More Literature

How play therapy enables children to change

Early Childhood News

Using Drama in the classroom

Play in Education

References 

https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2013/feb/27/play-education-creative-learning-teachers-schools

http://scholarworks.wmich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1529&context=reading_horizons

http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?articleid=751

https://www.ukessays.com/essays/uncategorised/how-play-therapy-enables-children-to-change.php#_ftn39

Task 6A - Pilot interview

In Task 4C I began piecing together so questions that I might use to create an interview for my inquiry. 

Although the focus of my inquiry has changed slightly within the time from then to now, some of the question are still very relevant. 

I am going to use this task to do a 'pilot interview'. 

I want this interview to be as much like the real thing as possible so ideally I would like to do it via Skype in order to ask the questions face to face. 

This way I can get all the benefits of the interview tool and also get some honest feedback about the questions and how I pose them. 

I am still feeling like my questions are a little on the vague side, I would like to create more direction and focus as to where they are going and what exactly it is I want to discover from my inquiry so I will continue to work on these questions. 

I am also going to post my draft interview questions on the BAPP arts module 2 Facebook page to allow for any feedback/ suggestions from other students. 

Task 6C - Award Specialism Title Proposal

BA (Hons) Professional Practice in Arts.... 

I have been reflecting on my past and current work in order to choose the title for my award specialism title. 
This has not been an easy decision so I thought I would put down some ideas as to why I have chosen to go with the title of "Theatre Arts"

When training for my diploma I was given the option of a Diploma in 'Dance' or 'Musical Theatre'. This was very simple option for me, Musical theatre has never been my strong point and within this time of my career Dance was the path I wanted to go down. 
My first job after graduation was as a Dance Coach for a local performing school, which was a natural extension of my Diploma. 
However my initial thought process behind my enrolling on this course was a desire to go into a more formal teaching route within a more academic subject. 
I studied Drama and Theatre Studies at A Level and was alway torn between going down the more serious acting route vs Dance training. 

As I have been considering my path within this course I am defiantly seeing myself leaning towards the teaching, academic side of performing and within my most resent development, researching Drama and Play Therapies. 
Through my initial research I can really see the familiarity with lots of Drama and Play Therapy techniques  and what I would have considered to be 'drama games'. 
With continuing on down this route of inquiry I feel the most appropriate title for my award would have to be in keeping with theatre and drama. 

These are just my first thoughts on the subject and if anyone has any other thoughts regarding my title feedback would be much appreciated! 
  

Task 6B - Tools of Inquiry

I have been looking into the different tools of inquiry as suggested in Reader 6 to find which ones will be the best for me to carry forward within my own inquiry. 
Below I have discussed some merits and limits for a few of the suggested tools in order to help me narrow it down. 

Observation
As my research has taken me into the field of therapy I am very aware that observation is not a tool that can be used within my inquiry. 
The process of observing a therapy session could have a detrimental effect to the participant and would defiantly not be an accurate account of a session without observation. 
It would disturb the therapeutic relationship between client and therapist and could even damage the healing process of the client. 

Interviews
I believe this will be the more useful tool for me within the route of inquiry I have chosen.

• You can observe and record first hand this way you know the data is true.
• You can gain far more detailed answers, watch body language, and have full conversations.
•   You can adapt the questions if you feel a topics has become more interesting or one question doesn't work so well.

On the other hand, 

• It can be very time consuming.
• You need to make time around other peoples work schedules.

When on Skype with Kayleigh yesterday she also raised a few great points about interviews that she had experienced through her Module 3 research. 

• Interviews allow for emotive responses
• Interviews can break structure and allow for a more natural conversation to occur.
• You can really explore the topic. 

Surveys and Questionnaires
A survey could be a good way of obtaining data without having to put too much time and energy into it, as it is supported on a web 2.0 platform. 
However I'm unsure as to whether people would want to do a survey within my topic of inquiry. 
Therapy is a very personal topic and I feel perhaps a survey is slightly too informal for asking about something so personal. 
Perhaps this could work if the survey was completely anonymous. 
  

Reviewing Documents
This also could be a very helpful tool. 
It enables you to learn about and hear different peoples points of view, different peoples experiences and see things from different focus points without the need to arrange and interview. You can study it at your own pace and simply take the bits that are directly useful to your inquiry.
On the other hand this could mean that there is the possibility of the data being untrue, inaccurate or out dated. 

At this moment in time I think I will move forward using interview as my main inquiry tool. However I will also be reviewing documents for a broader opinion and more knowledge on the topic as a whole. 

Task 5C - Ethics (within my inquiry)

How will I safe guard any information gained throughout my inquiry process?

Participant confidentially - Make sure all data used in completely anonymous. No names, dates, places or any specifics used.They must also be fully aware that they can terminate the interview at any time.
If you the participant doesn't wish to be anonymous you must gain written consent stating how you will refer to them. 

Relevance - Make sure you have outlined what exactly it is that you are researching and why. Make sure all and any questions are fully related to this. 

Storing my findings - Everything must be password protected. Only keep one copy of any information gained. 

Disposing of data - Delete all data once the study has been completed. 

Constant form - Create and have them sign a consent form with all the above information. 
Below is my first draft of my consent form.

Skype with Kayleigh

So I have just had my Skype with Kayleigh and it has been very enlightening! 

She thought the link from the learning through play research I had initially been doing to looking into Play / Drama Therapy was a natural one and that it would be a great subject to further look into. 

She gave me a few key things to think about that I had not previously touched on: 

What IS therapy?

What is the therapeutic relationship? 

Look at alternative learning - story telling, creative, imaginative, practical, explorative, individual. 

DRAMA IS PLAY

Play /Drama therapy usually isn't adult lead (this links in very well with the Montessori research I have done previously. Blog)

She has also given me some more ethics related issues that I am now taking into consideration for my ethics release form. 

More thoughts on Ethics

Over my last few blogs I have been looking into the ethics surrounding my workplace. 

The biggest issue (as I began discussing in my last blog) is that I work a lot with children and so far most of my research has been aimed at looking into child development and education. 

On reflection and as I am progressing further with narrowing down my topic I have come to see that doing an inquiry based on any kind of feedback or involvement directly from children is not something I wish to get into within my inquiry. 
The issues regarding dealing with under 18 years olds are very important and I still feel I will be able to gain sufficient data simply by talking to others who are involved with learning through play and other development techniques. 

This change in thought process has lead me to look into some other development tools, that are not specifically aimed at children.  
The use of Drama-Therapy or Play-Therapy.

In my initial research I have found lots of direct links between the research I have been looking at with children 'learning through play' and how people of all ages develop, learn and are aided through the means of drama and performance.  

With this slight shift in focus (away from children) I felt I needed some more guidance so I have organised a Skype with Module 3 student Kayleigh Huges who has also been looking into Drama-Therapy. 

I am really looking forward to seeing how her initial ideas have developed and getting some advice on how to move forward from this point. 

Blog on this to come soon! 

References 

http://www.nadta.org/what-is-drama-therapy.html

http://badth.org.uk/dtherapy