The Online Research Models (ORM), developed by Baltimore County Public Schools, represent an exciting way to guide student research toward higher-level thinking that fully utilizes electronic resources. The research models have been developed by teams of library media specialists, teachers, and content specialists at Summer Curriculum Workshops in the Baltimore County Public Schools since 1998. Students who use the self-guided online research lessons are challenged to employ thoughtful reading, analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information to create answers, not just find them.
The ORM are designed as web pages that present students with a clear research structure, including a research scenario, a learning task, rubrics and scoring tools, directions for use of various media resources, links to useful web sites, creation of a product or presentation, and reflection. Student collaboration is built in to the process. Internet access to the models serves to make curriculum information accessible to teachers, students, parents and the general public.
BENEFITS AND OUTCOMES
By guiding students to think independently and to solve real-world problems using technology tools, the ORM reinforce Maryland school reform, Standards for the 21st Century Learner (ALA, 2007) and National Educational Technology Standards (ISTE, 2007)
GO to ONLINE RESEARCH MODELS BY LEVEL
Elementary School Level | Middle School Level | High School Level
Models are aligned to MD State Curriculum content standards and Core Learning Goals.
- Elementary School Level ORM Curriculum Alignment
- Middle School Level ORM Curriculum Alignment
- High School Level ORM Curriculum Alignment
Students learn to better communicate their expectations, and to carry out multidisciplinary and collaborative projects.
Teachers, who already feel that there is too little instructional time, find that the ORMs save time while enhancing learning.
The ORMs are user-friendly for even the most techno-phobic teacher.
Availability of the ORMs via the Internet helps to promote parental and community involvement, and supports the sharing of instructional resources and best practices.