AT&T Knowledge Network Explorer : Nuts and Bolts of Big6 : Using the Big6

[Introduction | Overview | Using the Big6^TM | Resources and Activities | The Game ]

The Big6^TMis an information literacy curriculum, an information problem-solving process, and a set of skills which provide a strategy for effectively and efficiently meeting information needs. It can be used whenever students are in a situation, academic or personal, which requires information to solve a problem, make a decision or complete a task. Using a multi-level approach, students can develop competency in information problem-solving and decision-making that will carry forward into lifelong, useable skills. The Big6^TM can be broken down into the following questions:

1	Task Definition	Focus	What's the Problem?
2	Information Seeking Strategies	Search Plan	How do I find out?
3	Location and Access	Sort	What have I got?
4	Use of Information	Select	What is important?
5	Synthesis	Synthesize + Produce	How does it fit together? Who wants to know (audience)?
6	Evaluation	Evaluate Reflect	So what? What have I learned?

An effective way to implement Big6^TM Skills is to seek out opportunities within existing or planned classroom units and lessons that are directly related to the Big6^TM Skills. In an information literate environment, students engage in active, self-directed learning activities, and teachers facilitate students' learning by looking beyond their classrooms for resources that will enrich the learning environment. By the time the student gets to the library, he/she is already aware that an information problem exists; but usually has not progressed beyond realizing that there is a need. The Big6^TM Skills still apply. As in all things, the more you practice, the better you'll get at using The Big6^TM . Ultimately, students should be able to state how a particular action fits into the overall Big6^TM Skills framework. They should understand the value that Big6 Skills provide in solving their information problems.

1. Task Definition
Determine exactly what the information problem is and determine the specific information needs related to the problem. Using a school assignment as an example, students would need to know the questions that need to be answered, and what kind of information is needed to answer these questions.

What is the problem to be solved?
What information is needed in order to solve the problem?
What is required in an assignment?
What is the order of tasks and the timeline required?
Task Definition Examples
- Create a flowchart of the problem-solving process taken to deal with a specific problem.
- Compare the approach taken to complete daily math assignments with the Big6 Skills approach.
- List the steps taken to complete homework; then compare them with the Big6 Skills.
- List some of the opportunities to use information problem-solving.
- Determine whether any of the activities for a science lab have some information requirements. Identify the information requirements of the problem. For each information related activity in the same science lab, note whether it involves location and access, information use, or synthesis.
- Realize that the assignment requires both looking at and labeling a map.
- Outline steps for preparing for PhysEd class and note if any information is required for any step.

2. Information Seeking Strategies
Once the problem is clearly articulated, attention turns to the range of possible information sources. Information Seeking Strategies involves making decisions and selecting sources appropriate to the defined task.

What are all possible sources of information?
What are the best of all the possibilities?
What are alternative methods of acquiring information?

Information Seeking Examples:

Brainstorm what sources should be used to find out about Elvis Presley.
Decide which Reference sources in the library are likely to provide information about sports personalities.
List where to find literary criticism information
Inventory all the computer resources in the school
Evaluate the different possible resources to determine priorities

decide whether to ask an expert or use a reference book or other source.
decide whether it is OK to use an encyclopedia for an assignment.

3. Location and Access
This is where the information seeking strategy really begins. Once students have decided on the appropriate strategy, this strategy must be carried out. This is the physical part and receives the most attention in traditional library curricula and it includes: use of access tools, arrangement of materials, parts of a book, and strategies for searching an online catalog, databases or the Internet. Too often library instruction focuses on the use of particular skills associated with specific access tools such as the catalog or search engines; rather than focusing on skills that can be transferred to other situations or other kinds of problems. In the Big6 approach, getting to materials follows logically after deciding what it is you wish to find and where you might find it.

Where are these sources?
Where is the information within each source?

Location and Access Examples:

Get a magazine article from the library, and turn to the correct page for the relevant article.
Go to the public library and check out a book on a U.S. president.
Locate sources (intellectually and physically):

find a particular book on the shelf.
draw and label a map of the library.

Find Information within sources:

look up an article in SIRS Family series.
find an article on rock music using a periodical index on CDROM.

4. Use of Information
Once students are able to locate and access a source, they must be able to read, view, listen or interact with the information and decide what is valuable for their particular situation. They must extract the information that they need using notes, copies, citations, etc.

What information does the source provide?
What specific information is worth applying to the task?

Use of Information Examples:

View a videotape on earthquakes and outline major points.
Examine the glossary in the back of a book to see if a term is included, and if so, write down the definition.
Engage the information in a source (read it, view it, hear it):

scan a book to determine if it is useful.
listen to an audiocassette of "A Tale of Two Cities."

Extract information from a source:

take notes on bibliographic information for later use.
take notes on a magazine article

5. Synthesis
Synthesis is the restructuring or repackaging of information into new or different formats to meet the requirements of the task. Synthesis can be as simple as relaying a specific fact. Synthesis can be very complex involving several sources, a variety of media or presentation formats, and the effective communication of abstract ideas.

How does the information from all sources fit together?
How is the information best presented?

Synthesis Examples:

Make an outline (using information from multiple sources) for a report.
Prepare a video production on clubs in your school.
Organize information from multiple sources:

create a database on the major cities of the Midwest
put note cards (from multiple sources) in logical order

Present information:

create a printout from a database
draw and label a map of Africa

6. Evaluation
Evaluation determines how effectively and efficiently the information problem-solving process was conducted. The primary concern of evaluation are these questions:

Was the information problem solved?
Was the information need met?
Was the decision made?
Was the situation resolved?
Does the product satisfy the requirements as originally defined?
What set of criteria can you use to make judgments?

Other considerations in evaluating the efficiency of the information solving process include the amount of time spent on useful activities and whether there was any miscalculation in the amount of time needed to complete the tasks. This self-evaluation by the student will improve their overall ability to solve future information problems.

Evaluation Examples:

Determine why I didn't get an A on my report.
Decide whether or not an assignment is finished.
Judge the product effectiveness:

set criteria for judging anti-smoking posters.
determine whether the information need as originally defined is met.

Judge the efficiency of the information problem-solving process:

determine the degree to which note taking techniques are working
state what you would do differently next time.

While the Big6 process is often presented in a stepwise fashion (Task Definition through Evaluation), people do not really work that way. Successful information problem-solving requires successful completion of each of the Big6 stages at some point in time; but individuals may jump around, branch off, or loop back. The emphasis is on developing competence in each of the Big6 areas, but not lock-step marching through the process.

Where to now?
Now that you have read the Big6 overview and this page on using the Big6; perhaps you are ready to look over some additional information resources, try out some of the activities, or play the Nuts and Bolts of Big6 game.

The phrases "Big6 Skills" and "Big6 Skills Curriculum" are all trademarks of Michael B. Eisenberg and Robert E. Berkowitz. Permission is granted for full educational use of these terms provided that recognition is properly and duly noted. Permission is not granted for commercial use.