1 A Workshop for the CAVAL Reference Interest Group, 2008 Dr John Willison, University of Adelaide Getting Under the Grim Reaper’s Cloak: Scaffolding and Assessing Literature Research Skills across the Years

2 Workshop Objectives 1.Expose GR’s plan for IL 2.Analyse and debate the utility of the Research Skill Development framework for your work 3.Plan within discipline groups ways of developing literature research skills, informed by the RSD 4.Consider in institutional groupings ways of possible utilisation of RSD-inspired approaches

3 1.Expose GR’s plan for IL (we may not do this, depending on outcome of the mourning’s discussion) To expose the Grim Reaper’s plans for IL, adopt one of the following roles in your group. Each person contributes 1 sentence to a group paragraph to be read to the big group (10 mins planning) Radiographer: why is IL ailing?(sentence 1) Mortician: what actually killed IL?(sentence 2) Grave diggers: why you buried IL?(sentence 3) Seers: what will replace IL? (sentence 4)

4 2. Analyse and debate the utility of the Research Skill Development framework for your work

5 Researching is… … actively developing new knowledge, whether Commonly known Commonly not known …or… Totally unknown

6 Level I closed inquiry structured and guided Level II closed inquiry, structured Level III closed inquiry independently Level IV open inquiry, structured guidelines Level V open inquiry Levels of Student Autonomy FacetsFacets Students: A. Embark, determining need for knowledge B. Find/generate C. Critically evaluate D. Organise information E. Synthesise, analyse, apply F. Communicate Research Skill Development Framework

7 Facets associated with research processes In researching, students: A.embark on an inquiry and so determine a need for knowledge/understanding B.find/generate needed information/data using appropriate methodology C.critically evaluate information/data and the process to find/generate D.organise information collected/generated E.synthesise and analyse and apply new knowledge F.communicate knowledge and the processes used to generate it, with an awareness of ethical, social and cultural issues. (Willison & O’Regan, 2007; based on ANZIIL, 2004).

8 Small Group Discussion Track 1 Facet across 3 Human Biology Assessments Compare & contrast criteria in this facet report back to whole group Diagnostic RSD Page 11- Level 2 criteria Lit RSD 3 Page 18- level 3 criteria Population Analysis Page 27- level 4 criteria

9 A. Students embark on inquiry and so determine a need for knowledge/ understanding Appropriately identifies key ideas from 1 source. Human Biology, First Year; ‘O Week Diagnostic of Literature Research Skills’ (page 11) Level I examples Level I Student researches at the level of a closed inquiry and requires a high degree of structure/guidance

10 A. Students embark on inquiry and so determine a need for knowledge/ understanding Level I Student researches at the level of a closed inquiry and requires a high degree of structure/guidance Level II Student researches at the level of a closed inquiry and requires some structure/guidance Identifies key ideas across several sources Human Biology, First Year; ‘O Week Diagnostic of Literature Research Skills’ (page 11) Level II examples

11 Level III Student researches independently at the level of a closed inquiry A. Students embark on inquiry and so determine a need for knowledge/ understanding Level I Student researches at the level of a closed inquiry and requires a high degree of structure/guidance Level II Student researches at the level of a closed inquiry and requires some structure/guidance Refines the general topic provided and undertakes an in depth search on selected key aspects Human Biology, First Year; ‘Literature RSD Task 3’ (page 15) Level III examples

12 Level I Student researches at the level of a closed inquiry and requires a high degree of structure/guidance Level II Student researches at the level of a closed inquiry and requires some structure/guidance Level III Student researches independently at the level of a closed inquiry Level IV Student researches at the level of an open enquiry within structured guidelines A. Students embark on inquiry and so determine a need for knowledge/ understanding Aims/hypothesis clear, focussed and innovative Human Biology, First Year; ‘Population Analysis’ (page 27) Level IV examples

13 Level I Student researches at the level of a closed inquiry and requires a high degree of structure/guidance Level II Student researches at the level of a closed inquiry and requires some structure/guidance Level III Student researches independently at the level of a closed inquiry Level IV Student researches at the level of an open enquiry within structured guidelines A. Students embark on inquiry and so determine a need for knowledge/ understanding Level V Examples No marking criteria exists for this level (yet). Higher Degree by Research Supervisors & Advisors have been trialling using the RSD itself for discussions with students, student self-assessment, and for theses examination. Level V Student researches at the level of an open inquiry within self-determined guidelines.

14 A. Students embark on inquiry and so determine a need for knowledge/ understanding Significance of the paper is stated, but not based on leads from, or gaps in, the literature Electronic Engineering, Masters by Coursework: ‘Photonics Paper’ (page 34) Level I examples Level I Student researches at the level of a closed inquiry and requires a high degree of structure/guidance

15 A. Students embark on inquiry and so determine a need for knowledge/ understanding Level I Student researches at the level of a closed inquiry and requires a high degree of structure/guidance Level II Student researches at the level of a closed inquiry and requires some structure/guidance Level II examples Significance of the paper is stated explicitly and is based on leads from, or gaps in, a limited number of references Electronic Engineering, Masters by Coursework: ‘Photonics Paper’ (page 34)

16 Level III Student researches independently at the level of a closed inquiry A. Students embark on inquiry and so determine a need for knowledge/ understanding Level I Student researches at the level of a closed inquiry and requires a high degree of structure/guidance Level II Student researches at the level of a closed inquiry and requires some structure/guidance Level III examples Significance of the paper is stated explicitly, and is based on leads from, or gaps in a substantial number of sources Electronic Engineering, Masters by Coursework: ‘Photonics Paper’ (page 34)

17 Small Group Discussion Track 1 Facet across 3 Human Biology Assessments Compare & contrast criteria in this facet Report back to whole group Use these 3 human Biology Assessments 1. Diagnostic RSD Page 11- Level 2 criteria 2. Lit RSD 3 Page 18- level 3 criteria 3. Population Analysis Page 27 - level 4 criteria

18 I I I I I I I II III IV Assessments Based on the RSD framework in First Year Human Biology (see pages 8-27 of RSD Handbook) Literature Research Skill Stream Laboratory Research Skill Stream Open inquiry: field and literature research Group Inquiry Semester 1 Semester 2 A···FA···F A···FA···F A···FA···F A···FA···F A···FA···F A···FA···F A···FA···F

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20 Disciplines Involved in Trialling RSD Business (Melbourne and Monash) Dentistry/ Oral Health, Electronic Engineering, Introduction to Academic Learning for International Students, Medical Science, Nursing, Petroleum Engineering (Uni of Adelaide) Psychology (Macquarie) Introduction to Tertiary Learning (University of South Australia) Impending: Chemical Engineering and Computing Science In train: QUT, USQ, JCU (Multiple)

21 Why Research Skill Development (RSD)? Undergraduate research experiences are claimed to increase student motivation, satisfaction, understanding of content, progression to, and completion of HDR, and to reduce attrition and plagiarism. E.g. But… ‘Without modeling the practice of [……] at a higher level of thinking, students continue to practice investigative [……..] at the introductory level, even though their exposure to [………] content is considerably richer with each [………] course they take.’ (Chaplin, 2003 p.238)

22 References ANZIIL (2004): Australian and New Zealand Information Literacy Framework: Principles, standards and practice (2nd Edition). Retrieved from literacy/InfoLiteracyFramework.pdf on 15/4/08. literacy/InfoLiteracyFramework.pdf on 15/4/08 Bloom, B., Engelhardt, M.D., Furst, E.J., Hill, W.H., & Krathwohl, D.R (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, NewYork: David McKay Company. Chaplin, S.B. (2003). Guided development of independent inquiry in an anatomy/physiology laboratory. Advanced Physiology Education 27: , 2003 Willison, J.W. & O’Regan, K. (2007). Commonly known, commonly not known, totally unknown: A framework for students becoming researchers. Higher Education Research and Development 26 (4). Web Site and Lots of downloadable RSD examples are available here. Feel free to contact John:

23 Acknowledgement Handbooks and RSD placemats for this activity have been provided by funding from The Australian Learning and Teaching Council, an initiative of the Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training. The views expressed in this activity do not necessarily reflect the views of Australian Learning and Teaching Council. Human Biology Examples were provided by Dr Mario Ricci and Dr Eleanor Peirce, University of Adelaide For more Information… … or to discuss ideas further, contact John

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