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The Impact of the Big 6 on Middle School Research Projects

The Impact of the Big 6 on Middle School Research Projects. Martha Hovanec April 30, 2008 EDUC 600. Focus.

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The Impact of the Big 6 on Middle School Research Projects

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  1. The Impact of the Big 6 on Middle School Research Projects Martha Hovanec April 30, 2008 EDUC 600

  2. Focus How does use of the Big 6 information literacy model impact the focus, confidence, and success of 7th grade regular and special education students undertaking a Greek and Roman mythology research project?

  3. Abstract • Students’ confidence, understanding of the process and requirements of the research task, and focus were positively impacted based on student and teacher qualitative data. • Quantitative data reflecting student success is less definitive.

  4. Literature “An Investigation of Factors That May De-motivate Secondary School Students Undertaking Project Work: Implications for Learning Information Literacy” • No information literacy instruction or scaffolding to support projects • many students reported feeling that they lacked the skills to complete the project • students were not accessing the types of information appropriate to the assignments • little synthesis of information • plagiarism was common • De-motivating factors other than the lack of information literacy training • choice of topic, amount of group work, amount of support, and work environment

  5. Literature “The Big Six Information Skills As a Metacognitive Scaffold: A Case Study” • Students demonstrated metacognitive behaviors in the on-line program, journals, interviews, and class interactions. • The data reflected a higher level of student confidence about their ability to plan and accomplish the steps of the research process • Exceeded the teacher’s expectations • Products-- despite being an unfamiliar genre or format (a news article) • Process-- engaged in the project and demonstrated the ability to plan their individual research and to evaluate themselves and their work.

  6. Literature • The presence or absence of information literacy instruction and the support that an information literacy model provides had a significant affect on student motivation, metacognition, learning, and success.

  7. What is the Big 6? • Information Literacy Model developed by Mike Eisenberg and Bob Berkowitz http://www.big6.com/category/overview-of-big6-skills/ • “A process model of how people solve an information problem” • Steps are recursive and iterative, not linear • start anywhere • go in any order • should revisit the steps repeatedly

  8. What is the Big 6? • 1. Task Definition (Define problem, identify info needed) • 2. Information Seeking Strategies (possible and best) • 3. Location and Access (Find sources and info) • 4. Use of Information (Engage and extract) • 5. Synthesis (Organize and present) • 6. Evaluation (Process and product)

  9. Introduction to the project • Research project daunting • Multi-step task • Independence • Length of project • Lack of confidence • Lack of focus • Failure to complete process and/or product

  10. Introduction to the project • Variation of previous project • Collaborative project • Language Arts teacher-Christine Matylewicz • Special Education/Inclusion teacher-Keith Dunkelberger • Last minute changes • Special education teacher-Delores Martin • Population • 1 Inclusion class • 1 Special Education class • 1 regular education class

  11. Student task • Research a Greek or Roman god or goddess (or other character) • Take notes • Create a bibliography • Create a poster • Present orally • http://www.psdnet.org/mhovanec/ENGLISH/Mrs.%20MAtylywicz'%20Mythology%20project.htm

  12. Method • Mini-journals/surveys for students (confidence) • Day 1 after task introduced • Likert scale: worried to confident • What letter grade do you think you’ll get? • What worries you about this project? • Day 2 /3 after Big 6 Organizer completed (confidence) • Do you feel able to complete this project? • Why or why not? • Day 3 /4 (focus, comprehension of task /process) • What do you need to do tomorrow?

  13. Method • On-task/off task checks during independent research (focus) • Teacher observations and surveys • noted teacher comments during the project • Post-project survey • Student surveys • noted student comments during the project • Post-project survey • Process and product grades

  14. Data-Confidence

  15. Student reported worries and concerns that impact confidence • Day 1 Pre-Big 6 Worries • “What worries me about this project is not getting it done and not having enough time.” • “not finishing or forgetting to include something” • Day 2 Post-Big 6 Do you feel able to complete the project? Why or why not? • Yes “Because I have a list” • Yes “It doesn't seem so hard & we are being helped by the Big 6 Assignment organizer.”

  16. Data-Focus

  17. Student perception of helpfulness of Big 6 sections post-project

  18. Student Survey Responses • “It (the Big 6 organizer) helped me understand what to do and to know what were (sic) or soposed (sic) to do” • It was (worth the added time) because I got lost then looked at the Big 6 and got back on track.”

  19. Teacher Survey Responses • All 3 teachers and 1 paraprofessional: • Big 6 helpful to students • Worth the extra day • “Helped students organize info” • “…Provided a step-by-step guide for students, which allowed them to focus more on the quality of their work.” • “accountability for students” • “focus for the day” • “Objectives in front of them” • “Kept student on task and focused”

  20. Teacher perception of helpfulness of Big 6 sections post-project

  21. Actual Grades for Total Project • Grades on process and product • 1 class-250 possible points (87.77% mean score) • 2 classes’ grades-350 possible point (90.58% mean score) • Despite use of rubric, grade reliability and validity in question

  22. Conclusions • Use of the Big 6 • Increased student confidence • Improved students’ understanding of the task • Helped students to successfully complete the steps of the task • May have improved final product • Was positively perceived by both teachers and students

  23. Planned Action • Continued use of Big 6 on research projects • Use data to encourage teachers who have been reluctant to spend the time on the Big 6 • If Big 6 is used at each grade level, • emphasize different steps for different projects • Students will internalize the process • Use feedback from survey to revise and hone Big 6 Organizer

  24. Resources • American Library Association (2006, July 24). Presidential Committee on Information Literacy. Retrieved March 02, 2008, fromhttp://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlpubs/whitepapers/presidential.cfm • Smith, M., & Hepworth, M. (March 2007). An investigation of factors that may demotivate secondary school students undertaking project work: Implications for learning information literacy.Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 39, 3-15. doi:10.1177/0961000607074810 • Wolf, S., Brush, T., & Saye, J. (2003). The Big Six information skills as a metacognitive scaffold: A case study. School Library Media Research, 6. Retrieved March 1, 2008, from http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/slmrb/slmrcontents/volume62003/bigsixinformation.cfm • What is the Big 6? (2007, October 17). Retrieved March 2, 2008, from http://www.big6.com/showarticle.php?id=415

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