Task 5C Consultation on Professional Ethics

Reader 5 has allowed me to understand and learn, as well as expand my existing knowledge on the ethical prospects that need to be taken into consideration in my professional field, which is dance education. In a nutshell, ethics sets out moral principles which can be used to distinguish between right and wrong. In education, ethics are highly valued as they are used as a form of protection and equality.

There are three main types of ethics, which are personal, professional, and organisational. A good practice and understanding of all three can lead to a balanced society for the better. Personal ethics can include religion, values and personal beliefs. Factors that vary depending on the individual. Professional ethics can include a code of conduct, which is explained in task B. Lastly, organisational ethics, which can be a professional networks particular ethos. 

Ethics can be stemmed back to the early 300 BC, where philosophical thinkers such as Plato and Aristotle made moral decisions on the basis for what is right and wrong. This will have been beneficial to the social good of society. Other theorists have contributed to the basis of this, for example, Hobbs (1651), who considered the practice of ethics as a method of bringing social harmony about. These sets of moral rules shall aid the positivism and equality to society. In addition to this, JS Mill proposed the idea of doing what is morally good and beneficial for the highest number, otherwise referred to as the 'greatest good for the greatest number'. 

Reader 5 sets out an example of modern day ethics and morals. In various societies, arranged marriage is normality, and with immigration occurs, those values are brought over to the UK, where the liberal perception is that it is unethical, however in other cultures, it is acceptable. 

Ethical problems can be assessed through a normative or a descriptive question. For example, asking the question of was it right or wrong before the statement would be normative question, as opposed to asking an individual if they personally have done something, which would be a factual question. Other terminology associated with ethics are;

Metaethics: an analytical process which aims to gain understanding as to what moral codes mean. 

Theoretical Normative Ethics: a factor which includes a moral judgement being decided. 

Applied Ethics: discovering reasonable solutions to moral issues. 

In terms of ethical arguments, the judgments that are initiated move over the facts of the situation taken place, and then on to the attitudes and behaviour involved. When a conclusion has been reached, it can then be challenged or appealed if; the argument between the premises and the conclusion was not made logically, or there might be another perspective or outlook on the scenario in hand. 

In terms of carrying an inquiry out, ethical practice plays a vital vole. Carrying out research can involve participation from target groups, for example, students, teachers, the community, which requires responsibility from the researcher themselves, which most commonly is to ensure that the safety of the participant is is of minimal risk. When conducting the inquiry, the ethical considerations that need to be considered are;

Information regarding the participants 
(What their contributions shall be, age etc)

Why they have been chosen
(What do they offer that shall benefit the research project)

How they have gone about being chosen
(In relation to the topic of inquiry)

How the participants were contacted
(consent forms, communication with Gatekeepers etc)

How is their exit from the inquiry going to  be managed if that is what they wish

Is their data safely stored
(what methods are used to ensure it is protected)

Personally for me, as stated in reader 5, it is harder for a student to be seen as having much authority when conducting research, however it is suggested by Oliver (2003), that carrying out research in a particular field can add to their knowledge and status. Only if, the inquiry is carried out professionally. There is pressure for the researcher to carry out their research accurately as it shall be a reflection of their practice.

Reader 5 has enabled me to further understand as to why ethics plays such a vital role when carrying out research. Case studies are also a good example of understanding, as they involve you to have your say on what ethics were invloved and why they were important in that particular inquiry. 

Task 5B

This task shall aim to find out what the codes of practice and regulations are which steer the ethical framework in my place of work and professional community as a whole, which is community dance and dance education, alongside a documentation of how my assumptions in the previous blog differ from my research findings.

A code of practice is a set of regulations which inform workers on how they should act in their current area of practice. My current area of practice is dance education and more specifically community dance. The companies that I work for also all have various ethos' which inform individuals what they value as an organisation, which is additional to their codes of practice, such as their beliefs and practices.

'People Dancing' is the foundation for community dance which hold the codes of practice which value ethical factors, which all community dance practitioners should abide by. It allows the practitioners to understand how they should go about the work and practice, and how ethically, they should approach their teaching to students. As an organisation they value competence, responsibility, and safety of those in their care, which any other practitioner should value too.

Competence: Each individual should maintain high standards in terms of delivering high quality practice to those who are learning off of you. In addition to this, material should be relevant and current. Relevance should also be valued with concerns to qualifications and experience. Knowledge and skills should be continuously developing to ensure that students are learning material that is of a high standard.

Responsibility: Every worker must contain ownership over their actions and work, including responsibility for the students in their classes and workshops. Furthermore, honest relations with internal and external practitioners is crucial, to build up a rapport  with employers and through networking events. Preparation is also important, ensuring that the delivery of workload is done effectively and prominently. Asking for feedback from employers and students is a method of ensuring that what is being delivered is of a high standard, and is enjoyed by those taking the class. they should feel a sense of improvement from being challenged over the duration of the courses being conducted. reflection on ones own performance also adds to the quality being demonstrated.

Safety: Every community dance practitioner must guard and protect each participants safety and well being. This can be done through risk assessments, consent forms to parents/guardians, safeguarding and an understanding of appropriate boundaries (teacher student relations).

Working and understanding people is also a major importance in any professional field of practice, and in terms of community dance practice, each practitioner, including myself, should value equality. Which means treating every participant the same, regardless of their gender, ability, ethnicity, sexual orientation etc. Each environment should be open and inclusive, creating a warm and supportive environment of education.  In addition to this, each practitioner should also abide by the code of conduct, as it states what is expected, and what the values are. Reflecting frequently on ones own performance, enables the chance to develop on a professional level, improving self practice and the quality of work delivered, which benefits not only yourself, but also the participants learning.


From my own experiences in working as a community dance artists, these credentials are exactly what I have been working alongside. Through experience, I have worked by the codes of conduct and have made the values something which strives me to become a better dance artist. I have learnt that these guidelines are there to not only protect ones self, but also to protect the participants who are in our care. Ethics protect children's welfare, and it is our job to create a safe, equal environment for students to learn in. If the education setting, the employers involved, and the students learning, all understand core values about the organisation, then everyone shall benefit, and what is being delivered shall be delivered correctly.

The community dance company whom I work for, as mentioned in previous blogs, clearly states on their webpage that they deliver 'high quality dance projects and workshops for a range of audiences'. Which links to what is mentioned on the code of conduct page set out by people dancing. In order to deliver high quality dance projects etc, each practitioner must constantly reflect on their work as a dance artist, as well as abiding by the three main factors mentioned above; competence, responsibility and safety.

www.movingtogether.co.uk [online]. Available from:
http://movingtogether.co.uk/about-us/
[Accessed: 23.03.17]

www.communitydance.org.uk [online]. Available from:
http://www.communitydance.org.uk/membership-services/professional-code-of-conduct
[Accessed: 20.03.17]

Task 5A

This task shall take my current places of work and practice, evaluating and considering the ethics which apply there, along side the practices and regulations which guide the workplace. This task be of my thoughts only without reference to research.

My settings of professional practice with relation to the arts all involve teaching, however there are different target groups which all require different needs and differences in ethics to some extent. Firstly, a current DBS check is what is required by employers to check the employees criminal records, and for the protection and safety of the children and young adults that will be in your care. There are also codes of practice to protect the individuals applying for a DBS as the information which shall be applied is sensitive and personal.

When conducting my dance workshops and classes, I ensure that when I am creating choreographic material, the work I produce is that of my own and not  plagiarising somebody else's choreographic work. This is especially important when creating numbers that will be showcased as a performance, however repoirtoir is also something that I teach and value as a highly beneficial method of dance teaching, but it is important to study the original work and ensure that students are aware of what they are learning so that it is being misled as my own.

Another part of ethics which is highly important when I teach young adults, especially those  with a special educational need, is to protect their needs as every individual is different and has different needs and the impairments vary, even though they still participate together in the same class. This is where equality needs to be valued and understood. Although teaching variations of combinations to fit the needs of the individual and their capability has to be done to ensure each individual is being catered for, it is crucial to conduct the class treating every person the same, and not to single one out or make fuss.

Consent forms also are needed in terms of ethics to protect the child's needs, for example, if video footage, interview or questionnaire is needed to be carried out, a parent or guardian must give their consent prior, in advance. An explanation of why, what and how is given, so that everyone has as much information as possible to protect everyone's needs, including my own.

Key Points

 What is a professional inquiry?

A professional inquiry is a method of exploring what we as learners and practitioners are doing in our professional field when we are on the job. It involves us constantly asking questions to our related field of practice and critiquing what we do. A crucial method of doing so is by asking questions, and researching between theory and work based practice. It requires us to be involved with certain scenarios, be involved through our recent knowledge and understanding, research into new ideas, and present the evidence (Kahn and O'Rourke, 2004).

How does a professional inquiry link to work based learning (WBL)?

A professional inquiry links to worked based learning as we learn on the job, and our practice is the centre point for the inquiry. The sole content for the learning achieved is done through the work place and the current area of professional practice. WBL occurs more strongly when a certain change or adaptation occurs in the workplace as it requires the colleague to use problem solving skills and development strategies. Another main link between the two is the idea of three components being connected to one another (the learner, the university and that workplace). 

What is research?

Research plays a huge part in a students life, and it requires the ability to investigate and explore literature and ideas that are already out there, followed by a critical analysis of ones own opinion, backed up by theories that are discovered through research. Academic findings are most commonly found in books, e-books, journals and web pages. It is also a good idea to compare research findings in terms of the date that the literature was published, to try and find any changes or similarities between different dates. For example, changes in the curriculum and these certain changes were made. 

What Is Research?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEuul8hBip8

If you have a spare 5 minutes, give this video a watch! Breaks down what research actually is and how to go about it, which is relevant to this inquiry module, or any other module in fact!

Task 4D

This task has instructed me to research and identify three important pieces of literature that are related to my subject field for my topic of inquiry, along side a review of each one, stating the importance of them in relation to my area of interest.

Dance education as a whole is my chosen area of inquiry, however more specifically, I have chosen to research into four factors as the subject field is so broad. My research and literature focuses on; comparison, pedagogy, teaching, and deliver, as stated in a previous blog post. Although the factors can be closely linked and there are some similarities between, it shall allow me to elaborate on my current understanding of dance education, which will in turn improve my teaching skills in my professional practice.

A.J. Karthagen, F et al. (2001) Linking practice and theory: The Pedagogy of Realistic Teacher Education. London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

This first piece of literature which I found highly interesting and relevant to my practice, discusses the relationship between theory and practice, with focus on reflection, which I found extremely beneficial, as reflection on current practice, critically, was a mere focus point in module one, and now I am applying it more specifically to an inquiry. This book speaks about the expectations and struggles that teachers are faced with,  due to a case of falling short of living up to the standards that the theories set. This is noticed by Elliot, (1991), who acknowledges the gap between theory and practice itself, and the problems faced because of the large gap between the two components. I also chose this piece of literature, as it speaks frequently about student teachers, which is my next step after completing my degree. Studies were carried out during the students teacher training, through primary data such as questionnaires, surveys and interviews, asking what they had learnt and what their training program lacked. In terms of reflection, those students who learnt best through their experiences and tracking their own development through critical analysis were referred to as 'internally orientated', as opposed to those who learnt best through structures and a given format, 'externally orientated'. Also this piece of literature does not have specific reference to dance as a subject , the ideas can still be interpreted by dance educators, especially in secondary education where Dance is a subject on the curriculum.

P. McCutchen, B. (2006) Teaching Dance as Art in Education. United States of America: Human Kinetics.

This piece of literature is a newer read and focuses specifically on the teaching element to Dance as a particular subject, in comparison to the previous piece of literature which focuses of student teachers in general after graduating. This read offers so many explanations and covers a wide range of important topics, for example, perspectives, preparation to teach Dance, roles and responsibilities of the educator, understanding the students perspectives, artistic development, and also, critical thinking. There is also a section on inquiry, which immediately gained my attention. It states that an educator can improve their teaching ability by asking questions and doing the research, it also gives a specific technique to asking the right questions. promoting research for the students too, encourages them to be critical and develop through their own way and through their own experiences. This way, they can find a way to pursue dance outside of the educators environment, to something more personal for them, i.e a career out of the arts. It also states why you should fulfill the role of teaching in Dance, and why you shouldn't. For example, if you are looking for security and financial stability within a career option, the ability to showcase your skill and talent, and the urge to dance all day because of ones personal enjoyment from it, then this career option is not best suited for you. on the other hand however, if one wishes to watch students achieve, and are passionate about demonstrating the benefits that Dance can offer, then it would be a suitable career move.

Jasper, L. (2012) 'Changes to schools and the curriculum in England impacting on dance' An overview of the campaign to fight for the position of dance in schools and the curriculum in England. [Online] Available from: www.danceuk.org

This article speaks about the changes within the education system in relation to dance education, and the impact of schools turning to academies has on dance as a subject within the curriculum. Dance is currently a mere 'activity' within the subject of P.E, which is now not considered a core subject, along side Maths, English and Science. This is because schools now have the ability to create their own curriculum, with fewer core subjects.  Dance would in actual fact play a beneficial role in a students school life, as it creates opportunities and experiences to perform in national events, improves factors such as confidence, self esteem and cooperation with others, as well as improving their physical well being. Especially for those who do not enjoy P.E and sports. Although Dance as a subject can be taken as a GCSE, those students who do not have access to it and do not have the opportunity to pursue it prior to choosing their subjects for GCSE, are less likely to consider it. I found this article important, and relevant to my practice, as teaching arts in secondary education is a career option that I am greatly thinking about, and articles such as this allow me to understand the changes within the education system, different views and opinions and why.

Special Interest Group

Below is the link to my own 'Special Interest Group', which shall help me to identify other students and individuals whom are sharing an interest for education and dance as an art form. My topic for inquiry more specifically involves four key elements as teaching and education is such a broad topic. Please feel free to become a member and comment! I hope to post frequently with useful resources that I have found beneficial for me and my learning, and hopefully this community group shall also find useful.

"This special interest group shall help me to research and explore in greater depth the various methods of teaching in different arts organisations and sectors i.e community dance projects, performing arts schools and what is offered on the national curriculum. My focus for an inquiry shall be comparison, pedagogy, delivery and teaching. Please share any ideas, thoughts, research that you have to assist in the topic. Thank you."

https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/113877372875989915165

1 - 1 tutorial with Paula (06.03.17)

Over the past few days I had been struggling with what line of inquiry to focus on, as I have various territories that I could research further into, working with SEN, community dance projects, and after school performing arts schools. I also felt as though my previous questions were very general, and needed adapting to help with with a more specific inquiry relevant to my current practice of teaching. Paula helped me to come up with a different line of inquiry which involves all of my teaching jobs, into one, as we spoke about the comparisons of teaching methods, pedagogy (ideas used), and the delivery.

I also learnt that my questions are not to prove a bias opinion, but more so to understand differences in perspectives, internal and external beliefs in the arts industry, or more specific, dance as a subject field. Disproving statements and assumptions such as 'dance is not beneficial enough for students to be a subject in the national curriculum', requires involvement with practitioners and research into literature, as well as case studies and experiments.

The topic of education is so broad and expansive, with theoretic knowledge changing and developing constantly, that my inquiry needs specific focus. In addition to this, education and arts delivery as a professional field, is also so broad, as there are subjects as music, drama, the endless genres of dance, and then of course the vast amount of techniques within dance (Graham technique, ballet bare, floor bare), that it is of course a wonderful matter that the arts offers so much, however due to such an expansive vocabulary of knowledge and skill, I have decided to focus upon four main elements for my inquiry;

Comparison: in terms of what is being taught, how, and why? In my recent experience of teaching, I understand the clear difference of methods used between a community dance project, where we focus upon social aspects and the benefits for the individual such as self-esteem, confidence, and unity whereas a performing arts school still thrives off those qualities too but plays an additional emphasis on a curriculum such as IDTA and BDTA, where technique and development of performance practice and competition plays an important role. 

Pedagogy: the ideas of teaching in terms of theory and practice, alongside the methods and activities used in delivery. 

Teaching: what is being taught, and the comparisons between a curriculum and a community dance project for example the Bronze Arts Award. What is being offered, why and how? Are the differences broad, and if so why? Are there fundamental changes that need to be made, and how are practitioners doing so?

Delivery: How is the pedagogy being delivered, and what skills are needed to do so? What attributes from the practitioner makes the ideas 'successful'? What is success in teaching, and how is it measured? 

As my future plan is to teach in either primary education, or in the arts department in secondary education, I feel as though what I currently know in terms of teaching needs to be further explored to not only improve myself, but to improve the teacher status of whom I am employed by. The one to one which I have currently received has excited me for the inquiry as there is so much to explore and research, which will in turn allow me to hopefully improve as a teacher and freelance practitioner as well as build upon what was currently learnt in module one, for example my networking relations, through finding out what practitioners in this field know.

I now have trails of thought on methods to explore, and topics of particular interest from reader 4, such as professional knowledge, research, transdiciplinary and inter-disciplinary approaches, and constructivism as a paradigm for teaching and learning. Please feel free to comment on your thoughts and ideas, and be involved in my soon to be created special interest group.

Unqualified ballet teachers can 'damage' children

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-35130914