Path of inquiry November 4th: When you step back for a moment to look at the whole what does academic research look like? What are you learning from your mentees? What does it mean to you now to engage in a collaborative learning process?
Academic Research Process: It seems to me from what we have learned this quarter the academic research process has steps. I’m incorporating into my thinking both what I have learned individually in the classroom and what we have discussed and learned from our classroom dialogue.
• Get familiar with your university/college library and what it has to offer. We did this by touring the library ourselves and giving tours to our mentees. We have continued this search and discovery of our WWU library through our guest speakers, on line activities and discoveries.
• Know the syllabus and what the instructor wants. Looking at the specific assignment for the research paper, we can get an idea of what the assignment looks like, how long it is expected to be, topic, and depth and extensiveness of research.
• Choose a topic (mentees and mentors) of interest related to what the instructor has asked for.
• Take time to free write what you are interested in learning about the topic you have chosen. In the free write look for questions you want to have answered about your topic. Approximately three questions for the mentees seemed appropriate for their paper and we were told to come up with one question for our book selection.
• From identified questions the search can begin for information!
• Identify databases that may be helpful to find information for your topic. Choose one to start with and have at least one back up in case you are having trouble finding what you want.
• Use key words, narrow and or broaden dependent upon whether you are using the internet like Google Scholar or the library databases.
• Make sure the websites and information are credible that you are going to use.
• At any time during the process collaboration is encouraged, asking professor for clarification, discussing with mentors/mentees, discussing in class or smaller groups within the class. Library Reference Desk is always helpful or WWU the “ask us! Online”.
Learning from Mentees: Oh my goodness, well I feel like I have learned patience, diligence, and to keep going back to brainstorming about different ways to connect, communicate and try to figure out where they are in their process. I have learned about myself and have had to challenge myself to step up more to be creative in contacts, to be patient, and to not give up. I have learned that it may be hard for my mentees to ask for help when possibly they haven’t responded to my invitations earlier in the quarter. So I received help with this from Gabe with the idea of asking about their other classes and then restating my offer and availability to help them. That worked! I think to keep communicating and being familiar with their syllabus is a key component as well.
Collaborative Learning Process: I didn’t realize prior to this class all that is available to us in resources and community of help at WWU with research. I have found the most valuable piece to be you, our class. The class dialogue we have engaged in collectively and discussions on everything including figuring out our own topic for our book selection and getting feedback from one another to be invaluable and so fun. I have loved the engagement we have had as a learning community and the next time I have the opportunity to work with students in a mentor/mentee role and /or do research, I will be looking for a community, if it’s not already provided, of peers and others (faculty, library staff, etc) who would be willing to dialogue and explore challenges and opportunities in the process.
Assignment: Develop a strategy to assess your progress with your mentees and discuss ways in which you might improve your collaboration in your journal.
I think what I first would do, is review our syllabus for the research class, and identify the student learning outcomes that apply to the mentor/mentee process. I identified the following from our syllabus that I think might apply:
• Utilize strategies for developing research questions
• Identify resources and support services to aid in the research process
• Know which research tools to use and how to use them, such as article databases and the library catalog
• Know when and who to turn to when you have research questions and what to expect from them
• Understand how to keep the research process organized
• Employ writing revision strategies
• Establish professional academic relationships with fellow students that help advance scholarly inquiry
• Foster positive learning environments
• Facilitate productive discussions and use questioning techniques
• Utilize critical thinking skills related to research and writing through interaction with mentees
From this list, I think I can develop learning activities that occurred related to the outcomes above, for example:
Learning Outcome: Utilize strategies for developing research questions
Learning Activities:
1. Sent link to the Writing Center to my mentees right after we heard the presentation. I also explained in the email, the suggestion we were given about identifying questions first prior to beginning our research for our topic.
2. Met with one mentee at the library, part of our meeting was identifying questions for her dance topic and a history topic for another class. (We did this by having her write like we did when the Writing Center came to our classroom. It was fun doing this with a mentee!)
Learning Outcome: Identify resources and support services to aid in the research process
Learning Activity: Library tour with mentees.
Learning Outcome: Know which research tools to use and how to use them, such as article databases and the library catalog
Learning Activity: Met with one of my mentees and helped her find articles and books for each of her topics, this was done utilizing the WWU library search and then finding the books in the reference section of the library.
I would continue to look at the outcomes in this way and identify the learning activities associated with each one as applicable. The next step I would take is to develop a survey, much like Gabe did, for my mentees to see how well they felt the outcomes were met by their experiences. I would also include comment boxes as well as a question asking for their feedback on what would have made the experience better for them, as well as ideas for a more successful mentor/mentee program in the future.
Mentee Update:
Last weekend I had emailed and texted all my mentees like I have been doing. This time in my email, I copied and pasted the portion of their syllabus that had to do with their assignments and due dates and offered again my assistance. I included instructions to them to please text me if they wanted me to look at their papers, so I would no to go to my email right away. I knew the papers were only 2 – 3 pages in length from the syllabus. So I let them know that I would have their papers back by early the next morning. I received one request with a paper on Sunday! I was so excited! My first real mentee paper! Woo hoo! I read through the paper for clarity, and basic grammar and punctuation. I used track changes they could accept or reject. I put a paragraph at the end of the paper first giving them feedback on what I loved about the paper. I then reminded them to check to see what was expected of citations. I offered the Writing Center as a place to have their citations checked if they weren’t sure about them as well as MS Word’s “references” tab on the ribbon that helps to format citations. I cautioned that MS Word may not be as up to date on the citation style they were using so to double check them and if in doubt go to the Writing Center. I also mentioned a thank you for sharing either in my return email. I texted when I finished the paper review and promptly sent back the paper in the email. I also made sure I said in my return email that my revisions were suggestions only. I received two more papers from my other mentees! Woo hoo! I believe in “Promise good, deliver great”, so I ensured that all papers were reviewed and returned prior to 7:00 am Tuesday morning (only because I work) and can’t do this on my work time. I loved reading about their topics. I liked that the papers were only 2-3 pages. It took me no more than an hour and a half for each, but that is because I like to read through a paper several times, looking for something different each time, I then do something else and go back to the paper to see if I see anything different, and then send it back. I was GREATLY encouraged and infused with EXCITEMENT that I had a FULL mentee experience – aside from the library tour, this was my first one this quarter! A big yay! for my week, that is for sure! In sharing my excitement, I understand some have had success all the way with one mentee or more so you understand the yippee in me. I also understand that not all of you have had this kind of break through and I’m believing you will, and that even if you don’t see your efforts rewarded tangibly right now, I like what Troy said in class, that sometime in the future, your deposit in your mentees will be remembered, and it will have an effect. For example, any of our mentees could be mentors some day. If they didn’t respond to us this quarter, they will get it pretty soon what it’s like to try to connect with other students in a meaningful, academic way and the challenges that can be there. Maybe they will use our strategies as mentors to try to reach their mentees. Have an awesome week! Love our learning community! Christina
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