquiry

My enquiry using ICT tools in dance

Short Questionnaire

The feedback I have received so far from my survey suggests that some ICT tools may be of greater use for my enquiry than others.

My recommendation for showing students professional dance works to further educate and inspire them had positive feedback. I also plan to investigate using video feedback for assessment purposes, an idea which has received mixed reviews from students (some struggling from embarrassment and others keen to self reflect). Power point presentation got mixed reviews with regards to its relevance within the dance studio.

Based on these findings I have adapted my survey to include questions relevant for this enquiry;

Please take ten minutes to complete my survey below

Q1 : Dance is a visual art form, so do you think other visual tools such as ICT can be useful?

Q2: Do you believe that visual aids can engage students and enhance their learning in dance?

Q3 : DVD clips of professional dance works can be used to demonstrate examples of good dance work to my students. Do you agree with using DVD's in a dance class?

Q4 : Can you see the value in recording dance work?

Q5 : Would video feedback be a useful method for students to relfect and self-evalaute their own work?

Q6 : What benefits can a Power Point presentation give to students in a dance lesson?

Q7 : How else do you think ICT may be used to support student progress and assessment?

Q8 : What do you think about this proposed topic? In your opinion will ICT be effective for student progress in dance?

Thank you, Gemma

Reflection regarding my survey for 4A

The feedback I have received so far from my survey suggests that some ICT tools may be of greater use for my enquiry than others.

Most colleagues, students and friends in my special interest group have favoured using DVD clips and video feedback over Power point and I-Movies. My recommendation for showing students professional dance works to further educate and inspire them had positive feedback. I also plan to investigate using video feedback for assessment purposes, an idea which has received mixed reviews from students (some struggling from embarrassment and others keen to self reflect). Power point presentation got mixed reviews with regards to its relevance within the dance studio. Many appear to believe that I-Movies will be too time consuming as part of a dance session and take the emphasis away from the practical elements of dance training. This tool could instead benefit projects in a cross curriculum format?

I will now make adaptations to my questions on reflection of these findings, and strive to survey a wider group of colleagues, students and friends.

Questions for my line of enquiry - 4A

My line of enquiry will be based around exploring the effectiveness of using ICT in dance lessons. I will use a number of ICT tools to include Power point, Video feedback for reflection, DVD clips to observe and analyse dance works and computer programmmes such as I-Movies to edit recorded dance work.

I regonise that I come from a particular persecptive with regards to my intention behind my set of questions. However I wish to acheieve the right feedback to support my line of enquiry. I will strive to create a set of varied questions and plan to survey more widely in order to get valid and realistic views. How many questions should I ask? I will attempt to maintain an open mind in order to improvise new questions that may become relevant to the situation. To make a start here are some questions I have crafted, for your constructive feedback;  

Q1: Do you believe that visual aids can engage students and enhance their learning in dance?

Q2 : Are you be concerned that the use of ICT in a dance lesson may become time consuming, thus taking the emphasis away from the practical training of students?

Q3 : Can you see any value in recording dance work?

Q4 : Would video feedback be a useful method for students to relfect and self-evalaute their own work?

Q5 : DVD clips of professional dance works can be used to demonstrate examples of good dance work to my students. Do you agree with using DVD's in a dance class?

Q6 : I-Movies is a programme which enables students to edit their own recorded dance work. For example they can use it to create their own pop video. Taking into account that this would take them away from the dance studio, where they would instead have some lessons in the computer room, what is your opinion about using this as a tool within dance lessons?

Q7 :  What benefits can a Power Point presentation give to dance students?

Q8 : Dance is a visual art form, so do you think other visual tools such as ICT are necessary?

Q9 : How can ICT support student assessment?

Q10 : What do you think about this proposed topic? In your opinion will ICT be effective for student progress in dance?

I will set up a SIG group for questioning and ask my set of questions to other staff at my place of work, with a priority for individual Media and I.T teachers. As I plan to experiment with the use of ICT in my BTEC dance lessons, the opinion of my students will also be important. So I will question them in small group's for feedback.

Asking Better Questions

I attended the module 2 campus session on tuesday 9th October, which has inspired me to take a new approach to asking questions.

How do I know that the questions I plan to ask for my research are the "right" questions?

Following an intense group discussion about this subject I concluded that questioning is somewhat subjective and driven by intention and personal values.

In order to get a realistic answer it is important to survey more widely, perhaps out of your persoanl comfort zone, and to use both cratfed and improvised questions. For example, if you are asking a group of people rather than individuals you may get different answers as a result of the condition/situation in which you ask the questions. It is therefore important to decide on how to word a question to a particular person/group.This should enable you to gain the desired outcome as well as ensure you receive valid views and opinions. It is therfore important to do some research on the person/group of people who you are questioning to ensure you approach them using appropriate language and in the correct context to get the right information.

Another Question to consider is "how many questions do you need to ask to get the benefits you need"?