Blog three: where am I so far?

Having completed one individual assignment and two group assignments so far, I am beginning to see connections between this program and my own professional career. The various cultures of inquiry and their applications, as discovered in our most recent assignment, have me thinking with more rigour about which path I will choose for research, thesis or research paper, and I am moving closer to what my research topic will be.
Given that this blog is part of this MALAT program, my next steps should be to seek out other blogs from students who have completed this program and also to investigate my own institution's Applied Research criteria, in an effort to perhaps apply my own research path directly to my work environment and have the results of my research utilized by the institution. This could serve as a driving motivation when selecting the topic and culture of inquiry. In other words, let the tail wag the dog!
I have many interests outside of music and education and I am struggling somewhat with whether or not I should stay within the boundaries of these two areas or stretch out to more peripheral areas for my source when deciding on my research topic and the question or questions I will need to apply to it.
I am interested to see how the remainder of this Introduction to Research course and subsequent courses between now and January, 2015 will assist me in making my choices. I am realizing that, although the adjustment to student life has not been easy at my age, the process is illuminating and I find myself eager to continue with my studies. I will take this as a good sign and it also helps me to realize that I truly am learning from this program. There are connections between the content and my real life and career that are motivating me to continue. And the affect it is having on me as an educator is monumental. Nothing makes a teacher a better teacher than becoming a student! I think it should be a requirement of employment: take at least one course of some kind every year or two.
So, until my next inspiration to write something here, I will head back to my schoolwork and my potential decision regarding research. Hopefully by the next time I write here, I will be one, or maybe even two, steps closer to deciding.