SIG - Sitting In Gnomeland

Now that I have your attention, I wanted to take some time to talk about how valuable SIGs are.

SIG - Special Interest Group

When I began Module 2, I remember thinking to myself  'what on earth is a SIG?' I had seen them mentioned left, right and centre. I have previously written about how finding and participating in SIGs was initially very difficult, for an array of reasons such as time and not knowing my inquiry question. However, it is because of these groups that I discovered what I wanted my inquiry to be.

Throughout my time on this course, not only do I read the blogs of students on the same module as me, but also those on all other modules and past students. I have found it incredibly helpful if I'm stuck or looking for a bit of inspiration. So in the hope of a future student reading this 1) Hello and welcome 2) don't see the SIGs as an immediate right off, they're worth it I promise.

So why have I found them so valuable? Well here's a quick list:

- They offer support and encouragement
- They can be a fresh set of eyes that you need, when you have been focused for too long
- A good source for discussion whether it be for your inquiry or otherwise
- More opinions give you more to consider and talk about
-  It is a good way to discuss the course and provide more professional connections
- It's a constant stream of communication which keeps you thinking about the course

So, thanks to the SIGs I found my inquiry title. Instead of listening to the millions of ideas whirring around inside my head, I listened to others who were looking onto my practice and work. Equally, the blogs are a fantastic discussion and conversation source, but using the comment function can be hard to keep a running conversation going, so the SIG does this brilliantly.

Throughout my Inquiry, I aim to use my current, and hopefully new, SIGs efficiently as a tool to aid my investigation.

The Cirle of Life of My Inquiry

So, I have actually been hard at work developing my inquiry but I haven't had the time to blog about it. Thought I'd do a quick summary of what's been going on.


I have been struggling with what I want my inquiry question to be for a long time now. My brain has flitted between a million different ideas. My blog posts are very good evidence for that. I know that I tend to over think and over evaluate things, so when I think about it my inquiry question has been right in front of me the whole time.

It took a few SIG conversations for me to come to the realisation that whilst all the 'possible inquiry questions' I have written about are interesting, they're not necessarily involved with my daily practice.

Adesola would constantly say 'Yes, but what is your practice?' and I would get flustered and confused. A brain overload between all the skypes and reading and blogging. I'd forgotten to look right at the heart of what I do.

'Hi, my name is Jess Dinmore and I'm an actor, currently working as a theatre tech'.

That is my practice. I love my job and the incredible team of people I get to work with but I started to think about WHY I love working backstage so much. I decided to jot down a few ideas in my journal from Module 1:

It was that last point that really struck a chord home. What exactly are the skills I have learnt and how can I bring them into the performing world. Thus my inquiry title was born. 

 'Does working in technical theatre enhance and advance your skills as a performer?'

The only way I can describe how it felt to finally have made a decision on my inquiry title and how inspired and excited I was and still am about looking further into it, is by this image:

I'm fortunate enough to be a part of a few SIG groups, so I pitched the idea to them when it was still in the early stages. I was (rather thankfully) greeted with positive remarks:

                 

I have completed my basic inquiry plan with all my intentions mapped out. My next immediate step is to start looking further into literature to read, then write reviews on said literature. I'm excited to see what my inquiry will bring.


Someone get me a brew.

Tasks 5A, 5B and a little bit of 5C

Ethics in my work place was a bit of a strange one to approach. I'm not currently what people would call an 'active' actor. What with my busy work schedule and all this uni work I have set that aside until I have time for auditions and what not. So, I have done list based around working as a theatre crew member.

I think a lot of these disciplines cross over with those you have when you are performing/acting. Although the two jobs are very different, I feel there is a basic set of values that we all have within the industry. I always aim to be early to work so I'm prepared to 'start' on time. There is an unwritten rule I believe to be there before 'the half' in the theatre so that there is plenty of time, that's why the half was created after all.

I think the term 'ethics' is batted around so much now that it can be confusing. I took Philosophy and Ethics at A Level which I now think is very helpful, it has made this whole idea of ethics a little easier to understand. However, Reader 5 sums it up very well 'Ethics has its roots in moral philosophy and is concerned about the right or the good way to carry out actions'.  I find the history of ethics fascinating (and somewhat comforting as all of it comes flooding back to me whilst I still try to figure out my inquiry question). I know I tend to let my brain run away with an idea so I must try not to let that happen the more I read into ethics.

Ethics In a Professional Context

Ethics is often seen as a basic set of rules to follow. Task 5B asks us to find out what the codes of practice are in our places of work/ professional community. Within my job the hours can be long, often over 12 hour shifts so, I began by looking at the EU Laws on working hours.

Within the acting industry organisations such as Equity are there to protect those 'in the field'. Eleanor wrote a post on the nudity clause.

I've learnt that during my inquiry it is important to ask normative questions, defined as 'In philosophy, normative statements make claims about how things should or ought to be, how to value them, which things are good or bad, and which actions are right or wrong.' This is because it asks you to think about what makes a question right or wrong to ask, it makes you think about the true reasoning behind why you do something. 

Case study 3 brought up some interesting thoughts. Drama schools often have a reputation of being a bit harsh and I'm sure we've all been on the end of some harsh 'constructive' criticism. But how far can you go until it is no longer acceptable? Does that depend on the receiver or the ethics of the distributor? Being aware of the boundaries is something we must all consider during our inquiry, and in some instances when (if at all) it's okay to push them slightly. 

The diagram below shows how all areas of ethics are intertwined. It is important to remember that while my personal ethics may be different to others, I shouldn't let my opinion stop me from listening/ be biased against what they may say. Instead, I should look deeper into why I think one way and someone else the other. By doing this it allows for a more well rounded representation of information. This is because each opinion/idea has been researched and represented with great detail - everyone is given equal chance/representation resulting in a more ethical result.

Reader 5 asks us to think about 'whose door do ethical principles lie' but I think everyone has an 'ethical responsibility'. So I did a quick diagram to show what ethical considerations I will take during my inquiry.

Ethics isn't something that is black and white. During my inquiry I am going to aim to make sure ethics are running throughout and documented evidence is available when required.

Campus Session 20th October and The Tornado of Truths

In usual fashion, a small group of us from all modules travelled to Middlesex for a campus session. We met Adesola and also Helen and began with a basic introduction - who we were, what module we were on and where we currently are within our studies. I really like how although we are all on different modules and at different places in our own study that we can help each other - a little BAPP family if you will.

Adesola began by giving us a visual representation of what our inquiry is. We all have things that matter to us (these are the dots...see image below) but around those are questions. It is by exploring the things that matter to us - within our practice - we can link them using the questions. As a module 2 student it is important that I remember that it is okay to go off on a tangent (if its relevant) but to keep the base ideas (so the dots) running all the way through.

'The Big Question' is where module two's have to start thinking about their inquiry. When I was asked what I had been thinking about, I talked of technology and it's role within the theatre. More specifically, if technology can help those with disabilities access theatre more easily and represent them more truthfully. Helen raised an interesting point 'Is traditional theatre disabling some from being involved?', I like how this question is phrased. It focuses on what I as a theatre technician know most - the theatre and its construction. It became obvious that I need to fully establish what my practice is. I have done so much over the last few months I think that what my practice is has become slightly blurred. I asked myself 'what do I love about what I do?' and its something I'm still brainstorming. I'll admit I still don't know what I want my 'big question' to be, but I aim to use my SIGs more effectively to help me with this decision. During the session Amanda said that she can sometimes tell what route people are taking from how they write, so sometimes an outside set of eyes/opinions can be useful.

We were then asked how we would describe our discussion on the big question to module one students. I worked in a pair with Georgie, we toyed with many ideas including scaffolding and cake. However, I came up with the idea of a tornado. What starts big (our question) then get smaller as we become more specific. The Tornado of Truths.

We phrased it like this:
'Within your practice, what is the biggest question you have about your practice? Your question goes from general to specific the further you look into your own practice and develop it.' All of the little things (questions) picked up along the way will link to the bigger thing.

The Tornado of Truths

As a final talking point we considered the ethics. This lead to a great deal of confusion that we all quickly got sucked into, which was a bit unnecessary as it's not as complicated as we all think. Ethics is something that should be conducted throughout our inquiries, it's a process not a thing. The term 'an informed opinion' is how I've always thought of ethics - and coincidentally Amanda mentioned it. Low and behold that's exactly what it is, its the consideration of all aspects in relation to your questions. I drew a small diagram during the discussion to try and create a visual reference:

In relation to the tornado, what makes the smaller questions around it non-dangerous is its spin. The spin gives everything a relationship so you can approach them safely and with trust. If you don't research into why you have an opinion (so its not informed) then it could cause harm. How do the questions I'm asking inform my opinion - as the diagram shows. Recognise the ethics and articulate them.

As the session drew to a close, we were asked what we found most useful from the session. I found having actual people to talk to and discuss ideas with is invaluable. In discussion with Eleanor after, we both agreed it's difficult to keep a good conversation flowing on the blogs as you don't get a notification if someone has replied to your comment, so I really valued the time to talk to people. With that in mind, I would like to invite and encourage people to add me on Facebook if they want to further discussion or have ideas/questions. We all feel a little lost at times I think and having that reassurance can be helpful and aid your work ethic. Even if our questions/inquiries are different, a new person to give a different perspective can enhance our work and ideas further - it broadens our knowledge and there's no harm in that.

Task 4B - SIG's

Having many questions and possible lines of inquiry along with a very busy work schedule mean I have found it hard to create a concrete SIG (special interest group). So, I've decided to write this post in order to get more of us talking and asking questions. Thanks also to Emma for creating a group on Facebook.

One thing that has really grabbed my attention over the last few days is how theatre can be used for other means other than entertainment. Quite a few of the other module 2 student's blogs talk about how it can be used for therapy or how being healthy can improve our practice (see http://jennifersimm.blogspot.co.uk/ and http://ellebyrne.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/relating-sigs-to-my-practice-task-4b.html blogs to see what I have read/commented).

So, I was scrolling through Facebook mindlessly when two videos grabbed my attention.



In this video, they use VR to enable those who have suffered mental health issues to bring what happens in their heads into the physical world. Using art as a form of therapy is nothing new, but with the development of technology can we use it on a wider audience? Technology advancement within the arts and its role in recovery/therapy.



It's no secret that I am a huge fan of Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time both the book and the stage play. I have no doubt that the character development for Christopher would have been extensive to ensure an accurate depiction of an autistic boy. But to use an actor who has autism, is fantastic. We no longer see disability as a barrier or hindrance. Some find a calmness or serenity when they pretend to be someone other than themselves. Life is hard, especially if every day is a constant battle so to be able to provide an escape that is fun and enjoyable, I think is something special.

I found a company that use the arts to help those who have suffered from mental health problems: http://theatrenemo.org/ having this service available means we can reach more people using different art forms which in turn, could mean more permanent solutions/coping mechanisms/recovery. Equally, theatre can be used to help physical ailments, dance is a very good discipline for recovery. We must consider the physical benefits of theatre as well as the emotional.

Another view, is that theatre can help people who don't have any physical or mental problems. In my previous post I spoke of how acting can help build confidence, improve public speaking skills and much more. Should we use the time kid's get in school to help them build basic skills through theatre games? My thoughts are yes, but what are yours?

Looking at this from another angle is how an audience's well being can be altered after watching a show. I hadn't considered this until I stumbled upon this very small article as I was looking into research. You don't have to be a performer in a show for something to have an effect. This idea is very similar to that of Brecht's practice. He was a practitioner that believed in the audience being engaged and present during a performance so that they left with a strong opinion on what they had watched. Rather than being passive and simply 'sitting back and watching' they 'sit forward and engage' with the (mainly political) issues he was showing through his work.

To conclude, what are your thoughts on the below points:

- Has technology changed the way in which we use theatre as a tool to aid recovery?

- Are the arts now a viable form of therapy?

- Is a healthy mind and body balance needed in order to be successful?

- Does the development of technology within the theatre world mean we can portray things such as disability and illness more accurately, or does it trivialise it?

Food for thought perhaps.

Task 4A - To be or not to be, that is the question...or is it?

We've been asked to read and review Reader 4 and develop a set of questions relevant to our own practice. As I began to read through, I thought to myself about how what most of what it talks about is reflected in my work from Module 1 - awareness of theory in practice. Now going into Module 2, I think the base idea of Reader 4 is to get me to take that awareness and start asking the 'right questions' (Pg.5). However, I feel that in order to ask the 'right' questions we sometimes have to ask the 'wrong' ones. This then lead me to ask myself, why do I feel this way? I came to the conclusion that it's because of drama training, if you pardon the cliché 'If at first you don't succeed, try and try again'. I've written about the method of getting up and giving things a go and 'feeling them out' on numerous occasions, we need to find the correct path of questioning by taking a few wrong turns occasionally.

What constitutes a 'right question'? The reader suggests that its a more 'in-depth' examination of my practice. I did some research to see how others ask questions effectively. This website defines the different types of questions you can ask: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_88.htm
The reason I found this useful is because I can use all of these types of questions within my professional inquiry to help me form a better form a more rounded argument. Multiple types of questions induce multiple types of answers.

“Most misunderstandings in the world could be avoided if people would simply take the time to ask, "What else could this mean?”

- Shannon L. Alder

The reader talks about identifying knowledge and skills within the work place, but how do I define knowledge? The reader talks of interdisciplinary and disciplinary knowledge but I also think of practical and theoretical knowledge. This led me to think about how all these types of knowledge are used within my own practice and could this be a possible line of inquiry? Is there a basic set of skills that come from theatre and drama that could be used across all 'categories' (Kreber) of learning? Another possible line of questioning.

Something that I have written about in previous posts, is breaking the stigma that the arts are 'soft' subjects. Again the idea of multiple skills across many different disciplines that can be transferable into situations outside of the arts can be beneficial for all ages. A good example is public speaking or sight reading, I'm fortunate enough to be alright at both but I accredit that to having done drama my entire life. It gave me the skills to stand confidently and talk. For example, at camp we used to tell the kids that they just got up and performed (improvised) without and prior preparation so when they go back to school and have to give a presentation, it will be much easier for them. How can the skills we learn within the arts industry (specifically theatre, speech and drama in my case) help us in every day situations. Something to consider as a line of inquiry.

Perhaps a more ethical question that arose in my mind, is that can we ever truly prepare ourselves for the ever changing world? As Barnett put it '...being equipped with multiple 'tools of learning' may not be sufficient a preparation for a world that is characterized also, increasingly, by uncertainty' before we know it everything we use in every day life becomes obsolete and we need to have the latest upgrade or knowledge to keep up to date with the world. How relevant is the modern day development of technology within my own practice both positively and negatively  - another possible inquiry!

To conclude, the more I read into Reader 4 the more possible lines of inquiry I discover. I'll admit I wasn't expecting to get so much from it but it has definitely got my brain whirring with ideas. From here I would like to write down all the possible options I have written about and explore them further. I need to turn them from 'Pseudo' questions into researchable questions - thanks to Hanstein, I can distinguish them. It makes be think back to Module 1's networking, the imagery of a river all intertwining and connecting, each brook connects to a stream to a bigger river - everything informs something else. I need to look further into things beyond the surface and find practitioners and theories that support and don't support my thinking. A well balanced view.

Back to Life, Back to Reality

As we approach the beginning of Module 2, I wanted to ease myself back into the blogging/learning state of mind. I thought of no better way to do this than by telling you what I've been up to over the summer and the past few months.

The obvious place to start would be to tell you of one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had. I spent my whole summer working as a camp counsellor in the Sierra Nevada Forrest, California. My role was as an activity counsellor running the theatre section of their camp, along with one other counsellor. What I loved about the camp I worked at is the lack of technology, the kids and the adults weren't allowed their phones unless they were on time off (staff). A lot of my previous posts have been centred around the uses of technology in modern day life and being given the opportunity to experience the wonderful world of camp without the worries of technology was something else. So what did I learn by not having my phone? I made a short list:

- Interpersonal relationships developed much quicker and the connections made were much stronger
- I learnt to enjoy the moment and appreciate my surroundings
- I didn't miss my phone or social media
- Experiences are true and not false for the purposes of social media
- I missed the opportunity to take photos and videos as memories
- I wasn't distracted by having my phone to hand, I did more meaningful things with my time (like make a laundry bag because mine broke pretty quickly!).

We slept in tent cabins, on beds with sleeping bags surrounded by nature and all its glorious offerings. Before I left, if you had asked me to go camping outdoors for three months 7000ft up in the mountains I would have looked at you like you were speaking gibberish. But now, I miss the mountain air and waking up to the most amazing surroundings. I've learnt to embrace new challenges and face them with a more positive attitude.

How can I incorporate everything I've learnt over the summer into my own professional practice? Well, my immediate thought is to be more positive about doing the work for my degree. Although the thought of being sat at a laptop typing blogs and reading endless streams of information was shoved to the back of my mind whilst in California, I need to fully embrace getting back to work and begin to research my chosen subject area. Camp truly is its own little world and family. Coming back into real life was a bit of a crash landing and trying to sort everything out has been like finding my feet again but its nice to come back to familiarity, home.

During our training week we had a guest speaker called Christine Carter come and talk to us. As she began her talk, a lot of what she said resonated with the path I would like to take my professional practice research on. The idea of listening to your body and your gut feelings and looking for the subtext - what people are really saying. These are all tools in the basic training that I was taught at drama school, the old 'get up and see what it feels like' trick. She also spoke about the difference between out Social Selves and Essential Selves. While I may not have agreed with all that she said, some points did peak my interest, in particular this quote 'experience stillness to find out what is true for you'. It reminded me of a drama game where you sit in silence until the tutor/leader says go and you say the first thing that comes to mind and goes with your physicality. Thinking before we speak. Thinking before we act. How easy is that to do with thousands of people at our fingertips and opinions flying left, right and centre, goading us to respond. What we see on the surface may not be the truth, both in person and virtually. It's interesting to see how so many of my personal experiences and thoughts cross over and how my community of practice expands but also intertwines.

In my post 'Techno Us' I spoke of how valuable drama is as a subject. This became even more prominent to me while at camp. To be able to help kids of all ages come out of their shells and involve themselves in things they wouldn't necessarily was such a rewarding experience. Giving people a space to be whatever they wanted and do whatever they wanted (safely I'd like to add) was inspiring to be a part of. Individuality should be something we embrace, be who you want to be. Don't always let social convention dictate who you are.

What next? Obviously we all start Module 2 and I'm looking forward to reading everyone's blogs and seeing how all our professional practices develop and change. Panto season is looming and I have a role on stage this year as a crew member so work gets very very busy for me. I'm excited for the new experience and to get back to work with a great team of people.

So that's been my summer, one huge learning curve. From going in completely blind (classic Jess baptism of fire method) to finding a place and people so incredible and making memories that are so special. I've thrown in some pictures because I'm a big fan of visual representations, there's also a link to my Instagram should you wish to see more snaps. Full Send.

  

Task 3B - Theories Relating to Networking

The past few weeks have been filled with trying to fit all of my experience and knowledge thus far into 1000 words in the form of my Critical Reflection. It's definitely taken over slightly and my blog has been put on the back burner. However, thought I'd try and complete all the tasks I can - it can only enhance my knowledge. Therefore BEHOLD! Task 3B. An exploration of a few of the theories in Reader 3 that I found interesting with reference to them within my own practice!

Cooperation

Without even reading the words under the title my mind already began to think about how important cooperation is within my practice. I envision the theatre as a place where everything and everyone is a small cog in a big machine. In order for it to work and run smoothly, everyone/thing has to work in harmony. Have you noticed that when a blog or Blogger itself is trying to load it shows two cogs working?

Ah harmony, those of us who work in a theatrical environment know that nothing is perfect. Things go wrong, technology (sometimes our memory) fails us. It's also probably worth mentioning that although a group of people can work together to achieve the end goal, this doesn't mean that they have to like each other. Being professional and doing my job in the best way I can is how I achieve my part in the working machine. Making friends or connections (hello networking!) is a bonus.

The Game Theory suggests that one person must succeed at the other person's expense. I related this to an audition situation. In order to get a job we have to 'beat' others at what we do. When I first read the term 'at someone else's expense' I thought it was very harsh but now that I can see it in my own practice it seems much less so. There is of course, the choice to not cooperate. I believe that people opt out of situations that are not beneficial to them; 'there is no such thing as selfless act' came to mind. Not sure I agree with this but that's a much more in-depth conversation for another time! With the Prisoners Dilemma, I found it difficult to relate within my own practice slightly because my mind wandered to thinking about crime and justice (fun fact - I actually got a place at University to study Criminology, Psychology and Forensic Science). I'm also an honest person so I couldn't imagine 'framing' or putting someone forward to take the blame for something I had done. I don't  know about anyone else but I've certainly been in situations where a scene or dance piece wasn't up to scratch and you get caught out. I think Teachers and Tutors know when someone isn't pulling their weight in a production/class but the whole company pull together and work as one without isolating one person.

Connectivism

A group of actors, singers, dancers and performers skipping round a fire chanting 'we are one' is the first thing that came to mind. Stephen Downes and George Siemens say that "learning occurs through connections within networks" We learn from one another. We seek to gain knowledge not only from those within our network but those who are affiliated with it - thus expanding our network. A bit like a domino effect the before you is the informant and you pass that on. The circle of knowledge (life). People develop personalities and traits by being influenced from their surroundings and people within their lives. I agree with this on a professional level. There have been many times during rehearsal process where someone will do something and I have thought to myself 'ah that's good, I'll keep that for another time'.

Reader 3 suggested that 'we might suggest that a professional network is a system with which we can interact to learn' and this idea is exactly what we do every day on this course. In the last campus session I mentioned how I spent a while going on to past students blogs. I found it so interesting to see how other people see and interpret things (same with all current students) and how they have written their ideas has got me thinking about not only their opinion but mine too. The digital world can enhance our learning because it is such a broad network with many contributors.

Siemen's Principles of connectivism:

• Learning and knowledge rests in diversity of opinions.
• Learning is a process of connecting specialized nodes or information sources.
• Learning may reside in non-human appliances.
• Capacity to know more is more critical than what is currently known
• Nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual learning.
• Ability to see connections between fields, ideas, and concepts is a core skill.
• Currency (accurate, up-to-date knowledge) is the intent of all connectivist learning activities.
• Decision-making is itself a learning process. Choosing what to learn and the meaning of incoming information is seen through the lens of a shifting reality. While there is a right answer now, it may be wrong tomorrow due to alterations in the information climate affecting the decision.

Nodes: a point in a network or diagram at which lines or pathways intersect or branch.

I really like how Siemen's has considered the changing climate. Sometimes theories can be stuck in their ways. The versatility of connectivism allows almost anyone to relate to it regardless of how or why they're using it. Why? Because we are all learning all the time, pardon the cliché but every day's a school day. This relates to Albert Bandura's social learning theory. We observe to learn. Children do this as a natural instinct and it only takes one or two times before they copy you. I don't think we ever loose this, which is why some people are tactile learners. This relates to Gardener's theory of Multiple Intelligences. This is just more proof that everything is linked - connected!

Communities of Practice

Etienne Wenger summarizes Communities of Practice as “groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly.” I believe that my community of practice expands beyond just performing and that each community of practice leads to another. In Lave and Wenger's diagram at the start of this course I would have been in the 'occasional' circle because I was still unsure of what I was doing and didn't yet realise the link between my work and every day practice. Now, I am very much an active participant of the course. Everything seems to be slipping into place and I can identify when this is happening and why.

To conclude, I believe nearly every theory (including those I haven't mentioned) from Reader 3 have the underlying principle that everything we learn and do comes from multiple sources. I agree with the idea that we have multiple influences that upon first glance may seem individual but with further evaluation you can see that they are all linked. This is a valuable asset to my practice because it allows me to learn more and expand my ideas by communicating and working with others. It is important to listen to everyone even if at first it doesn't useful, you never know what you might find.

References

https://www.learning-theories.com/social-learning-theory-bandura.html

https://education-2020.wikispaces.com/Connectivism

https://www.learning-theories.com/communities-of-practice-lave-and-wenger.html

Reader 3

Task 3A - Current Networks

Network - a word that can be interpreted in so many different ways. In this scenario, I envision rivers and streams intertwining and interconnecting. Everything works as one - much like the human body, without the heart we wouldn't have life and without blood the heart wouldn't work, so on and so forth. Having a strong network I believe is incredibly important for those of us in the performance industry. Many people have posted the age old saying 'its who you know not what you know' and I agree. Word of mouth is not only huge within theatre but within other industries. I have a job in retail and I'm often asked for suggestions as to the best face cream, eye shadow etcetera. From advising or working with one person they will go on to tell friends, family and perhaps other colleagues. This is why I think its so important to be aware of how we present ourselves both in the physical and the online world.

I followed by example and mapped out my networks (thank you fellow bloggers!). It actually took me a few attempts because the more I wrote the more I realised just how many people are in 'my network' - a bit like a spider working overtime on their web! Once it was down on paper in front of me I began to evaluate it.

I've taken some inspiration from Eleanor's Task 3A blog when evaluating because I really like how she's displayed it and considered it from lots of different angles.

How Valuable Is My Network?

Unbelievably valuable both professionally and personally. The people I trained with are the next generation of actors, adjudicators (hello Amanda!), casting directors and more. Not only that but they are friends, people who know how I work, who I am and what my strengths and weaknesses are - all of this helps to get the professional ball rolling. I have a friend who runs her own after school drama classes in several schools and I have been asked to help out from time to time.

Range

When I thought about how vast my network spans in just the few years in which I have engaged professionally in my practice, it also made me think about the range of personalities I've met, the amount of lessons I've learned (professionally and personally) that all stem from my network. At drama school we were fortunate enough to be introduced to 'visiting directors' who would come in for a few weeks, teach us a few routines or a whole play in some cases and then leave. Being exposed to all the different styles of teaching and writing really broadened my knowledge and helped towards my development as a performer, without that connection I wouldn't have been able grow.

A good example is in my first year, one of my tutors was on a casting panel for an advert and a few of us got an audition (and successfully got the job woohoo!). Without that connection it may not have turned out so positively. One of my old visiting tutors got the same job because the tutor on the casting panel knew he had a specific skill they were looking for.

How Do I Intend to Expand My Network?

Work, work, work, work, work, work! Nothing like a healthy employment to get the ball rolling! Another example! I work as part of a tech crew in the theatre, now although sourced this job myself, it turns out my dad knows the man who runs the front of house! So that's another possible path way for me to take if needs be. Everyone's network is always expanding, probably without even knowing it. Six months ago none of us even knew we existed on this planet and now thanks to BAPP we're all discussing, discovering and learning together. To be able to fully utilise my network of professional practice, I need to be more aware of the connections and relationships I'm making and creating.

Ethical Considerations

These are always bobbing around in the back of my mind - perhaps that's why I haven't been as aware of my network up until now. As with anything, be considerate. The term 'use and abuse' comes to mind. It's harsh sounding I know, but be thankful for your connections and don't take advantage of them. You want to keep them after all not alienate everyone; plus they'll soon let others know if you take advantage or mistreat them.

It's great to make friends with colleagues and performers alike but I think adding them on social media needs to be carefully considered. I've heard some people say 'just think would your Nan want to read what you've written' when it comes to social media and I like the underlying  premise. I always make sure that what I write I would be happy for anyone, but especially prospective employers, to see. If you're not happy, they're not happy.

Conclusion

I've concluded that out network is ever growing but it needs to be carefully nurtured for. What you see initially isn't the full picture and everything works as one. Similar to the rhizome theory and comparing it to blades of grass. We must 'water' ourselves to enable everything else to grow. When we think of 'word of moth' we mustn't just think of what people say about us but how our words impact on others.

Here are some images I found interesting as I looked a little further in to the 'word of mouth' idea:

References

http://versatilesolutionsbb.com/web_documents/word_of_mouth_research_jar_dec-07.pdf

https://michaelhyatt.com/how-our-words-impact-others.html

Allsop, D. T., Bassett, B. R., & Hoskins, J. A. (2007). Word-of-mouth research: principles and applications. Journal of Advertising Research, 47(4), 398.

https://moderncomment.com/customer-feedback-stats

https://michaelhyatt.com/how-our-words-impact-others.html

'Techno Us'

I recently commented on a post on Lauren's blog about how I try to keep up to date with all the latest news. This morning, low and behold,  just as I was about to leave for work, BBC News was on in the background and once again my ears pricked up. They were interviewing a singer-songwriter called Jessica Hoop and she mentioned how much she has to use other ways of promoting herself and her material rather than just streaming.

Here's the link to the video: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b08lm6c2/breakfast-13042017
Skip to around 2:54:00 (or 8:55 by the BBC's clock in the bottom right hand corner).

I mentioned that if I don't keep up with the news I feel like I'm out of the loop. I don't feel the same when it comes to social media, but it made me think about how many people cannot live without their phones for one reason or another. One of the news presenters mentioned that we stream 1 billion pieces of music every month! Isn't that crazy! So I decided to dig a bit deeper. Looking into the usage growth of social media, smartphones and how having all of this in the palm of our hands affects us.

• 7 in 10 people in the UK now own a smart phone.
• It is estimated 2.3 billion people own a smart phone in the World.
• 65% of adults now use social networking sites – a nearly tenfold jump in the past decade

In 2013:
"By the end of this current year, 1.4 billion smartphones will be in use: 798 million of them will run Android, 294 million will run Apple’s iOS, and 45 million will run Windows Phone, according to a new study by ABI Research. With the world population at 7 billion that will mean one phone for every five people in the world."

Technology and the performing arts! I'm not necessarily a techno-phob but more traditional. Someone once asked me 'what's the first thing you do when you wake up?' (expecting me to say pick up my phone) and I simply replied with 'make a brew!' much to their surprise. I've talked about the more negative sides of technology throughout my blog but in this instance it can be positive! Improvements with sound, light, projection, equipment and much more all help with the smooth running of shows, productions, training etc. Working as part of a theatre tech crew, I can experience first hand how these developments can help - but are these always reliable? In a word, no. Technology isn't invincible, but then nor are we so we have to allow for technology faults; just as we would human error in preparation for a show.

                  

It's quite astounding to see the rate at which this online world has grown. There have been many studies on this over the years and I'm sure there will be more to come. Perhaps we should have a technology detox once in a while. I love the feel of a newspaper in my hands, not just a plasma screen. This is such a broad subject that has stemmed from one little snippet I overheard on my way out the door. I probably wouldn't have taken notice of any of this before I started this course, its nice to see and feel like all this learning is finding its way into my everyday life.

Techno Me  

I can't believe how technology
Is destroying us as a humans
It has simply ruined our true journey
Of a good life on earth everywhere
All heads bowed but not in prayer
Staring at their new found life
That they now live within
A hand held device.

I think back to when I was a kid
Before things like this existed
Life back then was a different life,
Friends truly existed, in flesh and blood,
Not on a screen sending smiley face hugs.

Time seemed slower, now is almost over,
There's really nothing we can do,
They control our lives with the new,
iPhone, Android, and Tablets too,

Yeah we know each other,
But only on screen,
Our voices come through in text,
It is not the same as human flesh

by Lori Callahan

References

http://www.yourmodernfamily.com/no-technology-week-for-kids/

 http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2016/02/19/what-happened-when-teens-gave-up-technology-for-a-week_n_9273204.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/8235302/Facebook-generation-suffer-information-withdrawal-syndrome.html

http://mobilemarketingmagazine.com/7-10-people-uk-now-own-smartphone/

http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/10/08/social-networking-usage-2005-2015/

http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/01/04/section-6-overall-impact-of-technology-on-the-arts/

https://hellopoetry.com/words/3949/technology/poems/