Another new task set ahead of me, learning to develop and write a report is a tad ambiguous and scary in what is reminded as a very short time frame?

I have found this website run by Grammarly:

I have a lot of work to consider and specifically a plan to build around this report, the first I must do, is read a report or find similar work that is considered to be a foundation in understanding the prospect of

Report type: Business/Academic
Report viewers: Vertical (both higher and lower positions)
Report type: Academic report – Formal and information

1. Executive Summary: Abstract – normally written after your report has concluded.
2. Introduction: Setting up the body of the report.
3. Body: Broken into headings and subheadings detailing major events or findings.
4. Conclusion: Personal input of opinions summarising the findings and data.

A report must include the following, remember to seek out and notice the design of the organisation’s layout of their reports! analysis the design of the report and think if this is how you want to present your findings:

• Title page: Official reports often use a title page to keep things organized; if a person has to read multiple reports, title pages make them easier to keep track of. 
• Table of contents: Just like in books, the table of contents helps readers go directly to the section they’re interested in, allowing for faster browsing. 
• Page numbering: A common courtesy if you’re writing a longer report, page numbering makes sure the pages are in order in the case of mix-ups or misprints.
• Headings and subheadings: Reports are typically broken up into sections, divided by headings and subheadings, to facilitate browsing and scanning. 
• Citations: If you’re citing information from another source, the citation guidelines tell you the recommended format.
• Works cited page: A bibliography at the end of the report lists credits and the legal information for the other sources you got information from.

Using this guideline, I feel that I have the core understanding of making my report come to life, and bringing the evidence to life. The only concern would be following the guidelines of UAL and making the report in the similar format. Although a personal concern it is not a career one, as its experience building.

This enquiry forum is pretty new to me. Understanding the purpose and need is remarkably heavy reading but it is noted that it is deeply effective in helping you fully understand the potential of risk in your research.

Documenting this draft as my first written enquiry piece is another milestone in my research journey, making this term a great start to the ending of the PGcert. I like to upload my ideas as a reflective piece, that I can categorise in the future and look back onto.

I still have a lot to learn and consider with ethics and research, so this entry point is short and sweet, considering the time it has come into action, it would be good to start to learn about ethics earlier in the course.

I wanted to analyse and reflect on my job description and relate it more closely to the areas of interest for my ARP. I have taken key points and considered how they can be reflected as a job responsibility to the current pillars at LCF/UAL. Below is an idea, a reflective thought of how I can relate what is already in place and connect the dots to make technicians feel more connected to the overall family of UAL and its strategic plan.

Teaching and Learning (Academic Research)

• To provide formal or informal sessions to students that may include one of more, demonstration, instruction with a process/technique, coaching with the development and proficiency of a particular skill, technique or process.​

• To contribute to planning, development and delivery of learning activities supporting student learning and research, liaising with Course Leaders and academic staff informally and formally with Course meetings
  
• To contribute to student formative assessments, with reference to appropriate learning outcomes of the course or project.​
  
  Knowledge Exchange

• To liaise internally and externally with professionals and recognised practitioners and artists, attend conferences and exhibitions to share and develop ideas, knowledge and expertise that can be translated to support academic learning and research activities.​
• To be involved with the design, production and development of appropriate teaching and learning materials to suit own specific areas of specialist activity and service delivery
  
  Research

• To carry out detailed and extensive research to support the ability to diagnose and resolve problems of a highly technical, complicated nature, that involves testing and re-testing scenarios and processes to lead to the successful design and achievement of intended learning outcome/execution of work​
• To contribute, as a course team member, with the planning and development of the programme area, the identification of learning outcomes, including curriculum development, research and commercial activities. (this can also be associated with T&L and KE). 

Academic Career Pathways

UAL needs an academic workforce with the different skills to deliver teaching, research and knowledge exchange. The Academic Career Pathways project is designed to recognise, develop and reward careers in these mission areas.

Following extensive consultation, we have introduced 3 Academic Career Pathways:

• Teaching Oriented Pathway
• Knowledge Exchange-Oriented Pathway
• Research Oriented Pathway

The pathways aim to build on our knowledge exchange reputation and our excellent teaching.

Project principles

• All academic staff will teach as part of their contract
• All 3 pathways will have a clear route from Grade 5 to Professor
• You will be placed on a pathway through an open, transparent process
• There will be a clear process to switch your pathway at different points in your career

We aim to achieve these basic principles within existing contractual arrangements.

The question, when I first started my specialist job, is where is my pathway? and where can I go in my career as a specialist? I have been fighting for answers to this question, for 3 years, not really knowing how to dive deeper into the meaning behind my job, what it means to be a specialist and where are the level 5 and level 6 specialists that are related to lectures and senior lectures.

I found this information, very exclusive and excluded a lot of the student teaching workforce who are level 4 specialists, who build active learning teaching plans, and lesson plans and develop synchronous and asynchronous teaching based on industry skills related to creative practice.

The process and practice of teaching practical skills come in new ways, and very heartfelt and honest approaches to teaching especially craft focus, which has a huge history with diversity, equality and classism. There is also learning curves for those specialists who have been doing this job for over 10/20 years and now changing their teaching practice and evaluating how digital teaching reflects the new generation of learners! Do technical staff get the opportunity to explore digital research/KE or teaching in changing or developing their practice, and reflect on how it is taught?

I have started to realise, that this blog is a mind map of not just my thoughts, but key moments in my education journey, and being able to upload PDFs, will allow me to keep a digital track of the information I have been reading.

Ethical reading to my understanding, is liberating and protecting both the investigator and the participant in the simplest formats. It allows both party members to be honest and open about the investigation and how they are participants, which are key data retrieval in obtaining evidence to conquer queries or problems researchers face within their work.

“Educational researchers aim to extend knowledge and understanding in all areas of educational activity and from all perspectives, including those of learners, educators,
policymakers and the public.” pg 3

This citation is extremely rewarding to read and shows how inclusive this guideline is for educational researchers, the wording is very inclusive and welcoming to those who aren’t academics and brings a sense of clarity to the field while studying the PGcert. (Something like this would be good to see amongst the pgcert workshop days, using inclusive language to support all educational staff that participate in teaching and learning).

The Guide Lines – I have taken the opportunity to dive in and question the first section of the guideline mostly based on participants, as this part I feel most fearful, On one hand, I am exhausted from the hierarchy system, the language used solely focused on academics and the routes of progression offered to technical staff members.

“1. The British Educational Research Association (BERA) believes that educational researchers should operate within an ethic of respect for any persons – including themselves – involved in or touched by the research they are undertaking. Individuals should be treated fairly, sensitively, and with dignity and freedom from prejudice, in recognition of both their rights and of differences arising from age, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, class, nationality, cultural identity, partnership status, faith, disability, political belief or any other significant characteristic.” pg 6

• Is my question, harmful towards any of these differences?
• How do I come across as sincere and sensitive when investigating?
• How do I elevate my question to reflect a technician’s position?

“2. The Association expects researchers to be mindful of the ways in which structural inequalities – those, for example, associated with ‘race’, gender, LBGT+ issues and socioeconomic status – affect all social relationships, including those that are formed in the course of research. Where relevant, attention should be paid to the ways in which such
inequalities specifically affect children and young people, and their relationships. Sensitivity and attentiveness towards such structural issues are important aspects of researchers’
responsibilities to participants at all stages of research, including reporting and publication.” pg 6

• Are there already Social structures at play within the hierarchy of Creative education?
• Rapport relations between students and academics versus technicians?
• Navigating the political side of a technician’s position to challenge standards?

“3. Participants in research may be actively or passively involved in such processes as observation, experiment, auto/biographical reflection, survey or test. They maybe collaborators or colleagues in the research process, or they may simply be implicated in the context in which a research project takes place. (For example, in a teacher or lecturer’s research into their own professional practice, students or colleagues will be part of the context, but will not themselves be the focus of that research.) It is important for researchers to take account of the rights and interests of those indirectly affected by their research, and to consider whether action is appropriate – for example, they should consider whether it is necessary to provide information or obtain informed consent. In rare cases – for instance, in some politically volatile settings, or where researchers are investigating illegal activity, including suspected abuse – covert research may be defensible. In such cases approval must be obtained from an institutional ethics review committee.” pg 6-7

• As my question deals with the greater learning opportunities for students, how do I navigate guideline 3?
• My professional practice is halted at Level 4, Level 5 technical roles are management and not necessarily ‘professional practice’ in education but more directed towards managing people and resources.
• How do I reflect the need to progress technical roles and in fact share a curiosity with evolving student learning with current times/needs of the industry?

“4. Where research draws on social media and online communities, it is important to remember that digital information is generated by individuals. Researchers should not assume that the name given and/or identity presented by participants in online fora or media is a ‘real’ name: it might be an avatar. This avatar could represent a human or a bot, but behind either will be one or more human creators responsible for it, who could therefore be regarded as participants; whether and how these potential participants might be traceable should be considered. Where an organisation shares its data with researchers, those researchers have a responsibility to account for how and with what consent that data was gathered; they must also consider the authorship of that data and, consequently, whether it is necessary to independently approach the relevant individuals for consent concerning its use. Researchers should keep up to date with changes in data use regulations and advice.” pg 7

• This guideline is interesting, solely on the focus on technical roles becoming more digital based and corresponding with the hybrid learning curves of how to manage and balance work commitments, teachings, studio managing, health and safety, registers, supervised studio, maintenance, online bookings, machine handling, ordering, digital learning resources and of course now teams, the work communication and database tool.
• Data use would be from physical participants in a real-life focus group (the desired research method). Although questions will be on digital learning and upskilling, automation and craft versus digital making.
• As this is a voluntary participating group, I will provide consent forums indicating that the answers provided are truthful and honest and will be showcased with anonymity within the research e.g. Technician 1, ” 25 years in the business etc etc”…

“5. Researchers have a responsibility to consider what the most relevant and useful ways are of informing participants about the outcomes of the research in which they were or are involved. They could consider whether and how to engage with participants at the conclusion of the research by, for example, debriefing them in an audience-friendly format, or by eliciting feedback on the findings. Should conflicting interpretations arise, researchers should normally reflect participants’ views when reporting the research. Researchers may wish to offer them copies of any publications arising from projects in which they have participated, or to produce reports specially tailored for the research context, taking into consideration potential subsequent uses of this material, including by the participants’ institutions. Where the scale of the research makes such a consideration impractical, alternative means such as a website could be used to ensure that participants are informed of the outcomes and the ways in which they are able to engage with them.” pg 8

• The research information document seems to be fitting for the purpose of the research I am trying to conduct in order to see a change in technical routes?
• I think I will offer a debriefing or a review of the peer observation during my presentation to see how it can progress.
• As this is a small-scale methodology, offering participants an opportunity to regroup and reflect on my findings could be interesting and add to the value of the research. Is there a name for such methodology or is it still considered qualitative?

“6. Researchers also have a responsibility to consider how to balance maximising the benefits and minimising any risk or harm to participants, sponsors, the community of educational researchers and educational professionals more widely – while again recognising that irresolvable tensions may need to be addressed. At times, some benefits to participants may be compromised in order to achieve other gains or goals, but these compromises should be justifiable and, where possible, explicitly accounted for.” pg 8

• My research is about benefiting the technical teams as well as focusing on retention and career longevity. navigating this balance mentally seems quite easy, but maybe I am being naive in the presumption that everyone will see that benefit.
• I have selected a small group of deans and managers to interview, if willing to see how the prospect of these findings is connected to my idea of technical pedagogy and its future with teaching and learning specialists.

“7. Researchers should not undertake work for which they are not competent.” pg 8

• How do we value competence in research?
• Am I competent because I am currently in that position?
• Am I competent because I am conducting a theory of idea for a small research project?
• Am I competent as I feel my future in a career, changes my desired outcome.

In total, there are 85 guidelines, which is an extreme amount of guidelines to consider and follow, something that I am grateful to have and to read back on. Over time, I will blog more about certain topics, more reflectively when it comes to nature with my research proposal. I think reading all of the sections at once, will hinder and make my research less honest, as I feel I will procrastinate over these guidelines, rather than correcting them later.

It is really interesting writing an ethical forum and committing to these research methodologies before actually testing out the ideas, or experimenting to see if they are the right ones to do. I am hoping that with the influence of my peers, I have chosen the right methods and work towards gathering this information.

I am really proud of this moment, my first research idea, coming to life. A mile stone.

While studying on the pgcert, I have noticed that the majority if not all documentation, power points, always address the academics, like the image above. Rather than people who are in the room. There are plenty of talks of this, but action is missing, to me personally, this falls in line with social justice and staff representation within “staff learning portals/courses”
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‘Synthesise’ is the correct word to be used towards art/design students. As a practitioner in conversations with other creative colleagues, this word is confusing and alienating towards what is required to secure this learning outcome.

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In agreement with the group, the facilitators contributed the same concerns and discussed the issues are upper programmable and have a 5-year wait before changes can be implemented.
This was an extremely interesting concept to consider on the background information connected to courses and learning a small bit of information on the audits of courses.

Writing Small discoveries: an exploration of fresh observers’ observations.
Askel H. Tjora – Norwegian University of Science and Technology

The question I ask is whether the selection of these articles was randomised, why the tutor prescribed me this context and what relevance it has to my research skills or lack thereof.

The first few pages are remarkably academic and incredibly banal allowing my mind to drift and disconnect, engagement so far has been why? over ‘mmmh interesting’. Personally and creatively I do enough people-watching and I am wondering to myself, If I can consider any of these citations an unconscious ploy of self-documenting my observations.

Salient
ˈseɪlɪənt adjective is most noticeable or important. – Google search.

A new word to add to the vocabulary, I believe most of the reading this term, is an introduction to the ‘academic tongue’ but majority of the papers I tend to read, I am googling what the meaning is, questioning if I am smart enough to even take on this pgcert let along the challenge of a PhD.

“There are two important ethical issues that have to be considered when
applying students’ work in this article. The first is the exploitation of students’
work for individual research and publication purposes, and the second is the
potential to make fun of students’ stumbling early research-like attempts.” pg7

I liked this exposure to the ethical awareness of the following student’s pieces being shown in the next few pages, considering the evidence provided to conclude this article, it is extremely awarding to be respected in this manner in academia.

Another uptake from this note-taking article, is the use of brackets in dialogue of observing, while doing research (Could I have a mind of my own) based on this situationship of collecting data. Building internal dialogues into research seems exciting and more related to bringing a more individualist approach to capturing data.

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Interesting to see on page 16 :

“Compared to a naive description, a note such as the above may lose research-related validity by the way it represents a very personal description or rather a literary reconstruction of a social situation.”

While one portion of note-taking, having an internal dialogue is seen as acceptable in an ‘extra-naive’ manner, over-stimulating the dialogue with personal descriptors can invalidate the research.

“The students had to use some sort of intuition, or informed hunches, to make sense of activities observed and to develop a way of ‘seeing’ what was evident in the social setting (Janesick, 1998: 61).” pg 19

“people watching” is a hobby, I understood the concept of this, literacy though, describing the interactions, and environments never really occurred in my practice, it is more the style, dress and body language of the one being observed.

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After sleeping on this article, the journey to read it was incredibly hard due to time, work restrictions and opening the new building at LCF. Which means that I didn’t have enough time to digest and reflect properly. I felt this allowed me to give a negative pretence to the article and I saw the author to have a god-based complex that although pointed out wrongs, didn’t provide clear or ‘correct’ methods to consider a clear end route for student versus public engagement in ethnographic research.

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Reading 9 (Art-based action research in the development work of arts and art education)
Timo Jokela & Maria Huhmarniemi

Dee’s thoughts on this article provided a lot more participation in action research guidelines and allowed a better understanding of how to challenge research within art and design. Maybe this is something I could read in the future to get a better understanding of research in the sight of the future of continuing a career in this field of technical academia.


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Opening a disclaimer in biases, between participants and practitioners we navigate this question in starting a session on these initial starting prompts. What and where is the ethical and unethical understandings of being a part of research and building a fair and progressive research paper.

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Reading 7 – Documenting classroom life: how can I write about what I am seeing?
LIZ JONES, RACHE L HOLMES, CHRISTINA MACRAE and MAGGIE MACLURE Manchester Metropolitan University, UK

I am hoping to read this article, as E-Sinn’s review of the paper was quite profound in liberating how we conduct the outcome of our research and the purpose of the researcher, creating the routes of questions and open-ended solutions.

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Transparency in how you talk about the research and the leading outcomes, positionality and ideas of building a connection in social and academic practice.

Is transparency possible, who I am, and what am I bringing to the table, how do we manage risk, how is its power consistently negotiated, MAKE VISIBLE?

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Epistemology – how do we know?

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Below is the response from today’s session on digesting each other’s readings and how we discussed the possible connections throughout each part.