New term...New beginnings

Welcome to the start of the new term this week.

Hopefully you are all settling in to the module you are undertaking for the next 12 weeks. All module handbooks are on unihub for you under your BAPP ACI programme page and please do download your calendar of events from this page also. The schedule for all the skype discussion groups, module focus groups, dates for sending in drafts of work and your final submission of work is all listed here, so it's really important you have this working in/alongside your regular diary.

Starting a term can be a little strange on a distance education programme as you don't physically go anywhere, to campus or a studio to begin your 'learning'. What is important though is that you take time at the start of the term now to consider or perhpas re-consider how the study on the BAPP forms a part of your life. When and where will you study, how will you integrate this with other commitments. Chatting to some of you new to the programme this week about the course, study, work balance, I would suggest for returning students also, going back to your Study Plans if you haven't yet and really reminding yourself or re-thinking from the experience of last term how BAPP is a part of your practice rather than a 'task' to 'fit in'.

You might like to find a space to work, pick up a text from the reading list for your module and begin there, simply letting others ideas and your thoughts begin a relationship. While it is important to note what it is you will submit at the end of the term for your module, it is important to recognise learning as a process, and one on this programme, which is integral to your professional practice, so don't be in a hurry to get to the end and tick off an assignment. Take your time, dive-in - YES, swim around, gather thoughts, ideas, questions at this stage...

Module One - Considering Ethics

We had a great skype with a module one focus on ethics this evening.

it was great to hear different perspectives.

We talked about words and language and how these may impact others within our practice, about looking within in order to look to wider constructs - What do you value, where do your ethical considerations come from, what are some of the 'codes' or structures around you regarding ethics in your practice?

The notion of conformity, codes of conduct, the need to question and challenge structures, assumptions being important.

How it is important to recgonise and give space for more than one perspective, more than a single story of something.


This TED talk captures this 'danger of a single story' perfectly.

https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story?language=en


Do comment with your thoughts and links to your own blogs...

Open discussion skype thoughts

We had a good open discussion skype last night with students across all three modules contributing.

The conversations focused mainly around embodiment - in theory, examples from practice and the idea of 'communicating, using something other than words'. This was prompted largely by those in Module One addressing the diagram element of the Module One submission but the conversations are equally applicable to any module. Looking at a practice-based artefact allowing us to move away from 'words' we talked about the creative approaches we all have to our own practices and how we might value these instead of diminishing them in the overshadowing light of essays with words as our means of communication.  Connecting embodiment with these conversations and the programme itself we suggested exploring more what the possibilities might be for looking more closely through the lens of your practice in order to approach 'other work'. 

A reminder that the programme is in Professional Practice, YOUR professional practice and how you might understand and be able to communicate this in a range of contexts, in a range of ways, more than words alone.

Those in the call please do comment below and link us to your blogs on your conversations from this..

Synthesis of information through Reflection

We had a good skype session yesterday with a module one focus. We looked at the notion of synthesis :

synthesis

/ˈsɪnθɪsɪs/

noun

noun: synthesis; plural noun: syntheses

1. 1.

   the combination of components or elements to form a connected whole.

   "the synthesis of intellect and emotion in his work"

   synonyms:

   combination, union, amalgam, blend, mixture, compound, fusion, coalescence, composite, concoction, conglomerate, alloy; More combining, unification, uniting, merging, amalgamation, conglomeration, weaving, interweaving, reconciliation, marrying; informalmash-up "this painting is a synthesis of elements derived from a variety of different types of ancient art"

   • Grammar

     the process of making compound and derivative words.
   • Linguistics

     the tendency in a language to use inflected forms rather than word order to express grammatical structure.
2. 2.

   the production of chemical compounds by reaction from simpler materials.

   "the synthesis of methanol from carbon monoxide and hydrogen"

    

We talked about how we might look at our practice as being made up of several components, each a part of the whole, and how through reflection on our practice we can begin to bring the information of the parts together as a whole thing. It is important to do this, not only for your essay in this module, but more broadly as a way of making connections between things, and better understanding the contribution of different parts of you/your practice to something bigger, fuller.  Parts of your practice allowing you to see the whole practice with more depth and meaning, your practice as a part of the wider picture of the profession you identify it with.

Those on the call please do comment here with links to your own blogs so that we can take these conversations further...

ETHICS module two

Module Two you are starting to be at the point where you need to draft a Ethics application (i.e. MORE form filled out). The actual form is due with your other submitted work on December 17th  but you are asked to start working on it and have a draft done by November 23rd for your Supervisor to look at. Supervisors can look at your MORE work on-line through the MORE portal. 

We will be having a two part Skype session on using MORE and this process:

Part one November 5th at 9pm (sign-up below)

Part two November 15th sessions (12:30pm, 5pm) - see regular Skype session sign-up for 15th (which will be posted later this month)

Please sign-up in the Comments on Adesola's blog post for the 5th if you want to attend Part one November 5th.

Twilight Discussion Group - Making Connections

There were some great conversations on last night's twilight open discussion skype group. Thank you.


My feelings were that there were many connections made.

 - We had students across all three modules of study
 - We had people from a range of arts practice disciplnes all discussing similar things within and across their practice
- AOLs seemed a way of connecting different parts of your practice and seeing the connections between them in the process
- We discussed how developing a research inquiry proposal is about making connections outside of your own experience, through the literature, and outside of your immediate discipline
- People shared strategies for approaching certain tasks (in the handbooks and in their practice) we learn from others ways of doing things something more about our own
- Reflection was present in how we connected past to present in our experiences
- There was sharing beyond the immediate BAPP community with reference made and links shared to the work of BAPP Alumni Eleanor Byrne.

There were lots of voices in this discussion we'll carry on these connections through their blogs - do post  the link to your blog on this below..