Why do research?

Sleepless in Beijing. The little purple Australian pills only managed to keep me knocked out from about midnight until 4AM here in the People’s Republic. Body thinks it is about 3PM. May as well put the restless mind to some use.

One of the reasons I am here working with the Beijing International School is:

To draft a set of essential agreements to which ISB teachers will adhere as they teach research -- the agreements are to help all teachers to offer developmentally appropriate research experiences to their students. These agreements should include both a philosophical stance that informs student research experiences and assignments. In addition, we want to establish parameters of as well as standards for typical assignments in each division

As I thought about this, the question that keeps coming back to me is “Why exactly do we ask kids to do research in the first place?” Such an elemental question.

I’ll ask that question. I’m guessing I may well get some of the following responses: Do we ask students to do research so that they may…

• Acquire skills needed in post-secondary schooling (especially the forms and formats of academic research)?
• Acquire practical, every day survival skills?
• Acquire content knowledge at a deeper, more profound level?
• Acquire and engage in higher-order thinking skills?
• Acquire tools for persuasive communications?
• Others?
  

So my follow up questions would be: Are these reasons ever at odds with each other? Do some uses ask for greater emphases on some aspects of the information literacy process than others? Do all uses share any common characteristics? Might all demand questioning on the part of the researcher? Do all kids need all skills?

• Framing a good question
• Knowing sources
• Searching
• Evaluating/selecting information
• Synthesizing/organizing information
• Communicating
• Evaluating
  

I am expecting the following questions to come up during the discussion:

• How has the so-called “information explosion” impacted research? How has technology, especially the Internet?
• What should students expect from the library and librarian? The classroom teacher?
• How might this research “essential agreement” related to any academic honor code? What are the cultural implications of asking students to honor intellectual property rights?
• How is the “Net Generation” different from preceding generations? Has there been a change in student background, ability, or expectations? Is motivation gaining in importance?
• How important is voice? Is a first person narrative acceptable?
• Should teachers concentration on formative or summative assessments of research? How can we develop self-assessing students?
  

This may be easier for ISB for some schools since one common task for which all students will be preparing is the International Baccalaureate’s Extended Essay – a 4,000 word, very traditional research “paper.” (The IB itself is described as "a rigorous pre-university course of studies, leading to examinations, that meets the needs of highly motivated secondary school students between the ages of 16 and 19 years."

We have a whole hour to get this done. My suggestion will be to put whatever draft we manage on a wiki. With ISB’s permission, I’ll share the “essential agreement with you.

Doug Johnson, Consultant
“Leaving people confused at a higher level since 1991.”

Comments

[Jacquie Henry]

The new social nature of information demands that we think about information literacy in new ways. As you know, I have been especially interested in Evaluating/selecting information in light of blogs & wikis. I just found a really good blog post that deals with this issue. It might fit in with what you are thinking about:
Authority In The Age Of The Amateur
http://infotangle.blogsome.com/2006/02/20/authority-in-the-age-of-the-amateur/

[Artichoke]

Hi Doug,
Why exactly do we ask kids to do research in the first place? is such a telling question.

I am working on this with a group of principals in New Zealand - the activ@eden ict_pd cluster of schools is exploring

1. What are the conditions of value in teaching and learning when students are researchers?
2. How might ICT enhance or betray these conditions of value?

Have just posted on a provocative discussion led by Rosemary Hipkins who worked with our principals looking at the question - If research is the answer, what was the question? at our principals retreat on Waiheke Island last weekend . She raised some interesting challenges to your question http://artichoke.typepad.com/artichoke/2006/02/i_have_been_bad.html