ACTIVE LEARNING at GCC

Brainstorming on Food using StickyNotes App - an Activity for developing Information Competency Skills

Background information: This is a culminative activity that incorporates information competency concepts introduced in prior lessons.  Content knowledge on the topic of food is acquired from a homework activity due just prior to this in-class activity. [The homework assignment required students to perform a search on the topic of "food" starting with a keyword search, identify Library of Congress Subject Headings and perform advanced searches to practice narrowing topics].

Objectives: 

• Brainstorming for keywords on a broad topic [e.g., food]
• Grouping/organizing keywords (synonyms and related concepts)
• Effectuve use of Boolean operators AND OR
• Exit standard for part 1: construct a search strategy
• Exit standard for part 2: construct a research question 

Instructions:

1. Pair smartphone users with non-smartphone users
2. Demo app: add 3 notes together: 1-your name, 2-AND, 3-OR- double tap to add a note; double tap on a note to edit text.
3. Student Instructions for Step 1: Working individually, add a minimum of 5 keywords or subject headings, each on a separate note.
4. Student Instructions for Step 2: Share your keywords with your partner - if they have a keyword you haven't used, add it to your StickyNotes. Brainstorm together for other keywords- you should each have a minimum of 10 notes with keywords or subject headings.
5. Share results with class – ask for volunteers to showcase their work [then demo sorting – hold a note and drag it to move it]
6. Student Instructions for Step 3: Group keywords with similar or related concepts by moving (dragging) the notes on the board.  Color code each of the groups with a different color. double tap on a note to change its color.
7. Share results with class [demo narrowing and boolean operators]
8. Student Instructions for Step 4: Construct a search strategy using one OR and one AND Boolean operators.
9. Student Instructions for Step 5: Save your work:

• Option 1: Press and hold on the board until a black menu bar appears. Select email and send an email image of your search strategy to your own email account and also to your instructor’s email account.
• Option 2: Press and hold the power button and the home button simultaneously to take a picture of your screen. Upload image from Camera Roll to the designated Dropbox folder.