Action Research: Tracking Charlie

As a part of the established practice in this class, students used previous knowledge of how to determine resource accuracy/authority in order to accurately research legislature in Virginia dealing with people with disabilities.  They used a variety of search methods including Advanced Google Search, HCPS online databases, and the VA legisltative database website that is updated weekly. The teacher supported students as needed by explaining the challenging information they located, as the reading difficulty of legislation is often above the 8^th grade level. As a team, they assembled all the information they found and synthesized their learning by composing a persuasive letter using Microsoft Word. Additional digital tools that allowed students to better organize and assemble their information for this project included Google docs, Skype, Primary Pad, and School Space.

Students used their familiarity of a variety of communication methods and their knowledge of the task at hand to select the most appropriate communication tools. They chose to videoconference via Skype for initial collaboration and Primary Pad for subsequent asynchronous communication with VACSB professionals. Google Docs/Presentation was chosen to reflect together on their experiences working with students with intellectual disabilities and peer editing of their persuasive letters. Students selected their own teams to write the persuasive letters and the letters were mailed and emailed on their behalf.  Students collaborated together using a Google Presentation Doc to revise and edit the letters.

This project idea was spawned when themes in the novel stirred emotions in students which caused them to generate their own research questions voluntarily. Their questions centered on social responsibility and laws regarding people with disabilities. As a result, students chose the authentic task of writing a well-informed, persuasive letter to their legislator.  Students used a variety of tools to ask questions of each other and of the experts.  They used problem solving skills to make meaning of challenging wording in bills (with teacher support as needed), to assemble the information and write a well-informed letter, and they had to think critically on how to use specific diction to make their letter persuasive.

The learning activities in this project ultimately lead to new student insights and perspectives as they connected the subject matter to an ongoing (but contemporary) issue. The flexibility afforded by digital tools such as Skype, Primary Pad, Google Docs, and School Space, supported the development of new insights. As a part of the creative process, students used critical thinking skills, research methods, and collaboration practices to create a persuasive and captivating letter to their Virginia representative.