Developing Lines of Professional Inquiry

Task 4a

Beginning module 2 and engaging myself back into study time, is some what of a reality check and realisation of what a lovely long summer we have all had.  Getting back into the swing of things quickly and getting my nose into the reader for the first part of the module was interesting as there was a lot of background reading that came with it. 

Developing the line for our professional inquiry in the area that we are currently working in is the aim of this project and for me it covers a vast area of expertise. As I have previously mentioned in earlier blogs I am balancing my full time job as a fitness instructor, along with helping out at my old state school St Peters, with the GCSE and A Level dance students. During the summer I and have become more involved with the local dance centre in Bournemouth (Pavilion Dance South West) that works closely with all state schools in the area, along with reaching out to promote dance in the community to all ages, styles of dance and disabilities. Already I feel that I have a contrasting base of knowledge from each dance area that I am involved with and when working on questions that are relevant to my practice I have drawn it into two, as I wanted to compare the answers to the teachers at the state school, to those teachers and support workers at the community dance centre would give to me to hopefully present me with a inquiry that will relate to both.
Before I share the questions that I have come up with, I wanted to touch on the background reading and research that was provided in the reader. 
It is clear that our Work Based Learning (WBL) and Professional Inquiry (PI) both evaluate to social science research which we ourselves will be working on. Identifying the roles and responsibilities of you as a teacher, student, partner, or leader should be key to success in the field of work. Using Judi Marshalls quote below, I have begun to develop an understanding of what my inquiry should represent.

'Inquiry involves intent, a sense of purpose. This may be held tacitly. There may be multiple intents, in accord or discord. Often intents unfold, shift, clarify or become more complex. Working with this aspect of inquiry is vital to self-reflective practice.'
(Marshall, 2001, p.6) Reader 4 BAPPS arts.

I was drawn to Peter Senge's introduction into the learning of organisation, and the topics which he focuses on. His management theories are influential academic theories that focus on the organisation creating environments where people, both the leaders and subordinates are learning, 
After reading over the link provided in the Reader 4, I understood how his 5 disciplines can be applied within a work force like the Pavillion Dance South West, and in contrast St Peters School. Both working on the same art and subject being dance, but both having totally different purposes. For example; when speaking about Personal Mastery, he explains that 'an organisation can only learn through the individuals who are learning' (Senge, 1947). He talks about the self confidence that is needed and uses the term 'ignorance' which as a leader is vital. Within a school teaching environment, you have a time scale in which the students have exams on a particular section of the curriculum, within a community dance set up, you may have only a week to perfect a routine to showcase it in front of all your peers. Both have similar qualities in learning, and how organisation from the leader is a key aspect for students to base knowledge on. The mental modes, exposing thinking effectively to influence others. Sharing knowledge, experiences and ideas is a common ground within an art based subject field and I felt Senge outlines his ideas to inspire leaders to keep leading.

'Leader as a teacher is not about teaching people how to achieve their vision. It is about fostering learning for everyone. Such leaders help people throughout the organisation develop systemic understandings. Accepting this responsibility is the antidote to one of the most common downfalls of otherwise gifted teachers - losing their commitment to the truth.' (Senge 1990:356)

I read this quote over and over. How I applied it to my own practise was how I as a teacher, assisting dance classes should open my mind to broader opportunities to those who want to develop in their skills and feel responsible for honest feedback. 

Looking further into Aryris & Schon (1974) they have the split theory / action which they describe as Single Loop and Double Loop.
In a brief summary, the single loop is a theory that evaluates when a situation may go wrong  and looks for another strategy rather than questioning it. 
The double loop theory is  apposing the single loop theory as this is when a situation may go wrong and we question it, subject to critical scrutiny.
Please see below the clip that I have found on YouTube which clearly explains this theory incase you had any trouble trying to understand it. It shows in a simple situation how we as human beings can jump into single loop theory more commonly than taking a minute to sit back and think about whats happening around us and apply the double loop theory and question how we can improve for the future. 

 I wanted to outline the Models which Aryris and Schon talk about and how I would relate this in my own professional practice. Please see below the differences between that two;

The governing Values of Model I are:

• Achieve the purpose as the actor defines it
• Win, do not lose
• Suppress negative feelings
• Emphasise rationality

Primary Strategies are:

• Control environment and task unilaterally
• Protect self and others unilaterally

Usually operationalised by:

• Unillustrated attributions and evaluations eg.  "You seem unmotivated"
• Advocating courses of action which discourage inquiry eg.  "Lets not talk about the past, that's over."
• Treating ones' own views as obviously correct
• Making covert attributions and evaluations
• Face-saving moves such as leaving potentially embarrassing facts unstated

Consequences include:

• Defensive relationships
• Low freedom of choice
• Reduced production of valid information
• Little public testing of ideas

 Model 2:

 

The governing values of Model II include:

• "Valid information
• Free and informed choice
• Internal commitment

Strategies include:

• Sharing control
• Participation in design and implementation of action

Operationalised by:

• Attribution and evaluation illustrated with relatively directly observable data
• Surfacing conflicting views
• encouraging public testing of evaluations

Consequences should include:

• Minimally defensive relationships
• high freedom of choice
• increased likelihood of double-loop learning"

As an individual who is always learning, wether it be in my fitness professional life or assisting in my new vocation experiences in the dance world, I can now reflect on how I propose to be more in the Model 1 category, Pushing aside the issue and using the single loop as the escape route. Being alongside teachers in the field who are always having to answer to people I have recognised a pattern in the way that values can sometimes be thrown out the window in order for a resolution to a problem. Again reverting back to the single loop theory and Model 1. 

As I have mentioned I am a victim of this, and as I build my questions for my respective colleagues/teachers I will try to focus on this aspect and hope to have a clearer mind set onto how an organisation can be successful on great leadership and ownership with the use of togetherness and application of the theories I have discussed. 

Questions which I am going to present are in a working progress as I want to be able to compare the two organisations that I am currently working alongside. I believe from this i will be able to create a relative inquiry to my own professional interest.

Bio;

(Marshall, 2001, p.6) Reader 4 BAPPS arts.

Senge 1990:356)

Aryris & Schon (1974) 

http://www.infed.org/thinkers/senge.htm - Fitth Discipline, Peter Senge

http://www.infed.org/thinkers/argyris.htm - Argyris and Schon