A Seacliff TL COS Initiative
2012
Austinmer PS,Bulli HS, Helensburgh PS,
Thirroul PS , Waniora PS
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As described by Ross Todd:
“...carefully planned, closely supervised,
targeted interventions of an instructional team
of TLs and classroom teachers, to guide
students through curriculum based inquiry
units that build deep knowledge and deep
understanding and gradually lead them
towards independent learning.”
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Is grounded in a constructivist approach to
learning based on Carol Kuhlthau’s Information
Search Process.
http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/~kuhlthau/recent_
presentations/iasl/iasl_notes.htm
This 7 stage search process also includes thoughts
and actions associated with each stage.
The stages are:
Initiation, Selection, Exploration, Formulation,
Collection, Presentation and Assessment.
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There are 10 schools within our COS, and 5 of
those participated in this project – Austinmer,
Bulli HS, Helensburgh, Thirroul and Waniora.
Each TL and a classroom teacher were trained
in GI by Jenny Scheffers from Caddies Creek
PS in November last year with funding
supplied from each participating school.
Each school selected a class (or 3!) and a topic
of their choice. The project ran over term 1 this
year and we have just finished the report .
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Each participating student is surveyed 3 times
to gauge how they are going, in addition to
some writing comments on a blog, plus a
weekly journal entry.
The results have been collated and students
have presented their research at each school.
The blog address is :
http://seaclifftlcos.edublogs.org/
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Each school /class selected their own COGs or
HSIE unit as a basis.
Bulli HS chose a webquest with specific roles
given to each group, using ‘Boy Overboard’
where the TL and English teacher worked
together with a Yr 7 class
Other topics included China (Symbol Systems),
Rainforests, Antarctica, Oceans.
Most conducted during their library sessions,
with Thirroul taking an extra hour weekly.
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Using Lee Fitzgerald’s posters of the ‘Research
River’ as a basis, we adapted these to our own
coastal environment, calling the process the
Research Wave’.
Posters were discussed and displayed from the
introduction. That way, the students knew
what to expect.....
From a Thirroul perspective, students were
asked to try a new method of research
Gained their commitment from the beginning
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Background info collected first
From that, students were able to explore using
books and internet (links were provided
initially)
A few students knew early on what they
wanted to research and they were engaged
immediately
Others tended to be indecisive, which led to
their frustration
Once a decision is made, they became very
focussed and determined
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Research is guided by providing a selection of
books, internet sites beforehand.
Students will need to search themselves, so
much guidance was provided in developing
and refining search strategies
Our problem was the questions students
wanted the answers to were challenging to
find, and when located often difficult to
understand.
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The framework includes developing up to 6
contributing questions which then help to
answer the student’s main focus question
We conducted a lesson on questioning
technique and how some questions tend to
ensure more deep thinking than others.
Tried to ensure students asked how and why
questions rather than when, what and who
(although these may have been included in
contributing questions.)
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At Thirroul, we stressed that a simple power
point or word doc was to be used in presenting
their research.
This was to avoid either extra time teaching
them a new tool or taking their focus away
from their actual research.
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Surveys were conducted asking students :
What they learned
What they found easy and difficult
What they enjoyed
What skills they learned
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Overall, students enjoyed being able to select
their own topic to research
Being more independent and responsible for
their learning
Working with a partner
Learning about something new
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When compared to other research they had
completed, they found GI more challenging
The skills they learned ranged from working
with prezi or photostory, searching and
locating information
Going deeper into research
Putting the info in their own words
Cooperating with their partner
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They found choosing a topic one of the most
difficult tasks
Formulating their own questions
Locating relevant info on the internet
Many students found designing their
presentation amongst the easiest tasks,
Presenting that info to their classmates,
Cooperating with their partner
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We all felt we needed to conduct another GI
project and would change some parts. Some TLs
felt they spent too much time ‘exploring’ the topic,
others realised the importance of developing
questioning technique.
The vast majority of students were engaged
throughout and wanted to repeat the experience.
Our aim is to work with a different classroom
teacher each time, and perhaps conduct another
project with the remaining TLs in our COS.
 Helensburgh
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How do underwater volcanoes affect marine
life?
Are there good reasons to hate sharks?
What are the effects of oil tankers and rigs on
the environment?
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Austinmer
How do humans affect the wildlife of
Antarctica?
How do Antarctic animals survive the winter?
How does global warming affect Antarctica?
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Thirroul
How did Chinese inventions influence the
west?
How did gunpowder affect China and the
west?
How do the lives of Chinese children differ
today when compared 100 years ago?
How did China change from rural to industry?
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Waniora
What’s so bad about deforestation?
How does fungi help the trees?
Big things in the rainforest and how they grow