Chapter 4 Accessing Primary Sources to Enhance Critical Thinking

This chapter really makes me think about 21st century skills. As was reading I analyzed how much our world has changed and how much information and visual stimuli students are inundated with each day. On pg 64 November states "many students have not been taught to develop strategies for thinking about and evaluating primary sources. The role of the teacher is to provide structure and direction to a student's ability to make meaning."

It is November's belief that students should be taught perspective. (pg 64) I too hold this belief. I think most high school social studies teachers start teaching this skill. However, with students starting to use the web much earlier then high school; it is another skill that must be taught much earlier, so students can make meaning of their research.

November suggest that we teach students to question primary documents; including all of those on the web. I would consider blogs, wikis, and other web resources a form of primary resources that need to be questioned.

I really like his suggestion on pg 69 about connecting experts in the field. It has become so easy for students to do this with the internet in the classroom. I have a vision of a wiki that includes resources about a project and a page where experts can edit to inculde their up to date resource for our students. I can see students, teachers, and experts skyping and emailing. To me this is a powerful way for students to learn. It makes learning real, present, and important.

To summarize teachers should teach visual literacy, search skills and perspective to help students focus their research. The teacher is a guide that directs, facilitates, and evaluates.