Cooperation
I found I was able to relate to this concept, as I do feel that when two people choose to cooperate so that they gain some kind of benefits from the situation, you are working together (cooperating) to increase your own knowledge of the topic in hand.
I rely on this concept in my blogging as I feel if I am to comment on another persons work, I hope to receive some kind of comment back regarding my own comment, or they may choose to comment on an extract of my own work.
However, the concept of cooperating with another does not always follow through the way it is meant to. I have highlighted a small section from the extract by Axlerod, R. (1984 pp xi- xiv):
"The game allows the players to achieve mutual gains from cooperation, but it also allows for the possibility that one player will exploit the other, or the possibility that neither will cooperate."
The reason why I have referred to this particular comment is because if someone seeks out my help/ advice/ knowledge, etc, it has always been in my nature to participate and to offer as much guidance as I can. However, I have discovered through experience that this guidance is not always reciprocated. Although some maintain the idea that cooperation is not effective unless all those involved choose to participate. I still choose to maintain the idea that one should cooperate with others even if there isn’t a definite outcome of receiving the same input back.
Affiliation
I feel that in the profession I am in, is essential that we affiliate with others. I know that if I encounter people who are in the same profession as me or who share the same interests, I automatically choose to approach them. I have always had a desire in me to want to know more, either by increasing my technical knowledge of my dance, etc, or by listening to peoples stories of their past experiences. I have always been fascinated by other peoples experiences, previous employment and their inspirational stories.
In the Networked Professional Reader, the extract from Crisp, J & Turner, R(2007 pp266- 268) states:
"Teenagers were happier, more alert, and more excited when in the company of others than when alone. In contrast, a lack of affiliation may have a lasting negative impact."
I know from experience that to isolate myself from others, and closing myself off from any interaction with others, only leads to being in a miserable, self- conscious and depressive state of mind. By surrounding myself with positive, uplifting people makes me feel more confident, vibrant and all in all a more positive person to be around. I work harder in this state of mind, I achieve more and I remain more energetic and alert.
It also states that:
"If we have too little contact, we feel isolated, but if we have too much contact, we feel crowded."This sentence I can relate to. I enjoy to affiliate with others as I like the company, I feel I can learn things from social interaction and I function better in a social environment. However, I am fully aware I also need my own private time. For example, when I am working on an assignment, I work better on my own. This way I cant be distracted or influenced by others in deciding what pace I wish to work at. Although I may go to others to seek help or advice, when it comes to written work, I always work better alone.
Social Constructionism
One of Social Constructionism’s key principles is that through social interaction, humans "construct" meanings of the world and their experiences.
I feel this concept I can relate to but I feel it is one I use but I’m not aware of when I’m using it.
I relate to this as something that can continue to be constructed over a long period of time, and its is only when you feel you have wider knowledge of understanding of something that you will know it was through the concept of "social constructionism".
For example, I have been studying dance from the age of 4, but it has taken from that point to now (17 years later) for me to be able to understand the knowledge and understanding of just how hard it really is. From the age of 4, different people have told me that dance is hard work, and you have to put your own extra effort into it. I did not grasp that concept straight away as a child. Over the years I met different people, those who took on dance as a career, those who attempted and failed and those who teach it. Each person had their own stories and advice that they chose to pass onto me. Although I wasn’t aware of it, at the time, all those pieces of information were settling in my head, and I was slowly constructing my view on the hard work involved in this profession. Without those sources of information from others, today I would be oblivious to it, and unprepared for the tasks ahead of me, and for that I am grateful.
Connectivism
This is a learning concept which I heavily rely on. From previous tasks in this course, I have discovered I reply heavily on visualisation, and that I learn better visually. This is why I enjoy to watch documentaries on television, dance related TV programs, etc, as I find myself taking in all the information. I also enjoy to watch dance pieces, extracts of musical theatre and interviews with actresses on "you tube". This is because there is a wide variety of different clips to watch, and they are presented in different ways, which means I can search through them until I find one that is most compatible to me.
I use such networking tools as Facebook, blogging, etc, to interact with people directly in order to seek out information such as auditions, upcoming shows, top workshops, etc, as their views of their experiences help me to devise my own opinion of the topics in hand.
An example of how another has reflected the same views as me is from Karen Stephenson, she states:
"Experience has long been considered the best teacher of knowledge. Since we cannot experience everything, other peoples experiences, and hence other people, become the surrogate for knowledge. ‘I store my knowledge in my friends’ is an axiom for collecting knowledge through collecting people"
This applies to me, such experiences that I have not experienced yet for whatever reason, does not mean I cannot learn about them, and through what better way but by interacting with those who have. This is why networks such as Facebook are ideal for this, as people are easy to get hold of and it where you should be able to get the quickest response.
Communities of Practise
I found this one harder to decipher and relate to. After reading it through several times, I discovered a way in which I believe it relates to me. Whether this is right or wrong does not matter, its how it relates to me only.
An idea I found which relates to this is something that I am working on at the moment. At present, I am part of the production team to put together a school production of "Beauty and the Beast". The production team consists of a Director, a Musical Director, Vocal Coach, 2 acting coaches and 2 choreographers (including myself). Together we have to create something that looks professional, well organised and well rehearsed.
An example of how this concept comes into place is through a situation the Director had in a rehearsal for one of the scenes one week. The Director was working on the character of the "Feather Duster". He was trying to work out how she could move across the stage without looking too human like yet convincing as a feather duster at the same time. He then decided to ask for my assistance, because with my background training in dance, I was naturally more physical with my body, and was able to find a way for her to travel around the stage, which represented her as a feather duster but in a comical, feminine way. The Director was not able to do this without my knowledge of dance, and he himself learnt something from it.
This is an example that if the productive team were to work as a community, we would be bale to pass on our knowledge and experiences throughout the process of the construction of the musical. Through mutual engagement, the musical can function by binding the members into a social entity.
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