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Software Curriculum & Implementation Research Policy Frequently Asked Questions about the KIE Curriculum and Classroom Implementation Issues Can KIE replace an entire curriculum? No. Successful KIE projects often bring together concepts that have already been taught, and allow students to apply those concepts in examining and evaluating evidence on the Web. What kinds of KIE projects already exist? Examples of each type of project (Critique, Debate, Design) include All the News (a critiquing project in which students critique evidence used in a "science tabloid"), How Far Does Light Go? (a debate project involving the examination of the scientific properties of light and culminating in an informal classroom debate), and Houses in the Desert (a design project where students design an energy-efficient house to remain comfortable in the desert's temperature extremes). To get a more complete list, as well as full descriptions, look at the KIE Curriculum Library. Do KIE projects all have predetermined sets of evidence? Yes, whenever students use a KIE project there will be a set of evidence they can explore. (The set may be what was specified for the project as developed by the KIE research team, or it may be evidence chosen by the teacher, or may be a combination of both.) In addition, a project may have a search activity, in which case students will likely find and look at novel evidence on the Web. What is on a KIE Evidence page? Introductory information, questions to think about while looking, good areas of focus. Usually there's a link to some other page on the Web, but some Evidence pages are self-contained and have all the evidence right there. Is all evidence on the Web? Generally, yes. When we use the term "evidence" we're referring to information on the Web. Of course, one can create any kind of electronic document (photo, text, graph, experimental result, etc.) and enter it into the Evidence Database, which automatically makes it a Web page. However, using SenseMaker, a new evidence dot can be created to represent any piece of information, so that students can include non Web-based points in their arguments. I'm having trouble keeping track of when I'm looking at a KIE Evidence page and when I'm "out there" on the Web. Do you have any suggestions for making this easier for my kids? We've had some success referring to the KIE Evidence pages as the "blue pages." Note that all KIE Evidence pages have the same look-and-feel--they all have the same pale blue background, and they all say "KIE Evidence" across the top. When do students need to be on the Web? It is technically possible to run a KIE project entirely from a single computer with no network access of any kind; everything, including copies of Web pages, just gets put on the hard drive. However, we don't recommend this. It's more difficult to set up and maintain. In general, students should have Web access throughout the duration of a project, so that they can get to authentic evidence whenever they want. Also, some optional components, such as SpeakEasy, are only available in a networked environment. (One workable configuration: Alternate using a computer lab for a few days to use the KIE software and a room where one machine can let students look up evidence references.) Is a local area network necessary to run KIE? No, it's not necessary, but it is recommended. It allows you to store student work on a central computer (i.e., a server). Students can then move from machine to machine and their work is automatically available. Using a Local Area Network also makes it easier to install a new KIE project for use in the classroom since the original only resides on one machine. Do students use other software applications with KIE? Often. When someone (e.g., a teacher) designs a KIE project or alters an existing project, she can specify a document created by any application; students use the Documents window to open the document (which launches the corresponding application assuming it is on the students' computers). Is all KIE work on-line? No. At a minimum, you will always want to introduce and wrap up the project using discussions and activities that provide for integration of concepts. KIE projects can also be expanded to integrate other off-line activities depending on your available time and objectives. If you are using an existing KIE project, some recommendations for supplemental activities can be found in the suggested lesson plan for the project. How many students work together on KIE? I'm afraid I don't have enough computers! In KIE, students work in teams to complete their projects. Research shows that teams of two students to a computer is generally the ideal configuration to maximize student participation and teamwork. Some situations may dictate a different strategy. If you have fewer computers, for example, you may want to set up a rotation that balances on-line and off-line activities to share the available workstations. If you choose to use larger teams around a computer, consider assigning and rotating roles to engage all students as they read, discuss, and take notes on-line.