Wishing

I feel that my inquiry was successful. I appreciate the fact that we were given an extended period of time to complete the assignment. I believe that my knowledge growth, information use and final product would not have been as complete if pursued with less time. I think that this is an important observation to note because as teachers and/or librarians the assignments we give students are often expected to be completed within the same week or maybe two weeks of time.  Granted, this is in part due to the curriculum restrictions and schooling time requirements. However, if we are truly seeking to foster critical thinking skills to create life-long learners, it is imperative to strive for inquiry opportunities that can take 4-6 weeks, and then ensure that students work throughout that entire time frame.  Even if a month long project occurs once a year, or better, once a semester, the chance to develop thinking and learning skills is immeasurable for student's future success. When creating inquiry and higher level thinking projects for today's students there are many options and models to follow. A web quest might take a teacher some time to create, but the students can move through it more quickly while still engaging in information rich learning experiences. Alice H. Yucht's "FLIP IT" inquiry model would be a great choice to use with high school students. It is divided into four sections that may make is more feasible to move through an inquiry assignment with less time. The steps: FOCUS, LINKS, INPUT and PAYOFF contain components that lead students through exercises in order to develop "intelligent thinking" skills. 


See an overview of the FLIP IT model:


FLIP It Info-Skills Categories




When I began this inquiry I created a list of 7 questions. I then narrowed my search to focus on two questions: What are the benefits of teaching sign language to hearing children? and How do you teach a baby to sign? I feel that I have been able to successfully answer these questions for myself personally, as well as, to share and use the information professionally.  Through my inquiry process I was also able to answer a third question: How does knowing sign language help children learn in other areas? My inquiry touched on ways that signing with infants and children can increase, enhance and help improve literacy skills.  This is a question that can definitely be pursued more in depth; however, I feel that my inquiry was able to provide resources and information to begin answering this question. 


A challenge for me during this project was to remember that the inquiry process is cyclical. My natural inclination and personality tend towards a linear process. I am someone that loves to gather materials together, read and then reflect on what I have learned. Questioning, searching, re-questioning, wondering, inferring, re-searching, and moving again into questioning is difficult for  me to complete. I find progress in making a list, moving through the activities, checking items off and arriving at an end point. I really wanted to just go through each "W" systematically and end up with an answer to my question. And though I think I did move through this inquiry more linearly than others, and perhaps more than I should have, I really tried to recognize and apply the cyclical process of inquiry that we have studied. Sandy L. Guild (2003) writes," ...the research process...is often presented in a fashion that leads students to assume that the process is linear. We tend to move students through the stages of research in a sequential fashion, providing lessons on each stage, without explicitly providing for the incorporation of a model for recursion." Since I was taught how to research in this linear method, and have a personality that responds well to this type of "learning," I need to make a concerted effort to learn, embrace and include the inquiry models of recursive information seeking processes in my own studies, as well as, in my instruction to students and other library patrons. 


This inquiry was a good experience to help me realize what students are encountering when they seek information and help in the library. Oftentimes they are unable to explain the assignment or what information they need. This is frustrating but after completing this assignment it is easier to understand their confusion.  Students are overwhelmed by the task, the information possibilities or so focused on the final product that they can't process what needs to be accomplished in order to arrive at the final destination. I now have more skills to help students question, assimilate and reflect on their knowledge so that they can fulfill their information needs.  The reference interview requires librarians to take an alternative perspective to the posed problem so that they can ask questions that lead to the true information need. Likewise. helping students through research and inquiry projects requires teachers and librarians to pursue a different approach in order to guide them through the process.