Information

• C5 Acquires and Evaluates Information - Identifies need for data, obtains them from existing sources or creates them, and evaluates their relevance and accuracy. Competently performing the tasks of acquiring data and evaluating information includes posing analytic questions to determine specific information needs; selecting possible information and evaluating its appropriateness; and determining when new information must be created.

Acquisition of Information Skills

• Reading (scanning) to gather information
• Listening & Questioning effectively (Interviewing Skills)
• Taking accurate notes: Observing, Charting, Journaling
• Understanding types of data (percentages, charts, census, etc) and Information (News, Business, Commercial, Educational, Governmental, Propaganda,  Media)
• Understanding URLs (.gov versus .com or .edu)
• Understanding Search Engines 
• Understanding Search Techniques (Backward validation, Boolean Searches)
• Understanding Citation Format (MLA) AND Copyright Issues

Evaluation of Information Skills

• Understanding source & data reliability, accuracy, currency, legitimacy
• Understanding comprehensive & exhaustive searches
• Understanding data dependency
• Understanding data manipulation & propaganda
• Understanding author's credibility, objectivity, coverage, attitude, motive

GOALS: Teach all age learners to validate and evaluate information credibility before spending valuable productivity time on organizing and synthesizing information for application.  Teach children to determine truth, facts, and accuracy versus opinion, bias, and propaganda.  Teach learners to approach research without fear by giving them tools to deal with inaccuracy, lies, and biased slants.  Equip them as life-long learners with information and media skills for dealing with any type of mayhem they may encounter in life.

• Links to In-depth Resources for Teaching Information Validation
• Evaluation of Information Resources
• PowerPoint on Evaluation of Web Resources

• C6 Organizes and Maintains Information - Organizes, processes, and maintains written or computerized records and other forms of information in a systematic fashion. Competently performing the tasks of organizing and maintaining information includes understanding and organizing information from computer, visual, oral and physical sources in readily accessible formats, such as computerized data bases, spreadsheets, microfiche, video disks, paper files, etc.; when necessary, transforming data into different formats in order to organize them by the application of various methods such as sorting, classifying, or more formal methods.

Data Organization Skills

•  Understanding & utilizing organizational methods including:
  • categorizing
  • sorting
  • charting
  •  "chunking"
  • distribution leveling
• Negotiating the inclusion & exclusion of data to be utilized 
• Prioritizing information for presentation, processing, or application

Data Management Skills

• Utilizing the most efficient methods of information storage -- consider
  • speed of retrieval
  • speed of sorting
  • system for effectively recording research, data, or information
  • effective utilization for all members of research team
  • effective processing media of final artifact

   

• ONLINE EXAMPLE of How to Conduct Research

RESEARCH

• Decide on Keywords and main concepts (consider synonyms) --Turn in Keyword Search
• Turn in Research Topic
• Turn in Search List of References to be used for Literature Review
• Narrow search, especially with Internet keyword searches (using Boolean logic -- "this" + "that", "this" not "that", "this" or "that") that appropriately narrows the topic to fit research objective
• Consider broadening topic
  • ONLINE TUTORIAL -Searching the Internet
• Identify appropriate types of resources
• Evaluate sources of information for authors credentials, reliability, credibility, relevance, plausibility, currency, coverage, objectivity, and accuracy.  (PowerPoint Tutorial on evaluating & citing sources)
• Categorize information (pros, cons, point-of-view, etc.)
• Prioritize information that will be included into report, project, or artifact
• Synthesize information into meaningful and manageable "chunks"
• Complete a Literature Review – What do the experts say?  What has already been reported about this topic?  What are the major points of view? -- Turn in Literature Review

EXPERIMENTAL

• Develop a thesis, hypothesis, or research question or problem to solve (Why or what are you researching?) -- Turn in Research Question
• Design efficient & effective ways to collect information & data-- Turn in Research Design
  • Observation
  • Interview
  • Expert Opinion
  • Polling
  • Reading
• Carry Out Research -- Test Research Question
• Analyze Results
• Negotiate with team members and plan content, presentation format, method (process) and materials for your report, presentation, or solution.
• Build your artifact, product, report, or solution
• Present privately to the teacher -- get a growth plan
• Present publicly, publish, produce the artifact, product, report, or solution.  (Incorporate appropriate communication, multimedia,  video, etc. skills)
• Defend your project, artifact, product or solution.  Be able to explain what you learned, what you chose to leave out, what sources were used and what sources were ignored and why.  Be able to explain what other questions arose while this project was being drafted.  Be able to explore other avenues that should now be addressed.
• Grade the journal which the student keeps on the experiences during the project.

• C7 Interprets and Communicates Information - Selects and analyzes information and communicates the results to others using oral, written, graphic, pictorial, or multi-media methods. Competently performing the tasks of communicating and interpreting information to others includes determining information to be communicated; identifying the best methods to present information (e.g., overheads, handouts); if necessary, converting to desired format and conveying information to others through a variety of means including oral presentation, written communication, etc.
  • Writing effectively
  • Writing for technical purposes
  • Writing clearly and logically
  • Writing with correct mechanics
  • Making effective presentation
  • Using the draft-analyze-revise process
  • Listening effectively

• C8 Uses Computers to Process Information - Employs computers to acquire, organize, analyze, and communicate information. Competently using computers to process information includes entering, modifying, retrieving, storing, and verifying data and other information; choosing format for display (e.g., line graphs, bar graphs, tables, pie charts, narrative); and ensuring the accurate conversion of information into the chosen format.
  • Primary computer & Keyboarding skills
  • Intermediate computer skills (e-mail, word processing, spreadsheet, database)
  • Using the Internet, Search Engines
  • Creating Web sites, Web services

Student & Teacher Competencies

• Fl Reading - Locates, understands, and interprets written information in prose and documents-including manuals, graphs, and schedules-to perform tasks; learns from text by determining the main idea or essential message; identifies relevant details, facts, and specifications; infers or locates the meaning of unknown or technical vocabulary; and judges the accuracy, appropriateness, style, and plausibility of reports, proposals, or theories of other writers.

Reading Skills

• Scan for Information
  • Select keywords for information desired
  • Use publication clues (Index, TOC, glossary, chapter, section, and page headings, italicized & bold words, color-coded words)
  • Use right to left scanning for keywords.
  • Read area adjacent to keywords, both above and below.
  • Be able to answer the "who, what, when, where, why" questions about the information you seek  
• Read for Pleasure

• F2 Writing - Communicates thoughts, ideas, information, and messages in writing; records information completely and accurately; composes and creates documents such as letters, directions, manuals, reports, proposals, graphs, flow-charts; uses language, style, organization, and format appropriate to the subject matter, purpose, and audience; includes supporting documentation and attends to level of detail; and checks, edits, and revises for correct information, appropriate emphasis, form, grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Oral & Writing Skills

• Use of good grammar
• Use of complete sentences
• Conciseness
• Clarity (lack of ambiguity)
• Appropriate audience
• Appropriate format & form

• F3 Arithmetic - Performs basic computations; uses basic numerical concepts such as whole numbers and percentages in practical situations; makes reasonable estimates of arithmetic results without a calculator; and uses tables, graphs, diagrams, and charts to obtain or convey quantitative information.
•  
• F4 Mathematics - Approaches practical problems by choosing appropriately from a variety of mathematical techniques; uses quantitative data to construct logical explanations for real world situations; expresses mathematical ideas and concepts orally and in writing; and understands the role of chance in the occurrence and prediction of events. [This skill definition is not yet completely developed.
•  
• F5 Listening - Receives, attends to, interprets, and responds to verbal messages and other cues such as body language in ways that are appropriate to the purpose; for example, to comprehend, to learn, to critically evaluate, to appreciate, or to support the speaker.

Listening Skills

• Eye Contact
• Positive Body Language
• Taking turns to speak
• Asking a question by reiterating what has been said by others.
  • "I don't get it!", does not follow this pattern.
  • "When you said that a I needed to cut & paste, did you mean click once or twice?", follows this pattern.
• Asking a question that extends what has been said by others.
  • "When you said that Abraham Lincoln owned slaves, did you mean as a gentleman farmer or as the President of the United States?"

• F6 Speaking - Organizes ideas and communicates oral messages appropriate to listeners and situations; participates in conversation, discussion, and group presentations; selects an appropriate medium for conveying a message; uses verbal language and other cues such as body language appropriate in style, tone, and level of complexity to the audience and the occasion; speaks clearly and communicates a message; understands and responds to listener feedback; and asks questions when needed.

Verbal Skills

• Diction
• Pronunciation
• Projection
• Audience "check" speed

Body Language

• Use "open-body" language
  • Eyebrows slightly lifted
  • Good posture
  • Appropriate gestures, without being repetitive
  • Eye contact

click click