Log 4- Critical reflection on your learning across the BAPP course

Since enrolling on the BA Honours Professional Practice course in September 2009 I have learnt and experienced a variety of things. The course has taught me a lot about myself, the way I learn and respond. I am a kinaesthetic learner however throughout the course I have been allowed to develop and my confidence has increased and now feel I have more to offer in the academic field.
When I graduated from the Northern Ballet School in 2004 I went on to Preston College to complete my dance teaching diplomas with the ISTD. It was at Preston where I developed an increasing passion for teaching. I soon realised that I could not develop my skills or future in teaching without a PGCE which requires a degree. This is the pure reason for enrolling on the course and I feel it has given me the skills required for teaching in the future.

Looking back to September 2009, I had no idea what the course would consist of and I was concerned that it would be to demanding as it had been a while since I had undertook any academic writing. I had no idea what long distance learning would actually be and I was surprised how easy and enjoyable it was to learn from home and to deliver work within the specific deadlines.

On the first Cat Hill Campus session we met the advisors and other students on the course. We were informed that we would be required to set up a Blog. At the time I did not know what a Blog was and was unsure about whether I was going to be able to use one. However after a shaky start to the session I set up my blog and started “blogging”. I appreciated that work could be posted and shared with advisors and peers. This contact is how we would all communicate and learn about each other over the duration of the course.

In the first term, we were tasked to write a CV and write about people who inspired us. This was really helpful as I got used to writing again. The lectures were very helpful and it created opportunities to meet the other students and have discussions about the work, these I feel enable the tasks to be carried out to a high standard as they had been discussed.

Later on in the year I learned how to write indifferent styles. The main styles practiced were academic, descriptive and marketing. Academic style was the style that I needed to practice the most and I feel that I have come a long way from my previous writing style as when I look back at my work over the year I can see how I have improved. This has been beneficial outside of university as I have recently had to write a personal statement for my PGCE application and an essay on my teaching experiences.

The second term was focused on a project proposal in preparation for my research project. It was this term where I had to decide my project area and come up with suitable titles for my project. The module was designed for us to research different types of research methods; once we had learned different types of research methods we could decide what methods would be appropriate for our research project.
The project proposal was the base for my research project, and the feedback from advisors and peers enabled me to produce my research project to the best of my ability.

The third term was a very different term; it was the term where everything I had learnt over the duration of the course would come together. Writing my 12,000 word dissertation was a rollercoaster of emotions. I had moments where I loved writing it for example conducting my focus group, and them moments where I was frustrated with it, when I had applications for PGCE courses and an increased work load and couldn’t find time to do it.

I found the third term the toughest as time management and organisational skills were really important, and even though I did take time to plan my dissertation I did not realise how easy it was to go off plan. I was however able to discover findings that will benefit my work and found that I would like to do some more research on women and body image.


I have learnt a vast amount on the Work Based Learning course and I feel that it is a course designed for very type of learner; I also think that it is cleverly designed in which it accommodates people in the arts and students that are rarely in the country. I am grateful for the support from my advisors and fellow students and I feel that I have developed as a person and as a learner. I feel my progress through the course has been consistent as I aimed to improve in each module and get the desired result I wished for the day I enrolled on the course.