Theories Relating to Networking

Affiliation

Networks are an important part of both our personal and professional lives. People need other people for many different reasons.  Affiliation provides us with ‘a network of support that will help us when we are in need’ (Crisp and Turner 2007, pp266), it is a social process that satisfies a psychological need. Forming close relationships is a fundamental part of our lives for reproduction and survival. Communities survive better than individuals.  In a professional context developing networks can help your career development, improve your sense of self-worth and make your working life more enjoyable through interaction with others.

When prompted with the question ‘Why would experienced practitioners who are perhaps at their desired level of affiliation wish to help out younger less experienced individuals?’ I began to think about what the benefits were for them in them doing this.  I came to the conclusions that it is important for knowledge to be passed on so that we can educate the next generation, pass on our skills and continue to improve. No one will live forever so we must pass on our knowledge in order for learning to progress and be on-going.If everyone kept their knowledge to themselves then we wouldn’t know half of the things that we do today.

I also think it gives you a sense of pride and achievement if you are in the position of helping out less experienced people than yourself, it would promote feelings of satisfaction and self-worth.

Also experienced and knowledgeable individuals were not always that way therefore they themselves must have been helped at some point and so could feel it only right to now give something back and help out others.

Cooperation

The concept of cooperation is very interesting,  Robert Axelrod shows it very clearly in his ‘Prisoner’s Dilemma game, ‘The game allows the players to achieve mutual gains from cooperation, but it also allows for the possibility that one player will exploit the other, or the possibility that neither will cooperate’ Axelrod, R. (1984 pp xi – xiv). It brings to light the idea of tit for tat, what information are you willing disclose in order to gain information you desire from someone else?  

On reflection of where I might use cooperation in my current position, I think it can actually be a useful skill to have when teaching. If I want to get the most out of a group of children and make sure they are working well all lesson I will often use this idea of ‘tit for tat’. If they work well then at the end they will be rewarded with playing some games. I hadn’t thought about it like this before, but I am using cooperation for mutual gains. It’s a good tactic and works effectively in this situation.

Social Constructionism

Some networks are formed involuntary; family, your boss and co-workers, others you will go out of your way to form; friends, teachers, advisers. But all of these networks are meaningless and ineffective unless you construct meaning for them,’ meaning is not discovered but constructed’ Crotty, M. (2005 pp 42‐44)

Crotty also states that ‘Before there were consciousness’s on earth capable of interpreting the world, the world held no meaning at all.’

This helps explain that before being part of your network these people were already in existence but had no meaning to you. It is what emerges through your own thoughts and construction that will determine how they fit into your network, how they can help you and how you can help them. Only through knowing what purpose people play in your network (and perhaps what you play in there’s) will you be able to use that network efficiently and gain the best results from it.  

Connectivism

The idea of connectivism questions the traditional learning theory that we learn by knowledge being transferred from one person (book/webpage) to another. Technically this transfer does still happen, as when a teacher tells you something or you read a book you are being given information. However the point being raised is that this information does not necessarily become knowledge. You have to understand what is being said for it to become knowledge and for learning to take place. As the learner you need to take the information given to you and make sense of it for yourself, you need to connect with it, ‘Constructivism suggests that learners create knowledge as they attempt to understand their experiences’ (Driscoll, 2000, p 376) Within your networks information can run both ways and so the channels must remain open for this to happen ‘Personal knowledge is comprised of a network, which feeds into organizations and institutions, which in turn feed back into the network, and then continue to provide learning to individual’. Siemens, G. (2004).This cycle allows you to keep up to date with knowledge and information through the connections (nodes) you have made, enabling you to learn both from and within a network.

Technology has changed the way and the pace of how we learn, ‘Half of what is known today was not known 10 years ago’ Siemens, G. (2004). If learning continues to grow at this rate, can we really keep up with it all? If we are learning so rapidly do we really have time to take it all in or reflect on what we have learnt and how it affects us?

On the other hand technology can be a very useful tool when it comes to learning. With the vast amount of information available to us we no longer have to experience things for ourselves to be able to learn about them. Karen Stephenson states; ‘other people’s experiences, and hence other people, become the surrogate for knowledge.’ We can learn through the internet, TV, radio, books, and articles about a huge variety of subjects that we would never otherwise get access too.

Communities of Practice

Looking at my own network I can see that it is mainly made up of a community of practise, a number of people or groups in my network are linked to me and each other through our common interest in dance. ‘Members of a community of practice come together because of mutual interest and generate a shared experience of engagement in the community of practice’ (The Network Professional Reader 2010.) I don’t think this would be true of all professions but I think because dance is not only my job but also something I am passionate about and interested in whether it be performing it, watching it, teaching it or studying it, it has become the basis for a lot of my networks.

Being a part of this community we can learn from each other’s experiences, exchange ideas and share information to increase our knowledge and progress further in our chosen field. I would have to agree with some of the disadvantages bought up by Ross and Nicholas with regards to communities ‘becoming secretive and not sharing what they know,…’ (Ross Dunning 2010) if you are in direct completion with each other. I have experienced this as a dancer seeking work and auditions but now that I am doing more teaching work I have found this community of practice to be very supportive, helpful and encouraging. Teaching jobs are perhaps less competitive and therefore I found others to be very forthcoming with advice and ideas, and I too am happy to share my successes and new ideas with them.

References

Crisp, J & Turner, R 2007 Essential social psychology London Sage

Axelrod, R, 1984 The evolution of cooperation London Penguin

Crotty, M 2005 The foundations of social research: meaning and perspective in the research process 

London Sage

Driscoll, M. (2000). Psychology of Learning for Instruction. Needham Heights, MA, Allyn & Bacon.

Siemens, G. 2004 Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age

The Networked Professional Reader 2010/11

http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/data/files4/133682/The%20Networked%20Professional%20Reader.pdf

Dunning, R. 2010 Current Networks

http://rossdunning.blogspot.com/2010/11/current-networks.html

Line Of Inquiry

I have been really interested in some of the lines of inquiries others on the course have come up with but have struggled to focus on one for myself. I wanted it to be relevant to what I am doing now and something that I can really get stuck in to.

As I have been teaching people of all ages in a number of community dance sessions lately, it made me think about Social Dance. What role does dance play in society and how has it changed over the years? How and why is it different between different cultures and ages groups?

As performers a lot of us dance because we have a passion for it and it’s something we love.  But what other benefits does dance have?

• Its great exercise.

•  It can build confidence.

• Increases coordination/flexibility.

•  Its fun.

• It’s a great way of socialising.

Shows like strictly come dancing have bought dance back into the public eye. It’s become popular again; people are inspired to want to learn to dance.

I attended a Scottish friend’s Wedding at the beginning of the year in Edinburgh.  To kick of the evening entertainment they had a Kay lee band playing (which at the time I hadn’t heard of). All the Scottish guests new these set dances and had us all up participating too. It was so much fun! I was dancing with people I hadn’t even spoken to throughout the day and it was a great way to bring everyone together, and get the party started.

Another great experience I had with social dance was when I was out rehearsing in LA. We knew a guy who took salsa classes so a few of us went along and learnt the basics then after the class the whole place filled up with people and everyone danced the night away. I got asked to dance with so many different people, who I had never met and will never see again but it was so enjoyable. We didn’t stop dancing all night; I was exhausted by the end, but had had the best time. I have never experienced anything like that in this country where there is such energy and a passion for dance from the public. I don’t think it is in our culture.

Current Networks

It has been interesting reading everyones thoughts and ideas about networking that came out at the campus session. Thanks for sharing!

When thinking about my own networking I have realised that in the last year my networks have been steadily changing and re organising themselves. Having been doing less performing and more teaching work I have made a whole new set of networks, my old ones are still there but priorities have changed and certain networks have now became more relevant than others.

Looking back on it now it has made me realise just how interlinked some of these networks are and how I have found work from some networks that I would not have ever expected too.

My first permanent teaching job that I started last September came from a choreographer I met when performing in a show a number of years ago. We had kept in touch and she now had her own theatre school and offered me employment. Since then we have become very close friends and she is someone I look up to, admire and can turn to for advice and support. As someone who has been down a similar path to me she has been a great help in passing on contact details, forwarding me job vacancies and offering great references to other employers.

For a while this was the only job I had, I found it hard having been away from the area for so long to know what opportunities were available and where the teaching jobs were. It took time for me to build up new networks or re-establish old ones as well as building up my reputation in the area.

Slowly I began to make more contacts and as people got to know me and see my work they would recommend me to others. For example at the theatre school I work at, my colleges there in the singing and drama departments have both passed my details on to friends or other organisations that I have then gone on to work for.

On two separate occasions this year I have got teaching work though my family network, which has been an eye opener to me as it is not an area I would have expected to find work opportunities. One opportunity arose after a conversation my gran had with a younger cousin of mine whose dance school was looking for a tap teacher and another through a family friend who knew of a company looking for dance practitioners in my area, I had never even heard of the company and now I do a lot of great work with them. I got both jobs through my own merits but would never have heard of them had it not been for these people in my family network as they were not advertised positions.

Another important networking tool for me is going to see regular performances in my area. Here I get to meet up with like-minded people in the industry and keep up to date on what is going on. It is also a place where I get to meet up with old teachers, friends or dance associates who I am not in regular contact with but seeing them at such events keeps them in my network.

The internet has always been a very useful tool to me in networking over the years. When performing it was a great way to find out about auditions, keep in touch with teachers and friends from college and email employers, agents and casting directors with CV and Photos. I have used it more recently to research dance schools and organisations in my area, it’s been a great way to increase my knowledge of dance in my area and get in touch with prospective employers. I have been able to get in touch with organisations and people I have never met, provide them with all my details and experience, let them know I am in the area and ask that if there are any current or future work opportunities that they keep me in mind. I have done this a lot and it has paid off! Often I have found that people aren’t necessarily looking for dance teachers but if you make contact and they like what they see then they are more often than not willing to have a meeting and take you on as a cover teacher which can often then lead to a more permanent position. You have to be proactive in making new contacts and networks.

Social networking sites have also provided some work opportunities for me, I have seen people post last minute requests for dance teacher cover on Facebook which is actually a really affective way of communicating with a large number of people probably across a number of different networks. I myself have used it as a tool recently when I needed an extra dancer at short notice for a show I was choreographing. It just goes to show again how networks can overlap and you never know where an opportunity may arise!

I liked Joanna's theory that within your networks there are those people that you receive from, those that you give to and those that who you equally give and receive from. I started to divide my networks up like this but then prompted with the question “can you think about the motives of others to be in the network and what values and purpose they have in mind?” from the module handbook it made me think that at some point could all networks work both ways? Could both parties benefit from being in each other’s network or are there just some networks where they will always be a hierarchy? 

For example I work a theatre school, initially it was obvious to me that they are in the ’giver’ position as i gain from them as they are giving me work and I look to my employer for advice and support too. However when I started to think about it further I realised that I could also be seen as the ‘giver’ here, I have a lot of experience and knowledge to bring to their school and on occasions when I am asked by youngster or parents looking to sending their children to dance/drama/singing classes I would recommend this theatre school to them, so I am bringing in extra students to them also.

Another example could be if you have an agent you would initially put that into the category of people you receive from. But actually by you being on their books you are adding to their agency and making them money and again you may recommend them to other people thereby increasing their reputation. I couldn’t help thinking of the saying ‘it takes two to tango’!! Surely there must be some benefit for all parties that are in the network otherwise why bother? It may not be apparent straight away and it may not be a material benefit like money or gaining a job, it could be the satisfaction of passing on knowledge or doing a friend a favour. You may not reap the benefits straight away but at some point in their existence a network will run both ways.

Now don’t get me wrong I am all for helping people out, I don’t give to receive but often just because it feels like it is the rights thing to do or you can help someone out. I still keep an eye on what is happening in the performing world and often tell friends of jobs I’ve seen that I think they would be suitable for, if I can’t take a teaching job I would always try to recommend someone else instead. More recently I have been in the position where I was able to offer a friend a performing job in a show I was choreographing; great for her as she was out of work, but now thinking about it great for me too as I get to work with a friend!

My ideal network would be a balance of giving and taking in equal measures. I enjoy helping others and passing on my knowledge but I still like to have those people to look up to, learn from and be supported by. I think it’s important to always keep your network growing, as you develop and change your networks will too. Some networks will always remain solid and then others you may grow out of and form new ones more relevant to your current circumstances. Once having been in a network I don’t think it would ever totally go away, it may fade and you may not use it for a long time, but then twenty years down the line you could have a chance encounter and meet up with someone from that network and a new opportunity may arise!

Reflective Theory: Task 2c

Without realising it I use reflective practises quite often in my day to day life, be it for work, socially or in my private life. If you don’t reflect on your experiences then how can you learn from them? Experience is what moulds us, alters us and makes us the people that we are. For example I would not present myself in the same manner at an audition or interview today as I would of six years ago, fresh out of college. As well as having the technical ability I now have the experience to go with it, I know what to do, and what not to do. These are things that we can only learn through experience.

I use the idea of reflection and “Turning experience into learning” Boud (English and Gillen, 2001), as a tool when I am teaching. If I have a dance to choreograph for a show, rather than just go in on day one with all the steps prepared and ready to throw at the students I like to give them a fuller learning and understanding of the theme, music and style. Often I will achieve this through creative tasks. Rowtree (1998) says “you should prepare for it before hand, participate actively during it, and reflect on it afterwards”

Choosing a relevant piece of music I ask the students to listen carefully to it and express through movement whatever comes to them in that moment. Afterwards I will ask them how did it make them feel? What did it make them think? What can they tell me about the music? Describe the sound to me? It really gets them thinking rather than me just providing all the answers. I would then divide them in to small groups and ask them to use the knowledge we have just talked about in order to put together a short dance sequence. Finally in their groups they will demonstrate their ideas group at a time. This gives them the opportunity to learn from what others have done, and again I will ask questions at the end. How did they feel it went? What did people like? What did they think they could improve on?

Kolbs learning cycle helps us to understand how this method of teaching would be beneficial. It shows that people start to learn at different stages and have different learning styles. It is important to recognise that people learn in different ways and use various teaching styles and techniques in order to engage all the participants visually, auditory and kinaesthetically.

Listening to the music and improvising (having an experience), talking about how they felt and what they thought (reflective observation), using their ideas to produce more structured movements (learning from the experience), demonstrating their work (actively trying out what they have learnt). This method provides an opportunity for all learning techniques to be utilised and so gives a complete learning experience for all the students involved. People need to feel, watch, do and think. Each is an important entity in the learning process.

Donald Schon’s (1987) ideas about reflection in action and reflection out of action really got me thinking. Of course we reflect out of action but the idea of reflecting in action was new to me. I couldn’t grasp how we could have time to reflect in the middle of doing something and believed this just to be merely our reactions. After further thought, discussions, blogging and enhancing my understanding of the meaning of reflection I came to realise that reflection in action is a skill that we have learnt most liking without even realising it. Moon defines reflective practice as “a set of abilities and skills, to indicate the taking of a critical stance, an orientation to problem solving or state of mind” (1999: 63)

As a dancer we reflect in action all of the time in order to give our best performance. We are constantly assessing our body and our surroundings for changes that we need to adapt too. Therefor reflection in action is our thought process and the physical change is our body reacting. But how do we know what to do and what to look out for? This must come from our reflection on action, from reflecting on previous experiences, learning from them and then putting them into action next time we need to reflect in action. It is another cycle by which we have to learn from our experiences or else we would keep making the same mistakes and not progress or improves ourselves.

Rowntree (1988) says reflection is studying one's own study methods as seriously as one studies the subject and thinking about a learning task after you have done it. Unless you do this, he says, the task will almost certainly be wasted. He suggests that we must always reflect on our experiences otherwise they were a waste. It’s true that in order to progress and become the best we can we need to look to our past experiences, decide what worked and what didn’t. We must then take forward the knowledge of our findings and implement it into our future experiences. 

Robert Kottkamp suggests that reflection in action in harder to achieve “The latter type is the more difficult to achieve, but the more powerful for improvement of practice because it results in ‘online’ experiments to adjust and improve one’s professional actions”, he goes on to say that “Reflection-on-action is accomplished ‘off-line’ at a time when full attention can be given to analysis and planning for the future without the imperative for immediate action…”

They are both important tools and go hand in hand with one another so you cannot say one is more beneficial than the other but I can see why he believes ‘’online” reflection is harder to achieve. As much as you reflect on an experience after the event unless you are then able to put that knowledge into action then you cannot move forward, improve or become better at what you do. 

All the theories mentioned prove that reflection is a fundamental part in the learning process. I was quite unaware of my use of reflection before but now I have gained awareness and knowledge of the true meaning of reflection I will be able to use this tool more efficiently and effectively.

References

ENGLISH, L. M. & GILLEN, M. A. 2001. Promoting journal writing in adult education, San Francisco, Jossey‐Bass.

KOTTKAMP, R. B. (1990) Means for facilitating reflection. Education and Urban Society, 22, 182-203.

MOON, J (1999) Learning journals: a handbook for academics, students and professional development (London: Kogan Page)

ROWNTREE D (1988) Exploring Open and Distance Learning Routledge.

SCHÖN, D. A. 1987. Educating the reflective practitioner : toward a new design for teaching and learning in the professions, San Francisco, Jossey‐Bass.