CRITICAL REFLECTION ON PROFESSIONAL PRACTITIONER INQUIRY

 

 Developed professional questions

This course helped to actively reflect on how to personally and professionally develop from a teaching assistance to an art teacher in an EBD (Emotional Behaviour Difficulties) school. Module 2 took me on a journey which enabled me to inquire into the codes of practice that guide and govern my work place and at the same time reflect on my own ethics and values. My aim is to teach art in EBD schools which will combine two of my passions that of art and of supporting young people who are deemed to be emotionally and behaviourally challenging. 

 

To develop ideas for my professional question I began by evaluating and reflecting back on art programmes offered to students in my school and in EBD schools I have previous worked. This process has led me to create and facilitate an art club in my department for year 11 students who cannot access the art programme offered in my school. This project was inspired by my early attempts to develop ideas for my inquiry. By working with the students I have developed my question further to enquire as to the effectiveness of art programmes offered to students in EBD schools.

http://thulanishuku.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/task-4a.html    

 

 

Ethical considerations

The task of writing about the codes of practice where ethics apply in my work place was both challenging and informative. Every year since I started working in the school we have been given updated version of the school policies and expectation guidelines in our handbooks, of which I have always tended to skim through. These tasks made me realise how easily we can take for granted the importance of understanding the ethics that mould the organisations we work for. Through doing this task I have broadened my knowledge and therefore have a better understanding of the type of organisation I work for, its goals and aspirations. This has reinforced the need to strive in my pursuit to further develop my professional practice to meet the needs of the young people I work with.     http://thulanishuku.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/task-5b.html, http://thulanishuku.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/task-5a_8597.html

 

 In this module I have been introduced to consequentialism theory, which focuses on the greatest happiness for the greatest number. This has emphasized that it is critical that I am conscious of the ethics of being honest in my inquiry: the drive of desire to make a change in the art program in my school should not override the natural outcome. There is the possibility that majority of students in my school and other EBD schools may not be interested in art qualification and/or art as core curriculum subject.  

http://thulanishuku.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/task-5c_3363.html

 

The tools of inquiry

 

Tools of inquiry pilots made the experience of conducting research real and helped me to refine my inquiry question. The opportunity to facilitate a focus group and an interview helped me to evaluate the basic interview skills I possess. Having done this I can focus on areas I need to improve on in order to collect viable data that will allow me to conduct sound research. http://thulanishuku.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/task-6a-focus-group-pilot.html

http://thulanishuku.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/task-6a-interview-pilot_16.html

 

Researching materials for literature reviews was a very usefully and informative exercise that broadened my knowledge on the ideas and theories on EBD education and art education. This process encouraged me to critically reflect on the literature I have come to read in this process. The literature also helped me to gain a more knowledgeable background and comprehension of ideas about how young people diagnosed with EBD respond to learning. This new and deeper understanding is vital as it will influence how I structure my art sessions and my inquiry.       

http://thulanishuku.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/task-6c_4271.html

http://www.delicious.com/thulani_shuku