Teaching ourselves

I am all for learning by doing, Being thrown in the deep end to figure out processes the hard way... But this is usually after the learning experience has occurred! Particularly when the concept is such an abstract one and not something you can quickly work out by doing some research. Definitely feeling challenged by this assignment (EER500: Introduction to Educational Research, Assignment 1B).

I have to say though, that venting here is making me remember those assignments I've done in the past where at the time it is frustrating and hard to see the logic of not having more support, but later you realise that it was a very rewarding learning experience. I am also realising that my automatic response is to ask someone for help, when I CAN do some research myself - there will be resources out there that help me to understand the concepts I am struggling with. If there weren't then our lecturer wouldn't have told us to find them. She has given us a starting point, and we are to find more to expand upon and back up what we already have.

Sounds like a familiar concept - something I will do in the future as a teacher librarian perhaps? Support students in the beginning and give them a starting point, but encourage them to use their own skills to extend their research.

Sounds like learning for life. Life long learning. Time to (re)embrace it for myself, not just my students.

Time to remember how little time I have to get this assignment done... better get back on task!

  by  Jinx! 

"Recent and relevant evidence-based research articles"

I am struggling with the activity steps for EER500. Mainly because step 2 (which is where I am currently treading water) involved finding relevant articles. To be specific: "Recent and relevant evidence-based research articles". Every time I read what I am supposed to be doing, I once again start to wonder if I am on the right track. What is evidence-based research? I am worried that some of the articles I have found are not research as such, rather discussions or sharing of knowledge, or based on what others have said... not research. And what is relevant? How broad am I thinking? I think I am making it worse for myself by starting to think about step 3 - starting to formulate my research question.

I think the best thing to do right now is to focus on step 2, find as many articles as I can (I will give myself a time limit) that relate to the initial article I found, then tomorrow I will look at what I have collected and narrow it down to three.

Once that is done, I will worry about whether the question I thought of is too broad, and if so how I can narrow it down.

Typing it out helps me to think :)