Building a Culture of Inquiry Using Primary Sources

1. Building aCulture of Inquiry Using Primary Sources Anne R. Diekema & Sheri Haderlie School Library Media Administration Endorsement Program Utah State University

2. Introduction • Introductions • Primary sources • Inquiry learning in standards and models • Play time

3. Primary Sources

4. Primary Sources defined • A primary source is an original source, a piece of evidence created or produced during the time period under study • Primary sources are the closest you can get to an event – unfiltered, right from the horse’s mouth! • Secondary sources are reactions to, comments on, or interpretations of primary sources

5. Examplesof primary sources • Original Documents • Autobiographies, diaries, e-mail, interviews, letters, minutes, news film footage, official records, photographs, raw research data, speeches • Creative Works • Art, drama, films, music, novels, poetry • Relics or Artifacts • Buildings, clothing, DNA, furniture, jewelry, pottery http://knowledgecenter.unr.edu/help/using/primary.aspx

6. Teachingwith primary sources • Students working with authentic materials tend to create meaningful connections to the subject • Primary source analysis techniques require critical thinking

7. Inquiry-BasedLearning

8. Inquiry • One of the common beliefs underlying the Standards for the 21st Century Learner (AASL) • “Inquiry is defined as a stancetoward learning in which the learners themselves are engaged in asking questions and finding answers, not simply accumulating facts (presented by someone else) that have no relation to previous learning or new understanding.” (AASL, 2007, p 17)

9. Inquiry - continued • “Anytime they [students] are questioning,finding answers,discovering new ideas, and constructing their own meaning they are drawing upon their skills of inquiry” (AASL, 2007, p. 17)

10. Inquiry doesn’t replace information literacy; it encompasses it. (Fontichiaro, 2010, p. 13)

11. Two models of Inquiry • Stripling: Model of Inquiry • Six step model of inquiry-based learning process • Describes six phases and their thought processes • Model is recursive and reflective • Kuhlthau: Information Search Process • Six stages of the information search process • Views process from three angles • Physical - actual actions taken • Affective – feelings experienced • Cognitive – thoughts concerning process and content

12. StriplingModel of Inquiry Inquiry Model

13. http://www.loc.gov/teachers/tps/quarterly/0907/pdf/StriplingModelofInquiry.pdfhttp://www.loc.gov/teachers/tps/quarterly/0907/pdf/StriplingModelofInquiry.pdf

14. Connect • Show students how to: • Identify prior knowledge and misconceptions • Identify point of view and its effect on information presented • Use concept mapping to develop framework of overall themes, major concepts • Make valid inferences • Develop context through acquiring background knowledge http://www.loc.gov/teachers/tps/quarterly/0907/article.html

15. Wonder • Show students how to: • Develop focus questions at different levels of thought that lead to manageable investigations • Connect focus questions to larger theme or essential question

16. Investigate • Show students how to: • Determine the authority, purpose, point of view, and accuracy of sources • Corroborate evidence by using multiple sources • Take notes on main ideas and supporting evidence • Make inferences • Interpret evidence

17. Construct • Show students how to: • Organize information into main ideas and supporting evidence • Compare evidence for alternative viewpoints • Draw conclusions and form opinions based on evidence

18. Express • Show students how to: • Think creatively to generate an original approach to develop a final product • Employ writing, speaking, and visualizing skills appropriate for developing an inquiry-based product • Use technology to create a final product

19. Reflect • Show students how to: • Use reflective questioning • Use metacognitive thinking strategies • Solicit peer consultation and feedback

20. Information Search Process Inquiry Model

21. Information Search Process An information search is a process of construction which involves the whole experience of the person, feelings as well as thoughts and actions. (Kuhlthau 1991, p. 362)

23. Primary Source with Inquiry lessons

24. Getting started • Start small – select historical picture • Brainstorm meaningful connections to the picture http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2001703662/ • What do you already know? • Have you heard stories about this? • Have you ever (done anything that is depicted here)?

25. Questioning Primary Sources • Develop open-ended research questions • Avoid questions with one-word answers • Developing questions routine (Johnson, 2010): • Write five curiosity driven questions about image • Cull your list and keep questions that: • require complex answers • connect to “big idea” in state content standards • fill a knowledge gap • matter • Improve remaining questions

26. Establish Thinking Routines • Three actions recommended by the LoC • Observe: Have students identify and note details • Reflect: Encourage students to generate and test hypotheses about the source • Question: Have students ask questions to lead to more observations and reflections http://www.loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/resources/Analyzing_Primary_Sources.pdf

27. Observe • What do you notice first? • Find something small but interesting. • What do you notice that you didn’t expect? • What do you notice that you can’t explain? • What do you notice now that you didn’t earlier?

28. Reflect • Where do you think this came from? • Why do you think somebody made this? • What do you think was happening when this was made? • Who do you think was the audience for this item? • What tool was used to create this? • Why do you think this item is important? • If someone made this today, what would be different? • What can you learn from examining this?

29. Question • What do you wonder about... • Who? • What? • When? • Where? • Why? • How?

30. Further Investigation • Help students • identify questions appropriate for further investigation • develop a research strategy for finding answers • Sample Question: What more do you want to know, and how can you find out?

31. Hands onsession Play Time!

32. Play Time • Individually – observe, reflect, question (2 min) • In your group – share, discuss, and agree on 3 curiosity driven open-ended questions (5 min) • In your group – refine your 3 questions (3 min) • In your group – develop strategy for further research (5 min) • Report to everyone (5 min)

33. Where to get Primary Sources

34. Smithsonian Education • http://www.smithsonianeducation.org • Central education website for the Smithsonian Institution – lesson plans, resources, state standards • Main categories: Educators, Families, Students • SHOUT: invites educators and students to take an active role in global environmental issues

35. Library of Congress • http://www.loc.gov/ • American Memory • http://memory/loc.gov • Entry point for a) searching digital collections, and b) searching within those collections • Teachers Page • http://www.loc.gov/teachers • Tools and materials for using primary sources in teaching • Professional development resources

36. The Digital Classroomof the National Archives • http://www.archives.gov/education • Lesson plans & activities • School tours & activities • Using primary sources • State & regional resources (sadly, Utah not listed) • DocsTeach • http://docsteach.org/ • Creation tools to make your own interactive activity with primary sources

37. Teaching History • http://teachinghistory.org • National History Education Clearinghouse (NHEC) • 800 Teaching American History lessons and projects • Reviewed lesson plans • Technology tools • Ask-a-service • Ask a historian; Ask a Master Teacher

38. F.R.E.E. • http://www.free.ed.gov • Animations • Primary docs • Photos • Videos • Can search by subject • More than 1,500 federally supported teaching and learning resources - from dozens of federal agencies. New sites are added regularly. • Get new resources delivered to you several times a week: sign up for the FREE RSS.

39. Mountain West Digital Library • http://mwdl.org/ • digital collections about Mountain West region • 300,000 resources in over 350 collections from universities, colleges, public libraries, museums, archives, and historical societies in Utah, Nevada, and other parts of the U.S. West.

40. Further reading • American Association of School Librarians (2007). Standards for the 21st century learner. Chicago: American Association of School Librarians. • Fontichiaro, K. (2010). Nudging toward Inquiry: Developing Questions and a Sense of Wonder. School Library Monthly, 27(2), 13-15. • Jansen, B. A. (2011). Inquiry Unpacked: An Introduction to Inquiry-Based Learning. Library Media Connection, 29(5), 10-12. • Johnson, M. J. (2010b). Getting Started with Primary Source Teaching. School Library Monthly, 27(2), 32-33. • Johnson, M. J. (2010a). Primary Sources in Your Back Pocket. School Library Monthly, 27(1), 30-31. • Kuhlthau, C. C. (1991). Inside the search process: information seeking from the user's perspective. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 42(5), 362-371. • Kuhlthau, C. C., Caspari, A. K., & Maniotes, L. K. (2007). Guided inquiry : learning in the 21st century. Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited. • Library of Congress (2009). Primary Sources and Inquiry Learning. Teaching with Primary Sources Quarterly (Summer 2009). • Stripling, B. K., & Hughes-Hassell, S. (2003). Curriculum connections through the library. Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited.

41. Additional resources • Teachers’ Guide - Analyzing Primary Source • http://www.loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/resources/Analyzing_Primary_Sources.pdf • Primary Source Analysis Tool • http://www.loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/resources/Primary_Source_Analysis_Tool.pdf • Utah State History • http://ilovehistory.utah.gov

42. Thank you for coming! We wish you well as you integrate primary sources & inquiry into your teaching!