Finding a Research Question
Well I have taken notes on my initial and varied readings, and have written a list of questions. I took that text and created a wordle, hoping it will lead to a more focused research question. No luck, still wandering aimlessly.
I am interested in a lot of seeming diverse topics but some how I feel there is a common tread that I just can’t grasp on to. Here goes.
- The education of the US founding fathers, their classical eduction and informal continued learning. Was their letter writing, discussing the writing and thinking of the day, different from NING, email and IM of today.
- The rise of schools as we know them.
- Traditional vs Non-traditional education, in light of new access to information and learning.
- Moral and Ethical education of the present vs that of the past. Would we be in the mess today if people thought of the long term consequences and the greater good instead of short term gain and immediate gratification?
- Citizenship and the need for critical and analytical thinking, as well as, information/media literacy.
I need focus any suggestions?
4 thoughts on “Finding a Research Question”
The history of learning in the United States, 1700 to present, with insights into future directions.
Perhaps, think of an audience. Think of who might be interested in your research and what they need/want to know.
Also, perhaps you can think about WHY you want to know these answers? Ask “Why do I want to know about the rise of schooling? Why is that important to me?” Is it because you think our current method of schooling is dramatically flawed? If so, then perhaps your research will be to create a new model of schools (just as Sudbury did and Montessori did). By the way, I’m doing this same type of search with a group of teachers. Our info is here: http://forcuriousteachers.blogspot.com/2009/03/first-qrious-meeting.html
“Citizenship and the need for critical and analytical thinking, as well as, information/media literacy” gets my vote Beth. As my first year teaching (still sounds like I’m having an out-of-body experience!) winds down the same thought keeps coming tback to mind: we, and our children, have been thrown to the wolves. There’s no manual for the digital roads we now traverse. With all the information that’s out there it’s hard to decipher the true value of resources. What to keep, what to toss, where to begin. I sometimes feel like I’m driving a sub-compact car that gets caught behind the ridiculously oversized 4 X 4 and can’t see what’s ahead of me!
I think you would like this post:
http://langwitches.org/blog/2009/05/15/making-learning-transparent/