A Positivist / Non Positivist Approach

A non positivist approach is finally making sense and resonating with me that this approach to education and learning is unmeasurable and can shift and change according to the particular experience and learning curve.

As a dance teacher and artist, no class or performance can ever be measured. What occurs in one episode can completely switch and change in another.
Education and learning is often based on a quantitative approach, results based and a strict line of results to prove what you have achieved / not achieved. It's truth based according to the proven results.

As a dance teacher, dancer and choreographer, creation varies day to day. There is no 'set in stone' method, it is more about the practicality of experimenting and experiencing with the group you have and who you are working with. There are numerous factors that can change the way creation is developed; feelings, emotions, resources, music, stimuli, space, inspirations etc etc the list could go on and on that would create different possibilities. Learners learn through each other and from each other in this creative process where interpretation and individuality is encouraged. This brings a whole wealth of different ideas and thoughts that may reach out to someone that the choreographer or 'expert' had not considered. Different ideas brought by learners collectively can help to enable that audience to see, feel and understand that perhaps hadn't been considered by the choreographer. Therefore this collective experience and input can help to further interpretation, understanding whilst encouraging development of the mind through movement pushing the learning boundaries of those involved. This severely shifts away from a positivist approach and becomes a non positivist approach enabling learners be able to freely create and learn through their experiences, thoughts and knowledge.

Although a non positivist approach links us more to qualitative data, this to me matters in terms of talking to and interviewing people who have the experience and who are 'in the know' as opposed to facts and figures. I like the idea of multiple realities as my reality in dance and choreography would be entirely different to someone else's or any of my learners and therefore no reality is ever going to be the same or measurable. I feel understanding helps to enhance learning whilst showing awareness of your own progress, self criticism and taking opinions and ideas off others helps us to review ourselves and learn from OUR experiences.