Using the Learning Commons to Teach Foundational Research Skills

A few weeks ago, I posted a blog post about some of the ways we have utilized the Learning Commons. One of those uses included teaching students about foundational research skills. I have had the opportunity to work with three intermediate classes and their teachers to focus on note taking skills. So far, these classes have worked on finding the main ideas and supporting details in non-fiction text and how to take concise notes. The next focus areas will be how to paraphrase, what plagiarism is and how to avoid it, how to give credit to authors and generate a bibliography, how to organize notes and how to evaluate potential sources to be used for notes.

It has been helpful to work with teachers to develop a consistent approach to teaching note-taking and to establish what research skills students need to develop before engaging in research projects. Taking the time to establish a consistent approach to note taking has resulted in continuity between grade levels. Students will be familiar with a similar approach to research, regardless of who their teacher is. This will hopefully result in less time being spent on learning basics and more time spent on researching things that interest students. I think this continuity will also be less confusing for students when learning research skills. Students will review research skills, as opposed to learning an entirely new approach.

It has been exciting to see students gain new research skills and build upon those skills each time they visit the Learning Commons for one of these sessions.  It has been important for us to establish the purpose of these sessions, so that students understand the importance of the skills they are learning and how they will be helpful for them during their future research projects later in the year. I make sure that I remind students their learning intention and the purpose for learning research skills.

The Learning Commons has been an effective setting for these sessions. Students are learning skills related to research and are seeing how the Learning Commons is a place to learn research skills, engage in research and is a place for inquiry and investigation. It has also been invaluable for students to have the opportunity to specifically focus on research skills, as opposed to trying to learn research skills and curriculum content at the same time. Students need time to practice research skills before using them alongside new content to be learned.

The transition from a library to a learning commons is new to all of us. I am constantly asking myself: is this an effective use of the learning commons? Is this valuable for our students? Is this valuable for our teachers as adult learners? Is this any different or more useful than just doing these activities in the classroom? Are we collaborating enough?

More often than not, I do not have immediate answers to these questions and I realize I will be asking very similar questions for the rest of my career. However, the feedback I have heard from teachers and my own observations of students has been positive and encouraging. Thank you for reading this update about one of the uses of our Learning Commons. In order to properly document our Learning Commons journey, I feel it is necessary to introduce our ideas, but also to check in with these ideas and document their progress.

Have a great week.