Blog Stage 2

All posts for Blog Stage 2 are located under the RESEARCH PROJECT tab

at the top of the page.

The document below indicates the sections where each of the

essential major/minor posts are located.

Items that are crossed out in green are not considered applicable to this ILA study.

Marking Criteria Guide

The highlighted Blog Titles on the left-hand side of the Criteria Rubric indicate where each criterion has been addressed in the Blog.

Week 2 Tutorial Task

Tutorial Tasks – Week 2

Task 1 – Saving Black Mountain

1.       Structure the search with double quotes and without double quotes and analyse the difference.

Searching with quotation marks ensures that the words or concept will be searched for as a whole and not picked apart by the search engine. For example, typing black mountain without quotation marks could potentially retrieve all items that mention black, all items that mention mountain, as well as all items about black mountain. This often leads to way too many search results that are often irrelevant to your topic.

2.       Analyse the information you find.

In a standard Google search, I’d say five out of the 10 first search results were relevant to the actual topic. Other results from the initial ‘saving black mountain’ search (without quotation marks) included pages to do with the Black Mountain Savings Bank in America and tourist and holiday spots near Black Mountain.

3.       Analyse the difference between Google and Google Scholar.

The key difference between these search engines is that Google Scholar limits its search to scientific literature and articles. So when you put in ‘saving black mountain’ (without quotation marks) in the search engine of Scholar, scholarly articles and books with the key words saving, black and mountain are retrieved. Adding quotation marks to “saving black mountain” retrieves the article original article by Powell, Cantrell & Adams (2001) and other relevant texts that cite the original article.

Task 2 – Sand Mining

1.       Find where this site is located.

North Stradbroke Island, Queensland.

2.       Analyse the information on different perspectives on the sand mining at this location.

In terms of being against the sand mining on Stradbroke Island, I’ve found the following link very informative: 10 compelling reasons to stop sand mining. Alternatively, a positive aspect of sand mining on Stradbroke Island is that it creates local jobs and helps the Island’s economy. Also there are a number of different rehabilitation projects happening on the island by the mining company that without the mining, would not be happening.

3.       Design an information learning activity using this as a topic for either middle-upper primary, secondary or tertiary.

Set up a purposeful problem-based inquiry project for the students to complete; for example – a student debate, newspaper article (research and interviews), a biology report. Organise an excursion or a school camp to the island where students can interview/ investigate/ tour the CRL mines. Students can gain different perspectives by interviewing and asking questions of the workers/management staff and talking to local environmentalist and other community members who live on the island.

Week 1 Tutorial Task

Pose 3 questions you have about inquiry learning:

1.        What prior knowledge/ skills do students need to have to be successful at inquiry learning? (i.e., critical literacy skills)

2.        How much input should a teacher have with Guided Inquiry Learning?

3.        How do you differentiate/ cater to different students with inquiry learning?

Week 1 Task

Week 1 - Reflective Questionnaire 1 

1.       Take some time to think about inquiry learning and information literacy. Now write down what you know about it.

When I think of inquiry learning the following thoughts come to mind: research project; posing problems; questioning; student centred rather than teacher directed; investigating; exploring; collaborating; information is in a constant state of flux – not static; deep understanding rather than surface learning; and, holistic.

In terms of information literacy, I see it as a process or set of skills that one uses to access, understand and use information.

2.       How interested are you in this topic?  Check (ü) one box that best matches your interest.

Not at all ☐            not much ☐    quite a bit ☐    a great deal ☐

3.       How much do you know about this topic?  Check (ü) one box that best matches how much you know.

            Nothing ☐              not much ☐    quite a bit ☐    a great deal ☐

4.      When you do research, what do you generally find easy to do?

Depending on the topic and purpose of the research, I usually find it easy to locate and access information, whether it is online with different databases or Internet searches or with physical materials such as books at the local library. I usually have a process of finding information on a particular topic – first a general Google search to become familiar with and explore key terms associated with the topic and then a further in-depth search with specific key terms/words in specific databases or search engines. Triangulating the information is also an important part of the searching process, especially if I am unsure of the topic.

5.       When you do research, what do you generally find difficult to do?

Accessing and locating information is the easy part – critiquing, evaluating and discerning what is relevant, useful or pertinent is the hard bit! Especially with the influx of information that is no available on the Web.