Research and Information Literacy
Enroll to start learning
You’ve not yet enrolled in this course. Please enroll for free to listen to audio lessons, classroom podcasts and take practice test.
Interactive Audio Lesson
Listen to a student-teacher conversation explaining the topic in a relatable way.
Identifying Reliable Sources
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Let's begin by discussing how we can identify reliable sources for our research. When conducting research, why do you think it's important to evaluate sources?
Because not all sources provide accurate information!
Exactly! A great way to remember this is with the acronym CRAAP: Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose. Can anyone tell me what each part means?
Currency means how recent the information is.
And relevance is about whether the source is related to our topic.
Well done! Authority refers to the author's credentials, accuracy is about the reliability of the information, and purpose addresses why the information was created. Understanding these points helps us choose the best sources!
Can we use this method for both print and online sources?
Yes, absolutely! Now, who can give me an example of a source that is not reliable?
A blog post that doesn't have any citations.
Great example! Always be skeptical of sources that lack evidence. Let's recap: To identify reliable sources, we assess their CRAAP.
Using Digital Tools for Research
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Now that we know how to find reliable sources, let's talk about tools that help us gather and organize our research data. Can anyone name a digital tool you've used?
I’ve used Google Docs for note-taking.
I like using Trello to organize my research topics!
Those are great tools! Additionally, we have citation managers like Zotero or Mendeley. They help track sources and manage citations. Can someone tell me why it's important to organize our research?
So we don't lose track of where we found our information and can easily reference it later!
Exactly! Keeping our research structured not only saves time but enhances the quality of our final design specifications. Remember, efficient data management leads to stronger outcomes!
Interpreting and Translating Findings
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Let's delve into interpreting our research findings. Why is interpreting this data important?
It helps us understand user needs and how to apply them in our designs!
Right! Once we gather data, we must analyze it to transform insights into actionable design specifications. Can anyone give me an example of how you might interpret findings from user feedback?
If users say they want something easier to use, I would know to focus on usability in my design.
Excellent point! When we conduct research, our aim is to bridge the gap between user feedback and design development. Let's summarize: We identify reliable sources, utilize digital tools for research, and interpret data effectively.
Introduction & Overview
Read summaries of the section's main ideas at different levels of detail.
Quick Overview
Standard
Research and information literacy is a crucial competency developed in the MYP Design course. Students learn to conduct primary and secondary research, identify credible sources, and use digital tools to collect and organize data, fostering skills vital in the data-driven world.
Detailed
Research and Information Literacy
In the context of the MYP Design subject, the ability to gather and interpret information is foundational for students. The course emphasizes research methodologies that encompass both primary and secondary research, enabling students to collect valuable data about users, technologies, and contexts. The key skills developed in this section include:
Key Points:
- Identifying Reliable Sources: Students learn to discern credible information from unreliable sources, an essential skill in the digital age where misinformation can proliferate.
- Utilizing Digital Tools: Modern tools are integrated into the learning process, teaching students how to collect and organize data efficiently.
- Interpreting Information: Students learn to draw insights from the collected data, translating findings into actionable design specifications.
These competencies not only enhance students' understanding of the research process but also prepare them for meaningful contributions in their academic and future career paths.
Youtube Videos
Audio Book
Dive deep into the subject with an immersive audiobook experience.
Conducting Research
Chapter 1 of 4
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
Students conduct primary and secondary research to gather data about users, technologies, and contexts.
Detailed Explanation
In this part of the course, students learn the importance of gathering information. They can use two main types of research: primary and secondary. Primary research is when students collect new data themselves, perhaps through surveys or interviews. Secondary research involves analyzing existing data and information, such as articles, reports, or databases. This process helps students understand who their users are, what technologies are available, and the contexts in which these technologies operate.
Examples & Analogies
Think of this like preparing for a school project. If you're building a model for a science fair, you might ask your classmates (primary research) what they think about your idea and also look online for similar projects to see what worked well for others (secondary research).
Identifying Reliable Sources
Chapter 2 of 4
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
They learn to identify reliable sources.
Detailed Explanation
Identifying reliable sources is a crucial skill when researching. Students must learn to distinguish between credible and non-credible information. Reliable sources are those that are well-researched, peer-reviewed, and published by reputable organizations or authors. This skill ensures that the conclusions drawn from research are based on accurate and trustworthy information.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine you are cooking a new recipe. You would want to follow a recipe from a trusted chef or a reliable cookbook, rather than from a random blog that might not provide accurate instructions. Just like in cooking, good research relies on good sources.
Using Digital Tools for Data Collection
Chapter 3 of 4
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
Use digital tools to collect and organize data.
Detailed Explanation
In today’s world, digital tools play a vital role in research. Students learn how to use various digital platforms and software to gather data, such as spreadsheets for organizing information or online databases for retrieving information. These tools help streamline the process of collecting and sorting their findings, making it easier to analyze and apply the data to their designs.
Examples & Analogies
Consider a detective using a computer to track clues in a case. By entering information in a digital system, the detective can easily sort through tons of data and find connections—just like students do with their research tools.
Interpreting Information
Chapter 4 of 4
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
Interpret information and translate findings into design specifications.
Detailed Explanation
Once students have gathered data, the next step is interpreting or making sense of that information. This means looking at the data closely and determining what it means for their design project. They must consider how the findings will influence their design specifications—essentially what features and functions their design should have based on the information they've gathered.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine you’re planning a party. You gather opinions about themes from friends and learn that most prefer a beach theme. Interpreting this information means you decide to incorporate beach-themed decorations and activities into your planning, which reflects what your friends want.
Key Concepts
-
Research Methodologies: Techniques for collecting and analyzing data.
-
Digital Literacy: The ability to effectively use digital tools and resources.
-
Source Evaluation: The process of assessing the credibility of information sources.
-
Information Translation: Converting research findings into actionable design specifications.
Examples & Applications
Using Google Scholar to find academic articles on user design needs.
Collecting user feedback through surveys before beginning the design process.
Memory Aids
Interactive tools to help you remember key concepts
Rhymes
When seeking facts that are true, CRAAP helps you, just like glue.
Stories
Once there was a designer who used unreliable sources and lost a big project. From then on, they vowed to always check sources using CRAAP.
Memory Tools
CRAAP - Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose help us filter through the data avalanche.
Acronyms
CRAAP for credible sources - Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose.
Flash Cards
Glossary
- Research
The process of gathering information to answer questions or solve problems.
- Information Literacy
The ability to recognize when information is needed and locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.
- Digital Tools
Software and applications that assist in the collection and organization of data.
- Credibility
The quality of being trusted and believed in.
- Design Specifications
Detailed description of the requirements for a design solution based on research findings.
Reference links
Supplementary resources to enhance your learning experience.