Hit: Big Six, part one

["Allison J. Long" <along@VNET.NET>]

Hi Everyone,  many of you asked me to post the great ideas I received
from my question on Big Six ideas for parents and technology.  I
received some great "stuff".  Sorry it has taken so long.  Thanks to
everyone who responded.
Allison
along@vnet.net


1)  As requested:

The Big Six=A9

Mike Eisenberg and Bob Berkowitz
1988/1990

The Big Six is an information literacy curriculum, an information
problem-solving process, and a set of skills which provide a strategy
for effectively and efficiently meeting information needs.  The Big Six
Skills approach can be used whenever students are in a situation, academic
or
personal, which requires information to solve a problem, make a decision
or complete a task. This model is transferable to school, personal, and
work applications, as well as all content areas and the full range of
grade levels.  When taught collaboratively with content area teachers in
concert with content-area objectives, it serves to ensure that students
are information literate.

The Eisenberg/Berkowitz Big Six Model of Information Problem-Solving

     1. Task Definition
        1.1 Define the task (the information problem)
        1.2 Identify information needed in order to complete the task
(to solve the information problem)
     2. Information Seeking Strategies
        2.1 Brainstorm all possible sources
        2.2 Select the best sources
     3. Location and Access
        3.1 Locate sources
        3.2 Find information within the source
     4. Use of Information
        4.1 Engage in the source (read, hear, view, touch)
        4.2 Extract relevant information
     5. Synthesis
        5.1 Organize information from multiple sources
        5.2 Present the information
     6. Evaluation
        6.1 Judge the process (efficiency)
        6.2 Judge the product (effectiveness)

books:=20
Eisenberg, Michael B. and Robert E. Berkowitz. _Information
Problem-Solving: The Big Six Skills Approach to Library & Information
Skills Instruction._ Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing, 1990. ISBN
0-89391-757-=5


2)  I presented BigSix to my school staff three weeks ago.  I had been
laboring over how to do it for over a year (maybe two!).  I was so
worried about getting it across when I hadn't even worked with it myself.
And I
wanted to do a good job so they would be willing to try.

I went to our state convention especially to hear Bob Berkowitz.  He was
very funny as he presented B6, and I took copious notes.  He had us
brainstorm what skills we thought were essential for our students to
have in order to be successful as adults.  Be sure to do this with your
group.

He asked is anyone had purchased a car recently.  Someone had, so that
someone became his partner as he waltzed through the problem-solving
steps required to make a satisfactory purchase.  It was SO clear and SO
easy.
You could, as easily, have your group walk through the B6 on deciding on
what movie they should see with a friend/spouse on Saturday night.

I prepared transparencies with Powerpoint and included some of their
clipart for illustrations.  I used the second B6 book by Berkowitz and
Milbury
(published in 1992, I think), highlighting the important points I wished
to share.

I went slowly and took questions as they came up.

I spent about $25 on food (this was an after school meeting and no one
ever
offers refreshments!).  I told them to help themselves during the
presentation if they were feeling weak (!).

They were very interested and I received excellent comments about the
process.  Of course, they wished they had known about it in September,
but I hope a few will get back with me and try it before school is out.
I'd
like to follow up with another inservice next year with how some of the
teachers are using the model.

I will begin to use B6 terminology when I work with classes.

By the way, be sure to ask your audience to define cooperation and
collaboration.  In our building, there is a fair amount of cooperation,
but very little collaboration.  I encouraged them to take the next step, as
I am willing, able and ready to do so.

Good luck!

Audrey
Monroe Traditional MS
Columbus, OH
Audrey Glick
Columbus, Ohio
glick@iwaynet.net


3)  There was an article on the bigsix and how it would help parents
with homework.   The article was by Eisenberg and was in a fall (Sept or
October) issue from 1995.

Hope this helps.

Deborah Stafford
Gen H.H. Arnold HS
Department of Defense Dependents Schools
Wiesbaden Germany
stafford@email.wiesbaden.army.mil
or  deborah_stafford@ccmail.odedodea.edu


4)  I havn't looked at it with this in mind, but how about centering
your presentation around  Berkowitz's Helping with Homework: a parents
guide
to information problem solving.  I downloaded it from the Eric database,
but if you have trouble locating it and are interested I would be happy to
forward a copy to you.

Seems to me you could lead parents through examples from this, taking
advazntage of the fact it is directed toward parents and use in the
home.

Helen Seagraves    Hcgraves@aol.com   Hood River, OR


5)  The whole thing can be accessed through the Big Six archives. Tami
Little was the originator of this idea.

My notes are at school so here goes:

1. Task Definition
        We're making a Banana Split
2. Information needed
        Ice cream, whipped cream, cherries, etc
3. Location of information
        Grocery store (which i loiken to an encyclopedia), ice cream
store, produce market
4. Use of info. Shall we make one giant banana split, twenty eight
individual
ones?
5. Synthesis
        Putting it together
6. Evaluation
        Was it good?

Tami suggested packing all the materials in grocery bags. Have the
students unpack them and sort out the ingredients.

I just talked through it!

-Kate Stirk
stirkk@juno.com


6)  I was asked to post the results of my request for a Big Six video or
speaker.   Mike Eisenberg gratiously informed me of
"Information skills: the "Big Six Models" by Robert Grover and Michael
Eisenberg, 1993.  Available from LMC Source, P>O> Box 314, Castle Rock,
CO
80104.  $45.00.  Phone (303) 660-0341.

Bob Berkowitz also replied that he will be speaking at the OELMA (Ohio
Educational Media Association) conference in November and may be
interested in working out the details of a workshop.

Thanks guys for your quick response.  My principal was impressed that I
could go straight to the source so efficiently!

Lorrie Miller
From: Lorrie Miller <PETACALM@aol.com>