| Steps in the Process | Information Skills | Sample Activities |
| Defining - What do I really want to find out? What is my Purpose? Why do I need to find this out? What are the key words and ideas of the task? What do I need to do? |
Student should be able to:
|
You could do the following: * Brainstorm with the help of your teacher * Tell the teacher what the task is, in your own words * Underline the key words in the question * Look up difficult words in the question using a dictionary or an encyclopedia. * With friends identify sub-topics which set directions for the task * Decide on the limits of the task * Check with your teacher if necessary |
| Locating - Where can I find the information I need? What do I already know? What do I still need to find out? What sources and equipment can I use? |
Students should be able to: * recall relevant information and skills from previous experience * recognize strengths and limitations of current knowledge and decide whether additional information and/or skills are needed * limit an investigation to a manageable size * identify possible sources (people, organizations, places, print, non-print materials, objects) * recognize the relative worth of sources * select the best of these sources to use * locate sources and appropriate equipment * use appropriate equipment * record details of sources that are used |
You could do the following: * Jot down what you know about the topic * Decide what else you need to know * List search words and terms you could use to look up resources * Discuss and draw up a list of places to look for information. * Use library catalogue in school and your local public library * Use electronic information services * Browse the shelves in the library * Use the vertical files * Locate current information in journals by using periodical indexes - Guidelines in our library * Use appropriate equipment and sources * find a number of relevant sources |
| Selecting - What information do I really need to use? What information can I leave out? How relevant is the information I have found? How credible is the information I have found? How will I record the information I need? |
Students should be able to: * begin to assess the usefulness of each source * use key words to locate potentially useful information within sources * skim each source for information * identify information that has links with the task * assess and respect privacy and ownership of information * decide what to do about deficiencies within information * decide whether information is closer to the fact or opinion * assess the credibility of sources which express opinion * identify inconsistency and bias in sources * devise a system for recording their own information * summarise information * record quotations and sources of information |
You could do the following: * Use information on the cover, packaging and copyright page of a book to decide appropriateness of resource * Use content's page to select relevant information * Select appropriate pictures * From written /oral source use context clues to predict or confirm information * Separate fact from opinion or fiction - decide what is required * Find answers in more than one source to add, confirm , and for a different perspective. * Use more than one medium such as video, audio etc. * Develop a note-taking system * Select, sort and record information |
| Organising - How can I best use this information? Have I enough information for my purpose? Do I need to use all this information? How can I best combine information from different sources? |
Students should be able to:
|
You could do the following: * Stop and think about the purpose of the task * Get rid of irrelevant information *Combine answers found in more than one source into sentences and paragraphs * Take key words or ideas and combine them into whole thoughts * Use information collected to develop your own hypothesis or argument * Outline the structure of the completed task * Review task structure with teacher/ group * Check against the purpose of the task. |
| Presenting - How can I present this information? What will I do with this information? With whom will I share this information? |
Students should be able to: * identify the requirements of different forms of presentation * consider the nature of the audience for the presentation * select a form and presentation appropriate to the audience and the content of the material * prepare the presentation * present the information |
You could do the following: * Think of possible presentation forms such as TV show segment, speech, computer program - select appropriate form * choose a style appropriate to audience and content of material * Use teacher, parent, friends as sounding board. |
| Assessing - What did I learn from this? Did I fulfill my purpose? How did I go - with each step of the information process? How did I go - presenting the information? Where do I go from here? Dawson, M & Kallenberger, N. (eds.) Information skills in the school. Canberra: Dept. of School Education . |
Students should be able to: * review the extent to which the end product meets the requirements of the task * assess their strengths and weaknesses in specific information skills * set personal goals for the further development of information skills |
You could do the following: * Brainstorm steps taken to answer the question . * Think of what more could have been done and will be done next time to make the answer more effective. * Respond to questions from the audience * Analyse audience responses to the presentation * Reflect on what you are good at and what still needs improvement * Consult with your teacher about ways to improve skills. |