The Big6 TM Research and Problem Solving Model

What is the Big6? Mike Eisenberg and Bob Berkowitz Most widely-known and widely-used approach to teaching information and technology skills in the world. Used in thousands of K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and corporate and adult training programs Applicable whenever people need and use information

What is the Big6? “When students are faced with an information problem (or with making a decision that is based on information), they can use a systematic, problem- solving model.” “The Big6 approach can be used whenever students are faced with an information problem or with making a decision that is based on information.” Eisenberg and Berkowitz, 1990

"The new education must teach the individual how to classify and reclassify information, how to evaluate its veracity, how to change categories when necessary, how to move from the concrete to the abstract and back, how to look at problems from a new direction - how to teach himself. Tomorrow's illiterate will not be the man who can't read; he will be the man who has not learned how to learn." -- Herbert Gerjuoy Why Worry?

What needs to be done? What can I use to find what I need? Where can I find what I need? What information can I use? How can I put my information together? How will I know if I did my job well? It’s about Process

Information Process Model 1. Task Definition 2. Information Seeking Strategies 3. Location and Access 4. Use of Information 5. Synthesis 6. Evaluation Big6 TM

1. Task Definition BIG6 Define the problem Essential question Identify information requirements Problem Solving at its best!

2. Information Seeking Strategies BIG6 Determine the range of possible sources Evaluate the different possible sources to determine priorities

3. Location and Access Locate sources Find information within sources BIG6

4. Use of Information Engage (read, hear, view) the information in a source. Extract relevant information from a source BIG6

5. Synthesis Big6 Organize information from multiple sources Present information BIG6

6. Evaluation Big6 Judge the result (effectiveness) Judge the information problem- solving process (efficiency) BIG6

Problem Solving Decision Making Step 1 - Task Definition –What do I really want to know? –Where should I look? –How do I look for what I need? DOGS CATS BIRDSBIRDS ANIMALS

Questioning Providing Time for Brainstorming and Examining

Problem Solving Decision Making Step 2 - Information Strategies –What are the possible resources I could use? –What would be the best source to use?

Electronic Resources  Computer Catalogs  Multimedia Encyclopedias  Databases  World Wide Web  On-line Services  CD ROM 

Print Resources  Encyclopedias  Dictionaries  Books  Periodicals  Indexes  Newspapers

Resource Characteristics Computer Catalog Multimedia Encyclopedias Data bases Internet on-line What’s in the library and where to find it General information on people, places, animals and things Facts, statistics, indexes to magazines, documents Articles, interactive graphics,video

Step 3 - Locating and Accessing How do I find what I want ? What search strategy would work best? What is an information path? How do I decide what I really need? Problem Solving Decision Making

Developing Appropriate Search Strategies Catalog Searching Manual Author, Title, Subject Computer On-line (COM) –Key word/key phrase –Author, Title, Subject

Variety of Research Skills –Using Print Resources –Accessing Electronic Resources Keywords, Boolean, InfoTree, Topic, Subject –Accessing Online Resources Using Search Engines Using Online Services

Keywords What does the electronic resource want from me? DOGS PETS Collies Water dogs Grooming Training Breeds How can I talk to my source to tell it what I want? What are the best words to use?

Talking to Electronic Resources Keywords Boolean Logic Info Tree Associations Truncation ? ? ? ? ? ?

Word Associations Synonyms Broad Word Narrow Word Related terms Truncation Proper Names ? Plurals Variant Spellings ? ? ? ?

OR Boolean Logic AND NOT What do you want? What do you NOT want to get? What combinations would be best for what I need?

Getting Hits with AND DO and CATS DOGS AND

Getting Hits with OR DOGS OR CATS

Getting Hits with NOT CATS DOGS

Getting Hits with NEAR CATS DOGS TRAINING

Info Tree Search

Problem Solving Decision Making Step 4 - Using Information Now that I have found some information, what do I do with it? –How do I decide what I need from everything I find? –I need time to investigate all of this to make decisions.

Quality of Resources –Accuracy, Authority Objectivity, Currency, Coverage –Web Evaluation Quantity of Resources –Vastness –Narrowing down Resource Limitations –Scope and Depth

Note taking skills Organizing Outlining Decisions What Else??

Access to information –Classroom –Labs –Media Center Acceptable Use Policies Online Safety Issues Ethical and Legal Issues Issues

Problem Solving Decision Making Step 5- Synthesizing How do I take everything I have found and put it together? –How do I combine this information? –How will I present or share what I have gathered so that others will learn something from it?

Citations - giving credit Presentation venue Copyright - what you can and cannot use Plagiarism - copying and pasting –Using other’s work and calling it your own

Presentation Skills –Use of software –Oral presentation skills –Use of equipment –Writing skills –Web Publishing –Multimedia –Video

Step 6 - Evaluation –Was the information useful? –What could I have done to make this easier, better, more effective? –What did I learn from finding and using this information? –Did I learn the content? –What did I learn about the process? Problem Solving Decision Making

Using Rubrics Self assessment Content Process Quality of product Skill review Teacher Peer Assessing

The Information Process in Questions What needs to be done? What can I use to find what I need? Where can I find what I need? What information can I use? How can I put my information together? How will I know if I did my job well?

Related Issues

Planning Instruction 1. Assess Learners 2. Determine Goals 3. Create Objectives 4. Determine rubrics 5. Plan Activities and Select Media 6. Organize Materials and Resources 7. Set Agenda 8. Evaluate Instruction adapted from Using the Big6 TM to Teach and Learn with the Internet by Abby S. Kasowitz

Create Objectives:  Required behavior, performance conditions, performance criteria  Content area (e.g., science, math, etc.)  Big6 step(s) covered  Type(s) of resource uses that would be appropriate How will students achieve goals and demonstrate what they have learned?

Curriculum Connections

Super 3 Awareness (Beginning) What do you want students to know or do? What information will they need to know to complete the task? What are the possible sources the students will need? Internet URLs? Other technologies? Lesson Planning with the Super3™ Adapted from: Tami Little

Super 3 Where will students find the information? Who can help students, the teacher? How will students record the information they find? Building (Middle)

Super 3 Culminating (End) Culminating (End) What product or performance do you expect the students to complete? In what format will the students present their product and their sources? How will you assess the students' final product? How will the students assess their process and product?

Resources Big6 website – Super3 – Big6 Kids Site – Big6 and the Internet – Big6Newsletter – Additional Handouts – Big6 and the Writing Process – Big6 and Standards – Big6 Assignment Organizers – – – Online Resources – Joyce Valenza’s Virtual Library – – (Online lessons and activities) – (What is Information Literacy and Why Should I Care)