An Extract from my learning diary (18/02/10)

Campus session one
I attended my first campus session, it was an introduction to the new module on research methods. I have bullet pointed an overview of my notes below.
• This module is the plan for the final project not the actual project itself.
What is Research?• Finding something new
• Advancing knowledge of professional practice in a systematic way
• Adding to what’s already been learnt
• Developing a deeper understanding of something
Ways into research
Dance performance phenomena
-director/choreographer
-music
-audience
-lighting
-performance time
The above are all variables (they can change at any time)
• A way into research would be to change one or more variable.
Other ways in• Curiosity
• Concepts/issues/contexts
• Problem/issue based
• Mind mapping
• Peers
• Employer/manager/director
Data Resources
• What am I interested in?
Plan something close to home
• What my topic area is
• Where am I getting my info from?
Literature Review
• Literature – searching for work-related content
• Where things come from – theories & concepts
• Finding out what you don’t know
• Finding literature that is against what you think
• Critical thinking

Overall the campus session went very well for me. It helped me to have a clearer picture in my mind of the task in hand and helped me focus on each bit of the module as a small step rather than trying to tackle the module as a whole. The session broke down the module into sections and set clear points of what we had to do and I feel the way I made my notes throughout was a clear and concise way to help me keep focussed on the task. I think, in future, even though I cannot attend all campus sessions I will try and bullet point different problems and issues that I come across throughout the duration of the semester as I believe this will focus my mind on the task at hand.