Introduction to Blog 2
‘My future Blogs I will reveal all that is ‘unseen’ an idea that popped into my head last week date: Sunday 27th October time 18:13 pm.
In my first Action Research Blog 1 (date: 20th October) I have shown my initial thoughts and notes in how I will approach this project. As the aim of the research is to reveal unseen disabilities, I will show you all my ‘working outs’, how I am thinking and highlighting elements within reading materials that interests me or has great importance and influence on my research.
The tool that I am using to document this is the REMARKABLE 2 which is an electronic note pad which I will -copy and paste within my blogs to show you my immediate reaction to workshop lessons and reading material. To reveal my ‘unseen thoughts’ to be made visible for you to read (citation reference: John O’Reilly 25/10/2024)
So, I must apologies now for the terrible and at times eligible handwriting; but for me, this is the quickest and at times instantaneous way of putting my ideas and thoughts electronically accessible to share to all.
My Thoughts, Methodology and Action.
My Thoughts…
“The Bridge”
How do I teach? How do deliver my curricular subject to my students? How do I ensure students are learning the curricular subject? How do I engage with students?
Delivery and teaching a subject can be difficult. Teaching can be difficult if you have no idea in how you are going to deliver it.
These are too many questions that continue to challenge my teaching practice since I started this PgCert so may months ago.
I question myself ‘What is the learning path for students? It is difficult for me to put into words, and it would seem to me -, after reading quiet a few academic papers and articles that explores this subject, the debate continues how this can be achieved (Orr, S, & Shreeve, A 2017).
As teachers it can be hard to find an effective method, we have different views in how we engage with students.
This will be the starting point for me; to truly look deeply in analysing my teaching practice that will guide me through my action research.
What is the learning path for students learning?
My action research aims to reveal and support students with unseen disabilities that students encounter.
To visualize my teaching and ‘learning path’ for students’ I imagine a bridge in which the student must cross to achieve there learning outcomes. I see us the teachers as bridge builders and engineers with all the essential learning teaching materials and elements in place to support the bridge construction.
With reference to ‘MY APPROACH TO ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT’ notes blog 1: If you read through my initial thoughts. You will see that all the pages are numbered bottom right of page. I will use this numbering to reference the read to certain points in my thinking that leads me to question my practice and knowledge.
Page 1. You can see, I have visualised the bridge. The idea is that the student is introduced to a subject where knowledge is shared by crossing the bridge. As they cross over, they will be engaging with the learning material. As they journey across, learning outcomes will be achieved.
The bridge structure is held together with different learning outcomes and educational elements to support the tutor in delivering the teaching. Made up of subjects, introduction to the lesson, What the students aims are to learning. Discuss theories etc.
Students will be introduced to the cube to explore the cube possibilities. This will open to group discussion that leads to final presentation of shared ideas that enforces the learning. This is the learning path that I want to deliver and maintain the discussion of what they’ve learned, with a possible conclusion in how we support student with unseen disabilities. This is how I visualised what a ‘learning path’ bridge will function.
This way I can visualise the learning outcomes that my student will journey.
I have roughly sketched out these elements need for the bridge.
Creating an ethical space. On Page 3. I was concerned about how I will facilitate this action research. Where will the students be placed? What will the environment be? Would it be suitable for this teaching? As you can see on this page 5, I have numbered out some of the key elements which must be in place. For instance, to be compassionate to students. To consider students who are sensitive or suffer deep Trauma. To have active listening and be attentive. To speak, listen and discuss openly. These are some of my actions that I must consider and need to do.
How do I record this data? The teaching session. Is it observation? Is it filmed? Is it a questionnaire?
“Are the students the experts”.
I have come across this statement during the PgCert workshop discussions with my colleagues, a view that I will take on board. It is important for me to consider as it is the student who is experiencing difficulties with their learning and to navigate how to overcome these obstacles within a university environment.
Summary: In my action research project, I will use a bridge analogy to visualize the learning path for students, especially those with unseen disabilities. The bridge represents the journey students take to achieve learning outcomes, with teachers acting as bridge builders. My blog documents my thoughts, theories, and methods, including the use of the REMARKABLE 2 electronic note pad to share my immediate ideas. Key elements for creating an ethical learning space include kindness, compassion, and active listening. Students are considered experts in their own learning experiences, and their input is crucial in understanding and addressing their learning challenges.
“My Methodology”
My blogs will show my thought process and how and why I did a particular action, what made me make this decision or follow a particular path.
It will be like a washing machine cycle. Its cycle will be like this:
- How and why, I did this?
- Has it affected me and my practise?
- I did that. But I did this instead.
- Because it affected me this way.
- What I have read and who has influenced my thoughts, it led me to do this.
- My Summary/conclusion.
- And where necessary, end with a positionality statement.
- With the new positionality statement, I will repeat the above cycle.
- How and why, I did this?
- it affected me and my practice.
- I did that, but I did this instead.
- Because it affected me etc.
I hope this method will keep me on track with my research and end with an observational, data reference presentation.
“It’s important how I collect the data-critical feedback is key”.
As I formulate the cube concept. I will be collecting data in several ways.
- The sessions will be observed with written documentation and filmed with the full consent of the students who are taking part, so that written documentation has a reference and authenticity in accuracy to avoid pitfalls of the observer who’s writing may not capture all the nuances of student engagement with the lesson subject.
- Data gathered may be shared as infographic image, poster or a document. I am looking forward in doing this as I believe visual imagery is a powerful way of communicating and transmitting instant Information. Data that is easily understood, recognisable and learned.
- To start the data gathering I have targeted fellow colleagues who deliver student learning. Teachers, academics, technicians, educational practitioners, who can give immediate feedback of their own experience of teaching. To give a critical assessment, report on how my cube can be used as a teaching tool or to supplement or enhance their own curricular. Alternatively, they can give feedback that it offers no educational value or support for tutors or students. It may be an object that may cause distraction and divert focus on the learning outcomes that has been designed for the student. This type of feedback will be helpful for me to know so that I can revise, assess my aim through the research. Does the cube have any ‘teaching value’? Do I have to revise the cubes physical shape, size and concept.
- Accurate, concise data may be difficult to achieve if the material is sensitive, please refer to reading material/article ‘Specialist Research Ethics Guidance Paper-Emotionally Demanding Research: Risk to The Researcher’. With reference to Blog page 12.I have given each practitioner a bag containing the following: a Cube, Electrical tape and my document that outlines how the cube is used for teaching, paper titled; ‘Cube Test 1 Friday 25th October 2024. Cube Trans-configuration tool’. to give feedback on my research. Blog 1 page 13. I have set aside two weeks for the practitioners to explore the cube physically and the concept of it as a teaching tool. And a arrange a date for feedback. Pages: 14 and 15 is a rough draft of a Task Line, highlighting main objectives that I want to accomplish in October. Pages:16 and 17 is another visual analogy of a train journeying down a train track-possible infographic image of train engine representing my research project. The separate carriages contain the students. The structure of the bridge is made up of essential parts that make up a university’s infrastructure. The wheels of the train support the engine and the carriages. They represent technicians, teachers, teaching material, workshops etc, budgets, Introduction to knowledge, teachers’ workshops, technical resources. Student support etc. The railway track represents the college. With the teachers and resources. The sleepers that support the railway track is made-up of facilities, subject material workshops. On page 16. This is my first rough draft image of train and track… Page 17 is another refined image of train and track.
This is the image that I have in my mind’s eye of my methodology and how I will cycle my thoughts and challenge my thinking during this action research. The Bridge which supports the train that carries the teaching and curricular subject outcomes (unseen disabilities) that is on the path that leads to learning. and train that leads the path to learning.
“Action”
Cube concept. I am researching a sensitive aspect of a student’s well-being. The idea of the cube is to stimulate discussion of unseen disabilities. I am a strong believer of “inclusivity” for all’ The cube offers a Blog 1 page 4 a great opportunity to explore many subjects and situation as a starting point to encourage open discussion with students. To reveal unseen disabilities without the students identifying being disclosed. To overcome restrictions, barriers, obstacles in student learning. To fully engage with the university teaching environment.
Constructing the ‘Cube concept and usage’. Above image is a visual idea of how different cubes (with data recorded on surfaces) attached together can create a larger data base of ideas and concepts of unseen disabilities, each cube intersecting and influencing its neighboring cube in the pursuit of bridging the difficulties that students encounter in university educational learning.
“The cube can stimulate innovative ideas and ways of thinking; to touch your written thoughts, to hold it in your hands- to create new concepts in learning. Through ‘object-based learning’ – giving your ‘written’ thoughts and ideas to someone else, to physically pass those ideas around the table group (students) interaction of ideas; manipulated and ‘taken apart’ and disassembling and reassembling the cube again, and again, and again and again, Intersecting disabilities as the cube goes through several trans configuration’s -intersections creating new ideas new ways of looking at a problem revealing to the student’s possibilities, creative interaction with fellow colleagues.”
Inclusivity is a key thing that the institutes and universities want us to encourage so that no student is left behind in their learning.
(Citation Michael Breakey, Luke Cunningham and Dimitrios Coumados 08/01/2024) from feedback on Intervention report ‘Unseen Intersections-Configuration Cube’
My action
Start developing, looking at a creating a safe environment for student to reveal their disabilities.
Create a list of questions to encourage open debate on disabilities, intersectionality, and inclusivity.
Record and observe how students use the teaching material.
Did the student understand the aims of the class and learning outcomes?
Do further research in how University of the Arts London supports students with disabilities, seen and unseen especially those students who suffer from anxiety and work related stress. Look at ISA-individual Support Agreement and how it is used and shared with academics and technicians.
Above, first construction prototype of cube.
Summary:
In my action research project, I will use a bridge analogy to visualize the learning path for students, especially those with unseen disabilities. The bridge represents the journey students take to achieve learning outcomes, with teachers acting as bridge builders. My blog documents my thoughts, theories, and methods, including the use of the REMARKABLE 2 electronic note pad to share my immediate ideas. Key elements for creating an ethical learning space include kindness, compassion, and active listening. Students are considered experts in their own learning experiences, and their input is crucial in understanding and addressing their learning challenges.