Wiggling

I truly understand why this stage is considered the most difficult for students.  There was so much information that I felt at times overwhelmed by it all during my ‘webbing’ phase. I have been continually using my Microsoft Sticky Notes to jolt down my thoughts, to write notes, to paraphrase and /or paste relevant information I have found during my ‘webbing’ journey.   In addition, I also cited my sources as I went along and used related links that I found on websites and bookmarked the pages.  I bookmarked the pages by first pasting the URL into the sticky note and then noting the topic of the website to be viewed at a later time.

I needed to reevaluate (and possibly regroup) the clusters I created on my desk top screen because of the large quantity of sticky ‘notes’ I had amassed for this project. 

I have chosen four websites and three books to form the foundation of my project.  In the process of determining which websites were authoritative, I reviewed 15 websites that dealt with environmental issues such as recycling, cleaning tips, making your own cleaning products, toxic household products and air pollution within the home.  Since I had questions about the history of the environmental movement; why commercial cleaners were bad; and what I need to make my own household cleaners- I eliminated those that were not relevant to my focus.   All of the websites I selected were also reliable, objective, and authentic.  They were accurate and compiled by respected organizations such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency; INFORM which is designed to educate the public about the effects of human activity on the environment and human health; and Tree hugger which is a source of information for environmentally conscious consumers and it is affiliated with the Discovery Company. 

I evaluated the books similar to the way I evaluated the websites.  For books I looked at timeliness, accuracy, objectivity, publisher and relevance.  The books are Green Cleaning for Dummies by Elizabeth B. Goldsmith, PHD with Betsy Sheldon, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Cleaning   by Mary Findley and Linda Formichelli, and Household Cleaning Self-Sufficiency by Rachelle   Strauss.

Green Cleaning for Dummies is published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., which is located in Indianapolis, Indiana.  It had a thorough and detailed appendix with Green   resources. The author Dr. Goldsmith was a respected professor in Family Resource Management as well as author of several college textbooks so I knew it would be accurate.  It was published in 2009 which is only three years old.

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Cleaning is published by the largest trade book publisher which is Penguin Group.  It has an appendix section and the authors have extensive experience cleaning.  Thus I felt the information would be accurate.  It was published in 2005 which is seven years old but I felt it was still current.

Household Cleaning:  self-sufficiency is published by Skyhorse publisher.  It was created in 2006 but it already has three New York Times bestsellers and it is ranked as America’s fastest growing small publisher by Publisher Weekly. This book is in Skyhorse’s new self-sufficiency handbook series.  All of these factors made the information credible and accurate.  It was published in 2009 which makes it the information current.  I am so glad that my mother in law sent this book to me.  It has been extremely beneficially to me for this project.  

This “ wiggling” stage is Carol Kuhlthau’s Information Search Process’s collection phase which calls for gathering information “ defines, extends, and supports the focus.” (Caspari,  Kuhlthau & Maniotes, p. 20).    I definitely was doing that in this step in the process of this project.  In this stage, on an emotional level the “students’ confidence and interest increase along with their sense of ownership and developing expertise.” (Caspari, Kuhlthau, & Maniotes, p. 20).  After breaking all the information into smaller parts and then putting (wiggling) those pieces back together into a complete whole, I do feel more confident and definitely connected to the project.

Evaluating the information was pretty easy for me even though it was time consuming and overwhelming at first with all of the ‘notes’ I had saved during the whole process thus far.  This is only because I have experience with research and finding quality sources.  Well, for an elementary, middle, or high school student this process is going to take longer and they might benefit from it being a separate process.  I think it could be very frustrating to some students when they realize that some of the sources they found might not be very authentic.

Source:

Caspari, A. , Kuhlthau, C.  & Maniotes, L. (2007). Guided Inquiry: learning  in the 21^st century. Westport: Libraries Unlimited.

Webbing Phase II

I have moved into Kuhlthaus’s Information Search Process “Forming Focus” stage. 

Task:  I have finally formulated “… a focus based from information…” that I gathered during the first ‘webbing’ phase (Callison & Preddy, p. 40).  I narrowed my focus down to the following points: 

1.  What is the history of the environmental movement?

2.  Why I should become more environmentally conscious as it relates to using environmentally friendly cleaners.

3.  Why are commercially produced cleaners deemed bad?

4.  What materials I need to have to make my own environmentally safe cleaners.

Thoughts:  I am looking forward to making my own environmentally friendly cleaning products because I am making another step in the right direction in either eliminating or decreasing elements in my life that are not making a positive impact to the environment as a whole.   I am still planning on creating 'before' and 'after' pictures, telling how they worked (or did not work) and how you can make them yourself.

Feelings:  I am definitely feeling optimistic and confident in my abilities to finish this project.

Actions:  I have considered the project theme by seeking relevant information on the subject.

Webbing

Webbing (Searching) directs students to locate, search for, and connect ideas and information.  One piece of information may lead to new questions and areas of interest. Students select those resources that are relevant and organize them into meaningful clusters.

            I am putting metaphorical webs in the forms of sticky notes all over my computer screen as I search in all different mediums for information about my topic.

I literally submerged myself in information in the process of seeking information on all aspects of environmentally friendly products or should I say “green products” which I discovered in my searching is the more appropriate terminology used in the mainstream.

I was definitely in Carol Kuhlthau’s Information Search Process model’s third stage of exploration.  I was exploring “… information with the intent of finding a focus.” (Caspari, Kuhlthau  & Maniotes, p. 18).  I started the journey of becoming “… informed about the general topic..” by contacting my neighborhood library. (18) Well, I used my local library’s online database to find books.  I put in the search words “household cleaning” and I found 6 books available within that location. Well, I called the reference desk librarian to have them be put on reserve and she asked me if I was going to school for a health degree.   I laughed and replied,  “ I am getting a Library Science degree.”  She replied, “Oh”.  Then she proceeded to tell me about the courtesy hold which doesn’t charge a fee to the patron to hold items.  She was able to locate four out of the six books.   They are as follows:  Green Cleaning for Dummies by Elizabeth B. Goldsmith, Household Cleaning: Self-Sufficiency by Rachelle Strauss, The Complete Idiots' Guide to Green Cleaning 2nd Edition by Mary Findley, and Helpful household hints by June King.

I put the information obtained from the books on sticky notes to help me identify “…ways to focus it…” in the ISPs exploration stage. (Caspari, Kuhlthau & Maniotes, p. 18) 

            Next, I called my mother in law, Kathy and told her about my project and asked about the book she had previously mentioned to me.  She told me she would send me some information about it in the mail.  Well, I was surprised to receive a note accompanied by a book.  It was called, Household Cleaning: Self-Sufficiency by Rachelle Strauss.  I included a copy of her note to me with her permission.

Dearest Lisa, here is my ‘bible’ for green cleaning in the house.  You can keep this book.  I bought it for you.  If you just use vinegar and baking soda, you can have a clean and healthy green house for you, Roland and the kids.  I have been using it for years with success.  Also remember how you asked about why I keep the windows open a lot and rarely run the air conditioner.  It is to circulate the air in the house.  If you have any other questions, please give me a call.  In the meantime, kiss my babies for me and tell my son I said hello.  Love you all, Kathy

            Then I went on the internet using Google and Yahoo and found a vast wealth of useful information on the topic because the subject matter is so prevalent in the 21^st century.  I used the following words - “nontoxic products”, environmentally friendly household products”, “green cleaning products”, recipes for creating environmentally friendly products for the home”.    Well, I found videos ranging from explaining the dangers of toxic cleaners; making your own cleaning products; and health issues related to household cleaners in the home. In regards to making the household cleaners, I kept hearing vinegar and baking soda as the two main ingredients.  These two ingredients were in some of the books I read as well.  I have been looking at some forums on the tree huggers website also. 

            I was concerned as I looking over all of the information about my topic that I would have to deal with a lot of inaccurate and non-verifiable information.  According to Kuhlthau’s   ISP model, “Sources are often inconsistent and are incompatible with a student’s preconceived notions about the topic.” (Caspari, Kuhlthau, & Maniotes, p. 18).   I have definitely been experiencing this in the exploration stage.  For instance, I have found a great deal of information on the issue of air quality within the home environment.  The percentage of the air quality has been discussed to be from 5 times worse up to 1000 times worse. 

            I have questions that I need to address prior to moving on to the next stage of the ISP which are the following: 1. Should I include the air pollution information in whatever presentation form I am going to use for this assignment.  2. How can I include some of the videos in my blog? 3. How many recipes should I try?  4. Should I include the health benefits of using environmentally friendly products?  5. How far should I go in this project…?  6.  The statistics, should I include? Also reading all of this 'green' information has just confirmed my desire and ultimate goals to become vegan and live a good quality life without harming the environment.  I want to be a good example for my children so that they will be responsible and environmentally aware citizens.

I know once I finished writing this blog entry, I will have more questions to ask.  Once I starting moving around my sticky notes into different groups, I believe I will become more focused and ready to move to the next step… In the meantime, I am trying not to become frustrated or discouraged in this exploration (searching) stage but it is easier said than done (at times). 

Wondering

Brainstorming. Questioning. Brainstorming. Questioning.  That is what I have been doing in my journal as well as in the bubbl.us software.  Also I might add that I have been using Microsoft's sticky notes to write down ideas and anything else I have been thinking about concerning this project. 

 https://bubbl.us/?h=d0ed4/18e720/85PFaPlOh7aKE

I have enclosed my link to my page of brainstorming questions for my project.
Since this is my first time doing this, please let me know if you have problems reading it.

Questions I wrote in bubbl.us includes the following:

1. Where can I find environmental friendly recipes?
2.  Cost of making the recipes.
3.  What are the benefits of using environmental friendly ingredients in the home?
4.  Is it cheaper to just purchase the environmental friendly products in the store?
5.  History of environmental friendly products.
6.  Do the environmental friendly ingredients work as well as the toxic cleaners?
7.  Pros and Cons of using environmental friendly products versus toxic cleaners?  Can I use both?
8.  What are the danger of using toxic cleaners?
9. Definition of toxic cleaners?

Well, as I was writing these questions out I was thinking of adding some other questions such as asking my recycling company if they will depose of the toxic cleaners I have in my house.  Also is there any research (with reliable sources) that has documented the health benefits of using environmental friendly products in the home.  Also can toxic cleaners cause asthma, cancer or other diseases?

This step reminds me of the Marjorie L. Pappas and Ann E. Tepe's Pathways to Knowledge- Presearch stage.  "The Presearch stage enables searchers to make a connection between their topic and prior knowledge.  They may begin by brainstorming a web or questions that focus on what they know about their topic and what they want to know."  I remember in the 'watching' phase that I had been exposed to environmentally friendly products from my mother in law to watching a Rachel Ray
episode on using some of them to clean in the kitchen.  I have always wanted to try to make them myself and use the finished products to also clean in my kitchen and in other parts of my house.

In reflection, I am thinking that I really need to narrow the focus on what I want to do for this project due to the time constraints.   I just don't know as yet which one or ones I want to focus on at the moment...

Watching Phase III

When I was looking at the various models for another assignment, I noticed that the I-Search model’s philosophy is similar to our guidelines for this assignment.  Well, the virtual inquiry website said, “The key element of this approach… is that students select topics of personal interest.  Students are asked to keep a log of their actions, thoughts, and feelings as they move through the process.”  In addition, “This model also stresses metacognition thinking.”  This type of thinking is required for our assignment as well.  I couldn’t help wonder if my journaling activities since I was in seventh grade have helped prepare me for this assignment.  In these journals, I have metaphorically peeling back the layers of my mind to reveal deeply personal and private issues in my life. 

Then I read the article by Sara Wolf, “The Big Six Information Skills as a Metacognitive Scaffold:  A Case Study” that defined metacognition … “as thinking about thinking.” (Wolf, p. 2).  Therefore, for this project at each step of the process I have been questioning how I feel about the information; questioning its validity and deciding what I will do with the knowledge that I now possess.  Of course, it isn’t that simple, but to gain metacognitive thinking, I will keep ‘peeling’ until I get to the core of whatever I am trying to really understand; in this case it’s my topic.