For the last few days I've been mulling over the Review of Learning handbook and also the introductory handbook that accompanies it. Lots of things have been flying in and out of my head as to how I'm going to navigate this and importantly apply MA critical thinking skills. There are so many areas to cover in the handbook that I panicked myself unnecessarily . For many years I've viewed my life as one long Bachelor of Arts degree in Life through a plethora of experiences but have I actually learnt anything through experiences and choices I've made? Have I moved on or stayed the same? I'm sure I have but how to capture them and make meaning through writing and analysing. With these thoughts in mind I've been trying to unlock my review and learning and ask what that really means for me. Is it about looking at a small area of my life and finding out the learning and knowledge potential gained and how it has impacted on me now and how deeper should I then go? I always had this slight fear of going in too deep in case I find something that I didn't like about myself or otherwise and can't come back - a bit like jumping off a cliff - there's no other choice but to go down - fall deeper from a great height of experience and get to the heart of what it is I want to find out. My learning is something like and investigation by detection following a line of enquiry solving a mystery - to get to the truth? of me?
For the areas of development and identifying the titles emanating from my CV I realised that in order for me to understand more clearly how to investigate and look more closely I draw on an area I like to do which engages a sense of learning and investigation particularly if some concepts are a little complex to understand. The area for me is cooking. For me there is something about experimenting and playing with different textures of food, smells, flavours, tastes that when combined helps me understand how to learn something and engage my sense of learning. Cooking for me like dancing creates a meaningful experience I like to combine flavours and textures and cooking processes see what change has occurred, or how a raw ingredient changes its meaning and purpose! It might not mean much to other fellow MAPPers but my aha! moment is looking at each of my area of learning from my CV and in each area analise the ingredients, cook it and see what has occurred or in the case of a stew I made last week, reduce it down and see what's left!
Hopal, I like this very much!! love finding imagery from other parts of our lives that works, and helps make sense of a seemingly complex task..good for you!
ReplyDeleteNot much of a cook myself, but a big fan of imagery generally..and do enjoy baking, I often talk when leading choreography classes of me sharing the ingredients and allowing the students to bake the cake, depending on their choice of ingredients as to what cake they bake... seems to give a route in especially for the less confident, those that shy away from choreography as choreography..baking, much simpler.
Using knowledge we already have to support us in new journeys is so important, looking at your Areas of Learning is your way of doing just that.. Enjoy your cooking!!
Helen
Hopal I totally know where you are coming from.... my dilemma at the moment is that I think I know what I have learned, but maybe I have not explored this deeply enough and maybe my presumption of my learning is too superficial.
ReplyDeleteOr, am I just very aware, having had to become very reflective when studying for my Cert Ed, and from being that kind of person anyway? Paranoia sets in a bit!
I get the cooking analogy - I am a hopeless cook but can see how you have had the lightbulb you needed to move forward. We will probably all come to our final destinations within this course via very different and deeply personal routes, which is an exciting concept, especially when I apply it to my students, their careers and what is ahead of them. Helen, I love the using of the baking terms when in choreography class - I am sure it creates some exciting results.
Happy MAPPing!
Janet
I find it very challenging to select what learnings are worthy of an MA. For instance, I use skills of spacial awareness that I have developed and learned during all these years of working in the dance field...when I am out in street traffic. I know that is a skill that most people don't have, yet...I am not sure something like that should/could be on my list.
ReplyDeleteHi there Maria
DeleteI understand how this might be difficult - I'm still trying to decide what is relevant for me to focus on. I don't know if it helps but in your particular area of Spacial Awareness developed I suppose the over-arching theme to me sounds like your initial dance training which might be a good starting point, and then perhaps talk about the learning/skills you gained in your training to develop this particular skill in spatial awareness and where it has evolved into a unique skill for you. Does that help for instance?