Lizzie B's Blog

Long time, no blog! I've taken a bit of a break from study since submitting my draft but, now that I've received my feedback, it's time to get back to it. I've been quite bad at managing time this module, and looking at all the things still to do, I've been a bit stressed. Especially as I'm touring. Yesterday I made a to do list and gave myself deadlines for each thing so hopefully I'll get back on track to submit in May.  I realised I had yet to watch the Zoom recording of Helen’s Analysis Through Refection talk (17/03/22) , so I caught up this morning. I actually found the reflective meditation she led very helpful and calming, it definitely helped me get in the right mindset for getting work done. The main lightbulb for me in the session, however, was that I don’t need to force my data to fit the questions that I posed at the beginning of the inquiry . I was aware that I had learnt other more meaningful things through my observation but was sti...

Module 3 Data and Analysis with Helen Kindred, Pedro De Senna & Sam Murray  (07/03/2022) In this meeting, the supervisors discussed some core ideas for analysing our data and then we had the chance to individually share where we were in the data collection process and receive feedback.  Analysis = meaning making  - consider ALL the data - look for relationships and patterns - analysis is transforming information  - your experience IS data Method: Coding Data looking for themes in transcripts (key words) try putting transcripts into Word Cloud Next, I will summarise where I was in my data collection at the time, and what advice I was given. I'm just starting my 4 th week of observing my cast, so I'm still collecting data. I'm doing a voice note after every act and we do 10 shows a week, so it’s a lot. I was planning to transcribe afterwards so I wouldn’t be swayed by reading what I had previously said, but it’s going to take me a really long time to write it all ...

Discussion Group with Pedro De Senna & Sam Murray (16/02/2022) As with last Module I've really struggled to join Zoom meetings as they coincide with me being either at work or on trains with unstable connection, so I have finally just caught up with the Discussion Group from a little while ago. I find it so helpful to watch these back. Here are the notes I made to remind me what I learnt and as a summary for others who couldn't join live either.  Many students on the call admitted to finding it hard to motivate themselves to study after a long day at work (definitely something I struggle with too) so some tips were shared: - self-incentivise ('you can watch 30 mins of TV if you do 30 mins of work') - map out your days and find gaps where you can do short, manageable tasks - Remember 20 mins is the max amount of time that most people can seriously study for (work in short bursts) - Try Pomodoro method (25 mins work, 5 mins break - there's an app!) Ellie made...

👀👀👀  Not you, ha, just my work colleagues. Dropping in with a blog post as it's been a while. I've now done two weeks of my 4 week observation as part of my inquiry project.  Honestly I'm enjoying it a lot more than I thought! I keep noticing patterns and getting excited to analyse them. However, I'm consciously trying not to unpick anything or jump to conclusions before the observation is over, as I don't want my ideas and pre-judgements to lead my observation in any way.  I was feeling a bit panicked hearing that other Mod 3s have finished their interviews and are already transcribing them. But just trying to go at my own pace and remember that everyone's projects are different.  Staying calm :) Tomorrow I will start to get on top of my reading so that it's not all left till after the observation. All good.

Tutorial with Helen Kindred (07/02/2022) I had my first tutorial back with Helen, just to clarify some things before I properly get started... 1) I was worried about my MORE Form not having been accepted yet and was unsure what I was and wasn't allowed to do - Helen told me I could begin reaching out to participants, so I have now sent out information and consent forms to all my cast 2) I wanted more clarification on the additional ethics I need to consider, which was mentioned in my feedback for Module 2 - Helen explained that as I will have a different role in the group, the dynamic may change. As they will be observed, cast members may feel self-conscious or self-critical, and I need to have a plan for that - Things to look at: Ethics in the Workplace (TED), Work-Based Learning Student Handbook  3) I needed a better understanding of what to include in the Lit Review - Helen clarified that the literature can build from the same sources as before, plus new ones too. It is only ba...

I can't believe it's actually here! The final module!  At the beginning of this course the end seemed miles away, but look at us, we've actually made it! I'm really feeling motivated to get things done this term. As with Module 2, I feel about 25% more confident in myself this time around - just due to knowing the structure and what is required of me. Kicking things off with my first blog post is already a weight lifted. I've booked a tutorial with Helen and re-read my inquiry proposal to remind myself what I'm actually trying to achieve. One set back is that my MORE form needed a few amendments so is still waiting for approval - this means my planned schedule on my Gantt chart has already fallen behind. I've seen a few blogs from other Module 3s saying they are focussing on literature to start with, so I think I'll follow suit.  Wishing everyone on all modules loads of luck, we can do it team xxx