B. Information Research
B. Information Research
Research and information capability is a central ICT skill. In using digital and networking tools to find relevant and useful information, students must first be able to formulate a set of questions that will guide them in their search, and they must also be capable of synthesizing data from multiple sources. Students must be able to formulate efficient search strategies and to evaluate the credibility of information and data sources. They must extract and save information and data that they judge to be relevant to the question at hand. And they must be able to use multiple ICT tools to organize, synthesize, and display information and data.
Key principles in the area of Information Research that all students can be expected to understand at increasing levels of sophistication are:
- Increases in the quantity of information available through electronic means and the ease with which knowledge can be published have heightened the need for the verification of sources of expertise.
- Information can be distorted, exaggerated, or otherwise misrepresented.
- Important strategies for ensuring quality of information include 1) assessing the source of information and 2) using multiple sources to verify the information in question.
- Search strategies and skills are important capabilities in performing effective information research.
Fourth-grade students should be aware of a number of digital and network tools that can be used for finding information, and they should be able to use these tools to collect, organize, and display data in response to specific questions and to help solve problems.
Eighth-grade students should be aware of digital and network tools and be able to use them efficiently. They should be aware that some of the information they retrieve may be distorted, exaggerated, or otherwise misrepresented, and they should be able to identify cases where the information is suspect.
Twelfth-grade students should be able to use advanced search methods and select the best digital tools and resources for various purposes. They should also be able to evaluate information for timeliness and accuracy, and they should have developed strategies to check the credibility of sources.
B. Information Research Goals
Fourth-grade students can use digital and network tools to find information and identify sources that may be biased in some way. Eighth-grade students are able to use digital resources to find information and also to recognize when information may be distorted, exaggerated, or otherwise misrepresented. Twelfth-grade students can use advanced search methods and select the best digital tools and resources for various purposes, can evaluate information for timeliness and accuracy, and can check the credibility of sources.
Table 2.11 Information Research assessment targets for grades 4, 8, and 12
| Grade 4 | Grade 8 | Grade 12 |
|---|---|---|
Students know that: I.4.4: Digital and network tools and media resources are helpful for answering questions, but they can sometimes be biased or wrong. |
Students know that: I.8.4: Increases in the quantity of information available through electronic means and the ease by which knowledge can be published have heightened the need to check sources for possible distortion, exaggeration, or misrepresentation. |
Students know that: I.12.4: Advanced search techniques can be used with digital and network tools and media resources to locate information and to check the credibility and expertise of sources. |
Students are able to: I.4.5: Use digital and network tools and media resources to collect, organize, and display data in order to answer questions and solve problems.
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Students are able to: I.8.5: Select and use appropriate digital and network tools and media resources to collect, organize, analyze, and display supporting data to answer questions and test hypotheses. |
Students are able to: I.12.5: Select digital and network tools and media resources to gather information and data on a practical task, and justify choices based on the tools' efficiency and effectiveness for a given purpose. |
I.4.6: Search media and digital sources on a community issue and identify sources that may be biased. |
I.8.6: Search media and digital resources on a community or world issue and identify specific examples of distortion, exaggeration, or misrepresentation of information. |
I.12.6: Search media and digital resources on a community or world issue and evaluate the timeliness and accuracy of the information as well as the credibility of the source. |