30 September 08

I am on a role now, which is just as well because I have come down with an awful cold, so it is taking me sooooo much longer to do anything. I decided I needed to check with my line manager about the legal implications of photographing the students in school for my task. Many of us were chatting last night on First Class, and we were all unsure of the exact ethics for this. I have discovered today that although the students parents do sign consent forms giving permission for their children to have photographs taken for the schools web site, and any publicity relating to the school, it does not cover things like staff training. Therefore, if I wish to photograph a classroom with students in it I must ensure that I only have the backs of their heads. Now, I have seen how they react when a camera appears. All the girls pull the standard bebo pose, finger to the lips, or the peace sign next to their face, O and that weird position they manage to get their heads in (which you need to be a contortionist to be able to do), not really what I would be looking for to represent a typical working day for me.

I have also discovered that I need to get permission form the staff if I wish to potograph them for my assignment. This is the easy part really. I have decided to cover myself, due diligence as it were, I will put together a consent form or anyone to sign should i wish to use a picture of them. This may be able to be used later in the course too. I will file the signed consent forms in my university folder, and if need be, these can be scanned and submitted with the work to show that I have taken the law into account.

I established that were the children are concerned, by not photographing them, I will be working within the child protection laws.

I have already started putting together my pictures with some information about my normal working day, and in doing so have tried out the programme recommended for shrinking pictures. I am not too sure if I am happy with the result, as the pictures that you end up with are nothing more than thumbnails. I may try another programme as suggested by another undergraduate in First Class.

I think I have just about finished my ILP. I have submitted it to my facilitator, but I do expect to recieve it back for ammendments, if for no other reason than, if it is all correct, making amendments would serve to increase my potential grade. I have not done an ILP for about 4 years, and I must admit I did found it pretty tough going. I am sure it will all fall back into place.

Already I am looking at the next assignments so that if nothing else I can be collecting together any information needed. Already starting my research as it were.