As a result of a Project WhistleStop summer '97 workshop, cadre teachers designed the following Apprenticeship Skills list for combining inquiry based learning and technology skills.

GOALS OR OUTCOMES ( will be adjusted for grade level ability)

Students will be able to:

• Research independently and come to reasonable conclusions
• Use Internet technology as one of many research tools
• Explain and defend their answers
• Develop projects using technology
• Use primary and secondary sources to answer questions
• Formulate their own questions based on inquiry, research, and other data.
• Work in groups to successfully complete a task

APPRENTICESHIP SKILLS

We said that these were the skills students needed to reach the goals listed above:

TECHNOLOGY:

Training on computer software that allows them to design projects, i.e.: hyperstudio, Claris home page, incorporating graphics, Claris works for kids.

Basic computer knowledge: keyboarding, editing skills,

Internet-E- mail skills

RESEARCH AND INQUIRY:

Experiences in using a variety of research resources and how to select the most appropriate ones for a given question.

Experiences in "how to ask questions"

Note taking

Try again strategies

How to manipulate resources--analyze, value, organize

Figuring out "what I need to do and how to get it done".

Selecting a topic of interest and then narrowing it down to fit a project

Time management

Acceptance of the need to revise work

Motivation

Perserverance

Organizational skills for dealing with data

Map/chart/graph reading experiences

Using the Internet as a research tool and not the sole source of information

 

PROJECT PRESENTATION:

Management skills and division of labor in group settings

Communication skills

Team building

Good design skills for presentation projects

Selecting the right tool for the right job

Acceptance of the need to revise work

STRATEGIES:

• Students should use a variety of secondary sources to find information for a series of topics prior to starting a major research project

• Students should practice finding specific information for a variety of topics on the internet and learning how to weed out unrelated material.

• Students should have considerable practice with primary sources--documents, cartoons, old news articles, and pictures--as a class with teacher direction prior to trying research on their own.

• Each student should design a few hyperstudio cards (or other applications) based on own interest as a technology trial piece before doing a full blown project.

• Teachers should present background knowledge or arrange for other sources to supply this need.

• Teachers should correlate activities, goals and skills with State Show Me Standards

NEED TO KNOW:

As students become involved in project/inquiry based learning, they will begin to recognize the "need to know" skills and strategies and will be more receptive to learning on the spot. However, certain prior-skills are still needed as stated above. But many of the skills listed will be more meaningful and articulated as a project advances.

See examples of students work and the skills required in other sections of Project WhistleStop.