The Big Six Information Skills As a Metacognitive Scaffold Rachel Kirkland

As educators… We try to create realistic learning experiences for students by infusing the curriculum with information literacy skills. End products of these experiences vary, from research papers to pamphlets to newspaper articles and more. These kinds of realistic tasks require increased metacognitive attention on the part of the students.

Information Problem Solving A concept that combines the skills required to access and use information, as well as those needed to apply and solve an information problem.

Where does the Big6 fit in? It’s a six step process that provides a framework and support in the research activities that are required to solve an information problem. Used by teachers, library media specialists, and students in a variety of settings and activities to solve information problems.

The Six Steps Task Definition Information Seeking Strategies Location and Access Use of Information Synthesis Evaluation

Big6 as Scaffolding Big6 serves as metacognitive scaffolding in the process of information problem solving. Requires students to ask question, make choices regarding information. Also requires analysis and evaluation to make links between required information and questions.

The Case Study An 8 th grade private school class, studying African-American Civil Rights Movement. Class is 94% white, 6% East Indian. The Assignment: write an article on the Selma March.

The Process Students were provided an introduction to the Big6 in a workshop format. A packet of materials were provided with the steps as they related to the news writing assignment. Subject matter content was delivered via the Decision Point! CD-Rom database and other resources related to the movement.

Metacognitive Scaffolds Students use the Big6 packet in conjunction with the metacognitive scaffolds embedded in the database, such as student guides, logs, and a journal tool.

The Results After completion of the newspaper articles, each articles was independently evaluated using a detailed rubric. Rubric was based on the Big6 steps. Assessment of the articles was.91

Assertions from the data… When students are provided metacognitive support during information problem solving activities, they can manage complex tasks and subject matter. Students relied heavily on model to make decisions about current and future activities.

Conclusions The Big6 might act as metacognitive scaffold for student completing unfamiliar tasks with complex content. Helpful in managing aiding students in metacognitive process management. May provide an overarching process that students can employ in a variety of learning situations.