Teacher Reflections on the Value of Pre-Search and Presentation Zen Style for Student Learning

I’m excited to team up again this month with Deborah Frost, one of the most experienced and talented teachers here at Creekview High School.   Deborah’s 9th Honors/Literature Composition students are in the library for the rest of the month as they inquire into a controversial/hot topic of their choice and craft a persuasive research paper on that topic as well as an oral presentation.  Through trial and error over the years, Deborah and I have learned much together as instructional partners as we’ve reflected long and hard about what has worked and what hasn’t in each collaborative project we’ve endeavored to do with her students.

Last year, Deborah was more than willing to implement two new aspects to the research design we were crafting.  As part of my effort to make a more concentrated effort to frontload the initial connecting, wondering, and investigating stages of inquiry, she agreed to let me build in a larger initial chunk of pre-search time with the students to help them:

1.  gain background knowledge about their controversial/hot topic and determine if that was really the topic they wanted to explore or to see if there were other topics of more interest to them

2.  read more intentionally and thoughtfully to help them begin discerning big ideas from facts

3.  to begin building background knowledge to develop research questions and to determine if the articles really spoke to their information seeking needs

The students worked for approximately six weeks as they researched, submitted research questions, and collaboratively composed a persuasive paper in Google Docs.  The other new component of the learning experience was teaching students skills and concepts associated with the “Presentation Zen” style PowerPoints for a class presentation to compose an oral presentation supported by those visuals that helped tell the narrative of the learning and insights.

Because that design was so rich and successful, we are doing it with this year’s freshmen.  We’ve made a few tweaks to the new and improved pre-search graphic organizer (see below).

We’ll also be incorporating some new search skills to the students as well.  The other new component for the project is the use of EasyBib in place of NoodleTools since EasyBib allows us to more easily create citations for our database articles.   We will once again do the Presentation Zen style presentations, and in April, I’ll blog a few new minor but helpful modifications I’ve come up with this past year to help support the learning curve for the skills associated with that endeavor.  Finally, we’re being flexible with the schedule/timeline of learning activities to be responsive to student needs; while we have a working calendar, we’re letting it be fluid so we can be responsive to the students if they more or less time for a specific skill or learning activity, then we can do that without feeling married to “the calendar”.   I’m appreciative that Deborah Frost is willing to experiment and to be improvisational as needed within the larger framework we’ve co-designed for the students.

I invite you to check out our research guide and to take a few minutes to listen to Deborah’s reflections on the value of pre-search and Presentation Zen style for student learning!

Scenes from the Unquiet Library: Four Classes Researching, Learning, and Collaborating

I’m always amazed by how beautifully classes co-exist in our learning space when we max out with four classes.  I thought it would be fun this morning to capture a quick snapshot of what learning looks like at The Unquiet Library—moments like this are the happiest for me here in the library and validate the vision of a learning-centered library.

Crowdsourcing the Future of Libraries (via janholmquist)

from my wonderful colleague and friend, Jan Holmquist–I’m honored to have been part of #cyc4lib #futurelib via Skype!

Crowdsourcing the future of libraries was what the local librarians at my library did with the Cycling for Librari … Read More

via janholmquist

A Conversation for Learning: Media 21 Students Share Their Search Stories and Strategies

Seeing students utilize the information literacy skills you’ve previously taught them in a new context and independently without it being a mandate is probably one of the most joyful experiences as a librarian and teacher.  Take a look at how one of our inquiry groups is growing as budding researchers and demonstrating these skills, dispositions, responsibilities, and self-assessment strategies from the AASL Standards for 21st Century Learners:

• 1.1.8 Demonstrate mastery of technology tools for accessing information and pursuing inquiry.
• 1.2.1 Display initiative and engagement by posing questions and investigating the answers beyond the collection of superficial facts.
• 1.1.9 Collaborate with others to broaden and deepen understanding.
• 1.2.2 Demonstrate confidence and self-direction by making independent choices in the selection of resources and information.
• 1.2.7 Display persistence by continuing to pursue information to gain a broad perspective.
• 1.4.1 Monitor own information-seeking processes for effectiveness and progress, and adapt as necessary.
• 1.4.2 Use interaction with and feedback from teachers and peers to guide own inquiry process.
• 3.2.3 Demonstrate teamwork by working productively with others.

Group Reflections on 9th Grade Research: Presearching, Formative Assessment, Research Guides, and More!

Ms. Frost (English teacher), 9th Honors Literature/Composition students, Ms. Hamilton (librarian), Mr. Guyer (librarian intern), and Ms. Johnson (librarian) reflect on the recent research experiences at The Unquiet Library (see the research guide at http://theunquietlibrary.libguides.com/frost-9th. You can see the pre-search graphic organizer (which we have now condensed into a shorter document for future use!) on the research guide.