My ninth grade Honors kids are working on their Wikified Research papers examining “as a society, what we have learned, what haven’t we learned and where are we going.” They are basing their writing off of our studies of George Orwell’s 1984 and Cory Doctorow’s Little Brother.
As I have written about earlier, we have spent considerable time front loading our kids with background information regarding the historical contexts that influenced Orwell and Doctorow. The kids have used Loggel to display their connections.
Period 2 example 1 and example 2
Period 5 example 1 and example 2
Our US History, World Civilization, and Government teachers talked to the kids about what was going on in the world to influence Orwell as well as talk to the kids about current legislation in light of safety and security versus privacy and liberty.
The format of their essay is a basic five paragraph model with a big twist- they are turning their paper into the world, not just to their teacher. You will see their work here and here. They are able to transcend the basics of a black and white paper with just using quotations from their text as support to now finding audio, video, image, poll, etc… support. You name it, they can use it as support, and even create the support. With this paper, we stress the importance of writing as a form of communication. These kids are communicating to the world their thoughts, understanding, questions and challenges with how society exists today and where they think society is moving towards. I am really excited to see their conclusions since their works in progress have been interesting peeks into their minds.
But here lies the problem…
So, as I have been wondering around the classroom helping kids with their papers and with their sources, I am noticing something occurring- kids are Googling quotes. At first, my initial reaction was “Oh, that’s cool,” but the more I thought about it, the more alarmed I was. I stopped class and asked them what they were doing? What was happening to my kids’ research techniques? Where was their quest for validity of authors? Where was their checking and double checking on what they were about to cite? How did they know to believe who they were quoting? Why were they not going to the text to find quotes, but instead merely Googling “Orwell quotes 1984?” or “Doctorow quotes Little Brother?” or my favorite, “famous quotes about governmental control?” This was especially true of kids finding quotes to use as attention getters for their papers. They simply Googled quotes like “ privacy versus personal freedoms quotes” and would quote whom ever. They didn’t bother explaining or elaborating on who said they quote, they just liked the quote they found. It didn’t matter to them if they were quoting Benjamin Franklin, Moammar Gadhafi, or some unknown pastor from the Southern United States.
I told the class this was not acceptable. They needed to find out who said the original quote; why would that person be worth quoting. They needed to use their text as a primary source not simply Googling for famous quotes from Orwell on technology or governmental control using technology.
I was shocked. All I could think while I was running home that day that was that this wasn’t right. Kids need to go to the text and find the primary source, not simply Googling for popular quotes for the paper. After all this is how I had to write and compose research documented persuasive essays; why shouldn’t they do the same?
But maybe I am wrong. I have always advocated that kids use the tools in front of them to push their thinking, improve their learning and efficiency, and now maybe I am the one holding them back. I have been going over and over this idea in my mind. When teaching kids to write in the 21st century, how do we teach them to be good researchers? Is Googling for quotes a technique our kids need to learn? Or do we need to stay tried and true to the research methods of using the primary sources-looking back directly to the text they were using? Is there a hybrid we need to work towards? I am finding myself in a quandary here wondering where to go? Do I encourage their resourcefulness and efficiency? Or do I keep them using “older” methods of research?
5 comments:
Love the wikified research, and submitting papers to the world. I think the answer to your question is a little bit of old school, a little bit of new thinking. To find a quote? Sure -- it's pretty easy. But...they're still responsible for knowing the context and the original source. So..there are lots of reputable online sources of quotations. If your school or local library, or your state doesn't offer online access to a quotation reference, then it wouldn't be out of line to ask kids to find the quote in multiple reputable sources before assuming that it's accurate. It's not unusual to find several reported "sources" of a quotation, then find out later that they are incorrect. Context DOES make a difference. Thinking is still required! :)
@MMWmS- thanks for the response. I agree that it needs to be some of both, but I wonder if we need to rethink how we are teaching writing and citations given the resources now available to kids. Should the 5 paragraph research paper evolve just as technology is changing our teaching and our students?
Thought of this quote after reading your post:
"The trouble with quotes on the internet is that you never know if they are genuine" -Abraham Lincoln (source: reddit, http://www.reddit.com/r/reddit.com/comments/fxmx2/the_trouble_with_quotes_on_the_internet_is_that/)
I think googling quotes is not necessarily bad in and of itself, it depends a lot on what they do next. If they're just looking for a quote as an attention getter, and then follow it up with some solid writing, I don't see a problem with that. I think if they're googling quotes and then don't deliver with something worthwhile after the attention getter, then that's more of a problem.
I also think that googling to find quotes within a text they've read is not necessarily bad. The fact that quotes - or now with electronic texts (Kindle, Nook, etc.) the entire text - is searchable is a good thing I think, again depending on what they do next. If googling allows them to find the perfect quote/passage, what's wrong with that, as long as they follow it up with something solid?
I'm a big fan of primary sources, but I'm not sure if it matters if they quote Jefferson after finding it in the Declaration of Independence (paper copy), the Declaration of Independence (text on the Internet), a quote in a book or magazine (paper), or a quote on an Internet quote site. Just because they got it from the original source doesn't necessarily mean they've "researched" any better or taken the time to learn the context of the quote. I think most of what we have typically called research in high school (and even college) isn't really re-search - it's simply been search (and now that search is easier).
So, I think the bigger question is, is what they're writing about worth writing about? If it matters, and if they care about it, and if what they create might have an impact, then they're more likely to learn all they can about it.
Now, I fully realize that's a tall order for high school kids (and high school teachers), but I think that's where this ultimately ends up. If there's a way to make this assignment more than just an assignment (even one written "for the world"), then I think we've got a chance. If not, then I'm not sure it really matters where or how they get the quotes, because the why is what's missing.
(And, yes, I'm failing miserably at this myself.)
I would have to say, as a history teacher, that the tried and tested approach to research is still a required component of quality analytical writing. If students are learning how to write a research paper, whether it is posted on the web with links and videos, the foundation of the essay must still be primary sources.
I have students write essays for posting on the web, voice threads, and blogs - all put out on the web. Students are creating and sharing their knowledge; however, the thesis must still be supported by historical evidence from primary and secondary sources, not from googled quotes or about.com
It is imperative that students read, read source materials and create their own interpretations - not pick up material without context and insert it into essays.
Love the wiki filed research, and submitting papers to the world.Coupons
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