Teacher Guide
Overview
How To Research The Problem
Lessons and Activities
Forms
Overview
Because students have already done some basic research in identifying issues,
they have laid the groundwork for researching the problem. With research
students will be better able to define the problem they want to address and
select a project that makes an impact on the problem. Before delving right
into your group's project, it is important to know the who, what, where,
and when of your problem from a variety of perspectives.
Here are some questions to consider:
- How does the problem relate to your lives and self-interest?
- How does the issue affect the daily lives of other people?
What community need are you addressing?
- How is the issue public? How does the issue affect the
school, neighborhood, city, nation, world?
- How is the problem political? What is the controversy?
Do different groups define the problem differently, or see
this as a problem at all? Is there common ground? What is
the history of the problem?
- Who else has worked or is working on this problem? What
have other groups, organizations or institutions tried solve
this problem?
- How will you know if you have made a difference on this
problem? What evidence will you use?
Researching the problem is an excellent opportunity to align
activities with curricular standards. This is a place where
participants are processing and using information, in addition
to gathering new information.
How To Research The Problem
In PA we encourage the students to research their problem by interviewing key
community members, students, parents, and teachers. Taking the time to interact
with the community before cementing a project will deepen the kids understanding
of the issue and associated problems while also helping them determine an
appropriate action. Meeting community members will also help the team establish
a power base that can maximize their resulting project or action. An excellent
way to figure out who in the community has a stake in your issue (stakeholders),
is to power map
In addition to interacting with the community, students may
want to do more typical "school" research on the
internet, library, and by the local press to see how this issue
directly affects their community and its members.
Once your group has researched all facets of the issue, they
will be much better equipped to define the problem they want
to address and the projects that will address it. Because of
their knowledge, they already have a good understanding of
the many different problems associated with their issue.
Lessons and Activities
Forms
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