The Third and Upper Third Forms are learning that there is life beyond Google and Wikipedia when it comes to finding out information for schoolwork and personal interest as part of their Study Skills programme of lessons this year. With the myriad sources available, it is vital pupils learn to think about where their information comes from and to critically assess what they find.
Our Third Formers have been sharing interesting facts with each other on topics inspired by pictures provided for inspiration, from T-Rex and Shakespeare to racing cars and rugby. They have discovered how researching can be made more effective with well-chosen keywords to help them ‘unlock’ information when searching our online library catalogue Accessit, and the quality online resources we provide, such as Britannica School and The Day.
The Upper Third Form are currently locating and selecting facts and eye-catching images to create an engaging poster to encourage others to read their favourite author. Having considered what attracts a reader to a book, they identified the information they need and considered where best to look for it, rather than launching into an unplanned search on the internet. By introducing our pupils to the Framework of Skills for Inquiry Learning (FOSIL) model, they are developing more efficient ways to research and identify material relevant to the task in hand.
All the online resources the pupils use in these research lessons can be accessed in school and from home through their school account on Accessit, found on the Student Portal on our school website.
