05/10/2016- Study Session
Today we had a study session with Mr. Darby who explained to us the importance of planning to research in which he showed us the AOs and mark schemes regarding the EPQ project. We spent this session looking at the individual expectations to achieve the A/A* looking closely at the use of resources, developing and realising, reviewing and evidence-this gave me a better understanding of how the project works and what is expected of me to drive my project to a high standard and desired grade of an B/A.
After, we proceeded to gather potential resources from areas such as online sources, academic books, journals, primary/secondary sources in order to start our research for our EPQ. Placing these considerations into our production logs as we consider initial ideas. These list of resources shall than go to our supervisor to look over and advise us on our next moves in order to start the research of our individual projects .
06/10/2016- Independent Study
This was my first independent study session, I decided to dedicate my off timetable days to study EPQ allowing myself to dedicate as much time into this course as well as my other studies. I decided that this study session should be spent working on initial ideas for my artefact and what I could possibly do for the final outcome to summarise my thoughts.
This day I spent the entirety of it working on potential ideas for my artefact where I became influenced by following artists Hasan Elahi including his certain style of incorporating photography into his life to show the ridiculous atmosphere of surveillance and how we're being watch constantly.
This research more or less helped me to steer away from a painting but in fact photography-I have never used photography before so again this shall be a great exploration skill of medias and can be new skills I learn from this, the question is what could I possibly do with photography for my final artefact to reflect surveillance and how we are being closely monitored.
It was than I thought about an experiment as well as final artefact to guide me throughout this project and that is by setting the question, Can we be under surveillance without realising? I than proposed an idea of documenting a participants life daily throughout school grounds and times to conduct an experiment to determine whether they know if they're being watched or not, if he notices then we can't be surveyed without knowing yet if my participant does not realise this than it poses the question do the government survey us.
I came up with the idea of stalking our EPQ manager and Head of Sixth, Mr Thomas Darby as he shall be a reliable participant and shall be seen around the school which can be easy enough to photograph and document his life.
Upon recognition of this idea, I proceeded to talk this rough idea through with my supervisor, Mr Bishop to see whether or not this idea will be allowed as it certainly violates my participants privacy, I need to acknowledge this and prepare for this idea to be rejected due to the violation despite the fact my EPQ is derived from Surveillance. Nevertheless, my supervisors informed me that he shall check if this proposed idea can be allowed and if I would be able to conduct this scintillating experiment over a five month course.
07/10/2016- Supervisor Meeting
After school, I had arranged a meeting with my supervisor to talk more about the proposed idea in
detail. He informs me that in order to carry out this experiment that I must initially inform my participant first of my intended plans, and if approved proceed with the experiment, however he also warned that I must prepare myself for my proposed experiment to be rejected by my participant and thus, will be unable to proceed onwards with this experiment and ultimately seek alternative ideas for my artefact.
After the meeting, I seek out my intended participant, Mr. Thomas Darby and told him my plans and aspirations for my final piece, explaining to him my desire to document his life behind the lens of a camera to determine the question of surveillance and upon conclusion of his experiment, if he obtained that idea of knowing he was being watched constantly.
My participant, Mr. Thom Darby asked me if he could have the weekend to think over my experiment and whether he would be prepared to give up his privacy throughout school times and grounds for me to document without him knowing of this. This than highlights the importance of being prepared to be rejected by Mr. Darby and seeking alternative ideas for this projects artefact, but nevertheless progress was made and I shall wait for my participants response to proceed on wards with my plans.
11/11/2016-Meeting with EPQ Manager, Mr Darby
A brief meeting with my EPQ manager Mr Darby was held today between himself and I, regarding the proposed experiment I'm intending to carry out for my final artefact. He told me that upon reflection of my proposed idea that I am allowed to follow him around without him being aware, documenting his life in school grounds for the five month period starting from the 17/10/2016 until March 2017.
In possession with my percipients permission, I shall now proceed to construct a permission consent form for both my percipient, Mr Darby and supervisor, Mr Bishop to sign as well as myself to outline the intended project with additional terms and conditions throughout this five month period and the knowledge that it shall be exposed and spoken about throughout the presentation at the end to present my findings out to my audience.
11/10/2016- Independent Study
12/10/2016- Independent Study
Throughout this morning, I constructed my very own consent form for my percipient, supervisor and myself to sign regarding my intended experiment for my artefact determining the question and understanding of 'Can we be under surveillance without realising" by watching my participant constantly around the school grounds to determine this question and apply to my projects final outcome.
I constructed the form on Microsoft Word, informing my percipient of the study purpose and procedures of what to be expecting throughout the 5 month period starting from October 2016 until March 2017. Most importantly leaving space for my percipient, supervisor and myself to sign confirming the agreement in writing and thus allowing the experiment to begin in preparation for my EPQ project.
Ending this independent study session, I printed out a copy of my consent form and showed my supervisor first, and upon approval of my letter, proceeded to give my letter of permission to my participant, Mr Darby to read, understand and importantly sign to begin my artefact.
Copy of my EPQ Permission Consent Form
13/10/2016-Study Session-Cancelled
Our study session that would of taken place at 3:10pm with our EPQ manager Mr. Darby, was cancelled so within this time, I decided to utilise the time by planning my Gantt Chart on Excel with what I believe can work towards throughout the five months. Planning this would help me to consider deadlines and time expectancy within each piece of work, importantly highlighting the fact for me that I don't have much time to pursue this course and that I must start driving it to pursue with progress.
Additionally, I also started looking at research throughout different sources from surveillance wiki references to give me an idea of what I could possibly look at and where to direct my research towards. I desire to look from a diverse range and not restrict my research, allowing myself to drive my project throughout alternative opinions and information to allow me to drive my project effectively with much information for me to use.
14/10/2016- Independent Study
I spent the morning creating my very first Gantt Chart in order to prioritise my time throughout my course for EPQ as well as illustrating my intended plans until March. The Gantt Chart is there to help me keep on top of all tasks and projects, ensuring that I manage each work project with enough time to ensure the overall success of each one. This was an independent task that I decided to do as I feel like one of my worries for this course would be meeting deadlines so in order to prep myself, I know I need to prioritise more and become more independent with my studies in this course.
This was my first time creating a Gantt Chart and used Microsoft Excel to help me create one. This took up most of my morning as I wanted to ensure that I had placed in the tasks that I am desiring to do for this course as well as the time expectancy that will take to complete each one and when would I complete this task by.
As a first time attempt at completing a Gantt Chart, I believe that I certainly asserted myself considering how I'm not very advanced on the computer and typically like to keep things traditional so exploring new skills have helped within this process and under lined the importance of my tasks that are needed to be completed for this project.
My Gantt Chart completed by myself and the expected tasks and deadlines I have set myself to strive towards to keep on top of my EPQ project.
Additionally, I also completed the necessary parts that were expected to be filled for my production log. Upon finishing this I sent over to my supervisor in order for him to fill out the necessary parts for him. This than
17/10/2016- Independent Study Session
I went to see my percipient for his signed consent, upon receiving this from him I went to get my second signature, and than got it signed by my supervisor, thus marking the beginning of my artifact into surveillance.
Before I start the artifact, I need to ensure that I read over the permission form and complete everything proposed, ensuring that I am not neutralizing my experiment by falsely doing acts that was not mentioned within the proposed contract to ensure that I am doing a fair experiment that my supervisor and participant have assented to.
Below our all threes signed signatures giving the proposed experiment the green light, allowing myself to carry this out over 7 months.
Today for our study session, Mr Darby taught us the importance of note taking within relevant sources for our EPQ studies. Having the proposed question and plan in our minds would be extremely helpful whilst exploring sources that can be placed within our research. This can ultimately aid us on the right path of deciphering the relevant and irrelevant information to be incorporated into our initial and developing research.
Mr Darby also taught us the importance of keeping on top of references that we will use for the benefits of our research, crucially underlining the importance for us to track everything electronically so it's research we can easily refer back to and create a bibliography to sum up our findings that we have used to show where our ideas and knowledge came from.
In our group, Charlotte, David and I worked as a team by reading two separate articles; one discussing about Syria Intervening and the other regarding racism in English Football. Together as a team, we read through both articles and picked out the relevant information that we took from each of the articles, discussing what we would of researched further to expand our knowledge and how we would successfully reference and document the piece of information to record it effectively within our bibliography.
This session helped help us to become more aware of relevant research and findings for each of our own projects. Personally, it allowed me to become more aware of the importance of researching necessary information true to my project and to not drift towards irrelevant information that will not be needed for my surveillance project
23/10/2016- Independent Study
I started reading the book by Shane Harris called The Watchers, in which I found out about from my earlier independent study session by looking into secondary articles from TV influence Person of Interest and how this show became influenced from surveillance and how their initial background research helped to bring the show to life. Looking closely into the article this book by Harris was of prominent importance to the creation of this show and was given to the actors to read to gain awareness of surveillance, looking at modern spying technology and this impact upon Americans. The book was rather gripping at first, introducing me to the concept of "The Watchers" and their role throughout American society. To gain more knowledge I shall continue on my reading of The Watchers to introduce me into more routes for this project to explore.
25/10/2016-Independent Research
On this day, I began to look more closely into the work of Edward Snowdon. This name typically seems to be coming up rather frequently within my research so I found it important to investigate into this figure and incorporate into my personal research. Relying upon secondary research to construct my basic research around him yet soon I shall want to divulge more into him on more wider references.
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