Você está na página 1de 4

The 8 Ws Literacy Model

Background information on the model


The 8Ws Model was developed by Annette Lamb in the early 1990s. Annette received
her Ph.D. in Educational Technology from Iowa State University. She is currently a
Virtual Professor (online classes only) and a Senior Lecturer at the School of Library and
Information Science Indiana University. She provides professional development services
and resources for educators; she is an author for LibraryThing Wiki/Blog as well as
numerous other online sites. Annette loves to share her ideas with others and all of her
sessions and workshops are available at http://eduscapes.com.
The 8 Steps in the model with a description of each step
Wondering, wiggling and weaving are the first three steps of the eight-stage learning
model that teaches students to connect their personal thoughts and ideas about their world
with genuine research and action. A project based learning environment gives the student
the opportunity to explore, it involves wondering about a social issue, wiggling through
information, and weaving elements together.
The 8Ws of Information and Communication from Virtual Inquiry
Following is a short description of the eight Ws. Click on each one for more a more
detailed explanation.
Watching (Exploring) asks students to explore and become observers of their
environment. It asks students to become more in tune to the world around them from
family needs to global concerns.
Wondering (Questioning) focuses on brainstorming options, discussing ideas,
identifying problems, and developing questions.
Webbing (Searching) directs students to locate, search for, and connect ideas and
information. One piece of information may lead to new questions and areas of interest.
Students select those resources that are relevant and organize them into meaningful clusters.
Wiggling (Evaluating) is often the toughest phase for students. They're often
uncertain about what they've found and where they're going with a project. Wiggling
involves evaluating content, along with twisting and turning information looking for
clues, ideas, and perspectives.
Weaving (Synthesizing) consists of organizing ideas, creating models, and
formulating plans. It focuses on the application, analysis, and synthesis of information.
Wrapping (Creating) involves creating and packaging ideas and solutions. Why is
this important? Who needs to know about this? How can I effectively convey my ideas to
others? Many packages get wrapped and rewrapped before they're given away.
Waving (Communicating) is communicating ideas to others through presenting,
publishing, and sharing. Students share their ideas, try out new approaches, and ask for
feedback.

Wishing (Assessing) is assessing, evaluating, and reflecting on the process and


product. Students begin thinking about how the project went and consider possibilities for
the future.

PDF file http://www.virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/topic72model.pdf.

Strengths of the 8Ws Inquiry Model


The learning is student centered. Through the 8Ws Model students choose what
information they want to investigate. They are motivated from the very beginning. They
wonder and question. Throughout the inquiry process, the students are problem solving
to find answers to their questions about a topic. They are also learning literacy skills that
will help them navigate in our modern society.
Weaknesses of the 8Ws Inquiry Model
As I see it the major weaknesses and challenge is the planning time and execution time.
The drawback to creating an inquiry lesson is the time it takes to plan and implement.
Teachers are under so much pressure to cover all of their required material that they may
be reluctant to include an inquiry process in their curriculum.
Also after students have gathered all of their resources related to their wondering, they
begin to evaluate the different sources. During this step of the inquiry process, students
may find that they want to develop new questions that need to be answered. New
information may have to be gathered to answer the newly formed questions. This would
require additional time to this step in the process.
Reference List
Callison, D., Ed.D, and Lamb, A., Ph. D. , . (2011, ). 8Ws of Information Inquiry .
Retrieved from http://www.virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/ws.htm.
Lamb , A. (2005, ). Annette Lamb Biography. Retrieved from
http://www.slis.indiana.edu/faculty/iupui/lamb_cv.html.
Lamb, A. (2001, ). The 8ws Information Literacy. Retrieved from
http://www.virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/topic72model.pdf.

Strengths and weaknesses of the model

Reference list

Você também pode gostar