Chapter 7. Using Databases Effectively

Finding information from databases can assist a teacher in doing better research, not only for finding broader information with which to teach but also for giving more depth to his or her own professional portfolio. This route is endorsed by the National Educational Technology Standards for Students. Using the CROP formula of Problem Finding, Problem Framing and and Problem Solving is one way to get started. This is exemplified in the pyramid CROP uses with steps SUP: Finding Process, Think: Shaping the Process and LEAP: Solving Process, one of the questions on our mid-term.
The tutorial highly recommended using the "Follett Software" system in our school libraries. This has three steps: visual, basic text search and power search.
I found some much needed information from the ERIC Search (Education Resources Information Center) about writing by children for my unit lessons "A Rat in Writing Workshop." From the regular search engines on the Internet, I found practically nothing. But on ERIC, I found twenty articles that were just what I had been looking for. I printed them off and will include them in my Internship portfolio.
I wish that I had had more time to look at the Social Studies database because Social Studies is my favorite subject (but it is Thanksgiving Weekend and, in addition to three portfolios and regular assignments, I also will be the hostess at a large family feast).