Developing Research Project Skills with Children

An Educator's Handbook

Karen Reynolds

• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781098000783
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Elementary Education

The title Developing Research Project Skills with Children, embraces the concepts development and with. Development with signals dialectical involvement among the researcher, policies and practices, and human and material resources. That is, we are changed by our engagement with people, objects, and practices inasmuch as such engagement changes human and material resources. Childhood curiosity, their delight in asking questions, and commitment to fairness are important qualities for a novice researcher. My experiences teaching young children led me to believe that they want opportunities to learn that honor their interests and provide a forum for their voices. In addition, students enjoy working freely within and across non-invasive structures. Psychological safety may be generated by structures such as circles.This handbook outlines an emancipatory approach to childhood research that ignites excitement among participants. Children want opportunities to learn on their own terms. They seek the freedom to pursue their interests from the perspectives of their lived experiences. An emancipatory approach to childhood project research locates control with the student. Within this context, the student defines the main research topic, constructs research questions, determines information gathering techniques, creates products that illuminate key ideas, demonstrates understanding of preliminary data-analysis procedures, and develops findings, reporting, and recommendations. Freedom of choice, independent and creative thinking skills, planning strategies, and diversification of product and process promises enhanced self-esteem and self-efficacy.Stage 1 of the planning process guides the child to enter a topic of interest in the center circle. Next, he/she enters four research questions, one in each remaining circle. Stage 2 of the planning process guides the child to record what they already know about the research questions. The four circles in Stage 2 are located on a separate page from Stage 1. Within this context, previously learned information regarding a concept enhances understanding of new knowledge. Students also enter the names of diverse information sources and products in the relevant circles. These additions will be used to communicate key aspects of the study from a multimodal perspective.

Stage 1 Plans

Teachers may initiate the research project process by leading students in a brainstorming exercise wherein children generate as many research topics as possible. During this experience, students do not criticize contributions of their peers. Ideas may be recorded on a whiteboard, blackboard, chart paper, or tablet. Students group similar ideas and assign each collective a name. When the activity is complete, children select a research topic from the group activity or create one of their own. Some students may take more time than their peers to select a topic.

Each child is instructed to enter his/her main topic inside the center circle on the Stage 1 planning sheet. Next, a research question is developed and recorded for each of the remaining four circles. The research questions represent four areas of inquiry that students want to investigate. These questions also guide information gathering and processing strategies in Stage 2 planning activities.

Following are examples of topics and related research questions developed by children during Stage 1 planning exercises.

1. A student wants to study “Bears.” He/she generates the following research questions: 1.) Where do bears live? 2.) What do bears eat? 3.) How do bears protect themselves? 4.) What kinds of bears are there? Keywords may be: 1.) Habitat, 2.) Food, 3.) Protection, and 4.) Kinds.
2. A student chooses to study “Boats.” Research questions are: 1.) What kinds of boats are there? 2.) What are boats used for? 3.) How can people be safe as passengers on boats and as the driver? 4.) What are boats made of, and why do they float?
3. Keywords are: 1.) Kinds, 2.) Work, 3.) Safety, and 4.) Construction.
4. A student is interested in studying “Rockets.” Research questions may include: 1.) How is a rocket made? 2.) For what purposes have rockets been developed? 3.) What types of rockets are there? 4.) What are the advantages and disadvantages of rocket use?
5. Research questions may be represented by the following keywords: 1.) Construction, 2.) Purposes, 3.) Types, and 4.) Uses.

Stage 2 Plans

Each of the four research questions/keywords from Stage 1 are assigned to each of the Stage 2 circles. Circles are numbered from one to four and in the order determined by the student. The child enters information in each Stage 2 circle that he/she already knows regarding each research question. Information is recorded on a computer, tablet, or with pencil on large sheets of newsprint. Students may want to erase or move information within and across circles.

Next, the child gathers and records new information in the appropriate Stage 2 circles. In this way, understanding of new information is supported by linking it to previous learning. According to Driscoll (2000), “previously learned information is brought back to mind, either for the purpose of underst...