Wiggling around this topic

Well I have gotten a hold of many sources on 'Oz, as they call it. Now, I am just trying to evaluate and figure out which are the best sources for me to use to answer my questions. Which source is better than the other? Why? I find that this IS a frustrating point to be at, and I am asking myself, much like Callison says a learner will, "Is this the best information to address this question? What new questions have come from the consideration of the evidence I have gathered?" (9) To add to that, upon going to the library, I found some additional sources that I hadn't thought about yet for guide books. Similar to thinking of more questions as the inquiry goes on, I am finding more and more sources, which can be just as daunting!

I have been in communication with my college friend Pam about some of my questions. She has filled me in on some of her thoughts and opinions on Australia. She is an excellent primary source, but like my students, I will need to consider that she may have possible biases.

"Kuhn concludes that influence is the culmination of inquiry. In order for this element to be constructive and meaningful, learners must be challenged to infer judgements not just from personal opinions or from random facts and figures gleaned from a convenient set of resources. ....The ability to judge information, to validate it as relevant and meaningful evidence is crucial." (Callison 9)

I think I will need to simply sit down, and go through all of my print resources from the library, determine which is the best for the way I learn, and then do the same with the electronic sources. I will continue to communicate with my 2 friends who have had the Aussie experience, but I think I need to keep in mine that their expertise could have a bias to it.

Webbing

When it comes to travel, it seems that there are simply an array of sources. A potential traveler could find information online, explore atlas's and guide books at the library, or buy copies of Frommers, Fodors and the Lonely Planet at the local Barnes and Noble. It's also possible to get information about a destination from a travel agency like AAA, or even from a primary source-someone who has been to Australia. And don't forget about our friend the television! Any interested traveler can find travel and historical information about a locale from the Travel Channel, among other cable stations. "Information Inquiry involves learning environments in which the student may experiment with a variety of media to present a set of inferences." (Callison 8)


When I begin to think of all of the possibilities, I feel overwhelmed, much like my students probably do, when I provide open ended assignments. They often want a "yes," or a "no," or a "look here, not there," sort of conversation. So, I will begin my search with what I am most comfortable with....Books! and then the Internet. And as much as I would like to shell out $25.00 on a guide book, that is something I never do, until I have the plane tickets bought!
The library offers all of the traditional guides, like Rick Steves, Lonely Planet, Frommers etc...and that is where I will be getting much of my information from.



I also have found success with many online sources, however unless the site is a "dot.org" or a reputable "dot.com" such as National Geographic or one of the the guide book companies listed above, I don't usually give them much merit. Callison also reminds learners that inquiry
"is not simply drawing information from multiple sources. It involves questioning the quality of the information and its source, testing the merits of potential conclusions............." (8)
I find this advice to be very relevant when it comes to travel. Without the right guides or website guides, you could find yourself in a foreign city with outdated information on prices, hours etc.... It is hard to stray from the "dot commers" though when it comes to travel. Travel has such an economic base,that there is always going to be advertising, unless it is a database type site. The sites that I have included below, all include much of the same type of information. They were beneficial sites though for different reasons. I have listed those reasons below, and what I liked about them.

Check these sources out about the "land down under!"

An 'Oz pathfinder....

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/australia much like the books...extensive and all inclusive..I am a big fan!


http://www.australia.com/index.aspx.... the country's official tourism site. Definately self promotes tourism, but does have a lot of information included.


http://www.fodors.com/world/australia-and-the-pacific/ I know, I know...Fodors, Frommers, the alliteration is enough to make one crazy, and they sometime seem one in the same. Fodors provides extensive and reliable information. One aspect I really like is the "advice from other travelers" section.


http://www.frommers.com/destinations/australiaandthesouthpacific/ Somehow connected to National Geographic, and who isn't a fan of National Geographic? What's neat about this site, is you can buy the guidebook, or borrow from the library, and this site has all of the updates to the guide books. Print em' off and slide them in your book. Good to go...

http://www.justaustralia.org/ includes all of the usual travel tips but also a good deal of information on Australian recipes, and festivals. Also provides a focus for people who are considering a move to Australia, with visa's and such.

http://www.worldgeography.abc-clio.com/Search/SearchResults.aspx?type=simple&searchtext=Australia&option=all&page=1 -- an excellent database chockfull of Australia information everything from history to beaches.... EASILY accessed with my library card through the IMCPL website.

www.traveldk.com The Eyewitness travel books have always been a favorite of mine. I found a website too, which offers possible itineraries, practical information among others. Seems like a reputable site, perhaps because I am a big fan of the book?

www.roughguides.com This site is different from some of the other travel sites. It seems very much concerned with the people and the communities of countries around the world. The first thing I noticed on this site was a charitable section on donating to Haiti. This site is also very technogically saavy. They offer podcasts and downloadble files of phrases for the country that you are interested in. Also, you can become a member, and read the journal entries of people who have travelled to different countries.

www.letsgo.com A travel site geared for economic travel, and includes fast facts and videos about Australia. Also offers travel blogs that you can read.

www.worldtravelguide.net A really neat site for any type of travel around the world, not just OZ.

There are country guides, city guides, beach guides, ski guides, cruise guides, weather guides, top news from the country you are travelling to, and in depth information on attractions. Simply click on one of the guides and find the country you are interested in.. Pretty neat.

Besides the Internet, and books, I will also be appealing to some primary sources for information on Australia. On our honeymoon, we became good friends with a "mate" who was travelling to many of the same places we were. "Stuart" lives in Sydney, and we correspond often via email. My other primary source will be my college friend "Pam," who lived and waitressed in Adelaide for a year after college.





At this point, I feel confident in my questions, and don't think my questions are too broad. They are all travel and continent related, so I feel as if I should have pretty good luck getting answers with my variety of resources. However, I think I may think of more questions as I continue with my inquiry, which kind of irritates the type A learner in me :) But I think this is a feeling many students have. Many of us feel like we are on the right path, and then out of nowhere, things can trip up our inquiry and research.

my wonderings

Here is the link to my wondering!
I finally made my way thru Webspiration...Definately not the easiest site, I wonder if Kidspiration is any better?

http://www.mywebspiration.com/view/312172a269ed

Wondering about the Land down under

Well, after much deliberation....I decided to follow my favorite topic...Travel! I thought about the laundry list of places that I could inquire about, but then decided to focus on the one place that I know the least about, and the place that is probably the most different from Indiana :)

I have decided to plan a trip to Australia as my inquiry project...It is one of the many places in the world that I would like to travel to, especially before I have children. I fear that once I have children, flying across the ocean for hours upon hours would make me too nervous. My husband and I honeymooned in the Greek Isles, and met many "Aussies." We became really good friends with some of them, and were both fascinated with some of the information we learned about life on the other side of the world.

In order to get my questions and thoughts organized, I went to MyInspiration.com and Gliffy, and both were extremely UN-user friendly. I attempted a password and user name about 5 times with MyInspiration.com, and never could create a web. Perhaps I was missing a step, but I thought about how frustrated my students would be with such a site.

Watching

Most classes that I have taken at the graduate and undergraduate level have provided a good amount of structure..I haven't had such free reign for a project in awhile.. Sometimes, the less structure the harder it is..I am still trying to sift through ideas for my inquiry project..

Speaking of inquiry though, the open endedness of inquiry is kind of a new concept to me. As an elementary school teacher in a school with low ISTEP scores, there isn't much if any, room for the flexibility that inquiry projects require. While federal mandates, such as "No Child Left Behind" have provided a good sense of accountability, it leaves very little room for flexibility in scheduling and curriculum. As I have been completing the readings, I find the models of Inquiry inspiring, but hard to imagine at my school. It is my hope that the models, and examples and practice that we get in this class become more realistic to me, the classroom teacher, as the semester goes on...........

For now...I will start to brainstorm topics of interest to me..and hope that I am inspired soon..
*travel, travel and more travel* Europe*Australia* National Parks*Alaska*Museums* US History*Dogs*Gardening*Cooking*Sewing--i wish I knew how to knit, or at least sew a button on!* Reading biographies, best sellers, historical fiction and kid books*
That's the extent of my train of thought today....