So, how did I go about analyzing and applying what I learned? Well, again, I have to say...I now know why people are so happy when they finally get to their wedding day and they don't have to plan anymore. Wowsers!! So much to think about.
I decided to take it one topic at a time. Once I "wiggled" my way through the evaluation of my sources and figured out what sources I would use for each topic, I visited those sources to find information useful for my essential questions. Using my bubbl.us concept map helped me keep my focus during this process.
Let's take Outdoor Reception Tips and Suggestions for example. The purpose of this topic was to find out the most prominent advice from the sources. I wanted to find those common strands. Were any of the suggestions appearing over and over again in the different sites? If that was the case, those would be the suggestions or tips that I would truly take note of. Now, going about cross-referencing all of the sources was a big job. Figuring out how to sort the information was a bit of an ordeal. Believe me, people have a lot of advice on the topic. I used Excel to make a chart. I started with the advice from the following site: http://weddings.about.com/cs/weddinglocations/a/outdoorwedding.htm. The site listed 10 Tips for a Perfect Outdoor Wedding. I figured I needed to start with something. As I read through the different sources, I tallied if the advice was repeated. I also added new advice that I found. I continued this process with the sources that I decided to use, until I came up with a solid, worthwhile list of tips for an outdoor wedding. The tip that showed up most often was to have a backup plan because of weather related possiblilities. Good thing I was already planning to have a tent!!
Speaking of tents...through this inquiry, I wanted to find out the sizes of tents and also the styles. Call me crazy, but I wasn't exactly looking for a Circus tent with stripes as a part of my decor! I mean I guess I could go with the circus/carnival theme, but I think I am looking for something a little more elegant. :-) I decided to base my search on a 200 guest wedding. This would determine the size of the tent you would need. I wanted to see if there was consistency between companies. I am sure no one would want their guests to feel crowded. This information was quite a bit easier to sort. I sorted through a reliable number of sources and kept track of the information using Microsoft Word. Once I knew the size I would need for a 200 guest wedding, I began looking at the style available. Just as I suspected...red and white stripe. Thankfully there were other more elegant choices as well! I also looked for suggestions as far as flooring and air conditioning.
When I began to look for options for desserts, I really wanted to see what others were using. I know from going to weddings that not everyone sticks with the traditional cake. If they don't, they usually still have a small cake to cut together. My findings were rather interesting. As of late, couples are choosing pie, cupcakes, individual pastries, a candy bar, ice cream buffet. Evidently a wedding cake is so last year!! LOL! The dessert aspect of my website simply includes ideas for desserts. I truly think it is personal preference. Look for a yummy slide show of the possibilities!
I know that we are supposed to be living in a paperless environment, but I also couldn't help but use the traditional paper and pen approach to keep track of information I was finding as well. With some of the information I found, I actually printed it out. It is hard to keep switching back and forth between sites and remembering where the information it that you are looking for at that moment. I signed up for Diigo and did end up using it, but I am still learning. I, like I said, did rely on paper and pen for some things! One thing in particular was my list of the requirements for this project, as well as my list of topics I wanted to cover. I have created lists using Word in the past, but there is something I love about being able to cross of an item when I have completed it. It gives me a sense of accomplishment and shows me that I am moving along. I don't know where I would be in life without my lists!
It is amazing how all of the information from ALL of the sources started to come together as a "coherent whole". There was definite overlap in my sources. This stage in the 8Ws really got me excited about planning my won wedding...someday!
I have noticed that going through the 8Ws process, you often have to revisit one of the Ws and the Ws overlap in some ways. I have to admit, this is a little difficult for me. I think it is just how my mind works. I like to follow each step and then check it off my list. As I was going through my Weaving, I ended up have to go back to Wiggling because some of the resources I deemed as worthy were not! Also, as I was Weaving, I ended up visiting Wondering again. I changed some of my questions and added others.
The 8Ws is a process...a model to follow, and I am finding out it is a very good one. It has helped me realize how important it is to teach the process of inquiry. You can't throw a student into an inquiry project without first helping that student learn what it means. Doing research is not an easy task. There is so much information available, as I am sure we all found out. I truly don't think I was taught how to inquire, but from now on I will be sure I am teaching my students use inquiry to its fullest!
Callison, Daniel and Leslie Preddy. The Blue Book on Information Age Inquiry, Instruction and Literacy. Westport: Libraries Unlimited, 2006. Print.
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