Webbing, Wiggling, Weaving and Other Stuff --- Related to My Topic ---
“Children, Teens and Sleep ---- Why Sleep is Like a Mega Vitamin You Really Want to Take!”
As I have been working on webbing, wiggling and weaving I have also sought to use some of the templates and examples from “The Blue Book” by Daniel Callison. One template that I used was from Chapter 14: Middle School Inquiry Research Orientation. The title of the template is “Testing Questions for Interest and Meaning” on page 233. Some of the questions/methods I liked from this template were: 1.) List all the questions that you don’t already have a possible answer for. 2.) At home tonight, discuss these questions with your family and listen to their suggestions and ideas.
I know these are two simple questions/methods, but I liked the idea of students thinking about questions that may have NO answers (sometimes these are the best questions.) Additionally while some questions with no answers initially --- may actually be answerable by the student --- others may remain unanswerable at the conclusion of the inquiry process. This is of interest to me, because I think that some students/people steer clear of questions that might end up having no answers. They fear that it will look like they did not do enough research and/or that it was a flaw on their part to not find the answers to all their questions. I hope that this fear can be dispelled in students/people and in myself, by learning and then remembering that some of the best questions may have no answers initially --- or sometimes --- no answers for a long time to come.
So this evening, I am spending my time thinking about questions that I don’t know the answers to for my topic “Children, Teens and Sleep ---- Why Sleep is Like a Mega Vitamin You Really Want to Take!” I am also trying to find the answers to my questions. If I cannot find the answers myself, I am going to ask some of my colleagues at work for suggestions in the next few days. Because I hope to find lots of answers --- but if I don’t find them all --- I know that this does not mean my inquiry project is a failure.
I’d love to hear your comments on this idea of ~ questions that possibly have no answers and what their value is --- in the inquiry process.
---- Suzanne Ross
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Suzanne,
ReplyDeleteThe value of the question is not always the answer but is far more often the process and steps taken too get there. If you don't always find what you were looking does it make the journey and what you did learn any less valuable? I think that Pr. Lamb really addressed this idea well in one of her "Lamb's Latitudes" postings, when she stated that "Students are concerned with a grade rather than learning. Teachers are concerned about accountability rather than teaching. Most of life's problems aren't solved with a single policy or test score. It's essential that our students become creative and critical thinkers. They need to have the mental flexibility to see alternative perspectives, address their prejudices, and explore complex puzzles from different directions." Being flexible enough to realize that not all questions have a clear cut simple answer is an essential skill that everyone would be well served to learn. Even having questions that may seem clear to us can have many multiple answers when considered from another perspective.
So basically I think that all questions, no matter the answer, are valuable and definitely have a place in the inquiry process.
Hope this helps, great job so far and thanks for the comments.
Rusty
Suzanne,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your post on my blog at http://dlmills.edublogs.org/. I am posting my comments on both your blog and mine since I think your question is relevant to both our projects (and really to any research question posed).
In your comments you asked me “What are your thoughts regarding questions that “possibly” have no answers and what (if any) is their value in the overall inquiry process?” Honestly, I think questions that have no obvious answers are the most interesting to ask. I had a professor once tell me that it was ‘okay not to have a definitive answer…this is when you make inferences and draw hypothesis into possible answers.’ By drawing on these inferences you allow others to evaluate your work and also put in their perspectives. The process allows people to work together to try and decide if the inferences made are first of all feasible, and secondly a possibility.
Throughout my project have posed probably a hundred questions and possible inferences which I only briefly wrote about to allow others to see just how endless inquiry can be. You can honestly ask a question about anything and everything in the world, and most of the answers will not be simple or hold one singular truth. The power of perception is directly inspired by each and every one of our personal life experiences, economic standing, social standing and current world events (plus just about anything else you can come up with).
Questions that have no definitive answer are the most valuable question to ask in my opinion. They lead to other questions and you never know what you will discover in your search for an answer! Take for example your project and one of the questions you posed; “Overall do children and teenagers get enough sleep?” Seems like a pretty straight forward question that should have an answer out there and, with a little digging, you will probably find a study that will state an answer one way or the other. However, can there honestly be an “overall” answer to this question? How about teens in rural vs. urban areas? What about economic factors and teens that are employed vs. non-employed? How about teens that are an only child vs. being the oldest, middle, or youngest child in a larger family? The point that I am trying to make is that, although you have a great question and you may find an “overall” answer to that question, will it be a whole truth? Chances are no. But that is the point of inquiry, to keep asking questions until you have, if not the truth, a possible truth to your question.
Thanks for your comments to my post. I really enjoyed reading up on your progress as well and wish you the best in your inquiry!
Darren