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.