Comprehensive Investigation
Where will students seek information?
Databases
Students can utilize databases available through their school or public library to explore topics of interest or to look for a topic if they are struggling coming up with one on their own. Most databases have a browse topics section that students or teachers can look through a variety of possible topics. There is also a search box for searching for information on a specific topic. In the results of a database search, most also have a related topics section so that the user can see what other keywords or topics are related to their search term.
Databases
Students can utilize databases available through their school or public library to explore topics of interest or to look for a topic if they are struggling coming up with one on their own. Most databases have a browse topics section that students or teachers can look through a variety of possible topics. There is also a search box for searching for information on a specific topic. In the results of a database search, most also have a related topics section so that the user can see what other keywords or topics are related to their search term.
Instagrok
Instagrok is a tool to explore topics in a web. Enter a search term and a web appears that links to websites, images, videos, and tells key facts and concepts for the terms. Adjust and add to the web to meet your own personal needs. This is a tool that can be used both to identify a topic, or explore the selected research question in depth.
Instagrok is a tool to explore topics in a web. Enter a search term and a web appears that links to websites, images, videos, and tells key facts and concepts for the terms. Adjust and add to the web to meet your own personal needs. This is a tool that can be used both to identify a topic, or explore the selected research question in depth.
What skills will students use to plan and produce?
In order to plan and produce their projects, students will need organizational skills. By utilizing some technology tools in the organization of their projects, students research and materials will be easily accessible whenever they have a device and an internet connection. This also makes collaborative projects easier since many of these tools students can invite one another to be collaborators with them.
In order to plan and produce their projects, students will need organizational skills. By utilizing some technology tools in the organization of their projects, students research and materials will be easily accessible whenever they have a device and an internet connection. This also makes collaborative projects easier since many of these tools students can invite one another to be collaborators with them.
Tools to Organize Research
Cite Lighter--Citelighter is a tool for students to organize research. With the free version students can collect online text and images, outline and prewrite, and turn outlines into finished papers with Google Docs integration
Diigo--Diigo is a tool for students to manage their research, it will help them in organizing, storing, annotating their materials and is also collaborative if they choose.
Dropbox--Dropbox is one cloud storage option for students to save files and information so they can access it from any device they have internet access on.
Google Drive-Google Drive is another cloud storage option for students to save files and information so they can access it from any device they have internet access on. Documents and presentations can be shared and worked on collaboratively with Drive.
Evernote--Evernote is a tool for students to organize their work that syncs across all of their devices.
Livebinders-- Instead of having the traditional binder, students can create an online binder of information to organize materials that they can access anywhere they can access the internet
Memonic--With Memonic students can clip web content or take notes and share them with a group
Scrible--With Scrible students can save and annotate web content so that it is available to them when they need it.
Symbaloo-- With Symbaloo students can create webmixes to organize online resources that they are finding in their research or items that they want to share as part of their project/end product.
Thinkbinder--Students can use Thinkbinder for collaborative resource organization. In this online study group space, students can share notes and documents, have a real-time or video chat, and keep a calendar of due dates or events.
Weebly--With Weebly students can organize information on their own website. This is a free tool students can use independently or utilize Weebly for education for whole class projects
Mindmapping Tools
Coggle—With Coggle students can create note webs to organize their ideas and notes and share them to work collaboratively with group members or their teacher.
Connected Mind—With this free Chrome extension, students can draw mind maps and store them in the cloud by just logging in with their Google account. In this mind map tool, students can easy add text images and shapes and make colorful and creative mind maps.
Gliffy—Gliffy is a free online flow chart tool that students can use to organize thoughts and plan out their information before creating their final end product.
MindMup--Mindmup is a free mind map tool that can be used without the need to make an account. Mindmaps created with Mindmup can be saved to Google Drive.
SpiderScribe-- SpiderScribe is an online mind mapping and brainstorming tool. It lets you organize your ideas by connecting notes, files, calendar events, etc. in free-form maps. You can collaborate and share those maps online!
Citation Tools
Bibme—Bibme is a free bibliography maker
Easybib--With Easybib, students can create a free account to do MLA style bibliographies. With a pro, or school account there are added notecard and outlining features available.
RefMe—Students can use ref me to create citations, reference lists and bibliographies.
Collaborative Sticky Note Walls
Padlet—Padlet is an online bulletin board that students could use to organize information and nots for a project alone or collaboratively.
Lino-- Lino is a web based sticky not board that students can use to organize notes and information and images.
Stormboard—Stormboard is an online collaboration and brainstorming tool.
Cite Lighter--Citelighter is a tool for students to organize research. With the free version students can collect online text and images, outline and prewrite, and turn outlines into finished papers with Google Docs integration
Diigo--Diigo is a tool for students to manage their research, it will help them in organizing, storing, annotating their materials and is also collaborative if they choose.
Dropbox--Dropbox is one cloud storage option for students to save files and information so they can access it from any device they have internet access on.
Google Drive-Google Drive is another cloud storage option for students to save files and information so they can access it from any device they have internet access on. Documents and presentations can be shared and worked on collaboratively with Drive.
Evernote--Evernote is a tool for students to organize their work that syncs across all of their devices.
Livebinders-- Instead of having the traditional binder, students can create an online binder of information to organize materials that they can access anywhere they can access the internet
Memonic--With Memonic students can clip web content or take notes and share them with a group
Scrible--With Scrible students can save and annotate web content so that it is available to them when they need it.
Symbaloo-- With Symbaloo students can create webmixes to organize online resources that they are finding in their research or items that they want to share as part of their project/end product.
Thinkbinder--Students can use Thinkbinder for collaborative resource organization. In this online study group space, students can share notes and documents, have a real-time or video chat, and keep a calendar of due dates or events.
Weebly--With Weebly students can organize information on their own website. This is a free tool students can use independently or utilize Weebly for education for whole class projects
Mindmapping Tools
Coggle—With Coggle students can create note webs to organize their ideas and notes and share them to work collaboratively with group members or their teacher.
Connected Mind—With this free Chrome extension, students can draw mind maps and store them in the cloud by just logging in with their Google account. In this mind map tool, students can easy add text images and shapes and make colorful and creative mind maps.
Gliffy—Gliffy is a free online flow chart tool that students can use to organize thoughts and plan out their information before creating their final end product.
MindMup--Mindmup is a free mind map tool that can be used without the need to make an account. Mindmaps created with Mindmup can be saved to Google Drive.
SpiderScribe-- SpiderScribe is an online mind mapping and brainstorming tool. It lets you organize your ideas by connecting notes, files, calendar events, etc. in free-form maps. You can collaborate and share those maps online!
Citation Tools
Bibme—Bibme is a free bibliography maker
Easybib--With Easybib, students can create a free account to do MLA style bibliographies. With a pro, or school account there are added notecard and outlining features available.
RefMe—Students can use ref me to create citations, reference lists and bibliographies.
Collaborative Sticky Note Walls
Padlet—Padlet is an online bulletin board that students could use to organize information and nots for a project alone or collaboratively.
Lino-- Lino is a web based sticky not board that students can use to organize notes and information and images.
Stormboard—Stormboard is an online collaboration and brainstorming tool.
MISO for Successful Investigations
Using the MISO methods of research will enable you to practice ways of investigating topics that you might not have explored before. The four types of research included in MISO are Media, Interview, Survey and Observation.
Media
Using media resources is probably the type of research most comfortable and familiar for you. Media resources are any type of visual or print reference created by someone else and available to you in print of digitally. These include:
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Interview
Many of the topics students choose for their Personal Projects don't necessarily lend themselves to easy internet research. However, the help of another person - someone skilled in the area you're exploring - can be invaluable. Interviews enable you to ask questions, seek advise, and utilize the experience of another person. Interview-based research helps make your project unique - the information you get from whomever you interview isn't going to be something that just anyone can look up on the internet! |
Survey
Surveys can help you find out what people know or believe about a topic. They can be very useful to you as data, or to help you generated ideas for your topic. In particular, they can be helpful in figuring out ways to incorporate principled action into your project - what do people want or need to know/receive help with in relation to your project? In what form would they like to receive that help? There are many different ways to survey people - digital surveys, paper surveys, verbal surveys. You can survey people you know, specific groups, or random samplings of people. Again, the information that you get through a survey is going to be unique - it's data no one else has - and will help to make your project original and special. |
Observation
Research through observation and experience involves becoming personally involved in the topic that you want to research. This involves going to the place you're researching, watching someone who creates what you want to create, or observing a situation you're interested in. If you're doing a project to gather resources for a food bank, this might mean going there and watching a delivery, seeing who comes to pick up food, when they come, what they need. You might help pick up or deliver food, and experience what the workers there experience. If you're doing a project on bullying, this may involve watching your peers in the cafeteria, little kids on the playground, or the dynamics on the bus. Observation is one of the most personal types of research and, again, produces highly personal results. |
MISO Research Square
MISO Resources:
CBK Associates - Resources and links for Service Learning
Book: The Complete Guide to Service Learning: Proven, Practical Ways to Engage Students in Civic Responsibility, Academic Curriculum, & Social Action
CPP High School Personal Project - Research and Resources pages
Interview Resources:
- The StoryCorp Questions Generator walks you through a process that helps you generate questions for the specific person you're interviewing
- The StoryCorp site - which is an oral history site, and so contains many resources that might be helpful to you - also has a Great Questions Listthat may be helpful as you plan your interviews.
Survey Resources:
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