Prewriting

Prewriting

Contributors: Garra Ballinger Cynthia MacDonald -Task Definition -Information seeking Strategies -Location and Access -Use of information -Synthesis -Evaluation *People go through these stages when they use information to solve a problem or make a decision. Although it is widely used in school, it has everyday applications. (Eisenberg) *The Big6 is a tool used by teachers and librarians to guide and teach students the correct manner in which to carry out research on a topic of their choice. *Big6 guides users through a step by step process in finding information from the basic question to the final answer. *The process includes rote and basic research skills such as planning and locating resources, but also organizes the entire research process into culmintaing project based learning so that studnets follow through and complete the research entirely. *Students are able to have ownership of their learning as they are expected to create their own questions in which to locate answers to. || *What age do teachers start teaching the Big6? When do they move on from the Super3 to the Big6? *In school assignments, do teachers often give students the opportunity to choose their own topic for research when using the Big6? *Do students formulate their own open ended questions before beginning the research? *Is the Big6 linear or cyclical? *What does the end product usually look like when using the Big6? Is it a traditional research paper? *How can inquiry be incorporated into the Big6 process? *How much time must teachers and librarians set aside for the process to take place from start to finish if impleneted and carried out successfully? *Is it possible to introduce studnets to this inquiry process before having them actually take part and become actively involved in it themselves? *At what age do students become too old to use this inquiry process? Is there another process that has similarities for older age students to continue to use? || *Students form questions during the Task Definition phase.The end product does not have to be a traditional research paper. Could include a variety of products such as play, displays, debate, graph, etc. (Online Resources) *Research is not simply finding facts. It is a reasoning process. (Big6) * The Big6 Process helps students acquire 21st-Century skills (Murray). The Big6 requires students to continue basic research processes such as brainstorming, note-taking, and creating citations for their research which teachers can introduce and apply as they see fit.(Online Resources) *The six steps are basically to: 1. Create a question. 2. Brainstorm ideas for answering the question. 3. Find information related to the question. 4. Use the information to answer the question. 5. Demonstrate a connection of learning and undertanding of question to prior knowledge. 6. Check understanding and success of your work. (Online Resources) || How can technology and other Web 2.0 tools be incorporated into the process and end product? *What methods would be most useful in teaching and introducing teachers to this inquiry process? *What subject areas does the Big6 support best? Is it possible to use across the curriculum? *How does implementation of the BIg6 inquiry process benefit basic writing skills for students who learn to use it effectively? || *A cyclical process because the results often lead to deeper understandings and further questioning. (Stripling 50). *Why inquiry? “learners draw meaning by connecting one experience to another and to the future by reflecting on and organizing the ideas that emerge from the experiences” (Stripling 50). *Cycle: Connect Wonder Investigate Construct Express Reflect *Active Discovery (Stripling 50) *The Stripling Model for Inquiry promotes active involvement between the student and their learning. *The sense of wonder is a key component to the Stripling Model, allowing students to seek information to learning that interests them. *Questioning continues throught this inquiry process from start to finish. Inquiry is student-centered andthe learning allows students to interact with information, while tapping into their prior knowledge and previous learning experiences in order to learn something new. (AASL, 25). || *How do the steps of the inquiry process relate to the Big6? Do they overlap at all? *How do teachers feel about the inquiry model? Especially those that are comfortable using the traditional research process? *Since this method focuses so much on WONDER, what is the average age this process can be implemented successfully? *What type of products can be used to aid in student reflections and the sharing of learning? *Can this process be taught over a longer period of time, with breaks in between the steps? || *Student centered approach, teacher is a facilitator of learning.(Berger) *Questions are at the heart of inquiry learning.(Berger) *Requires active engagement, reflection is required throughout the entire process, not just at the end.(Berger) *Six phases, however learners might revisit previous stages as needed throughout the process.(Berger) *Web 2.0 tools can be used to support the inquiry process. However, the focus is on student learning, not their use of technology tools. (Berger) *Teachers/librarians need to utilize technology tools to meet the needs of 21st Century learners. (Berger) *In general, inquiry is not put into practice as it should be. There are many reasons that teachers do not utilize inquiry, lack of time or curiosity, or ignorance of the benefits if inquiry. Librarians can promote inquiry by “nudging” it, and giving teachers a ways to gradually shift from the traditional research project to inquiry. (Fontichiaro) *“Inquiry shifts the focus of learning from a right or wrong answer to the process of learning and investigation” (AASL 25). * Technology and reflection are used at every stage. (Ekdahl) *The Stripling Model is not linear and allows students to revisit earlier phases of the model as the need arises (Berger, SLM). *This inquiry model promotes critical thinking during each step, constantly expecting students to own their learning (Berger, SLM). *This particular inquiry model allows for integration of Web 2.0 technologies throughout the process depending on the individual student's concepts and research type (Berger, SLM). Stripling suggests that inquiry processes such as this one, "develop the skills and dispositions to interpret and interact with the world" (Coatney, 14). By learning to connect, observe, analyze, challenge, interpret, and infer, students meet their information needs. (Coatney, 14). || *How much class time would an inquiry process take? How can teachers be convinced that it is worthwhile? *What kind of Web 2.0 tools or other technology applications assist students with the inquiry process? *How can the librarian and teacher work together to successfully plan and carry out lessons using this method of inquiry? *Once student have used this method, is it possible for them to use it independently across the curriculum? ||
 * || Know || Want to Know || Learned || Questions ||
 * Big 6 || *Most widely used approach by teachers for research. Six step process:
 * Stripling Inquiry Model || *“Inquiry is a process of learning that is driven by questioning, thoughtful investigating, making sense of information, and developing new understandings” (Stripling 50).

Sources:

American Association of School Librarians. Empowering Learners: //Guidelines for School Library Programs//. Chicago: American Association of School Librarians, 2009. Print.

Berger, Pam. “Student Inquiry and Web 2.0.” //School Library Monthly// 26.5 (2010): n. pag. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. <[]>.

“Big6 Research Tools.” //Vela Middle School//. Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District, n.d. Web. 11 Oct. 2011. [].

Coatney, Sharon. ed. //The Many Faces of School Library Leadership//. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited, 2010.

Eisenberg, Mike. “Big6 Skills Overview.” //The Big6//. Information and Technology Skills for Student Achievement, 2001. Web. 5 Oct. 2011. <[]>.

Ekdahl, Moira, et al. //The Point of Inquiry: A Framework for Information Literacy and the 21st Century Learner//.Vancouver: British Columbia Teacher Librarian’s Association, 2010. Web. 13 October 2011. <[]>.

Fontichiaro, Kristin. “Nudging Toward Inquiry: Re-Envisioning Existing Research Projects.” School Library Monthly 26.1 (2009): n. pag. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. <[]>.

Murray, Janet. “Applying Big6 Skills, AASL Standards, and ISTE NETS to Internet Research.” //Achieving Educational Standards Using the Big6//. Linworth Publications, 2008. Web. 12 October 2011. <[]>.

“Online Resources to Support Big6 Information Skills.” //Wenatchee School District//. Wenatchee SD, n.d. Web. 6 Oct. 2011. < http://nb.wsd.wednet.edu/big6/big6_resources.htm>.

Stripling, Barbara. “Inquiry: Inquiring Minds Want to Know.” //School Library Media Activities Monthly// 25.1 (2008): 50-52. //Library, Information Science and Technology Astracts with Full Text//. Web. 7 Oct. 2011. .