Roanne Cox BAPP ACI Blog

  Last week I conducted my first interview with one of my participants and have since transcribed it and begun the process of analysis. Given I have more interviews to come, I think it's helpful to reflect on how the first one transpired. Firstly, approaching the interview felt quite difficult, not in the sense of having to be the interviewer, but in being completely objective and receptive to whatever is said whilst also having a topic that you want the person to talk about. With qualitative research, interview questions are open-ended and designed to allow the participant discuss their experience in depth, which is excellent for gathering data, but it can be hard not to ask leading questions when you're trying to get them talking about a specific topic. I found a lot of what was said to not be fully relevant, which was to be expected when using an interview structure that allows the participant to take it in their own direction, and tried to allow this to happen and then brin...

  I'm a week into module three and things are already getting interesting. And also complicated. I have done a lot of reading and found various articles and books that all seem to have connections to my inquiry but in a variety of different ways. Rather than one point of focus with sub-themes and perspectives, there appear to be lots of wider topics of focus. The literature thus far has brought up many ideas and directions that the research could go in. There are many aspects to artistry, to storytelling, and to dance education as well as the importance and significance of these respectively and inter-connectedly in society, in industries, in individual practices, in children, and in the human self. In my tutorial with Sam yesterday, we discussed this wide expanse of themes, literary directives and angles of the research - and, significantly, my feeling of overwhelm from this and search of focus and direction. We concluded that the research would thus be primary data led; in order ...

  I'm really not at all sure how I'm now in Module Three and about to start my research inquiry. But here we are.  It's been quite the ride to get to this point and I have a distinct feeling it's going to be that way right to the end. Armed with coffee, a laptop, and a few hopes and prayers, it's time to commence the final chapter. As usual, it's all looking a bit foggy and misty at this end of the path, but if I've learnt anything up to now, it's that you have to keep the faith and keep moving. I have just had a relatively nice induction back into the course however, in the form of the 'Meet Your Programme Team' meeting with Helen, Sam, Pedro, and a handful of the students. This was an opportunity to get to know the story of each staff member a little more and have an insight into their own practice, something we haven't had much of so far. With Helen in the world of dance, Sam in the world of music, and Pedro in the theatre world, it was i...