1. IMPROVING RESEARCH SKILLS NAM PHAM

2. AGENDA 1 Context 2 Problem Statement 4 Instructional Strategies 3 Needs Assessment 6 Bibliography 5 Lessons Learned

3. CONTEXT  Middle School students (Grade 7)  Not correctly evaluating primary and secondary sources  Is this source reliable?

4. CONTEXT WHY A GAP?  Poor instruction in the past  English as a Second Language learners  Transition from Chinese public education system to an international curriculum

5. CONTEXT THE NEED  Improving research skills for Grade 7 History  Success in the IB Middle Years curriculum  High achievement in Criterion B: Investigating and Criterion D: Thinking Critically

6.  Students have difficulty recognizing the source’s purpose  Students have difficulty recognizing the source’s origin  Students have difficulty recognizing the source’s limitation and value PROBLEM STATEMENT

7.  Students will be able to access an on-line database  Students will be able to locate relevant sources to their topic  Students will be able to determine if a source is reliable or not PROBLEM STATEMENT DESIRED GOAL

8.  Students will be able to “ effectively analyze a range of sources in terms of origin and purpose”  Students will “ consistently recognize [the source’s] values and limitations”  Quoted from IB Criterion Chart PROBLEM STATEMENT DESIRED END STATE

9.  Interviewed Chinese co-teacher NEEDS: DATA COLLECTION  Student questionnaire and survey  Informal observation  Interviewed other subject teachers  Re-evaluated “Evaluating Sources” checklist  Re-evaluated past assessments

10. FINDINGS NEED ASSESSMENT  School-wide issue  Teachers did not place priority on research skills  Lack of prior knowledge  Unclear instructions on past assessments  Language difficulty with English sources  Need to model more and practice

11.  Students will complete the CRAAP Test to evaluate sources  The CRAAP Test is a questionnaire with a checklist to determine if a source is reliable or not  C urrency, R elevance, A ccuracy, A udience, P urpose  The more checks = the more reliable a source is  Not every question can be answered INSTRUCTION STRATEGIES

12.  Typical classroom with projector and desks  Students will have access to a digital device  Students are partnered based on English level INSTRUCTION LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

13.  Hook the students with the Tree Octopus hoax website  Complete a mind map responding to: What makes a source reliable?  Model and practice the CRAAP Test with teacher and other classmates  Complete an exit slip on why there sources chosen are most reliable INSTRUCTION LESSON AGENDA

14.  Projector screen  Digital device such as an IPAD or laptop  CRAAP Test handouts  Video lecture with Chinese for review INSTRUCTION MATERIALS USED

15. LESSONS LEARNED  Modify language on all handouts  Include more Chinese in both written and oral  Acronyms are a useful mnemonic device for students  Never assume a student knows something such as a “key word” search  Model and practice the required skills  It is okay to repeat particular skills

16. LESSONS LEARNED  Need to collaborate with all teachers in the school  Research skills is a slow learning process  Acronyms are awesome!  Video lectures are useful  Student feedback is extremely useful  Be honest with the students if something is not working

17. BIBLIOGRAPHY All images found through Bing.com Image search. SOAP PPT Template. The University of the Fraser Valley (2009). Evaluating information: The CRAAP test. Retrieved from http://www.ufv.ca/library/tutorials/craa ptest.htm http://www.ufv.ca/library/tutorials/craa ptest.htm Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus (1998). Accessed http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/ on May 1, 2015. http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/

18. IMPROVING RESEARCH SKILLS NAM PHAM