The Extended Essay as Process and Research as a Journey

Library Talk and Scavenger Hunt

Puzzle Time! Final round of the Scavenger Hunt

The Library Talk and Scavenger Hunt activities I had with grade 9 students last week was a good one. Both are regular activities by the library under its instructional program and the participation of a new batch of grade 9s made it different from the previous years. Students are the uncontrolled variables. Often, their context and experience make or break a learning encounter. This makes teaching really fun!

For the Library Talk, I simply provided students pointers on going about their research: what the task is; what information is needed to accomplish the task; how to go about seeking and locating for information to finish the task. There. The BIG 3 in the BIG 6 research process. These three pointers make up the crucial analytical steps of Information Literacy. I then re-introduced the library OPAC and basic online databases that the library subscribe to. I get a kick showing how cool the PDFs can get when you email it to yourself with annotations and citations.

The Scavenger Hunt on the one hand is a game where players use the basic search tools in the library. In the BIG 6 model, this is step 3: Location and Access. After the game, the CRe (Comparative Religion) teacher and I processed the experience. Students said:

- they were able to use the "websites" that the library has;
- they were able to locate information;
- they were able to see more of the library -- it is not just books;
- they got to save documents in World Book Online using My Research;
- they learned how to find books more efficiently;

The first term is about to end. While I am happy that this batch of grade 9 students have had three library visits with me, and that their respective teachers articulated the need to work with me to strengthen research skills, I hope to do more library encounters with them. We have only just begun.

Teaching Research to Teens: The Research Process

My second infographic using www.easel.ly.

This second infographic on the research process focus on the skills that students need to apply as they move from one step to the next. I have included questions on each step to guide the student in the journey. I chose the Big 6 Model in research to amplify the concept of research as a process.

My Author Visit in PAREF Woodrose

Thank you very  much to librarian Gay Reyes of PAREF Woodrose for inviting me last July 12 as librarian and published author. I had a wonderful time sharing with grade school students of Woodrose my books, the creative process of writing integrating it with the Big 6, an Information Literacy model. I had two sessions: one for grades 3 and 4, and another for grades 5 and 6. I prepared two different presentations.

The girls asked a variety of questions. They were smart and articulate. One grade 6 student asked how much I make as a published writer. I answered by giving her, with all honesty, the percentage I get from the total sales of my honorarium. They thought it was pretty small. So I quickly added that the reward for writing is not always measured by percentages and honorarium.

Sorry girls, I'm not JK Rowling.

At lunch time, I stayed a bit at the Woodrose library. It was small, cozy and snug. There, I signed autographs for eager grades 5 and 6 students who patiently lined up for a message of inspiration and my initials. Yes, I felt like a rock star.

Integrating the Big 6 (Info Lit Model) with Writing

Here's the presentation I did for PAREF Woodrose's grades 5 and 6 students when I did a session on Information Literacy and the writing process last July 12, 2013.

Woodrose big6 writing(1) from Zarah Gagatiga

Big 6 Lesson: The Story of the Bright Bird

Bright Bird from Cathy Oxley

Source note: This was created by Brian Armour at Redlands College to teach students the principles behind the Big6 research process.

Library Link Lesson: The Research Cycle & The Research Model

Reflectionson tok mockessaytheresearchmodel from Zarah Gagatiga