Task 3c: Sources of information

Finding the correct and most relevant information is of the utmost importance when trying to build a career. For me, I rely on the correct information to know what to prepare and where to go for auditions and castings and a lot of the time just the odd name that it wouldn't hurt to research. My top five sources of information at this point in time are as follows:

• Web 2.0, The Stage, and Spotlight, online registration for auditions and articles.These are updated everyday with new events and auditions that may be relevant to me. The stage is also a good source of information for whats going on in the industry with all the articles available.
• My phone... 3g allows me to check any website for quick information and email updates, texts and calling means I can be kept constantly in the loop.
• Pineapple dance studios, the notice boards for auditions, up and coming events and related industry contacts.
• Word of mouth, within my current networks, friends and colleagues talk about people and things that I should know, so they inform me.
• Social networking sites, such as facebook and twitter, let me see if someone within my professional network is attending something, for example, a workshop, or audition.

Over time, the top five sources obviously adapt and change due to trend and reliability, for example there would be no point looking on twitter, if it goes horrendously out of fashion because no one would be posting anything useful on it. Friends and colleagues are fairly constant but again, keeping in touch and saving time for them is important so as to keep up a good relationship and back and forth information. I pretty much always have my phone with me, I use it constantly to check updates on facebook, twitter email, and texting seems to be the quickest way for me to keep in touch with people, especially when I am at work and unable to call. With all this information flying about, ensuring that it is all organised efficiently is extremely important because time is precious, especially when you don't often have much spare.  People organise their information in different ways, for me the best way is note-taking online, and my diary. I have two calendar type diaries, one on my phone (for when I don't have a pen to hand, or I need to be reminded nearer the time) and a written calendar diary (where I jot simply times, names, and addresses).  Looking at Melanie Brown's blog, I saw that she has a similar top five to me, with the odd variation, she seems to use very similar sources to me for her information. 
Looking at Chelsea Johnson's blog, again I am seeing a lot of similarities to my own current sources of information, however the one common theme on both hers and Melanie Brown's, is that where, like me they mention the use of web 2.0, both have their CV and head shot available online to send at any point. For me here is a point where I can see and issue and I can learn and remedy it. If I needed to send a CV or head shot, I would need to either send a hard copy, or I would need to be at my computer where I have digital copies saved. I do not however have them saved to the internet, such as Google drive, or saved in a draft email that I could just send via my phone at any point. But this is all easily fixed so I can set that up and consider myself a bit more prepared than I was at the beginning of the task, which is a nice thought.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UBF-vrYGKjqDHIMj2XohL7fGa26y1cyf13sTM8NX-kQ/edit This link has also been posted on my professional facebook page where I can direct anyone  trying to research me.
I love reading other people's blogs from the course because actually, they as people, are great sources of information within my current practice. Perhaps they should be on the list, as we have already seen I have made a self improvement due to their knowledge. The bapp blogs that I read and comment on, are external sources which effect the way I think within the context of the course, however as I integrate their thoughts and opinions, I am forming my own and realising on reflection that actually it effects my professional frame of mind a lot more than I realised. When I saw that the task talks about external sources of information, it got me thinking. Really that could be anything... It could be the ballet show you went to see, 'Wicked' on Westend, or the busker in the tube, who actually, was very talented. I mention these because now I have finished my training, I watch things differently. I still of course watch them in awe and amazement, but I find myself questioning their technique, critiquing their abilities and picking out their pros and cons as a performer, not to be nasty or overly appreciative but to see what is getting people jobs these days. To find similarities and differences between my self and the performer and to learn from what they are doing. TV and radio interviews: how are they talking and thus presenting themselves, newspaper articles, how are these performers being viewed? What are they being praised or criticised for? In the article what club or workshops did they say they went to? These are all aspects of a successful performers career that I can learn from. Whether it gives me clues on where to go to further my contacts or whether it is just what not to do, valuable information is constantly being transmitted and therefore integrated into my own way of thinking and acting as a practitioner. Media aside, at college, I remember teachers and professionals telling horror stories about how an ex pupil behaved once and how badly it had been viewed, so even this has impacted my behaviour and made me much more weary on how I present myself.

Relying on the work of others to know what is going on in the world, is a bit of a down fall, but as John Donne said, "No man is an island". And I think really we do all rely on each other in so many ways.  I love the BBC news arts and entertainment articles, it keeps me up to date with whats going on generally and some times links to much more specific and tailored articles or blogs of the journalists. I rely on that and the stage website for other articles and information to keep me in touch with whats going on.I love the interviews and reviews on 'The Stage' as they act like a tiny insight into the real mind of practise professionals. Also what I've found previously is that when I'm reading one thing, an advert for something else pops up and may be perfect for me. For example, when on the stage website looking at auditions, one of the companies that is sponsoring the event would be perfect for future recording studio use. Perfect! I wouldn't have heard about it otherwise.

As I continually flicked through the many, many blogs, I came across a point on Sarah Johnson's. In her completion of task 3c, she lists books and magazines as one of her top five sources of information and it just occurred to me that actually that is the one thing that has been missing off of a lot of people's lists, including my own. Though, of course, I read books and magazines, they did not pop into my head as one of my top five sources of information. (Concerning!) I think I'm pointing this out solely to reiterate how big web 2.0 has become as a learning and knowledge tool/ source, because the fact is, most of us do turn to the web (even if it is articles and magazines on the internet) before we pick up a book.

please all watch!

I saw this on Sarah Johnson's blog and I just had to re-post it in a bid to get more people in the world to see it. It is so strange to watch but you cannot fault him for anything, he practically floats, its amazing and bizarre to see. I can't imagine how many times he must have listened to the piece. :/  watch, marvel, enjoy.

Task 3b: theories relating to networking

Cooperation

The basic idea of succeeding at the expense of some one else put forward by Robert Axelrod in 1984. At first sight 'cooperation' did not sit well with me. The title of it sounds logical and I am always willing to cooperate as professional, however, the theory that goes into it of using people for maximum benefit for myself just sounded so unpleasant and unlike me. However, after looking into it a bit more, and as I discussed in task 3a, maybe I was wrong. I found that actually I do use cooperation in other networks such as my general work network in order just to get by. I think I would use cooperation to get a larger network and to get ahead in the industry because actually when it comes to it, these people aren't your friends primarily they are colleagues or future employers. I think what I've learnt after really thinking about it, is that I will have to put myself first if I want to get anywhere.

Affiliation

In 2007, Crisp and Turner suggested that affiliation is the formation of close relationships with others, and thus, 'a network of support that will help us when we are in need'. They suggest that as a result of psychological processes in the brain, Crisp and Turner 2007, pp266. Homeostasis is thought to be one stand of affiliation. O' Connor and Rosenblood 1996 pp267, suggest that each person needs a different amount  of affiliation but each will try to balance the interactions, they also link that to the idea that a person may be introvert or extrovert. Affiliation suggests that as humans we have a need for 'all people' and we balance our needs for each depending on our cultural and personal background. I can understand affiliation as a concept and it does make sense, however it seems to be to be very focused on the networking and rather than a professional having talent. Perhaps it is just the harsh truth, but a concept that suggests it really is just who you know rather than what you can do is rather disheartening for the industry. However, clearly there is nothing I can do to change that, so I must focus on become well networked. Recently I have been thinking about how I can change my life for the better and networking is key to doing this. I have started to think about joining the industry in a different capacity in order to learn more about my ideal networks.

Social constructionism

The key thought with this one is that humans construct meanings of the world out of social interaction. So, my ideas of something new will be impressionable to those around me at the time. We are constantly having to make our own decisions about how we perceive things. Social constructionism suggests that meanings are made through interactions and thus within a network of like minded professionals the meanings will be determined in favour of the network and the values of said networks are passed on to new members of the network. Like a group, some networks are more particular about who may join and similar values are usually key. For example, when I began to work part time in hospitality, one vital aspect (or value) that I had to have on my CV was 'good with people'. All members of the hospitality network have the value that you must be a people person to join, or work in the same industry. Merleau-Ponty wrote,"the objects in the world are indeterminate. They may be pregnant with potential meaning, but actual meaning emerges only when consciousness engages with them." Thinkers such as Ponty suggest the question, 'How can there be meaning without a mind'.

M Crotty, 2005 (p42- 44) "it is the view that all knowledge and therefore all meaningful reality as such is contingent upon human practices, being constructed in and out of interactions between human beings and their world.."

I imagine in the future, that my opinions and views on certain things are going to be changed as my networks grow and evolve. I doubt all of the truths that appear will be pleasent and predict that I am going to have to be flexible to accomodate some aspects of the industry but I think I will change as I learn.

Connectivism

So, connectivism doesn't make a massive amount of sense to me. From what I gather, it is against traditional learning of information being transferred from A to B and suggests that we need to connect with the information given and make sense of it for ourselves to learn. It is the explanation of how networks learn and provide the means for individuals to learn and connect.
G Seimens 2004, stated that there are key points to connectivism which are as follows:

• learning and knowledge rests in the diversity of opinions
• learning is a process of connecting specialised nodes or information sources
• learning may reside in non human appliances
• capacity to know more is more critical than what is currently known
• nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual learning 
• ability to see connections between fields ideas and concepts is a core skill
• currency (up-to-date knowledge) is the intent of all connectivist learning activities.

Communities of Practice

Suggests that we learn by involving ourselves in social relationships rather than acquiring knowledge as an individual. However surely this can only be true of certain types of knowledge, introverted personalities can be very clever academically but struggle publicly due to the lack of social interaction. However I am a firm believer that some people are just wired differently and are stronger in some aspects of learning than others, and then weaker at other times.
Lave and Wegner coined the term 'situated learning' to suggest that, like connectivism, learning should not just be information being passed from A to B, but being constructed within the environment for which it is intended. So from this, one can assume that Lave and Wegner would be all for apprenticeships and internships, instead of school based learning as it gives the pupil a chance to learn by working with others in their chosen profession and doing the job. I do like the idea of communities of practice once you have chosen the profession you wish to be in , because I think you would learn quicker and more thoroughly by being within a the community of people doing the same thing. By attending Italia Conti rather than a university, I was submerged in like minded people and professionals. I had an amazing opportunity to learn about the industry whilst perfecting my craft under the supervision of well respected professionals as well as learning about myself along the journey. Vocational study allowed me to 'learn whilst doing' rather than to learn just the theory and I am so grateful I could learn within my own community of practice.

"rather than learning from replicating the performances of other or by acquiring knowledge transmitted by instruction, we suggest that learning occurs through centripetal participation in the learning curriculum of the ambient community", (Lave and Wegner 1991, p98-100)

So it's seems like forever since I posted on here. I'm very disappointed that I couldn't make the last campus session because I know how helpful they are, so I'm relying on your blogs to fill me in on what happened!  I've been working on the tasks, so I'll be popping them on here as soon as possible. Hope everyones well and keep blogging!

Task 3a : current networks

What are the current or different ways (tools) that you have or do engage your professional network?

I would say that my current professional network mostly consists of graduates from my college and teachers that are also working professionals. Of course as I go to more and more auditions and work with different people the network is growing as I realise somehow everyone knows eachother in this industry. The best tool that I have used throughout my time in professional practice so far is 'cooperation'. Axelrod (1984) identified the importance of cooperating with others fully until you have reached the maximum point of benefit. I have always cooperated with others because it is polite and because no one will want to work with some one who is not willing to cooperate and, within a network where, as I said before, everyone knows eachother, word travels fast. However Axelrod suggests that once the maximum benefit has been gathered, the party should then defect to gain the most possible. I hope to gain from my career, but I also want my career to be on going and always evolving, so I think to 'defect' would not necessarily be the right thing to do even at that point. Axelrod suggests cooperation as a strategy, but I am not in the business to use people and throw them away, I would rather keep them close, and work with them again. At the minute I rely on word of mouth, and tools such as Facebook, video clips, to engage with the network, keeping in touch with these people is important and to keep an eye on what everyone else is doing.

What are the established and different ways that others use their networks especially if they are more established or, experienced practitioners that you admire?


People have been using their networks to get work and jobs for ever.  A fantastically well known example of a strong network is the Masons society.The Masons is huge network and hundreds of years ago their influence on wordly decisions was massive. There were masons all over the world and through government and the church and it was well known that they 'looked after' eachother.
              On a much smaller scale, my sister got me the job working at the restaurant where I currently work. My sister was within the restaurant network and therefore they trusted her opinion, because I am in a close nework with my sister, they assumed to a certain extent that I would be fairly similar to her in personality and work ethic. They felt like they new me slightly better than they did someone else who had no link to their network. Within our industry I often saw teachers who work professionally at the same time using their network at the college to hire graduates or put names forward for new shows or to suggest themselves to other teachers who may have been producing something at the time. One teacher told us to follow twitter and keep an eye on all the teachers and casting professionals that had visted the college in order to stay within their network and on their radar. Of course the more well known you become within your network, the bigger you network becomes and the easier it is to use your network as a stepping stone.

Are there methods, approaches and technologies that you use socially that might apply and help you develop your professional networking?

Crisp, J. and Turner, R. (2007) suggets that affiliation is 'a network of support that will help us when we are in need' due to our formation of 'close relationships'. I am more inclined towards affiliation as a means of networking than cooperation. Of course one must cooperate with their affiliations, however you do not have to defect from them after you have benefitted from them. I think professionally speaking, of course it is not a good idea to get too close to anyone within your professional network because with closer relationships, comes more problems, however becoming 'friends' with the people in your network may make them more inclined to help you when you are in need. I use facebook to keep in contact with my old college network, and my friends and family, but I do however have two pages. To ensure that I am seen by professionals as a professional, one of my pages as my full name, head shot, links to videos and photos from previous jobs and I only accept people onto the page who are within the profession. I use technologies now such as this blog to display myself as a professional and keep up with the BAPP network and I keep my mobile up to date with numbers in order to make sure I can contact people within my network if necessary.


When you reflect upon current networks, can you think about the motives of others to be in the network and what values and purpose they have in mind?

When I think about my current networks, I make a list in my head. School, family, college, dancing, work, and other. The main networks of which are family, college, and work. I believe you a re born into family, but that's not to say you won't add to it by letting close friends or boyfriends/ girlfriends into it. With christmas coming up, family is on my mind. As I live away from home, christmas is the one time of year that I make sure I am available to be at home and with my family. Our house is fairly open, and friends and boyfriends have always been welcome and I think thats the nicest thing about this network. Though it comes with its stresses, the family network is kind, rather than brutal and welcoming rather than filled with rejection and I think that is what makes it appealing to people. People crave a friendly and loving atmosphere at times and that can push them to try and join a family network.
         The college network that I am in is bigger thann it may first seem. Of course to me, the primary members are the people in my year and the teachers who taught me but because the college is so old and so famous the network is bigger than you would think. Italia conti has seen thousands of students through the years and of course people want to join and be part of the Italia Conti network, for the name and what it represents. As they would Laines, or Bird College, joining the network as a graduate brings with it a knowledge for employers that the student has been well trained and knows about how the industry works.
         When I think of work, I think of 2 different strands, I have the network of people who cover and swap shifts with me at the place I earn my money, and I think of the industry professionals that I meet at auditions and the fellow graudates I see doing the same thing as me everyday.Unfortunately for me I have to have my rather disheartening and mundane job to pay my bills, and that is the only purpose for which I entered that network and I think that's the same for most others. We bring ourselves and our hardwork to the network in order to keep getting by until we can leave and join the network of professionals that we love. So in a way that is a lot like Axelrod's theory of cooperation, I guess, and I'm not proud to say, I am using my work network to get the maximum benefit , waiting until the job of my dreams comes along..Well, there's a learning curve for you.

What would your ideal network look like and why?

My ideal network would be filled with working professionals, music techies, managers and promoters who were willing to work with me and help me make them money by developing me into what they want to sell. I want them to respect me as a performer. Even knowing people won't help me get a job unless they respect me as a professional.

What realistic things could you to do towards developing your ideal network?
What tools and methods do you need to use?What do you know about your current and intended networks and, importantly, what do you not know?

Developing my ideal network I think is probably one of the hardest things i'll ever have to do. I need to meet people, but in order to meet the right people, I would need to be in the right place at the right time, and obviously not just by chance. I think realistically, the best way I can do that, go to as many auditions as possible and talk to the others who are auditioning, see who they know and what work they have in the pipeline. Also, using social networking sites such as twitter and facebook to see events that may be coming up and if they are open, make sure that I can be there to represent myself and start meeting the people linked with my ideal network. I woud also need to be keeping track of evertything thats going on at the time, so keeping current. I think meeting people and inviting them to other events where I may be working is going to be the best way to start getting into my ideal network. Gradually, I would hope that I learn more about the people and more about who are the main people I need to target to get a step on the ladder. I think at the moment my main weakness is not knowing who I need to be targetting, I know roughly what job they need to have, but not exactly, no names or companies. I need to do a lot more research to get a better idea of who needs to be within the network to make it work.