Step 04
Research, Analysis, and Decision Making
This step requires students to begin their action learning group project by researching more about their issue, analysing the information they uncover, and then asking them to make decisions about the quality of the project, the potential for success, and about how to proceed.
Students will benefit if they spend time working out exactly what their issue is all about. What is the background information, what has been tried before, what might be useful to know, what can you learn from others experiences around the issue?
ACTIVITY Defining the Problem
Adapted from: LSF – Engaging Students in Sustainable Action Projects
What problem has your group chosen to work on? Use this framework to stretch your thinking about your issue of choice.
- What are the symptoms of the issue?
- What are the root causes of the issue?
- What are other ways in which people might describe the issue?
- What are some remedies to symptoms of the issue?
- What are some remedies to the root causes of the issues?
Research Practices
Knowing how to research is part of understanding Action Learning. Learning how to look for information, where to look, and what to ask can be a complicated process. Asking people for information is an important part of research. Is there anyone else in your community who is already working on this, or that has knowledge that could help you? Don’t feel you need to reinvent the wheel!
This activity will scaffold a research protocol that will enable a deep consideration and exploration into the issue.
ACTIVITY Placemat Research Activity (60 minutes plus)
Adapted from: LSF – Engaging Students in Sustainable Action Projects
In small groups, students write as much as they know about their issue as well as their own questions about the issue on a “placemat”. The questions are then coded to determine the best way to find the answers to the questions and the students conduct their research.
Materials:
Chart paper
Internet access (desirable but not necessary during class time)
Markers
Tape
Scrap paper
Getting Prepared:
Create placemats for each group of students. Make extras in case some students’ topics require broadening, changing, or individual attention. Each placemat is made from 1 piece of chart paper. Draw 2 diagonal lines on the paper to divide it into 4 sections. In each section, tape a copy of one of the following questions so if 4 people are sitting around the placemat, each person has a clearly defined section with one question in it.
1. What is happening that bugs you? Describe the issue. Write details and examples.
2. Who is involved in this problem? Name as many people or organizations as possible.
3. How could this be different? What are alternatives?
4. What else do you want to know about this issue?
Put a square in the middle of the page with the title: “issue” and a place for students to write the issue that they are concerned about.
Make one sample placemat that details an example project.
Destruction of habitat in my town
1: What is happening that bugs you? Describe the problem. Write details and examples.
Greenlane got turned into a major road. Rogers Reservoir Conservation Area is now surrounded by a driving range and a bus station. Almost all of the land now has houses or stores on it.
2: Who is involved in this problem? Name as many people or organizations as possible.
Shop owners, Shoppers, Building companies, Government: municipal, provincial, federal, Non-human animals
3: How could this be different? What are alternatives?
We could make buildings taller instead of wider. We could decide to have fewer stores. We could plan communities smarter to prioritize habitat for non-human animals. For example, we could plan to have more public transit and therefore less roads, parking lots, garages, etc.
4: What else do you want to know about this issue?
Who makes planning decisions? If most people voted, would they vote for things to be the way they are? Which communities have done this really well? What are other ways of using space more efficiently?
Check for student understanding before they begin working on their own placemat.
Procedure:
Part I
Tell the students that they are going to find out more about the issue they have chosen. Use the model (see preparation section below) to explain the four focusing questions to the students. Provide and solicit examples.
In groups, have students sit around the placemat. At the same time, each student writes one answer to the question that is directly in front of her/him. When they are ready (or when you say switch), students turn the paper around (OR students can get up and move to the chair to the right but leave the placemat in the same position) so that a new question is facing each student. Each student reads what the previous student wrote and then adds her/his own ideas—as many as possible. Students repeat this until everyone in the group has had a chance to answer each question.
In their small group, have the students review all of the responses. Do they have anything they want to add?
Collect the placemats. You may need time to review them before moving on to part II.
Part II
Review the students’ “What else do you want to know section”.
Present the following instructions:
• Circle all of the questions that you think have answers that are accessible in books or on the internet. For example, what level of government looks after town planning, is a good question for a textbook on levels of government.
• Put a squiggly mark around questions that professional people would know the answer to, but the answer probably isn’t easy to find on the internet or in a book. For example, what land in our community is currently designated as protected greenspace? is a question that would be best addressed by a phone call or email to a government helpline.
• Put a square around all of the questions that you think would require a discussion among people or survey to find the answer to. For example, what is an appropriate balance between the number of stores we have in our community and the amount of greenspace we protect for non-human habitat and human play areas is a question that requires a deliberation or a survey.
Provide students with a stack of scrap paper. On each piece of paper, students should write only one of their research questions on the top of the page. Students should staple all of their papers together. As students gather information, they should write notes on the page with the question to which the new information applies.
For each of their questions, they should follow the appropriate instructions below:
• Circled Questions: Provide students with a list of possible internet sites (see resource section of this guide for suggestions). Have students choose one site from your list of sites, find one site on their own using a search engine (like google) and use one book from the library.
• Squiggly Mark Questions: Have students type up their question as well as a “who might know” list. Depending on the age of the students, you may wish to compile and send the emails yourself or allow them to source the appropriate person and send the email.
• Squared Questions: students may wish to host a community discussion or a discussion for local high school students.
Once the students know what to ask and where to go to find out some answers they need to become proficient at analysing the resulting information.
ACTIVITY Analysis and Assessment of Information Learned Through Research (90 minutes)
Adapted from: LSF – Engaging Students in Sustainable Action Projects
Students review their notes from their research and create a concept map with words and pictures.
Materials:
• Chart paper
• Scrap paper of different colours
• Crayons/pencil crayons/markers/pencils/erasers
Preparation:
Prepare your own mind map to share with the students or build one together about a concept you are all familiar with. If you are unfamiliar with mind mapping check it out via the internet.
Procedure:
1. Give each student a piece of chart paper. Have them create a circle in the middle of the paper with a few words/pictures that describe their issue.
2. Ask students to write words and/or pictures around the circle that represent different things they learned about the issue and their own reflections on what they’ve learned. If they want to add details about the words or pictures, you might have them do it on scrap paper and tape them in the appropriate spot in case they want to move the ideas around.
3. Once students have had time to work on their ideas, use your model to discuss the idea of illustrating how the different concepts on the map are connected.
4. Encourage the students to think about and illustrate how the different ideas on the map are connected.
5. Have students pair up and explain to each other what their map represents. Encourage them to actively listen to suggestions from their partner.
6. Encourage students to revise their maps based on the feedback from their partners.
This allows students to see how much they have learned, and to gain a valuable perspective about what they are discovering. Are there any gaps in their information? What does all of this information show?
Now that students are familiar with how to research and have had some success with sourcing information and analysing it they need to develop a timeline that will enable to them to complete the action learning group project task in the allotted time.
ACTIVITY Research Timeline (60 minutes)
Adapted from: LSF – Engaging Students in Sustainable Action Projects
Purpose:
• To research the background and history of an issue
• To highlight major events/ key moments
• To begin identifying stakeholders including possible supporters
Materials:
• Blank chart paper taped end-to-end (preferably already used on one side)
• Thick markers (that do not bleed through the paper)
Procedure:
1. Research the background and history of the issue. You may want to draw on the following sources: People – parents, local school or government representatives, organizations, businesses involved in the issue, Newspapers, Magazines, Internet, Field trip, guest visits and/ or interviews
2. Develop a timeline that charts the history of the issue. Include as many details as possible.
3. On the timeline, highlight key moments and turning points using a bold marker and/or brightly coloured paper. Consider: Local, regional, provincial, national and global events and influences. What groups have been in conflict with each other at different points on the timeline? What the underlying interests are of groups and individuals involved?
4. Discuss the timeline, addressing such questions as:
• What initiated the problem?
• What were the driving forces behind some of the major events/ key moments? Was it individuals? An ecological crisis? Money? Other?
• How does past work influence present efforts?
• Where are the possible spaces/ opportunities for us to act?
5. List any questions that arise (areas for further research).
This analysis leads nicely into the force field analysis (See Step 08) and can help students begin to determine many important things including: root causes of an issue, of what part of the problem/issue they wish to address, possible supporters, and what type of action might be possible and most effective.