Questions for Conferences, Journals/Blogs, and other Assessments
Conferences: As Kuhlthau notes, "conferences help the inquiry team know how students view their own performance, where they need help, and what kinds of strategies they are using and neglecting" (p. 120). Conferences can be informal (brief questions) or formal (more like an interview) and should occur at all stages of the ISP
Journals: Short pieces of reflective writing throughout the process can help us to understand where students are in the process, what difficulties they are having, and how they are feeling at that moment. It can also provide students with a record of how much they have learned in regard to content and information literacy as they move from brainstorming in the initiation phase, to idea books in the exploration phase, to focused notes in the collection stage.
Possible instructions for a journal/blog which can then be used in a conference:
In the early stages, when you are deciding on what topic to choose, write to clarify or define possible choices. Write about conversations you have about your topic.
As you proceed in the process, write your reactions to your reading as well as your thoughts and questions about your topic. Be sure to record all incidents where you made an important decision or discovery.
Include the development of a central theme, a point of view, or focus in your thinking.
Record any dead end of a path or change in the problem or topic that prompted a new approach.
Initiation
What are you interested in and why?
Which scientific developments have the greatest potential for good or harm? (focuses student on science and ethics)
How does this assignment relate to your own life and interests?
Selection
Why did you choose this topic?
What do you already know about your topic of choice?
Exploration
What else do you want to find out about the topic?
Which questions will lead to a deeper understanding of the issues?
Why is this research important?
What ideas seem important, interesting, or surprising?
What arguments are given for and against this research? (focus on controversial issue)
Formulation
How can you narrow your topic?
What aspects of the topic are most interesting to you?
What would you need to find out in order to support it or oppose it? (focus on controversial issue)
Collection
Why did you select this source?
Are there other resources that might be helpful?
What keywords did you use?
Can you think of other terms to search?
How do these notes help answer your research question?
Can you think of any examples to make this point clear?
Presentation
Who will be your audience?
How can you best share your knowledge with them?
What facts and information will you include in the presentation?
Assessment
What is the most important thing you learned about your topic?
What will I do next time?
Multiple Stages
Which sources did you find most helpful and why? (The types of sources that are most helpful will vary according to topic and stage of the ISP.)
Which sources were of little or no help and why?
What criteria did you use in selecting your sources?
Kuhlthau, Carol, Maniotes, Leslie K., and Caspari, Ann K. (2007). Guided Inquiry: Learning in the 21st Century. Westport, Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited.
Questions for Conferences, Journals/Blogs, and other Assessments
Conferences: As Kuhlthau notes, "conferences help the inquiry team know how students view their own performance, where they need help, and what kinds of strategies they are using and neglecting" (p. 120). Conferences can be informal (brief questions) or formal (more like an interview) and should occur at all stages of the ISP
Journals: Short pieces of reflective writing throughout the process can help us to understand where students are in the process, what difficulties they are having, and how they are feeling at that moment. It can also provide students with a record of how much they have learned in regard to content and information literacy as they move from brainstorming in the initiation phase, to idea books in the exploration phase, to focused notes in the collection stage.
Possible instructions for a journal/blog which can then be used in a conference:
Initiation
Selection
Exploration
Formulation
Collection
Presentation
Assessment
Multiple Stages
Kuhlthau, Carol, Maniotes, Leslie K., and Caspari, Ann K. (2007). Guided Inquiry: Learning in the 21st Century. Westport, Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited.