A Reflection on my Quest for Information Literacy

I am completing a course through Walden University titled "Supporting Information Literacy and Online Inquiry in the Classroom". The course has been very valuable to me as a teacher in many ways. Prior to taking this course I avoided project-based learning with my students. I did not know how to teach them research skills. Prior attempts at research-based projects met with disaster, with students doing little work and plagiarizing frequently. The quality of their work was inconsistent and lacked focus.

By using the textbook "Reading the Web: STRATEGIES for INTERNET INQUIRY" by Maya B. Eagleton and Elizabeth Dobbler, I learned the QUEST model of Internet Inquiry. QUEST stands for Questioning, Understanding Resources, Evaluating, Synthesizing and Transforming. Prior to this course it was as if I were trying to travel from Ohio to California with no map and 25 road companions (my students), each in their own vehicles. I knew where I wanted us to get to, but had no idea how to reach my destination or how to teach my students how to get there. I am surprised at how easy and fun the process can be now that I understand the QUEST model.

The unit plan I created for the course will be used next semester with my students. It will be the first time that I have confidence in assigning a project incorporating 21st Century skills and Internet-based research. I am excited because I sense my students will not only enjoy the project, but also learn so much more from it than they ever could have from me. I now can see other areas of other courses I teach that will lend themselves to research via the QUEST model. I can 'kill two birds with one stone' by teaching my students important 21st Century skills and course content all through one project. It also makes me feel good knowing my students, by sharing their work with others, will increase global knowledge. It always feels good to help out someone else.

One thing I learned from this course is the importance of modeling for students to learn. How can I expect them to progress through this unit plan if I have not done so myself? So as one of my professional development goals, I will conduct a QUEST-based research project on retirement planning in the same manner as my students will. I will follow all the steps and activities in my unit plan while my students are doing it. We will learn and experience together.

In addition, I plan on asking my principal to purchase this book for the faculty, perhaps one copy per department. I will, at the next faculty meeting, encourage my colleagues to use the book and join me in the 'quest' to bring 21st century skills to our students.