Chris Smith led a seminar where we discussed 2 chapters of a PhD student, Andrew Gray, about Reflection In and Reflection On Practice.
He described how research practice had evolved from 1992 when Art PhDs were first being delivered. They started with:
Problem solving model ----------> How to improve professional practice
derived from Science/Medical programmes
1992 driven by requirement for Arts funding
Person Unfortunately cyclical model did not work
very well for Art.
Recipient External observations Schon and reflective practice fits here instead
- Understand your practice. Reflection and Reflexivity.
- Understand what constructs your world (I think I covered this in the intro to my Proposal. I think it can be summed up that I did not like being under-valued by my peer group at work, so I don't like other people being under-valued either, particularly when I represent that group - i.e. women)
- Understand what constructs the mirror. (Not sure what this is for me)
- What model is in your head when you draw conclusions. (not sure)
Consider Reflection In, and Reflection On. I don't think I reflection on my practice when I am creating. I am more likely to be reflecting on the people I am representing. Reflection on my practice comes after I have done it.
When writing the report of practice, consider to whom are you describing. Think about the difference to the audience Mother/child/mates when the question is asked "What did you do at school today?" Different language and content would be used.
Make description useful. Practice is messy. Make neat and tidy. Fit to audience. Prove/Improve.
Get a descipline. A self imposed method or set of rules - Dewey.
Definitional rules - difficult to apply
Preferential rules - judgmental. Easier. Is it a chair or a sculpture.
Naturalised ) Reflection in Actions
Constructed )
Use of Agency (I) gives a unique position/observational position, as opposed to social conditioning.
Grounded theory - data speaks to you.
Good to use rules to journey to an unknown destination. I might need help to identify and comprehend my rules.
Implicit models of reflection - messy/inconsistent/what we do.
Explicit models of reflection - consistent.
There is a need for supervisors and students to be able to pick up and run with suggestions for lines of enquiry.
Keeping a diary - description - themes come up. I need to work out how to use tags/keywords on my blog to be able to search themes later.
Be suspicious of authority. How does it fit in with your practice? Don't claim association of your practice with theory, especially via secondary texts. Always go to the original. Theory and practice need to dovetail well. Good integration required.
Methods are tools. No more than that. Are they useful? Appropriate? Will it give a useable output?
Studying for an MA is about understanding your own practice. You are expected to be working at the boundary of knowledge. Whereas a PhD contributes new knowledge to the field.
I am not sure whether I am practice based or practice led.
Get your stuff out, put it on a table and look at it. Seeing it as a collection will enable reflection and analysis. What work does the artwork do?
Colleneck (?) Art is a random collective practice - and we show who we are and what we know we are by our art output. Art is about rhetoric and speech. Identify your rules and move to difference. The rule is to break the rules.
Work out the format of your artwork. In my case the sampler contributes to the message. Banners could do the same.
Coherence will be measured. This is the perception and experience of materials used, and outlines an attribute of us. There is a reverberation between dialogue and materials. Part of the motor that brings things together. They are not seeking problem solving. Not knowing in action but discovering in action.
This was followed by a session with Lewis for Contextual Studies. I was somewhat alarmed to realise we are expected to produce a 3,000 word draft Literature Review by 27 November - about 10 days time! Time to get cracking.
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