Preferred methods

I think we all have our different methods of gathering information and researching. This section of the module has really made me take a step back though and think about the tools I use on a. Day to day basis, if they are useful or if there are other methods out there I need to explore. Personally my top 5 sources I go to for information, in my professional life and in my personal life, are as follows....

1. GOOGLE! I rely on Google so much. I feel lost if I don't have my phone with me. Google maps has been essential since I moved to Singapore. I say essential, but actually if I didn't have Google maps I'm sure I wouldn't just be wandering around lost the whole time....I'd find a way. And that's the thing. I think as a generation we have come to expect the answers straight away. I mentioned this in an earlier blog but with the advances of technology being so rapid, we expect results at the press of a button. I even get frustrated if I have to wait a few minutes or if internet connection is down! Google helps me with day to day life scenarios but also with work. I find a lot of inspiration for my lesson plans on Google. When I'm feeling like I need some fresh drama games or guidance with a certain topic I look to Google. What it offers is the variety. The choice of many different answers. And this is why it comes top for me. There is always something useful to be found.

2. YOUTUBE. I teach Musical Theatre and Dance so youtube gives me quick and easy information on a certain song or musical. The visual aspect means I don't have to read through a synopsis, I can just watch a trailer or a snippet of a show. Research wise it immediately gives me a feel for the costume, set, props I can aspire to use in my pieces and also the style of dancing. I convert video clips into MP3 format to get backing tracks and also find it useful to send parents links to youtube clips so my students can research topics at home too. I have my own Youtube account and so does the school I work for. This is a private account for parents and students only. This allows an online collection of choreography, shows, class presentations. We always record choreography so that students can easily practice at home. This is so different to when I was growing up. It was a big effort to even get a cassette copy of a song. Youtube is a key source for my particular job.

3. FACEBOOK. I use this social media site every day. I sometimes feel I should go on it less but I do feel like I'm out of the loop if I haven't been on it for a few days. I'm part of quite a lot of Facebook groups which is a great source of information for my job. I gain inspiration for my lesson plans and choreography. I also find out information of upcoming new musicals and potential new material for my students to try. My background is musical theatre so I have a lot of contacts from the business. It's essential for me to know what is going on so that my teaching is relevant and not out dated. Facebook allows you to be redirected to many different sites and sources by the links that people post and share. It is easy to contact people on Facebook and can be done privately through your inbox. Therefore, it's a good tool for teachers to discuss certain topics with the privacy aspect. 

4. AMPED. This is my source for music on a day to day basis. I incorporate music into all my lessons, even acting lessons where no singing or dancing is required. I feel music added so much to a piece. It opens up the students minds and inspires them. It gives them more of an idea of the era by listening to the lyrics and also the feel of that particular moment or decade. Music very often is synchronised with social and political feelings of that time. Pictures also use sound effects in my lessons to create tension and again give the drama game or exercise that added extra. This app was included on my phone plan. It is like Spotify. It allows me to search any artist or track and allows me to play the song for free. I use this for one off tracks to inspire my students in class or to research pieces so I don't have to buy them on iTunes. It's an essential tool for me as a source of information and research. I can then use what I have found to decide what pieces Ia m going to use for upcoming shows. I used to always have to buy the whole track and found that often I wouldn't use half of them for shows. This way I can try before I buy! And I get to listen to the whole track how ever many times I want. 

5. FACE TO FACE CONTACT. In my opinion this is the most effective form of communication. How often does a text message or email or even a phone conversation get misinterpreted? At least with a face to face contact you can also read facial expressions, body language....you can gage a lot more about how someone is feeling and more about their personality. Professionally I have always seen the benefit of meeting someone face to face. Casting directors and agents gets hundreds of emails a day. If you actually go to their opening night of a show, after party or workshop they are running you become a real person and not just an email. It's a lot more difficult to get your personality across via email or phone. We  judge people subconsciously before they have even spoken. Even if we try not to. You have already formed an opinion of them. When networking professionally it is key to meet people face to face as much as possible. It will give you a better chance at being remembered. 

These are definitely my top 5 for the profession that I work in but I am interested to see how many of mine match other peoples. I think Google features a lot across all professions and LinkenIn for more marketing and business careers. I've enjoyed putting the focus on the tools that I use but also seeing what else is out there that could help me become better at what I do :-)