The Lighthouse Diary Entry #28: The Research Skill Tree

This week at the Academy, we learned about the Skill Tree. A Skill Tree is a series of skills that programmers use to create games. Needless to say, we are learning how to incorporate gamification in teaching and instruction. Here is what I made for the library's instructional program for research skills.

There are two sets of Skill Trees. The first one is for the student who wants to learn about research and acquire skills in general. The second tree is made for the Grade 11 who is about to begin the Extended Essay. I used Joseph Campbell's Heroic Journey as basis for the two Skill Trees.

Skill Tree 1 begins with knowing the results of research skills assessment that students take at the beginning of the academic year. Through The Pioneer, I help them identify their goal and objectives using the assessment results. From there, students are offered to choose any of the three Cornerstones of Research Skills. Each cornerstone contains activities on research skills building. Since I am adapting principles in gamification, I plan to include tokens and badges, earning talismans and knowing different characters that will help them achieve a heart. Blue for Strength. Green for Courage. Gray for Hope.

Skill Tree 2 begins with a conversation at The Pioneer, where students will read about research. They will schedule a meeting with me. We will talk about topics that the student are interested in exploring. Using the KWL chart or the Inquiry Chart, students begin their research. In this phase of the research, students find out what gaps exist in their topics or subjects of inquiry recording and documenting their findings along the way. Teachers and the Teacher Librarian come in to lend clarity or direction to their inquiry through scheduled meetings. At the end, the Inquiry Chart has been accomplished and the student can make a decision or discover of the subject/topic of research is worth pursuing.

In essence, the Skill Tree helps me in improving the library's instructional program particularly on research skills. My next task is to put together the materials and content. Then, I will revise The Pioneer since it is the platform for the Skill Trees.