Proudly Presents… The Research Cycle Created by Jamie McKenzie 2000

Philosophy Rejects topical research and assists students to be Information Producers as opposed to Consumers. Constructivist approach where children construct knowledge through exploration, investigation, questioning etc. The Research Cycle consists of 7 stages that are used to plan and conduct meaningful research. The cycle emphasises information problem solving skills needed for success with the internet and other information resources.

Questioning The first step in the Cycle is to clarify and “map out” the essential question being explored. Jamie McKenzie believes teachers should emphasize research questions that require the students to problem solve, or make their own decision – questions that require students to make up their own minds about something. E.g. What is the best fast food restaurant? The students begin by brainstorming to form a cluster diagram of all related questions. These additional questions will then guide the research.

HELP! I have my main question but I can’t think of any additional questions to help my research.

Planning Students are required to think strategically about the best ways to find reliable information. Where to find sources of relevant information. Which resources are reliable?

Where would we find the best information? How do we know if the information is reliable? Could we try looking in some books or on the internet.

Gathering Gather information that is useful and relevant Structure the information as it is gathered Beware of INFOGLUT Use the Internet when likely to provide the best information Books, CD-ROMS can prove more useful and efficient

Hi there Cookie Monster I’m gathering information about the best type of cookies a monster like you would like to eat Yum…Yum….yes I will ask all my Monster Friends on the Street and give you useful and relevant feedback to your question.

Sorting and Sifting Systematic scanning and organizing of data Organize those ‘nuggets’ of information most likely to contribute to INSIGHT Sort and Sift like fishing net – throw back the information you don’t need

Synthesizing Arrange Rearrange Regroup Findings Patterns/Pictures emerge

Come on folks, it’s my job to synthesize. Let’s put all our information together.

Evaluating Is more research required before proceeding to the reporting stage? Review success criteria – do we meet it? Are we ready to report? If not…go back to gathering to find more information

I’m a bit thin on informatio n…I need to go back to the gathering stage to get some more. My group needs to do a bit more synthesizing… (whatever that means)  I’m ready to move on to my reporting

Reporting The research team reports to an audience of decision makers and makes recommendations based on their findings. This model warns against flashy multimedia presentations.

After researching our question we have decided the best type of cookie is… Chocolate Chip! Nice and Chewy Tasty chocolate. Nice and Big Good value for money

Our group decided to use the Jamie McKenzie model for our inquiry process.

Using the Research Cycle Model Our Key Question: Is the McKenzie Research Cycle the Right choice for Shelly Park School? Our Subsidiary Questions: What is the Research Cycle? What philosphy underpins it? What are the Stages? Does it accommodate the Key Competencies?

Evaluating for us meant… Did we understand the philosophy underpinning this inquiry model? Had we considered how this relates to the key competencies? Could we make an informed generalisation as to the worth or relevance of this model to Shelly Park School on the basis of our information.

PlusMinus  Model is quite detailed and thorough  Stages are sequential  Children have the opportunity to evaluate before the end.  Encompasses all of the key competencies  Thinking: creating an answer rather than finding an answer (higher order thinking)  Relating to Others: working in a group, working with experts, visitors etc  Managing Self: Personal responsibility for some role in their learning i.e. time management.  Using language, text and symbols: reading, writing, viewing, presenting, speaking and listening.  Participating and Contributing: e.g. Role distribution is fair, extending their understanding at a wider community level e.g. global.  It could be difficult to implement and for children to identify where they are in the process.  There is no beginning immersion stage to enable children to hook in to the topic and therefore formulate questions.  Terms like synthesizing are not easy for children to say or respond to.  It could tend to be repetitive by going back through the process several times as recommended. (children losing interest? Or feeling frustrated?)  Can only be as successful as the knowledge of staff and students Interesting: Points to Consider  Scaffolding: A great deal is needed to ensure children have a deeper issue or deeper quality of question.  Staff will be required to teach a range of skills to support the stages.

We don’t think the McKenzie Research Model is right for Shelly Park School in its present form but we liked elements of it. Most importantly… What do YOU Think?

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Written By: Big Bird Photographs By: Bert and Ernie Editing By: Cookie Monster Slideshow Design By: Elmo