From: norman jackson <[email protected]>
To: "Cowan, John" <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, 15 March 2012, 8:51
Subject: Re: A bit of action research
Hi John I need to be clearer in my own mind about what you are suggesting and how it is different to everything I have suggested previously. I think we are imagining different things. I am imagining a structured supported process that is not too dissimilar from the one we developed at Surrey. It is underpinned by an individual's daily/weekly activity system and tries to encourage the habit of thinking about the situations they are involved in and how they are developing themselves through these situations. The regular recording of stories is the way in which the habits of reflection and growing self-awareness will be revealed, and the purpose of the scheme is explicitly focused on broad holistic development and achievement across and between an individual's life experiences. Objective evaluation comes later in the process when you stand back and look at change from a broader perspective. I get the impression that you are thinking of a different purpose and a different structure to achieve that purpose. I think you are imagining a process that is entirely created and managed by the individual to achieve something that may be focused on one area of an individual's life. Something that is not constrained by pre-conceived procedures or tools or any advance concept of what will constitute evidence. It is basically an open ended self-regulated PDP process in which significant others offer a view on the significance of the achievements. I have never thought that this project will be based on a single scheme because the needs and interests of individuals are so diverse and I can certainly see how your approach, if I have got it right, would work... we both do this all the time.. in fact its what we are doing now.. But it would be a scheme for a different purpose to the one I am envisaging. Perhaps they are two ends of a continuum. Is this what you are saying? Perhaps we need to chat as it takes a long time to understand through email..I'm looking after my grandson today who is off sick but I am around tomorrow if you would like to chat.. would be good anyway
cheersnorman