There are three tasks that students need to accomplish at this stage: topic selection; craft a research question; define a research method. In between and among the completion of these tasks are sub-tasks that involve the application of skills learned in the lower years. Close reading; writing summaries; annotations; making a reference lists; strategic search skills; evaluation of sources; seeking feedback and organizing one’s work and schedule. On top of this, students need to know and make decisions of the information they initially harvested from their preliminary research which would also entail a recognition of gaps in research and knowledge.
It is tough. It is not easy to teach. It is not for the faint of heart. It is exhausting.
Curriculum and pedagogy matters. And so is collaboration. Empathy too. An understanding that, at the end of the day we all are human. No bot or AI can compare to the dynamic and personal engagement that happen between a listening adult and an eager or confused child explaining his/her current state of mind.
There is no assurance that students won’t turn to a bot or an outside tutor though: But there are moments when student and teacher learn together with the aid of paper, pen or a pencil and the good old mind map.
Thank you very much, Tony Buzan.
All in a day’s work!
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