Chapter 1: Using Technology to Enhance Student Learning

What follows is my interpretation of the three key points of Chapter One of Technology in its Place: Successful Technology Infusion in Schools. The chapter, titled "Using Technology to Enhance Student Inquiry," discusses Ablilock's view of the teacher/librarian relationship, the role of the library in research, the distinction between simply "reporting" and "researching", and the nine steps of effective, enriching student research.

Key Point One: Librarian/Teacher Partnership and Creating a Research Center
Debbie Abilock writes about the importance educators and librarians to work together as a team to design activities that foster authentic student learning (2001). The goal of every teacher/librarian team should be to transform the library into a virtual "research center" that uses technology is multiple ways to answer multiple questions posed by problem-based learners (Abilock, 2001). At the heart of problem-based learning is the ongoing reflection that students encounter in the research process (Abilock, 2001). A research center provides all the necessary components for student to answer and reflect on questions such as: "What am I missing?", "Are my conclusions supported?", "Could I find contrary evidence?" (Abilock, 2001).

Key Point Two: Research vs. Report
Abilock makes a point to define research and differentiate between a "report" and "research". A "report", Abilock writes, is nothing more than reporting previously stated information while "research" is a process - asking questions, analyzing information/data, and drawing conclusions (Abilock, 2001). This is an important distinction for both teacher and students to understand.

Key PointThree: The Effective Research Process
Abilock uses an example from a program at Nueva Middle School in California to show educator the nine (9) stages of effective research: Defining, Focusing, Planning, Gathering, Organizing, Analyzing Data, Drawing Conclusions, Forming Convictions, and Evaluation the Process and Product (Abilock, 2001).

Sorting these nine stages into smaller groups, she summarizes Defining/Focusing/Planning as the three necessary components for clarity and rigor in their research (Abilock, 2001). Too often students dive into research without a clear understanding of what their hypothesis is and what questions they hope to address and answer. Defining the hypothesis, focusing on what they need to answer, and planning their course-of-action ensures that the students have a better and ultimately clearer picture of what they exactly they are researching (Abilock, 2001).

Gathering/Organizing/Analyzing Data are the next trio and this group represents the information gathering phase. Once students have a clearer understanding of what exactly they need to research, the next phase is to accumulate all the information possible surrounding their hypothesis, sorting relevant information and discarding less relevant data (Abilock, 2001). As the students accumulate data, the process nurtures students to develop additional questions, gain expertise, and anticipate problems or opposition to their hypothesis (Abilock, 2001).

Drawing Conclusions and Forming Conclusions is Abilock's next phase. This phase reminds students that research is analysis of information, not a report (see above), and that the product of research displays integrity (Abilock, 2001). Students write out on paper their discoveries and findings and support any conclusions in-writing with the aforementioned data analysis (Abilock, 2001).

Finally Evaluating the Process and the Product is the last phase in which students reflect on their research and ask critical questions such as: "What sources worked?", "What sources did not work", "What could have I done differently?", etc.

Resource:
Abilock, D. (2001). Using Technology to Enhance Student Inquiry. In LeBaron, J.F. & Collier C. (Eds). Technology in its Place: Successful Technology Infusion in Schools. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.