Well, I found it!
To think of how far I've come since beginning this course simply boggles my mind. From the whole online course process (this being my first) to Lesson 13, I think it's fair to say I've found quite a bit of knowledge (or at least know where to find more than I did when I started)!
Having examined so many reference resources, I now feel that much more confident in becoming a teacher-librarian. I feel more confident in answering those questions and locating accurate sources to meet the information needs of students.
Where I will continue to lack until I actually have my own library is in being knowledgeable of my library media collection. Although I now feel more competent in selecting, acquiring and evaluating resources to meet students' needs (Reidling, 2005).
I'm excited to put the Research Quest or the I-Search into use. I am excited to teach the critical information literacy skills to my students...how to evaluate a website, how to appreciate the value of both Internet and print resources, and how it is important to check our research information with other resources. I am excited to collaborate with my colleagues...to teach them about all that is out there!
Monday, November 24, 2008
Lesson 10: Bibliographies, and Biographies and Directories
Today I took the time to actually navigate through the electronic journal databases at UBC. Since starting my T-L Diploma this summer (this is course #2 for me), I have had to research 6 scholarly articles (3 for each course). Prior to that, I have never had the opportunity to use an online database. It has been nearly 20 years since I finished my BEd and my research at that time came entirely from print resources. Needless to say, this has been a huge learning curve for me. I admit, I have completely avoided using the UBC databases, being able to access EBSCO through my school district. They just looked completely overwhelming to me!
At the beginning of this course, I took the tutorial with Jo-Anne Naslund and had I sat down at that time and gone through the UBC databases, I might have actually learned something. So today, I took the online tutorial through Vista and I am going to record step-by-step everything I did, so that for my next course, I will remember! Surprisingly, I found these databases extremely easy to navigate! Next time I'll not put the cart-before-the-horse and will take the time to use these excellent resources! At least I have 8 more courses to improve! Good lesson as a student and as a teacher!
1. VPN set up --no problem... quick, easy
2. Tutorial on Vista
3. Go to "e-resources"
4. Go to "Indexes and Databases"
5. Browsed “A” under "title" for “Academic Search Complete”
6. Boolean search “Information Literacy” and “Librarians”
7. Checked peer-reviewed
8. Publication type: periodical
9. Language: English
10. Document Type: article
11. Click: Search
12. 461 results…could narrow further with publication dates
13. Overview icon…get abstract
14. Got lots of “medical” articles..yuck...could further narrow with tabs on left
15. Could put the articles in a folder for review later
16. If didn’t have PDF format, could search other databases for the article quickly and efficiently
At the beginning of this course, I took the tutorial with Jo-Anne Naslund and had I sat down at that time and gone through the UBC databases, I might have actually learned something. So today, I took the online tutorial through Vista and I am going to record step-by-step everything I did, so that for my next course, I will remember! Surprisingly, I found these databases extremely easy to navigate! Next time I'll not put the cart-before-the-horse and will take the time to use these excellent resources! At least I have 8 more courses to improve! Good lesson as a student and as a teacher!
1. VPN set up --no problem... quick, easy
2. Tutorial on Vista
3. Go to "e-resources"
4. Go to "Indexes and Databases"
5. Browsed “A” under "title" for “Academic Search Complete”
6. Boolean search “Information Literacy” and “Librarians”
7. Checked peer-reviewed
8. Publication type: periodical
9. Language: English
10. Document Type: article
11. Click: Search
12. 461 results…could narrow further with publication dates
13. Overview icon…get abstract
14. Got lots of “medical” articles..yuck...could further narrow with tabs on left
15. Could put the articles in a folder for review later
16. If didn’t have PDF format, could search other databases for the article quickly and efficiently
Article #3: "Analyzing Student Search Strategies: Making a Case for Integrating Literacy Skills into the Curriculum." Scott, T. & O’Sullivan, M.(2005)
The purpose of this article was to determine how literate high school students were as Internet researchers. The authors contend that most students simply surf the Internet for the information they need for their assignments and the students feel that the more information they find, the better. This results in information overload and leaves the students often feeling frustrated and they end up surfing from one site to another with reckless abandon. Some even give up. Most high school students lack the skills required in using the Internet for research. They lack in their search strategies and in critical thinking.
One teacher noted that the overall structure of the Web is not real organized, not real useful for a lot of users. It is real easy to get lost, and until that straightens out, it is less than a helpful tool for those kids who do get lost, who tend not to think in that manner; you know, who can’t pick out a search term (Scott & O’Sullivan, 2005). Conducting research was not an easy or enjoyable task for most students.
The authors developed an action-research study to observe how high school students would proceed in locating answers to specific questions from four designated web sites to determine the impact that the hypertext environment had on a student’s ability to find specific information on the Internet. This Hypertext Literacy Exercise was conducted among four ninth-grade social studies classes (Scott & O’Sullivan, 2005).
The study revealed that the immediate strategy by many of the students to locate information was:
1) to seek out the web site’s Search screen;
2) to conduct a keyword search; and
3) to proceed to go through the list of hits.
Holscher and Strube (2000) describe this as a "browsing mode" (p. 339) and the students continued browsing for several clicks before ultimately returning to the Search screen to alter their query. Many of the students did not change their strategy in spite of continued failure to locate the information requested.
The authors also found that many students simply search in a random manner and appear not to understand the systematic process involved in finding information on the Web. Their search strategies are based on trial and error. The only strategy they used was to make minor changes in their keyword search. Very few applied the appropriate strategy of reviewing and analyzing how the web site was organized and then reviewing the subject links to select the most appropriate link for the information sought.
Conclusion
The authors observed that the students were unable to narrow searches and to discern useful links from nonuseful links. They lacked skill in conducting searches, and were unable to create efficient and effective keyword searches.
After reading this article, it is most apparent to me that the role of the teacher-librarian is even more essential than before. The amount of information via the Internet is incredible. Students need to be taught how to understand and interpret that information, and how to efficiently and effectively navigate the Internet. These are critical information literacy skills that students require in order to be prepared for higher level education. We need to also emphasize and require students to use a variety of sources for their research, and we need to make them aware that the Internet is just another tool they can add to their list of information retrieval sources. As Dupois (1997) observes, "Unless [both teachers and] librarians educate users about finding information, users will continue to underutilize and misuse information" (p. 98).
References
Dupois, E. (1997). The information literacy challenge: Addressing the changing needs of our students through our programs. In Lyn Elizabeth M. Martin (Ed.), The challenge of Internet literacy: The instruction-web convergence (p. 98). New York: Haworth Press.
Holscher, C., & Strube, G. (2000). Web search behavior of Internet experts and newsiest. Computer Networks 33, 337-346.
Scott, T., & O'Sullivan, M. (2005, October). Analyzing student search strategies: making a case for integrating information literacy skills into the curriculum. Teacher Librarian, 33(1), 21-25. Retrieved November 12, 2008, from Canadian Reference Centre database.
One teacher noted that the overall structure of the Web is not real organized, not real useful for a lot of users. It is real easy to get lost, and until that straightens out, it is less than a helpful tool for those kids who do get lost, who tend not to think in that manner; you know, who can’t pick out a search term (Scott & O’Sullivan, 2005). Conducting research was not an easy or enjoyable task for most students.
The authors developed an action-research study to observe how high school students would proceed in locating answers to specific questions from four designated web sites to determine the impact that the hypertext environment had on a student’s ability to find specific information on the Internet. This Hypertext Literacy Exercise was conducted among four ninth-grade social studies classes (Scott & O’Sullivan, 2005).
The study revealed that the immediate strategy by many of the students to locate information was:
1) to seek out the web site’s Search screen;
2) to conduct a keyword search; and
3) to proceed to go through the list of hits.
Holscher and Strube (2000) describe this as a "browsing mode" (p. 339) and the students continued browsing for several clicks before ultimately returning to the Search screen to alter their query. Many of the students did not change their strategy in spite of continued failure to locate the information requested.
The authors also found that many students simply search in a random manner and appear not to understand the systematic process involved in finding information on the Web. Their search strategies are based on trial and error. The only strategy they used was to make minor changes in their keyword search. Very few applied the appropriate strategy of reviewing and analyzing how the web site was organized and then reviewing the subject links to select the most appropriate link for the information sought.
Conclusion
The authors observed that the students were unable to narrow searches and to discern useful links from nonuseful links. They lacked skill in conducting searches, and were unable to create efficient and effective keyword searches.
After reading this article, it is most apparent to me that the role of the teacher-librarian is even more essential than before. The amount of information via the Internet is incredible. Students need to be taught how to understand and interpret that information, and how to efficiently and effectively navigate the Internet. These are critical information literacy skills that students require in order to be prepared for higher level education. We need to also emphasize and require students to use a variety of sources for their research, and we need to make them aware that the Internet is just another tool they can add to their list of information retrieval sources. As Dupois (1997) observes, "Unless [both teachers and] librarians educate users about finding information, users will continue to underutilize and misuse information" (p. 98).
References
Dupois, E. (1997). The information literacy challenge: Addressing the changing needs of our students through our programs. In Lyn Elizabeth M. Martin (Ed.), The challenge of Internet literacy: The instruction-web convergence (p. 98). New York: Haworth Press.
Holscher, C., & Strube, G. (2000). Web search behavior of Internet experts and newsiest. Computer Networks 33, 337-346.
Scott, T., & O'Sullivan, M. (2005, October). Analyzing student search strategies: making a case for integrating information literacy skills into the curriculum. Teacher Librarian, 33(1), 21-25. Retrieved November 12, 2008, from Canadian Reference Centre database.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Article #2: "A Process Approach: the I-Search with Grade 5: They Learn!" Bowen, C. (2001, December).
This article was written by a grade 5 teacher who wanted her students to have the proper motivation, skills and confidence to conduct and use research in a meaningful way (Bowen, 2001). She felt her students regarded research as something negative, arduous and overwhelming. In using the I-Search process approach to research, she hoped to change these attitudes.
The I-Search process was introduced by Ken Macrorie (1988) and was further expanded by Joyce and Tallman (1997) to offer teachers and teacher-librarians practical applications for using the I-Search to teach both writing and researching skills (Bowen, 2001).
The first aspect of the I-Search is to get the students motivated. This is done by allowing the students to choose their own, personal topics for their research. The belief is that by giving the students their own choice, they will have a feeling of ownership and empowerment (Bowen, 2001).
Prior to teaching the I-Search process, the author along with her teacher-librarian taught the students essential skills to help them through this research process such as reading, reading comprehension, finding the main idea, identifying cause and effect, taking notes, summarizing, reflecting, narrative writing, revising, editing, using dictionaries and encyclopedias, and identifying key words (Bowen, 2001). They were also required to have some basic computer skills and were taught how to use the library to locate information from different sources.
There are four primary I-Search questions:
What do I want to know?
This is the point where students chose their topics. The teacher took two weeks for the introduction and topic selection. As a class, they brainstormed the word research and what it meant. They also created webs as to what topics might interest them including areas such as hobbies, travel, family, school, interests and sports. Students listed three possible topics for their research and parents had to sign off on the topic.
At this point the students had to fill out something similar to a K-W-L chart. The students then formulated their questions after discussing the difference between “fat” and “skinny” questions (Bowen, 2001).
Where can I find the answers?
The students were allowed one week for creating researchable questions and learning how to interview, take notes and cite sources. They discussed the different places that they could find information. The students began to see connections between research, information, topics and sources (Bowen, 2001).
The class then wrote down their topics on paper and the papers got passed around the class. Each student had to list one possible source as to where he/she thought the student could find his/her information. Different sources were discussed, such as: print and electronic encyclopedias, nonfiction books, magazines, the Internet and interviews (Bowen, 2001).
How will I record the information that I find?
The class spent one week searching for information.
How will I show what I learned?
They spent two weeks writing the paper and preparing their presentations. They were told there were two parts to their presentations. They had to present the story of their research as well as the information they learned about their topic. They could write a book, use a storyboard, create a PowerPoint, make a video or create a photo essay.
The author had her students keep an on-going reflection/learning log as well. Their first entry consisted of explaining why they chose their specific topic. Their second entry was a response to what they knew before they started their I-Search. Their final component of the self-evaluation was of the actual I-Search process. This was to be part of their presentation.
Conclusions
The author felt her students were motivated and interested in what they were doing. She felt her students learned how to write in their own words given the opportunity to use personal narrative writing. Every student said that they would like to use the I-Search process for their next research projects. They felt confident and enjoyed choosing their own topics.
My reflections
I found the I-Search model quite comparable to the Research Quest. The five steps in The Research Quest were nearly identical to the stages in the I-Search. It was great to see a model put to use and with success! I will definitely not hesitate to use either model in teaching my students their research skills.
REFERENCES
Bowen, Carol (2001, December).A PROCESS APPROACH: The I-Search with Grade 5: They Learn! Teacher Librarian; Vol. 29 Issue 2, p14, 4p. Retrieved November 12, 2008, from Canadian Reference Centre database.
Joyce, M. & Tallman, J. (1997). Making the writing and research connection with the I-Search process. New York: Neal Schuman.
Macrorie, K. (1988). The I-Search paper. Portsmouth, NH: Heineman.
The I-Search process was introduced by Ken Macrorie (1988) and was further expanded by Joyce and Tallman (1997) to offer teachers and teacher-librarians practical applications for using the I-Search to teach both writing and researching skills (Bowen, 2001).
The first aspect of the I-Search is to get the students motivated. This is done by allowing the students to choose their own, personal topics for their research. The belief is that by giving the students their own choice, they will have a feeling of ownership and empowerment (Bowen, 2001).
Prior to teaching the I-Search process, the author along with her teacher-librarian taught the students essential skills to help them through this research process such as reading, reading comprehension, finding the main idea, identifying cause and effect, taking notes, summarizing, reflecting, narrative writing, revising, editing, using dictionaries and encyclopedias, and identifying key words (Bowen, 2001). They were also required to have some basic computer skills and were taught how to use the library to locate information from different sources.
There are four primary I-Search questions:
What do I want to know?
This is the point where students chose their topics. The teacher took two weeks for the introduction and topic selection. As a class, they brainstormed the word research and what it meant. They also created webs as to what topics might interest them including areas such as hobbies, travel, family, school, interests and sports. Students listed three possible topics for their research and parents had to sign off on the topic.
At this point the students had to fill out something similar to a K-W-L chart. The students then formulated their questions after discussing the difference between “fat” and “skinny” questions (Bowen, 2001).
Where can I find the answers?
The students were allowed one week for creating researchable questions and learning how to interview, take notes and cite sources. They discussed the different places that they could find information. The students began to see connections between research, information, topics and sources (Bowen, 2001).
The class then wrote down their topics on paper and the papers got passed around the class. Each student had to list one possible source as to where he/she thought the student could find his/her information. Different sources were discussed, such as: print and electronic encyclopedias, nonfiction books, magazines, the Internet and interviews (Bowen, 2001).
How will I record the information that I find?
The class spent one week searching for information.
How will I show what I learned?
They spent two weeks writing the paper and preparing their presentations. They were told there were two parts to their presentations. They had to present the story of their research as well as the information they learned about their topic. They could write a book, use a storyboard, create a PowerPoint, make a video or create a photo essay.
The author had her students keep an on-going reflection/learning log as well. Their first entry consisted of explaining why they chose their specific topic. Their second entry was a response to what they knew before they started their I-Search. Their final component of the self-evaluation was of the actual I-Search process. This was to be part of their presentation.
Conclusions
The author felt her students were motivated and interested in what they were doing. She felt her students learned how to write in their own words given the opportunity to use personal narrative writing. Every student said that they would like to use the I-Search process for their next research projects. They felt confident and enjoyed choosing their own topics.
My reflections
I found the I-Search model quite comparable to the Research Quest. The five steps in The Research Quest were nearly identical to the stages in the I-Search. It was great to see a model put to use and with success! I will definitely not hesitate to use either model in teaching my students their research skills.
REFERENCES
Bowen, Carol (2001, December).A PROCESS APPROACH: The I-Search with Grade 5: They Learn! Teacher Librarian; Vol. 29 Issue 2, p14, 4p. Retrieved November 12, 2008, from Canadian Reference Centre database.
Joyce, M. & Tallman, J. (1997). Making the writing and research connection with the I-Search process. New York: Neal Schuman.
Macrorie, K. (1988). The I-Search paper. Portsmouth, NH: Heineman.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Lesson 9--Maps, Atlases and other Geographical Sources
Recently I had the opportunity to TOC in a grade 6 class and they were doing a mapping activity on Somalia. Each student had his/her own atlas.
Nystrom Desk Atlas--Canadian Edition
Publisher (Authority):
Division of Herff Jones Inc.
Recommended by the British Columbia Ministry of Education as an instructional resource
Scale:
Equatorial scale on some maps
Variety of scales on others
Currency:
Copyright 1995--2001 Edition
Complete program includes:
Binder with student activities and teacher's guide
30 copies of The Nystrom Atlas of Canada and the World
Access to NystromCanadaWorld.com
$830.00 Canadian
or $494 for just a set of 30 atlases
ONLINE ATLASES
Atlas of Canada Site Map
Publisher/Authority:
Government of Canada
Scale:
1cm=100 km on BC map (example)
There various scales appropriate to their maps
Currency:
Current
Indexing:
Easy to find
Quick, user-friendly
Lots of links
Format:
Offers lesson plans for teachers
Facts about Canada
Maps on: environment, people and society, economy, history, climate change, freshwater, health, reference maps, map archives, topographic maps, natural disasters
Wall maps
French…I love this feature as a French teacher!!!!
Cost:Free
Lonely Planet
Publisher/authority:
Lonely Planet Publications
Scale:
Couldn’t find one, but would assume in miles or kilometers, but was concerned that it wasn't readily accessible
Currency:
2008 maps powered by Google
Indexing:
Alphabetical menu for city listings in specific countries
Format:
Easy tabs with drop-down menus
Fast facts about countries
Quick link to maps with flags for sights, shopping, restaurants and entertainment.
Maps are satellite, hybrid, terrain
Cost:
Free
While it has been many years since I have done any kind of mapping with a class, I have to admit that for the most part, I still would prefer to use print atlases. I just feel the facility of having the students each having their own and being able to keep them at their fingertips to complete assignments far outweighs the use of a cumbersome computer. However the amazing things the online atlases can do would certainly be much more compelling to the students. I could see using the online atlases for extended projects on a single country.
As a French teacher, I was so pleased to find that Atlas Canada could be quickly converted to French and I honestly had never thought of using this resource until now. It is an amazing feature and my students could benefit immensely from this source....doing real mapping in real French! I was thrilled when Kathy S. posted one of her finds: " Another site that I found is one specifically for French students at a higher level. It's not as pretty as some of the sites that have been mentioned but it does provide students with oodles of world wide, basic information in French that will help them to improve their vocabulary and searching skills in another language. http://www.atlas-francophone.refer.org " . I spent some time on this site and agree it would be very useful for my students.
In comparing the two online atlases, I found Lonely Planet to be much more suitable for adult tourists. In reading some of the information about Canada, I found a lot of inappropriate vocabulary for younger students. In referring to our natural resources, the author claimed that they caused the "Canadian economy to kick ass". While I found this humourous (and there were a few other similar nuances), I'm sure the younger students (and their parents) would certainly not. I enjoyed this source and agree with Sherrie F. "I found it easy to use and I really liked using the atlas. I found the extra information regarding travel etc. quite interesting and helpful. I do feel that it is very busy and could be confusing for elementary school aged students. "
There were also several advertisements that I found distracting and would also be wary of the advertisers influence over the contents of this website (perhaps a teachable moment, though!).
All in all, I was quite pleased with this opportunity to expand my horizons! I certainly see a place for both print and online atlases in my classroom!
Nystrom Desk Atlas--Canadian Edition
Publisher (Authority):
Division of Herff Jones Inc.
Recommended by the British Columbia Ministry of Education as an instructional resource
Scale:
Equatorial scale on some maps
Variety of scales on others
Currency:
Copyright 1995--2001 Edition
Format: Extremely easy to navigate
Index: Included location page, latitude and longitude, main reference page, and phonetic pronunciation
Glossary
Contents were grouped by Thematic Maps and Graphs and by continent except for Canada and the U.S.A. as there was much more information on these two countries.
There was also many interesting facts included such as, Country Tables, World Facts, Culture and History, Environmental Concerns, Ethnicity, Travel, Vegetation, Land Use, Mineral and Energy, Population and Precipitation and Temperature.
The atlas was soft-cover and very easy for the students to keep in their desks.
Complete program includes:
Binder with student activities and teacher's guide
30 copies of The Nystrom Atlas of Canada and the World
Access to NystromCanadaWorld.com
$830.00 Canadian
or $494 for just a set of 30 atlases
ONLINE ATLASES
Atlas of Canada Site Map
Publisher/Authority:
Government of Canada
Scale:
1cm=100 km on BC map (example)
There various scales appropriate to their maps
Currency:
Current
Indexing:
Easy to find
Quick, user-friendly
Lots of links
Format:
Offers lesson plans for teachers
Facts about Canada
Maps on: environment, people and society, economy, history, climate change, freshwater, health, reference maps, map archives, topographic maps, natural disasters
Wall maps
French…I love this feature as a French teacher!!!!
Cost:Free
Lonely Planet
Publisher/authority:
Lonely Planet Publications
Scale:
Couldn’t find one, but would assume in miles or kilometers, but was concerned that it wasn't readily accessible
Currency:
2008 maps powered by Google
Indexing:
Alphabetical menu for city listings in specific countries
Format:
Easy tabs with drop-down menus
Fast facts about countries
Quick link to maps with flags for sights, shopping, restaurants and entertainment.
Maps are satellite, hybrid, terrain
Cost:
Free
While it has been many years since I have done any kind of mapping with a class, I have to admit that for the most part, I still would prefer to use print atlases. I just feel the facility of having the students each having their own and being able to keep them at their fingertips to complete assignments far outweighs the use of a cumbersome computer. However the amazing things the online atlases can do would certainly be much more compelling to the students. I could see using the online atlases for extended projects on a single country.
As a French teacher, I was so pleased to find that Atlas Canada could be quickly converted to French and I honestly had never thought of using this resource until now. It is an amazing feature and my students could benefit immensely from this source....doing real mapping in real French! I was thrilled when Kathy S. posted one of her finds: " Another site that I found is one specifically for French students at a higher level. It's not as pretty as some of the sites that have been mentioned but it does provide students with oodles of world wide, basic information in French that will help them to improve their vocabulary and searching skills in another language. http://www.atlas-francophone.refer.org " . I spent some time on this site and agree it would be very useful for my students.
In comparing the two online atlases, I found Lonely Planet to be much more suitable for adult tourists. In reading some of the information about Canada, I found a lot of inappropriate vocabulary for younger students. In referring to our natural resources, the author claimed that they caused the "Canadian economy to kick ass". While I found this humourous (and there were a few other similar nuances), I'm sure the younger students (and their parents) would certainly not. I enjoyed this source and agree with Sherrie F. "I found it easy to use and I really liked using the atlas. I found the extra information regarding travel etc. quite interesting and helpful. I do feel that it is very busy and could be confusing for elementary school aged students. "
There were also several advertisements that I found distracting and would also be wary of the advertisers influence over the contents of this website (perhaps a teachable moment, though!).
All in all, I was quite pleased with this opportunity to expand my horizons! I certainly see a place for both print and online atlases in my classroom!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Lesson 6: General and Specialized Encyclopedias
Again, I am in a position where I have very little to offer in terms of my opinion about established vs. free citizen-built encyclopedias such as Wikipedia as this course has provided me with my first introduction to Wikipedia.
Having followed the discussions among my “classmates”, my understanding has increased a hundred-fold. For starters, I had absolutely no idea that Wikipedia was a citizen-built encyclopedia. I just assumed (falsely) that it was a reliable, unbiased online reference source.
Having now spent some time navigating the site, I agree with many of my “classmates” that this would be a good starting point for research and an amazing opportunity to teach my students information literacy skills such as authority, viewpoint and objectivity. The added bonus as a teacher-librarian is that it is absolutely free! As Frances R-C. stated in the discussion, “By simply ignoring the usage of Wikipedia, or worse yet, forbidding it, what have we really taught our students about evaluating and accessing authoritative information?”
I also feel it imperative that we teach our students that it is critical that we check our research information with other sources. By starting our research with Wikipedia, we have an opportunity to do just that. As Megan M. stated, “Because it is free, and easily accessible and written in a user friendly style that students can use simply, it might be a good starting point. I think if students were allowed to use this as one of several resources required it would not be detrimental. In fact teaching them to look for discrepancies and question the authority of sources are great critical literacy skills to possess. Identifying inaccuracies would be a great lesson learned.”
I was pleased to read in Berinstein’s article that biased information is simply removed from the wikis: “The wiki process, in and of itself, is something of a mutually assured destruction-type of process. In other words, if you write something that's biased, it'll just be deleted. And so everybody who participates has an incentive to try to write for the enemy, as we put it, or write for people who may not agree with you and try to phrase things in a way that's as neutral as you possibly can because that's the only way to write something that will survive the test of time.” (Berinstein, P., 2006) There is some standard for accountability.
There is no point in prohibiting our students from using Wikipedia. As Harris states in his article: “So many media specialists have banned using the site. There are two problems with this. For one, study after study has found that Wikipedia is, in fact, reasonably accurate as a general knowledge source. And students are just going to use it anyway. My May 2006 column for SLJ "MySpace Can Be Our Space" (p. 30) explored the futility of attempting to ban a wildly popular Web site. Even if you filter Wikipedia and its typically prominent results on Google, students will just use it at home.” (Harris, C., 2007)
I will conclude with Jody W.’s discussion response: “The role of the teacher librarian is quickly evolving with the rapid changes of web-based information. We have to keep with the times and provide our students with skills to work with the newest internet information resources or web-based tools. This is the world they live in, WE live in, and it is our role to prepare our students for the future. If we buck at Wikipedia, it won't be long before we are left entirely behind.”
References
Berinstein, P. (2006). Wikipedia and Britannica: The Kid's All Right (And So's the Old Man) Searcher 14(3), 16-26.
Harris, C. (2007). Can we make peace with Wikipedia? School Library Journal, 53(6), 26.
Having followed the discussions among my “classmates”, my understanding has increased a hundred-fold. For starters, I had absolutely no idea that Wikipedia was a citizen-built encyclopedia. I just assumed (falsely) that it was a reliable, unbiased online reference source.
Having now spent some time navigating the site, I agree with many of my “classmates” that this would be a good starting point for research and an amazing opportunity to teach my students information literacy skills such as authority, viewpoint and objectivity. The added bonus as a teacher-librarian is that it is absolutely free! As Frances R-C. stated in the discussion, “By simply ignoring the usage of Wikipedia, or worse yet, forbidding it, what have we really taught our students about evaluating and accessing authoritative information?”
I also feel it imperative that we teach our students that it is critical that we check our research information with other sources. By starting our research with Wikipedia, we have an opportunity to do just that. As Megan M. stated, “Because it is free, and easily accessible and written in a user friendly style that students can use simply, it might be a good starting point. I think if students were allowed to use this as one of several resources required it would not be detrimental. In fact teaching them to look for discrepancies and question the authority of sources are great critical literacy skills to possess. Identifying inaccuracies would be a great lesson learned.”
I was pleased to read in Berinstein’s article that biased information is simply removed from the wikis: “The wiki process, in and of itself, is something of a mutually assured destruction-type of process. In other words, if you write something that's biased, it'll just be deleted. And so everybody who participates has an incentive to try to write for the enemy, as we put it, or write for people who may not agree with you and try to phrase things in a way that's as neutral as you possibly can because that's the only way to write something that will survive the test of time.” (Berinstein, P., 2006) There is some standard for accountability.
There is no point in prohibiting our students from using Wikipedia. As Harris states in his article: “So many media specialists have banned using the site. There are two problems with this. For one, study after study has found that Wikipedia is, in fact, reasonably accurate as a general knowledge source. And students are just going to use it anyway. My May 2006 column for SLJ "MySpace Can Be Our Space" (p. 30) explored the futility of attempting to ban a wildly popular Web site. Even if you filter Wikipedia and its typically prominent results on Google, students will just use it at home.” (Harris, C., 2007)
I will conclude with Jody W.’s discussion response: “The role of the teacher librarian is quickly evolving with the rapid changes of web-based information. We have to keep with the times and provide our students with skills to work with the newest internet information resources or web-based tools. This is the world they live in, WE live in, and it is our role to prepare our students for the future. If we buck at Wikipedia, it won't be long before we are left entirely behind.”
References
Berinstein, P. (2006). Wikipedia and Britannica: The Kid's All Right (And So's the Old Man) Searcher 14(3), 16-26.
Harris, C. (2007). Can we make peace with Wikipedia? School Library Journal, 53(6), 26.
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