Katie Baker's Blog of Inquiry

Sunday, February 27, 2005

Connections

...To me personally:
My personal approach to inquiry has been put under a microscope during this project. From the very beginning, I jumped right in and started researching without planning, questioning, or anything like that. I realized that I hadn't really been taught "steps" and I just have created my own over time: Understand the problem, find information, take notes, from notes look for a focus for the project (like, what do I have a lot of information on), and then create a product. This process was somewhat successful for me, but I did spend quite a bit of time trying to get my projects finished working by these steps. Now that I have participated in the inquiry process using the steps of the models that we have been researching, I want to do it like this every time. I felt so organized. Even when following these steps, I still had a tendency to follow my old ways, and I realized that it created much more work for me. I can now see the importance of following distinct steps every time I participate in this process so I can start to internalize these steps so hopefully I can just do them subconsciously.

...To students inquiry experiences
There are some similarities and differences between my experiences and possible student experiences during the inquiry process. I think the inquiry process was easier for me because I have so much more practice and skill than students in finding information, analyzing and synthesizing, organizing information, finding connections, writing, and developing products. So, the amount of time it took me to do these things was probably much less then students spend on them. Also, because I didn't have to learn how to do these things, my frustration level was probably not as high as students. For example, if I couldn't find the information that I was looking for, I had the skills to try other things. Students might not have that skill and it could probably get very frustrating for them if they had a hard time finding information. They need more scaffolds than I did. However, I was following a step-by-step process that was fairly new and unnatural for me which is probably similar to students following the inquiry process. I was guilty of it and I have seen students do this: slip back into old patterns because it is more natural and comfortable. After finishing my project through this process, I have learned what works and what doesn't. I think after students have participated in this process, they start to understand the value of it, like I did, and use some strategies that they employed the last time they did an inquiry project to their advantage. I also think that many of my feelings are similar to my students feelings when they are working on a project like this. At the beginning of this project, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed and when I found my focus, I was feeling excited and motivated to start working on it. Through Carol Kuhlthau's research and development of the "Information Search Process," she determined what students were feeling during the process. Low and behold, I was feeling the same things as students were. When students start their project, they feel apprehensive and uncertain (similar to my feelings), and when students find their focus, they feel optimistic and confident (again, similar to what I felt).

...To the curriculum:
This project applies to Indian Academic Standards for Health, the AASL standards for Student Learning, and the NETS.

Grade 6:
Health Academic Standard 6.6.4 - Demonstrate the ability to design a plan that includes strategies to monitor and attain personal health goals.

AASL Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning:
Standard 1: The student that is information literate accesses information efficiently and effectively.
Standard 2: The student who is information literate evaluates information critically and competently.
Standard 3: The student who is information literate uses information accurately and creatively
Standard 4: these students who is an independent learner is information literate and pursues information related to personal interests.
Standard 6: The student who is an independent learner is information literate and strives for excellence in informaiton seeking and knowledge generation.
Standard 9: The student who contributes positively to the learning community and to society is information literate and participates effectively to pursue and generate information

NETS:
I have included the performance indicators for these standards that students should demonstrate prior to the completion of grade 8:
5. Apply productivity/multimedia tools and peripherals to support personal productivity, group collaboration, and learning throughout the curriculum.
6. Design, develop, publish, and present products using technology resources that demonstrate and communicate curriculum concepts to audiences inside and outside the classroom.
7. Collaborate with peers, experts, and others using telecommunications and collaborative tools to investigate curriculum-related problems, issues, and information, and to develop solutions or products for audiences inside and outside the classroom.
8. Select and use appropriate tools and technology resources to accomplish a variety of tasks and solve problems.
10. Research and evaluate the accuracy, relevence, appropriateness, comprehensiveness, and bias of electronic information sources concerning real-world problems.

Grade 2:
Health Academic Standard 2.1.9 - Explain basic health terms and concepts
For example, students should eat limited amout of food off of the top of the food pyramid and an abundance of food from the bottom of the pyramid.

AASL Information Standards for Student Learning:
Standard 1: The student who is information literate accesses information efficiently and effectively.
Standard 3: The student who is information literate uses information accurately and creatively.
Standard 6: The students who is an independent learner is information literate and strives for excellence in information seeking and knowledge generation.
Standard 9: The student who contributes positively to the learning community and to society is information literate and participates effectively to pursue and generate information.

NETS:
I have included the performance indicators of these standards that students should demonstrate prior to completion of Grade 2:
1. Use input devices and output devices to successfully operate computers and other technologies.
2. Use a variety of media and technology resources for directed and independent learning activities
4. Use developmentally appropriate multimedia resources to support learning.
8. Create developmentally appropriate multimedia products with support from teachers, family members, or student partners.
9. Use technology resources for problem solving, communication, and illustration of thought.