How how have I only got to the stage this week of nailing the real question? My action plan now looks like a hilarious disillusioned guide if a) I had the perfect question lined up and b) were in a perfect bubble-like situation.
I’ve been so focused on this logbook idea, that I hadn’t realised I was attempting to find the answer before I’d even begun. I think this is why I referred to it as my ‘hypothesis’ in my original ethics form. If I am going down to the interpretivist route, then I shouldn’t be entertaining a hypothesis.
Rachel Jones (PgCert student), saying it how it is in the group tutorial, made it clear that she thought I had arrived at stage 2 (or the second cycle of action research) and that perhaps I should reconsider the original question. What exactly am I trying to find out in order to introduce the log books?
Original question:
How is the student experience impacted by the addition of a technical theatre skills logbook in practical teaching and learning activities?
New question:
How might the BA Theatre Design student experience be impacted by the concept of technical assessment in technical theatre skills?
I would like to know:
- If the students feel technical assessment is a useful measure, or adding unwanted pressure
- What might any other positives or negatives be?
- What the students think the assessment might present itself as (e.g. holistic unit assessment or standalone technical assessment
Then I might work towards a second cycle of research by undertaking the different suggested methods, which may include this log book.
I am particularly nervous -in a recent course meeting with BA Theatre Design, the course leader questioned why students want to learn particular technical skills. The course leader said they should be focussing on learning to be a designer, not learning practical skills. I have built up a great enthusiasm and appetite for technical skills with the Theatre Design students to the stage that they are keen to learn more and more. My response was to informally/formally recognise these skills, which is why this project means so much. Now the course leader is worried that the practical skills are an unwelcome distraction from their academic work, yet a straw poll of students suggests that they truly appreciate being able to communicate in different theatre languages to ultimately improve their set and costume design work.
The pushback on the notion of technical learning will likely have a knock on effect of the importance (in the course leader’s views) of technical assessment, so it’s extremely important I gather as much student-viewpoint qualitative data as possible before even thinking about approaching teaching staff. I see many cycles of this action research in the future. If I can join up the dots with other technicians in other colleges who are either looking into technical assessments (e.g. Lauren in our current PgCert cohort) or are currently undertaking them – in a technician role rather than a technician being paid extra do do academic marking – then that will make future cycles more successful.