1. Kelly Ray, Resource Teacher BCPS Library Media Programs kray@bcps.org
Student Research Gets Personal: The Independent Research Seminar Fall Instructors’ Meeting
Open the Course Map in BCPS One.
Open the Online Research Framework from:
> Pull down Our System menu on right to ACADEMICS
Click on Library Media tile > Independent Research Course link under CURRICULUM
Kelly Ray, Resource Teacher BCPS Library Media Programs

2. Meeting Objectives
Independent Research Seminar course instructors/ library media specialists will be able to:
Implement the course with fidelity using resources in BCPS One Curriculum Course Map, Online Research Framework website and Student Researchers wiki.
Collaborate with colleagues as a professional learning community for support and sharing of strategies and resources.
Assist with promoting the course to other high schools/LMS and continue promoting at your own schools.

3. Introductions
Introduce yourself and tell us about your IRC student(s)!

4. *Goal to increase enrollment and offer at more high schools.
12 students at 7 schools
21 students at 5 schools
10 students at 4 schools
17 students at 6 schools
(Pilot Year)
25 students at 7 schools
Course enrollment has decreased steadily since our pilot year in Dr. Weisenhoff, Executive Director of Academics, would like to see more schools offering this course to more students. I have presented on this course to HS Counseling Chairs the last two years. Have asked to present to HS principals, and Fran is trying to arrange that.
*Goal to increase enrollment and offer at more high schools.

5. Course Basics:
Office of Innovation & Digital Safety - Library Media Programs:
Provides Curriculum and Instruction support
LMS or content teacher may be teacher-of-record
If LMS is not teacher-of-record:
LMS still provides direct instruction on research process via BCPSOne Curriculum Course Map Lessons and Online Research Framework website, facilitates guided and independent work with students in the Library.
Teacher-of -record must share Gradebook in BCPSOne in order for LMS to have access to Curriculum Course Map and Lessons
Office of Career and Technology Education - School to Career Transition
Coordinates mentor partnerships and internships associated with the course
Instructors should work with School to Career Transition teachers to identify mentors by 2nd semester.
NOTE: The description for the Semester ½ credit course is inaccurate; students taking for a semester complete research steps through Lit Review (no presentation or conducting original research).

6. Students enrolled in the Independent Research Seminar:
Work independently and with teacher/LMS facilitation, including face-to-face instruction
Select a researchable topic of interest in any discipline
Learn a higher-level, formal research process
Complete a literature review of the topic and conduct original research
May have the opportunity to work with a mentor and possibly participate in an internship
Formally present their research findings at an annual BCPS Student Research Symposium in May

7. RESOURCES
BCPSOne
Class & Course Map : Units , Lessons, Lesson documents
Use Lesson Tiles to assign learning tasks from lessons, provide links to resources, etc.
Tests & Quizzes (create your own and use provided)
Other features: Turn Ins, Discussions
Gradebook
Course Research Framework –
Student Researchers Wiki –
Includes Instructor Resources page and school folders (for private student folders)
IRC Instructors PLC -
AP EXAMS END MAY 13
LAST DAY FOR SENIORS MAY 27

8. Course Curriculum and Updates
Units/Lessons for each Research Process Step in BCPS One
Unit numbers correspond to Research Process Steps.
Lessons aligned to both CCSS and AASL Standards.
Lessons REVISED summer 2017 by Melyssa Kenney, Jen Meltzer & Suhaila Tenly.
Includes a few BCPS One Test/Quizzes (some as activities). *Practice assigning today.

9. Course Website: Online Research Framework
PUBLIC
Includes research process STEP pages
Digital resources and tools for students to use with Lessons or independently
All Lesson links and docs in BCPS One Lessons linked on STEP page also.
Students can access resources:
From a Lesson Tile in BCPS One
From a STEP page on the Online Framework
Kelly revising corresponding Online Framework Step webpages with targeted resources for new Lessons (in progress)
Research Framework developed from well known research and information literacy process models, particularly the Information Search Process and Guided Inquiry models of Dr. Carolyn Kuhlthau, Professor Emeritus at the Center for International Scholarship in School Libraries at Rutgers University. We have worked directly with Dr. Kuhlthau and her colleagues at Rutgers to develop our BCPS research process models.

10. Student Researchers Wiki
Homepage only is PUBLIC – Includes MANY promotional materials from previous Symposiums: programs, articles, videos, etc.
Instructors can set up secure student folders for storing/submitting completed work, creating their own wiki pages (OPTIONAL)
We are recommending having students create a OneDrive folder and OneNote notebook for the course this year; both can be shared with instructor for turn ins/monitoring progress.
Abstracts folder to submit abstracts for Symposium program.
Research Framework developed from well known research and information literacy process models, particularly the Information Search Process and Guided Inquiry models of Dr. Carolyn Kuhlthau, Professor Emeritus at the Center for International Scholarship in School Libraries at Rutgers University. We have worked directly with Dr. Kuhlthau and her colleagues at Rutgers to develop our BCPS research process models.

11. Implementation Scenario

12. Timeline
See Course Timeline at bottom of BCPS One Course Map (and on handout)
Includes suggestions for graded work.
Literature Reviews should be finished by end of Semester 1.
Abstracts for the Symposium Program are due to the Abstracts folder on Student Researchers wiki by April 13th. Filename: school_lastname_abstract.
Abstracts must be edited!
Refer students to Abstracts in previous Symposium programs as a model; all programs are linked on Student Researchers wiki front page
AP EXAMS END MAY 13
LAST DAY FOR SENIORS MAY 27

13. Timeline – Presentations
Students should begin creating their Symposium presentations upon return from Spring break on April 3rd.
AP Testing May Recommend AP students finish IRC presentations by end of April .
All oral/multimedia presentations this year; no poster session option.
Will share video footage of last year’s Symposium presentations on wiki soon (Alex Wolf)
Adding models of youth TED Talks to Step 7: Communicate, Present, Share.
BCPS exploring hosting a TEDx local event next year.
Students should practice presenting their oral/multimedia presentations with a school-based audience for feedback and revision/refining (teachers, administrators, classes/students).
AP EXAMS END MAY 13
LAST DAY FOR SENIORS MAY 27

14. Symposium Logistics Symposium location & date:
Location? Parkville HS Library?
Will need 2 presentation spaces in close proximity
Date?
Last AP tests May 18. Last day for seniors May 26.
Check your school calendars for events/conflicts May 21, 22, 23, 24 (M/T/W/Th)
Respond to survey to identify all dates when all students/instructor/LMS can attend.
Expectation for ALL students to attend. Invite parents, families, administrators.
Kelly will send Save the Date postcards.
AP EXAMS END MAY 13
LAST DAY FOR SENIORS MAY 27

15. Promoting IRC during Course Registration
Course Registration Guide, p. 38 (PDF p.41)
Standard, Honors, or GT credit
Can be taken for:
A semester for ½ credit
A year for 1 credit
Over 2 years for 2 credits
Local school administration/counseling office:
Makes decisions regarding course offering, staffing/scheduling, and student enrollment.
Course Implementation Resources page linked at bottom of Online Research Framework. Includes customizable brochure, student application/interview questions, other marketing tools.
IRC instructors will be asked to share strategies for marketing the course to school administrators and students at our October HS LMS PD session.
NOTE: The description for the Semester ½ credit course is inaccurate; students taking for a semester complete research steps through Lit Review (no presentation or conducting original research).

16. Candidates: Juniors or seniors with room in the schedule
Students who . . .
Have a unique passion, innovative idea, or intense interest in a special topic, compelling problem, academic discipline, or career field
Can work well independently and have a high level of commitment to completing rigorous research
Talent-spotting, marketing and application process at each school
All High School LMS inform principals and counselors.
IRC has been presented to HS Counseling chairs each year.

17. QUESTIONS? About course implementation ideas/instructional strategies:
Collaborate with colleagues on IRC Instructors online community in Edmodo
About course curriculum, Website, wiki or Symposium:
Library Media Programs
Kelly Ray, Resource Teacher Amanda Lanza Chimere Neal
About mentor assignments/arrangements or internships:
Office of Career and Technology Education/School to Career Transition
Your School to Career/Work-Based Learning Coordinator
Alicia Fales, Supervisor
About course offering, student enrollment, staffing, scheduling:
Your school counseling office and administration