Thing 6. Use the Teacher Guide to the Research Project Calculator

The Teacher Guide to the Research Project Calculator (RPC) assists teachers in planning, managing, and teaching the often daunting research process by providing them with resources and step-by-step instructions, based on the five-step process outlined in the RPC. You can find it at . The site begins with an About the RPC section that provides an overview of the calculator, describes the role of the teacher in detail, and explains the resources included in the tool. There is even a streamlined version called No Time? for busy teachers. (Is there any other kind?)

Core

1. Take a look at the About section and compare what it suggests to what you already know and do. Which areas of the process are you confident in teaching? What do need you to work on? What resources do you need in order to be more confident with the research process?
2. Look at the Support Materials (link in the yellow box on RPC Teacher Guide) and choose at least two you can use with your students.
   Plan how you will approach teaching research to your students, keeping the dribbling concept in mind. Think about whether the focus of your research project is teaching your students how to conduct research, having them master the content, or both. Then decide exactly what area/steps of the research process you want students to focus on, so you don’t become overwhelmed trying to do more than is possible.
3. Choose pieces of the Teacher Guide to embed the skills in your teaching and their learning. If content mastery is the primary focus of the project, you may choose to emphasize the reliable resources available for research (Step 2. Gather). If the final product is most important, focus on Step 4. Communicate.
   

Note that we want to influence the process of research; we know you are the experts on the research products or outcomes of your students. The key question: How can your classroom research projects integrate the research process and content mastery into a successful project with positive impact on learning the research process and producing outstanding student products?

Making the Information Literacy Connection
The most important teacher role in the research process is the role of information literacy coach. The trick is that the teacher needs to know and understand the research process in order to lead students. Use the RPC Teacher Guide to improve your skills in weak areas.

Blog Prompts

• What is easy for you about teaching research? What are the challenges?
• How might the RPC Teacher Guide help you plan and manage research projects?
• How can you keep the planning, teaching and managing of research projects sane for you as a teacher?
• What additional support or resources do you need to be successful in this area of information literacy?

Have feed back or comments on the RPC Teacher Guide? Click the Leave Feedback link and fire away!