Ban Those Bird Units!

One of my favorite professional development books is David Loertscher's Ban Those Bird Units: 15 Models for Teaching and Learning in Information-rich and Technology-rich Environments. This book is invaluable for methods of teaching research projects that don't foster plagiarism and the simplistic, low-level thinking from a textbook/lecture culture. In the past, and unfortunately too often in the present, students were assigned a project that follow this pattern:
1. The teacher gives background information to a topic in the classroom
2. Students read the assigned section in the textbook pertaining to the topic and perhaps answer the corresponding questions at the end of the chapter
3. The teacher gives a worksheet for information gathering on the topic and sends the class to the library or the computer lab to find the answers.
4. Students then copy the information found from information sources onto their worksheets
5. The students then turn in the worksheet for a grade or copy the information from the worksheet into a "report."

OK. What have the students gained in this situation? They have learned how to cut and paste information found on the Internet. Was the site on their reading level? Is the textbook even on their reading level? These type of research activities are only a test of whether students can find facts and copy them from one place to another. While an important facet of information literacy is the location and access of sources (finding the facts), students must then think about and analyze this information in order to increase learning and achievement. When assigning projects, teachers must think of how students can analyze the information and then synthesize the information (do something with the information, put all the pieces together in a new way). (summary of introduction from Ban Those Bird Units by David V. Loertscher)

Luckily, we are teaching in an exciting time of vast choices of resources: digital, multimedia, human, and print. We have all the tools at hand to make teaching and learning fun, engaging, and relevant. We are teaching in a time of encouraged collaboration so we don't need to go it alone. Brainstorm together to find creative projects students can take advantage of in this information-rich, technology-rich environment.

I challenge you as teachers in an information and technology-rich culture to make a New Year's resolution to have high expectations for your students and redesign your projects for your classes into inquiry-based projects so that students are engaged and optimizing their learning through creative and contemporary synthesis of information. Change the pattern mentioned above to the following:
1. Teachers give background information on a topic by immersing students in a variety of resources on the topic including leveled readers, videos, field trips, podcasts, etc. Students then develop some background knowledge and a curiosity in the topic.
2. Students come up with connections and questions on the topic
3. Teachers analyze students' questions and come up with essential questions to guide students' research (essential questions are ones that require the student to develop a plan or course of action or questions that require the student to make a decision).
4. Students brainstorm range of sources to get information, find and locate their sources, engage the source, analyze the information to find the important information for their task
5. Students synthesize information by creating a storyboard with Comic Life on their Mac Books, a podcast, a blog or wiki, a video edited by iMovie, a newspaper, journaling, readers' theatre, a keynote presentation, etc.

You get the idea. Students are not just learning how to copy and paste information, but learning critical thinking skills and retaining their knowledge gained because they are engaged and interested! I believe we have the finest teachers in the county. Let's ensure that our students get the benefit of our talents by leaving behind the textbook/lecture culture and embracing the information and technology-rich environment! Looking forward to collaborating with you on these endeavors...
-Lucia