Module 3 - Starting Out & Reviewing Feedback

In my opinion this module has come along so fast! I remember starting my course and thinking this point was ages away but it is here.  I have received and reviewed the feedback from Alan.  Thankfully I am not going to have to change my final inquiry project too much based on the feedback, but with this being said, there are a few changes I have decided to make following the feedback.

The main change that I am going to need to implement into my inquiry plan is my proposed use of interviews and surveys with my students.  My initial idea was to conduct interviews and surveys with my students to ask them what they feel are the benefits of studying Drama at the Pupil Referral Unit and how they feel it is aiding their development socially as well as academically.  In his feedback Alan stated:

My main concern is the survey of young people. I am not convinced they will be able to give any deep insight, and their inclusion raises all sorts of issues, not least the reliability of data from a survey of children.

As you can read, there were two main issues here presented by Alan, one was an ethical issue and the other a reliability of data issue.  With regards to the ethical issue, the main problem was that whilst I was going to seek permission from the parents/guardians of my pupils, I didn't want them to know what my study was looking for.  Alan went on to say that this could leave the students in a 'vulnerable status', something that on reflection, I fully agree with and support.  The other main issue was the reliability of the data collected.  Students are likely to want to 'do well' when they are interviewed or surveyed which can cause a limited reliability in the data collected.  To combat these issues I have decided to remove the student surveys and interviews from my professional inquiry and replace these with a greater reliability on my field journal, in which I am monitoring the development of the students from lesson to lesson and making judgments on what I feel the impact of Drama is.  Alan went on to state that he thought my proposal was strong.  In the feedback he said:

This is a really worthwhile proposal. It is well structure and achievable, and you have been very effective in explaining its rationale and value to your practice and more widely. This is a mature proposal, and demonstrates your growing skill in reflection and academic work.

Moving forward, one of my key areas to develop and add strength to is my use of literature.  During half term I will be spending lots of my time in the library looking into previous studies and the views and opinions of other professionals in relation to the value of Drama when considering the social development of students, especially those with additional social needs.