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.