Page 27 - Interdisciplinary Studies 11-12 (2002)

INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES, GRADE 11, OPEN (IDC3O/IDP3O) 25
Processes and Methods of Research
Overall Expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
• beabletoplanforresearch,usingavarietyofstrategiesandtechnologies;
• beabletoaccessappropriateresources,usingavarietyofresearchstrategiesandtechnologies; • beabletoprocessinformation,usingavarietyofresearchstrategiesandtechnologies;
• be able to assess and extend their research skills to present their findings and solve problems.
Specific Expectations
Preparing for Research
By the end of this course, students will:
– demonstrate an understanding of the pur- poses and types of research used in each of the subjects or disciplines studied (e.g., by distinguishing between research done in the arts and that done in the sciences, by comparing methods of research in tradi- tional and in alternative medicine) and describe examples of effective local research projects;
– demonstrate an understanding of the skills and attitudes required for research in each of the subjects or disciplines studied (e.g., by using information-management skills such as recording, note taking, and outlining; by valuing their own learning styles and research methods and those of others; by using methods and stages of inquiry and research);
– formulate questions for a variety of pur- poses in interdisciplinary research (e.g., to explore a topic and theme, to identify gaps in prior knowledge, to broaden individual perspectives);
– develop and manage personal plans for interdisciplinary research, products, and activities, using a variety of print and elec- tronic resources and organizers (e.g., using tables and charts to record their research needs; using sequence diagrams and time- management applications to check action
taken and decisions made; using graphic organizers or webbing applications to analyse feedback from peers).
Accessing Resources
By the end of this course, students will:
– identify and describe physical and virtual sources of information (print, electronic, and mass media) that are relevant to inter- disciplinary research (e.g., school and public libraries, national libraries and gov- ernment archives, resources on the Inter- net, experts from museums and galleries);
– identify the conventions used in databases, catalogues, and indexes to organize infor- mation (e.g., subject headings and descrip- tors, cross-references and see-also references, call numbers), and apply this knowledge to locate relevant resources for interdisciplinary research, using a variety of search strategies and features (e.g., Boolean operators, key-word searches, standard and advanced features of search engines);
– locate relevant resources for interdiscipli- nary research, using a variety of print or electronic (online) reference material, indexes, and databases (e.g., specialized encyclopaedias and dictionaries, online periodical indexes and full-text databases, almanacs and yearbooks);