Are your students college-ready? Start by ensuring they’re research-ready. Shelor Smith [email_address] Wendy Sellors [email_address] AASL, October 2007

Note to conference attendees If you are downloading this presentation in advance, please be aware that this session is an active one in which the main benefit comes from experiencing the activities and discussing the premises/concepts upon which they are based. This PPT provides a framework for the activities, but is not intended to serve as a stand-alone document . We hope to see you Saturday from 10:15-11:30 a.m.

About us Co-librarians @ Deep Run HS for 3 years Shelor Smith, library information specialist @ Deep Run High School NBCT, 2002 23 rd year in school libraries, 36 th in education Wendy Sellors, library media specialist @ Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School 9 th year in school libraries, 13 th in education previously in corporate mgmt & training

Co-librarians @ Deep Run HS for 3 years

Shelor Smith, library information specialist @ Deep Run High School

NBCT, 2002

23 rd year in school libraries, 36 th in education

Wendy Sellors, library media specialist @ Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School

9 th year in school libraries, 13 th in education

previously in corporate mgmt & training

Photo by malyousif

Photo by brookesb

KSUS standards Knowledge & Skills for University Success 3 years of research; 20 top universities Designed to identify the key knowledge and skills expected of incoming freshmen college-eligible vs. college-ready “ habits of mind ” vs. content knowledge Conley, David T. College Knowledge: What It Really Takes for Students to Succeed and What We Can Do to Get Them Ready . San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2005.

Knowledge & Skills for University Success

3 years of research; 20 top universities

Designed to identify the key knowledge and skills expected of incoming freshmen

college-eligible vs. college-ready

“ habits of mind ” vs. content knowledge

Conley, David T. College Knowledge: What It Really Takes for Students to Succeed and What We Can Do to Get Them Ready . San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2005.

Habits of mind Inquisitiveness Critical thinking Analytic thinking Discernment Drawing inferences Reaching conclusions based on evaluation of sources and their assumptions Supporting an opinion with a logical argument Risk-taking Accepting feedback Learning from mistakes Proficient written and oral communication Using technology as a tool

Inquisitiveness

Critical thinking

Analytic thinking

Discernment

Drawing inferences

Reaching conclusions based on evaluation of sources and their assumptions

Supporting an opinion with a logical argument

Risk-taking

Accepting feedback

Learning from mistakes

Proficient written and oral communication

Using technology as a tool

According to college librarians, the biggest barrier to successful freshmen research projects is … Photo by ideologie

… the inability of many freshmen to generate meaningful questions about their topic. Photo by the contented

What could we do? We could… Make our lessons more active Participate in the assessment process Examine why research process is getting lost Product is being assessed, but not process Teachers not sure how to assess research process Emphasize pre-reading in reference sources and other research preparation steps

We could…

Make our lessons more active

Participate in the assessment process

Examine why research process is getting lost

Product is being assessed, but not process

Teachers not sure how to assess research process

Emphasize pre-reading in reference sources and other research preparation steps

How might this fit in @ your school? 21 st century skills Indicators that they’re being taught Indicators of student mastery Inquiry-based learning Constructivism Active learning

21 st century skills

Indicators that they’re being taught

Indicators of student mastery

Inquiry-based learning

Constructivism

Active learning

21 st century skills Critical thinking in the classroom – indicators Teacher uses questioning strategies that develop critical thinking Evidence of authentic problem solving Different perspectives are being evaluated Students are encouraged to make inferences or predictions Students are encouraged to think creatively

Critical thinking in the classroom – indicators

Teacher uses questioning strategies that develop critical thinking

Evidence of authentic problem solving

Different perspectives are being evaluated

Students are encouraged to make inferences or predictions

Students are encouraged to think creatively

Activity #1 Are there any questions? Context diving into research with only a broad topic in mind only being able to articulate one side of a controversial issue – even after the paper is finished lack of authoritative sources defending opinion with opinion not thinking beyond Google & Wikipedia for sources Bottom line Student questions determine whether or not learning will occur

Are there any questions?

Context

diving into research with only a broad topic in mind

only being able to articulate one side of a controversial issue – even after the paper is finished

lack of authoritative sources

defending opinion with opinion

not thinking beyond Google & Wikipedia for sources

Bottom line

Student questions determine whether or not learning will occur

Habits of mind Inquisitiveness Critical thinking Analytic thinking Discernment Drawing inferences Reaching conclusions based on evaluation of sources and their assumptions Supporting an opinion with a logical argument Risk-taking Accepting feedback Learning from mistakes Proficient written and oral communication Using technology as a tool

Inquisitiveness

Critical thinking

Analytic thinking

Discernment

Drawing inferences

Reaching conclusions based on evaluation of sources and their assumptions

Supporting an opinion with a logical argument

Risk-taking

Accepting feedback

Learning from mistakes

Proficient written and oral communication

Using technology as a tool

Aligning lessons with goals Habits of mind Inquisitiveness Critical thinking Analytical thinking Discernment Drawing inferences Critical thinking indicators Ask questions from the stakeholders’ perspective Different perspectives are being evaluated Ask subsidiary questions Students encouraged to make inferences/predictions Brainstorm possible sources Students encouraged to think creatively

Habits of mind

Inquisitiveness

Critical thinking

Analytical thinking

Discernment

Drawing inferences

Critical thinking indicators

Ask questions from the stakeholders’ perspective

Different perspectives are being evaluated

Ask subsidiary questions

Students encouraged to make inferences/predictions

Brainstorm possible sources

Students encouraged to think creatively

Activity #2 Finding the right words Context Research = finding stuff “ There’s nothing about dropping bowling balls on different types of flooring in this database!” What is pictured here? Bottom line Even more than in print, online searching depends on knowing the right words to describe your topic

Finding the right words

Context

Research = finding stuff

“ There’s nothing about dropping bowling balls on different types of flooring in this database!”

What is pictured here?

Bottom line

Even more than in print, online searching depends on knowing the right words to describe your topic

Habits of mind Inquisitiveness Critical thinking Analytic thinking Discernment Drawing inferences Reaching conclusions based on evaluation of sources and their assumptions Supporting an opinion with a logical argument Risk-taking Accepting feedback Learning from mistakes Proficient written and oral communication Using technology as a tool

Inquisitiveness

Critical thinking

Analytic thinking

Discernment

Drawing inferences

Reaching conclusions based on evaluation of sources and their assumptions

Supporting an opinion with a logical argument

Risk-taking

Accepting feedback

Learning from mistakes

Proficient written and oral communication

Using technology as a tool

Activity #3 Going to the source Context Distinction between primary and secondary different in the sciences than in the humanities Focus on evaluating sources for authority has contributed to neglect of ability to think critically about authoritative sources Bottom line There is great value in reading the details of an experiment without secondary interpretation

Going to the source

Context

Distinction between primary and secondary different in the sciences than in the humanities

Focus on evaluating sources for authority has contributed to neglect of ability to think critically about authoritative sources

Bottom line

There is great value in reading the details of an experiment without secondary interpretation

Habits of mind Inquisitiveness Critical thinking Analytic thinking Discernment Drawing inferences Reaching conclusions based on evaluation of sources and their assumptions Supporting an opinion with a logical argument Risk-taking Accepting feedback Learning from mistakes Proficient written and oral communication Using technology as a tool

Inquisitiveness

Critical thinking

Analytic thinking

Discernment

Drawing inferences

Reaching conclusions based on evaluation of sources and their assumptions

Supporting an opinion with a logical argument

Risk-taking

Accepting feedback

Learning from mistakes

Proficient written and oral communication

Using technology as a tool

What are we doing now? Making our lessons more active Participating in the assessment process (formative and summative) Examining why process is getting lost Product is being assessed, but not process Teachers not sure how to assess research process Misunderstand concept of rubric Teachers think of teaching research as time-intensive

Making our lessons more active

Participating in the assessment process (formative and summative)

Examining why process is getting lost

Product is being assessed, but not process

Teachers not sure how to assess research process

Misunderstand concept of rubric

Teachers think of teaching research as time-intensive

What are we doing now? (cont…) Emphasizing pre-reading in reference sources and other research preparation steps Teaching skills like paraphrasing and note-taking to complement these skills 9 th grade team at Deep Run Part of Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) for Deep Run High School

Emphasizing pre-reading in reference sources and other research preparation steps

Teaching skills like paraphrasing and note-taking to complement these skills

9 th grade team at Deep Run

Part of Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) for Deep Run High School

Why are we doing it? Research-based practice Inquiry-based learning Constructivism Active learning Evidence-based practice Pre-assessment Observation Post-assessment Alignment of lessons with goals

Research-based practice

Inquiry-based learning

Constructivism

Active learning

Evidence-based practice

Pre-assessment

Observation

Post-assessment

Alignment of lessons with goals

Other reflections Pre-assessment of skills essential for gifted students Consider small group rotations instead of whole-class instruction of wide variations in skill levels within same class Validate the knowledge students bring as digital natives to topics like web site evaluation

Pre-assessment of skills essential for gifted students

Consider small group rotations instead of whole-class instruction of wide variations in skill levels within same class

Validate the knowledge students bring as digital natives to topics like web site evaluation

Photo by Andrew Whitis

For you – downloads Activity #1 - Are there any questions? Activity #2 – Finding the right words PPT related to Activity #2 –introducing key word vs. subject searching (not shown today) Activity #3 – Going to the source Examples of assessing process Rubric Annotations Available on the MW library blog by Friday, Nov. 2 nd (link near bottom of “contact your librarian” page): http://mwlibrary.wordpress.com/about/presentations

Activity #1 - Are there any questions?

Activity #2 – Finding the right words

PPT related to Activity #2 –introducing key word vs. subject searching (not shown today)

Activity #3 – Going to the source

Examples of assessing process

Rubric

Annotations

Available on the MW library blog by Friday, Nov. 2 nd (link near bottom of “contact your librarian” page):

http://mwlibrary.wordpress.com/about/presentations

For your students… Inquisitiveness Critical thinking Analytic thinking Discernment Drawing inferences Evaluating sources Reaching conclusions Supporting opinion with logical argument Risk-taking Accepting feedback Learning from mistakes Photo by ChicagoEye

Inquisitiveness

Critical thinking

Analytic thinking

Discernment

Drawing inferences

Evaluating sources

Reaching conclusions

Supporting opinion with logical argument

Risk-taking

Accepting feedback

Learning from mistakes

Thank you! What questions do you have? Shelor Smith [email_address] Wendy Sellors [email_address]

What questions do you have?