Webbing

My information search process started with two basic searches--one in the library's online catalog and one through online search engines. I chose search terms out of the questions I had posed about baby sign language, language acquisition, bilingualism, multilingualism and benefits of baby signing. I placed several books on hold  and have skimmed each for information pertaining to my inquiry. There is so much information available about languages that I really had to narrow it by choosing a few books specifically about signing with babies. Although much of the other information could be incorporated, it would turn this into a semester, yearlong or dissertation project! I also used these search terms to seek out resources online. There is a plethora of information and websites addressing baby sign language and multilingualism. Many of the websites contain instructional video clips which are great information sources as well. Additionally, I watched the DVD Baby Sign Language Basics which features the work of author Monta Briant. To help narrow these sources I placed them all into a "stack" in delicious.com. I have since spent time briefly reviewing each website, creating tags and writing brief descriptions. Much of the information is repeated; however, there are differing levels of authority and resources. 

While reviewing these sources I tried to extrapolate terms, ideas and theories that I felt were significant to my inquiry. I also learned several names of key people that are influential in this field of study. I am going to focus my research and resources on references that include these experts that have been proven authorities. When I began this project I used bubbl.us to create a concept map of my ideas and thoughts. 

The amount of information and resources available is quite overwhelming. As an inquirer, librarian and information seeker I have this great desire to gather and absorb everything--not possible! Carol Kuhlthau discusses a drop in confidence that students experience during the exploration phase of her ISP model.  This lack of confidence is due to inconsistencies, over abundance of information and altered expectations that are encountered during the initial search process. I am definitely experiencing less confidence at the moment. I feel that there is so much I would like to address and share but don't have the time to do so for this assignment. At the same time I feel that I will not meet the project requirements or level of work if I don't incorporate all the research, sources, information and aspects of baby signing. Kuhlthau (1997) writes that, "...they [students] need to attend to the task of exploring information to form a focus for their research rather than collecting information to support a thesis."  I must remember this edict if I am to move forward in the inquiry project. It is very easy to get caught up in gathering source after source after source. However, there is not enough time or space to use each reference, no matter how valuable.


To help myself refocus and once again narrow my topic and ideas I created a second concept map in bubbl.us. This map still contains a lot of information, but I have focused in on two main questions--How do you teach babies to sign? and What are the benefits of signing with babies? 

There is still much to cover but I think these two ideas will support each other in ways that make the information and resources become unified. I just have to resign myself to the fact that there is much more to this topic that will have to be explored later. I am going to create a bibliography and keep links in delicious so that others can investigate further and I can return to other areas at another time.