Looking at Instruction Through Big6 Glasses

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Looking at Instruction Through Big6 Glasses

• Problems to Solve Decisions to Make

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What skills do students need to be successful?

• Problem solving skills
• What resources do they have available
• Goals
• Objective
• Organize
• Social skills
• Intrinsic values
• Reading
• Initiative
• Understanding of what they are learning
• Character values
• Writing skills

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What have you heard about Big6?

• Has anyone had any training or used it before?

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Definition

• Information Problem Solving Approach.
• It is about instruction--Teaching content.
• What Big6 is not
• Big6 is not always about research.
• Big6 does not mean a big project.

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Big6 Skills are

• General approach to information problem solving
  to any problem in life
• Integrating information and technology
• Information problem solving process
• Operates on both general and specific levels
• Critical thinking skills hierarchy
• Transferable to all subject areas
• Non-linear, step-by-step process
• Individualizes instruction

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Big6 1Task Definition

• The student demonstrates the ability to
• Determine the information problem to be solved
• Reformulate a complete statement of the task
• Pick out key words embedded in a question
• Ask a good question
• Understand and follow printed and/or oral
  directions
• What is my question?
• What is the goal?

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Big6 2Information Seeking Strategies

• The student demonstrates the ability to
• Develop alternatives and to seek a variety of
  materials
• Determine which information is most/least
  important
• Recognize that information can be gathered from
  many sources, including investigation,
  observation, and human resources
• Use appropriate criteria for selecting sources
• What are my sources?
• How do I get information?

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Big6 3Location and Access

• The student demonstrates the ability to
• Determine what sources are available
• Independently gather resources
• Determine if the source is useable
• Access appropriate information systems, including
  online databases, online public access catalog,
  and electronic multimedia
• Where are the sources?
• Where do I find the information?

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Big6 4Use of Information

• The student demonstrates the ability to
• Distinguish facts from opinion
• Accurately and completely summarize/paraphrase
  the main idea from written and oral sources
• Accurately cite sources
• Read, listen, view, and touch carefully to
  acquire information
• How can we use the information?
• What are the possible solutions to the problem?

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Big6 5Synthesis

• The student demonstrates the ability to
• Organize information in clear, coherent
  presentations
• Present information in ways appropriate to the
  task
• Participate effectively in discussions and
  debates
• Produce personally designed products to
  communicate content
• What can I make to show what I have learned?
• Presenting information or product.

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Big6 6Evaluation

• The student demonstrates the ability to
• Demonstrate a high degree of confidence in the
  quality of the product produced
• Assess the product for completeness, strengths,
  and weaknesses
• Develop criteria to determine the effectiveness
  of the process used to solve the problem
• Provide recommendations to improve results
• Determine the need for further information
• How effective and efficient was the process?
• How will I know Ive done well?

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When do we use Big 6?

• Anytime you are teaching the Mathematics TEKS
  that require problem-solving.
• example Where do you see math in nature?
• Anytime you are teaching the English Language
  Arts/Reading TEKS that require research.
• example Is the rainforest a natural
  pharmacy?
• Anytime you are teaching the Science TEKS that
  require research or problem-solving.
• example How can a food chain become broken?
• Anytime you are teaching the Social Studies TEKS
  that require problem-solving or decision-making.
• example Why did some Texas towns become
  ghost towns?

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Where can I get additional Big6 resources?

• S. C. Lee Library website/ Teacher Resources.
• http//www.big6.org or http//www.big6.com