Charlotte Davis

A positivism approach could be regarded as a research strategy and approach that is rooted on the ontological principle and idea that truth is completely separate of the viewer and observer. From a non-positivism perspective, the observer creates their idea of reality based on their own experiences and philosophical ideas. To me this could be explained through the question - if a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it still make a noise? The positivist approach may put forward that the tree falling always makes a noise, therefore if anyone was there to hear or not, makes no difference to the idea that the noise was made. Where as a non-positivist angle could be, how do we know if the noise was made if no-one was there to hear it? Does the noise only exist for the ears of those who are listening? I myself am torn between the two. Common sense dictates the tree made the noise, but intrigue and mystery and the want for the absolute knowing, or rather the knowing t...

I have recently been looking more into the work of Wayne McGregor. I'm a bit of nightmare in life when everyone gravitates towards someone or something it tends to push me into a completely different direction, so I appreciate I am SUPER late to the party.  The footage I have seen about his creative process and continuous journey with discovering every single angle of this consciously or subconsciously really reaches out to me. His idea of mental architecture in the below video on creating choreography has set me off on a cognitive journey through imagery and perspective. When we relate his ideas to knowledge, certainty and body positivism it brings into line some interesting concepts. His idea of knowledge undoubtedly grows from a tacit approach. The first researcher to address tacit knowledge was Polanyi (1966), who said that we can know more than we can tell. According to Polanyi, all scientific knowledge is in fact based on personal experience, which is closer to practical...

After this evening's MORE zoom discussion, I am really struggling with where I want to go with it all. How do I a research project on my practice without using the people who are involved in my practice? I feel like without discovering my students experience through their journey with dance education through the exchange of knowledge and learning from myself, then the information I am collating is still only from a practitioner perspective.  I appreciate the ethical implications of speaking to students, but surely speaking to teachers means they put their own interpretation and understanding of a situation. As an example, can a teacher tell me that the student's mental health improves when they participate in an activity? The teacher/practitioner might believe it does (through observation, I as a teacher, might conclude it does) but surely the truth lies with the student? Yes the MA is in Dance technique pedagogy, however surely the reason most get into teaching is not for our ...