Personal Connection

I had to put quite a bit of thought into how this inquiry project might have changed how I approached inquiry previously. I think that I have always been one to ask questions, and want to know more. I've always looked up information on topics of interest--gleened from the daily news, from the newspaper, from word of mouth, etc.--before this class. I am in the school of library sciences, after all. Librarians love to look things up, and if they don't, they should.

However, this project forced me to look at how I presented research materials--those tidbits I looked up so readily--to a group. I had to consider who might be reading or perusing any materials I prepared, and I found that, by considering the audience, I made key decisions that altered the appearance and format of the final project.

For one thing, I had to consider how easy any multimedia resources, such as movie clips, audio clips, or even digital libraries, could be accessed. I eliminated a couple of links from the final resource because I couldn't always get the links to work. (For whatever reason.) For example, I wanted to link directly to a photo album in the Bienkecke Digital Library, and for the life of me, I couldn't seem to get it to work more than half of the time. (For whatever reason. Gah. I still say it should have worked.)

I think in the future, I will consider my audience from the start of the project. This made a difference to the end result, and I think my project was better for it.

Standards

This project is both an inquiry into the local history of a particular area, and also an inquiry into the lives and history of the Native Americans who once lived here. As such, this inquiry could be adapted to either middle school students, or high school students. I’ll give examples of how the inquiry process might differ for each group below.

I am not a teacher, and I’m not terribly familiar with the Indiana State Standards. I chose, instead, to evaluate what might be learned from this inquiry process by measuring it against the AASL Learning Standards. New AASL standards will be launched in October of 2007, according to the info found here: http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslproftools/learningstandards/standards.cfm.

I found an older version of the standards here: http://weblink.scsd.us/~liblinks/AASLstandards.pdf.

Middle-School Inquiry

For middle-school students, I would focus the inquiry on the history and lives of the Miami people. What was their daily life like? Did they farm, trade, or hunt?

I think this group would also be interested in the relationship between the white settlers and the Miamis on a local level. How did they interact? Did they get along?

As for researching information on the location of the Miami village that might or might not existed where Derbyshire is today, I think it would be interesting to try and talk to the local historian who wrote some of the history articles for the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library. Perhaps a field trip could be arranged to the library’s history department to see how records from this era are stored. Discussions about how history records are saved or lost would be of interest, and this could lead to a discussion of how history texts, which seem so factual, could actually have different information. Or, they could consider how some information that is general regarded as factual by all history experts could come under question if a previously unknown historical document comes to light.

High School Inquiry

High school students would be interested in the life of the Miamis, but it might be more relevant to this group to look at that politics involved in the various Indian/US Government conflicts. For example, in the articles I found for the Kokomo area, it talks about how the Miami were moved onto a reserve, and then later, in the treaty of 1826, the Miamis and Pottawatomis gave up large tracts of this land. In later years, most of the Indians from Indiana were moved west. Why did this happen? What pressures were brought to bear upon the Miamis and other tribes that caused them to, again and again, give up large portions of their land?

I think that a visit to the library’s history department would also be of interest. But to tie in with the politics issues as discussed above, perhaps the librarian or history expert could show students on historical maps how much land the Miamis lost, and discuss some of the reasons behind it. This would give students a more personal connection to the lives of Native Americans than they might get in text books.

AASL Standards

The following standards apply to both the middle-school level inquiry and the high-school level inquiry, as outlined above. While L1-1 is relevant, due to the fact that students must recognize that they need information on their topic, and also, they must identify what types of questions they might ask to begin their research.

However, standard L1-2 is the more important, in that this standard encourages students to evaluate their sources. Historical documents on the lives of the Miami Indians in central Indiana may or may not be comprehensive. Some documents, treaty documents, or land surveys, may be difficult for students to analyze as to their value to their topic. Historical newspaper articles may have a political or cultural slant that obscures the facts, and students would have to identify this.

Standard L1-1: Access information efficiently and effectively, as described by the following indicators:

1. recognizes the need for information;

2. recognizes that accurate and comprehensive information is the basis for intelligent decision making;

3. formulates questions based on information needs;

4. identifies a variety of potential sources of information;

5. develops and uses successful strategies for locating information.

Standard L1-2: Evaluates information critically and competently, as described by the following indicators:

1. determines accuracy, relevance, and comprehensiveness;

2. distinguishes among fact, point of view, and opinion;

3. identifies inaccurate and misleading information;

4. selects information appropriate to the problem or question at hand.

Standard L3-1 is appropriate to this topic, in that students would want to consider the different point of view of the various peoples involved. Do Miamis documents or testimonials, or other recorded opinions on land, life, and political issues differ from the opinions of the US Government or the settlers? How would you make sure that your research is balanced, in that you consider both sides of the story?

L3-1: Recognizes the importance of information to a democratic society, as described by the following indicators:

1. seeks information from diverse sources, contexts, disciplines, and cultures;

2. respects the principle of equitable access to information.

Wishing

Dr. Lamb says of wishing: “Wishing is assessing, evaluating, and reflecting on the process and product. Students begin thinking about how the project went and consider possibilities for the future. Students have the opportunity to reflect on their project and express their desires for the future.”

Project Assessment

As I look over what I’ve put together on this topic, I am both satisfied and dissatisfied at the same time. I’m satisfied that I was able to, in a very small way, substantiate the original Kokomo Tribune claim that Miamis once live on the land currently occupied by Derbyshire subdivision. I learned a great deal about the area and its history—information I did not know before.

However, I am not satisfied with the quantity of information I found on the Miami settlement that was once, supposedly located here. I have yet to hear back from the historian at the Kokomo Library, and if I don’t hear back in a couple more weeks, I plan to follow up on that.

I would have liked to find out where these historians are getting their information. One thing I noticed is that both the Tribune article, and the various articles for the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library, failed to mention their sources. I thought this was important to both, as it lends credibility, and also allows others to follow up on the information as they desire. I’m a librarian, after all, and a bibliography of sources seems like it should have been required. Not so, apparently. While I am sure the information came from somewhere credible—the library, most likely—it would have given me much more confidence in the researchers if they had documented this information with their work.

I do plan to continue looking into this, as time permits. I think this is a fascinating topic.

Project Reflection

Boy, can I reflect on this! First of all, this was more fun that I anticipated, but also, and I stress this, much more work. I am very glad I did not wait to start this, or I would not have had time to read through all the resources, and decide, at my leisure, which sites I liked, and which I didn’t. I wouldn’t have had time to find the photo/painting sites, as those were particularly difficult to ferret out. I’ve never been one to procrastinate, and I’m glad I didn’t start now. The project would not have been nearly as enjoyable for me, and I suspect it wouldn’t have been as enjoyable for my audience either. Pursuing this type of inquiry is not something you really want to rush, I believe. Sifting and wondering and organizing and publishing—this all takes time. Perhaps this is why more classroom activities are guided, or controlled. Free inquiry, while fun, can be daunting in how much “stuff” you have to wade through.

Citation

Lamb, Annette. Inquiry: The 8Ws: Wishing.

http://virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/wishing.htm

Waving

“Waving is communicating ideas to others through presenting, publishing, and sharing. Students share their ideas, try out new approaches, and ask for feedback," says Dr. Lamb. She also tells us that we need to consider the purpose, channels, and sharing of our information. I hope I have done just that.

(http://virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/waving.htm)

Audience

Callison tells us: “Audience analysis is an important part of the communications process in any field. Not only does correct audience analysis increase the chances of being heard, but more important, increases the chances of being understood (Callison and Preddy 2006, 287).

The goal of my project is to find out more about the Miami Indian settlement that once might have been located in my subdivision. This is a project for me, but as I research it, I realize that others in my neighborhood might have an interest. Local teachers might also have an interest, if I can find out more information from the historian writing for the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library, Carl Leiter, or if, when time permits, I actually pour over the dusty documents in the library and do the research myself.

How to best present materials to a possible wide range of ages on this subject? I choose to do two things—keep the information very relevant to the topic, and not to go overboard on resources. I also do not choose scholarly articles, or those using lofty language. Sites which present materials for a general audience, as I am trying to reach, are ones I chose first, if possible.

Purpose and Channels

In consideration of my audience, I make sure I consider not only the types of resources I include in my project, but also the format. Videos of local sites add some fun and personal connection to what could be a dry history topic, and I try to make sure I include videos to add that fun.

Pictures are a necessity for something like this, and I had to work long and hard to find some that related to my topic. Putting some of the images (copyright free, I believe, because of the dates of the items, if I understand copyright law correctly) onto my wiki, and also providing links to other photo related sites was a must.

Fun facts, such as the site that allows you to listen to audio files of the Algonquin language being spoken add further interest. Adding formats that appeal to the various senses—sight and sound, in this case, help bring the Miami Indians to life. If I could add smell-o-vision, so you could smell the hides tanning, or sniff the rabbit roasting on a Miami spit, I would do it. I love resources that add sensory information to give depth to the text.

Sharing

I have already decided to share my information through a wiki. This allows me a great deal of flexibility. I do not have any format or media restrictions, and so I am free to share my information in as many format types as possible. And I do just that!

Citations

Callison, Daniel, and Leslie Preddy. “The Blue Book on Information Age Inquiry, Instruction, and Literacy.” Westport, CT; Libraries Unlimited, 2006.

Lamb, Annette. Inquiry: The 8Ws: Waving.

http://virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/waving.htm

Wrapping

Of wrapping, Dr. Lamb says: “Students need to consider what kind of product will best communicate their vision to others. What's the best way to express your ideas to others?” (http://virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/wrapping.htm

I have already given this some thought as I considered the weaving step, for when you organize ideas and resources, you must, I believe, consider the final format. The final format of your work is going to affect how you organize it.

Moving through a website is different that viewing a PowerPoint, and reading a blog is different from reading a wiki. Editing of these various format options is also a consideration. I have no real love of PowerPoint, and while blogging is fun, it manages data by days or months, not by subject. Webpages are terrific, but Google Page Creator, while fairly easy to use, also has some repeated editing issues. (I lost some formatting when changing templates on the last project, and I spent considerable time fixing it.)

One format I have started using this semester, and am gaining a greater appreciation of, is the wiki. Here is an online article on the advantages and disadvantages of wikis.

http://wikieducator.org/Wikieducator_tutorial/What_is_a_wiki/Advantages_and_disadvantages

From my own personal experience, using a wiki in another class, I agree with what the article author says: “The wiki has no predetermined structure - consequently it is a flexible tool which can be used for a wide range of applications.” This, for me, is a huge advantage for this project. Why? Here are my reasons:

1. I have a great many resources to sift and sort through. A wiki allows me to create a bunch of pages, then sort the resources onto the pages as I go.

2. Editing and reediting a wiki is very easy.

3. You can find free wiki hosting sites, and free is good.

4. I can add videos, pdf files, audio files, and images to my wiki with equal ease.

5. I can continue this project in the future, if I find more information, without ruining the format or layout I already have. I seem to do this regularly when editing webpages.

6. Did I mention that editing a wiki is easy? Well, it is. And easy, along with free, is very, very good.

I have used Wikispaces (at http://www.wikispaces.com/) and just to be different, and to see how another wiki service works, I chose to put my project up at wikidot.com. While this wiki host has slightly different methods of editing and composing from Wikispaces, I quickly learned what I needed to know, and off I went.

My wiki is found at: http://annettegriessman.wikidot.com/introduction.

Once I registered with wikidot.com, I was off and running. Nothing to it. Wikis are fun!

Videos and Publishing

One thing that I wanted to add to my wiki was some movies or videos of Derbyshire, at least the portion of the subdivision near my house. For another class, L603, I had already made some videos of the Chief Kokomo monument, using my daughter’s Canon digital camera to do so. For L603, I managed to convert the original Quicktime movies to .wmv format (Windows Media Format), in order to reduce the size of the files. Yet, I was never really happy with the size of the files, and would have liked to make them even smaller.

For this project, I really wanted to explore doing just that. A friend suggested I try converting the .wmv files to Flash, or .flv. To do so, I tried using a converter program called Total Video Converter. (Available for download at http://www.effectmatrix.com/)

This was something of an adventure, as I was able to convert the files to .flv, but in a couple of instances, the audio didn’t work with the Flash file. I tweaked the software, and finally got the audio to come through, but then for some reason, my Flash video player wouldn’t always open the file. (Sometimes it would, sometimes not. Gah.) I uploaded one of the files to Google Video (http://video.google.com) just to see if I could play it from there. I could, sorta. The quality of the video at this point was not what I was looking for—the image was definitely blurred. I know that others are able to convert video files to Flash, and still keep the quality. I’m not sure if it’s the converter I’m using, or the way I’m setting it up. I suspect that whatever I'm doing wrong is a simple thing, easily corrected, but for the life of me, I couldn't figure out what it was.

However, in the end, I decided to keep the videos in .wmv format. I converted these from .mov using a program called River Past Video Cleaner, available for download at http://www.riverpast.com/en/prod/.

Citations:

Lamb, Annette. Inquiry: The 8Ws: Wrapping. http://virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/wrapping.htm

Wiki Educator: Wiki Advantages and Disadvantages.

http://wikieducator.org/Wikieducator_tutorial/What_is_a_wiki/Advantages_and_disadvantages

Weaving

Dr. Lamb says, “Weaving consists of organizing ideas, creating models, and formulating plans. It focuses on the application, analysis, and synthesis of information.”
(http://virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/weaving.htm)

Analyzing Resources

In the Online Lesson, Using Graphical Organizers for Sensemaking, the authors, Judith Kantor and Sharon Sutton tell us that: “Once students have gathered information on a topic, it is important that they reflect on whether the information they have gathered is sufficient to answer the research question. This requires students to make sense of the information they have gathered-to synthesize the information into new knowledge.”

And also “One form of representation that helps students make sense of gathered information and reflect on whether the information gathered is sufficient is the graphic organizer.”
(http://www.kn.att.com/wired/21stcent/lgraph.html)

I admit I have a lot of resources, and I’m not entirely sure what to do with them. I have enough online resources bookmarked that when I call up that section of bookmarks, not all the websites fit on the screen. I’m pretty sure, even before I begin to try and organize this information, that I won’t include all of it, and might very well find that I need more info on some of the topics.

I did some browsing through the lists of graphical organizers offered in our class materials (http://eduscapes.com/tap/topic73.htm) and found that, perhaps, sorting through graphical organizers was as difficult as sorting my project information. There are a lot of choices, and trying to decide whether my list of resources is best sorted by using one organizer or another was time consuming. If I were going to use any of these organizers in a school library setting, I would definitely want to, as librarian, spend some time matching the project of the day with the appropriate graphical organizer. It seems to me that one size does not fit all, and each organizer has some very specific uses.

In the end, I decided I would go back to Inspiration, and see what I could come up with. One of the program’s templates actually helped me clarify my thinking more than any other thing…that is, the template under “thinking skills,” that helps define resources in terms of their influence, i.e. direct influence, less direct influence, least direct influence. When I saw this template, I knew that this was how I would arrange my information for my project. Here is the Inspiration chart I made illustrating how I would proceed:


So now, with my chart and information goals firmly in mind, I start sorting resources and information accordingly.

Organizing the Multitude of Stuff

As I began sifting through my resources, I also began debating how to best present this material online. I not only want to give resources that pertain to the Miami settlement that once possible existed here, but I also wanted to give my reasons for this research, and also make sure I included my own personal connection—I live in Derbyshire, and wonder if Miamis lived where my house now stands. (Which is a cool thought for me.)

I envision this as a possible ongoing project, something I may want to add materials to in the future as I learn more. How best to do this?

While some of this planning information comes under the steps of “Wrapping” which asks “Who needs to know about this topic? What's the best format or product for your audience?” (http://virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/wrapping.htm) I find that I really need to start considering this issue now, for the best way to sift, sort, and organize online resources it to put them up on a webpage or blog or wiki as you sort.

I have had experience now, through my classwork, with all three of these online publishing formats. Recently, I used Google Page Creator, and while it’s functional, I found it difficult to edit over and over. (Changing backgrounds or templates involved me losing portions of my text.) Blogs are nice, but they organize information by daily posts. This isn’t really how I wanted my project to work or look. So I decide to try putting this info into a Wiki. While I’ll discuss this more in my wrapping section, I go ahead sign up for a free Wiki space at Wikidot.com. (http://www.wikidot.com/) As I sort, I throw the various resources onto separate pages. I can add commentary later, once I have sorted it all.

The first page to my Wiki is found here: http://annettegriessman.wikidot.com/introduction

Even now, the project is taking form. By the time you take a look, I may already be well into the wrapping and waving portions of this inquiry.

Citations:

Kantor, Judith, and Sharon Sutton. “Graphical Organizers for Sensemaking.” Online at: http://www.kn.att.com/wired/21stcent/lgraph.html Accessed September 16, 2007.

Lamb, Annette. Inquiry: The 8Ws: Weaving http://virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/weaving.htm.

Wiggling

Dr. Lamb tells us “Wiggling is often the toughest phase for students. They're often uncertain about what they've found and where they're going with a project. According to Webster's dictionary, wiggling involves moving to and fro.”

(http://virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/wiggling.htm.)

Wiggling equates to evaluation of what information or resources we’ve managed to find thus far. Violet Harada tells us that “…determining the relevance of information is a crucial part of the problem-solving process” (Stripling & Hughes-Hassell 2003, 48).

For my particular project, I’ve engaged in a lot of online searching, and I also have a number of print sources I think may be relevant to my project. I’m not sure, at this point, which of these websites are most relevant, or most trustworthy, and while I can look at the date of publication, author, and publisher for the print sources, these are items that I need to read through in order to assess their bearing to my original topic.

Evaluation Criteria

I order to better evaluate the websites I’ve found, I need to have some criteria to decide whether they are quality sites or not. While there are a number of authorities that have created criteria lists to do just that, including Cornell University (http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/webcrit.html) and the one offered by the University of Idaho (http://www.lib.uidaho.edu/instruction/webcriteria.htm), I like the evaluation suggestions offered by the UC Berkeley Library found here: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html.

This is more than just a list of items to evaluate, like authority, currency, etc. Rather, the UC Berkeley Library site discusses the reasons that various aspects of each website are important to consider, and it does so in every day language. (I do note, with some sense of irony, that I am evaluating the evaluation tools.)

Skimming and Scanning

Dr. Lamb tells us: “Skimming is particularly difficult when using online resources. Students seem drawn to information that looks familiar rather than concentrating on questions that need to be answered.”

(http://virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/wiggling.htm.)

Oh, how true this is! I have already struggled with this as I searched for information, and kept finding myself pulled further and further into the web as I explored each cool link or bit of information I found. I found myself looking at websites on Indian hairstyles (which, while nifty, had no Miami hairstyles, and I’m not even sure how I got there.), on Indian cooking (again, not Miami), and lists of Indian names, again, not necessarily Miami, and not necessarily something relevant to this project.

Relevance

Mary Ann Fitzgeral and Chad Galloway tell us in Teacher Librarian:

“Students… spent much energy determining if articles were relevant or not. The data in this study support three statements about relevance-seeking. First, relevance-seeking usually occurred independently of evaluating the quality of the information. Second, although the processes were usually independent, they often occurred almost concurrently. In other words, the participant seemed to jump back and forth between considering relevance and considering quality” (Fitzgerald and Galloway, 2002).

Relevance is as important to my project as quality of resources. I could broaden this topic until I am covering all the Native American tribes, and in doing so, I would have lost sight of what I originally set out to do. What I set out to do was to investigate the Miami Indians in relation to my subdivision, Derbyshire. I think I would like to also investigate, in relation to this topic, the history of the Miamis in Indiana. However, I do not wish general Miami history to be the focus of my project. I need to consider this to determine relevance of the materials I’ve located thus far.

I start back through all of the sites I’ve bookmarked, and I start scanning them, evaluating them for both quality and relevance.

Final Wiggling Thoughts

After assessing the resources I have gathered, I have determined that there are some key elements that I am missing. For one, I am still awaiting a reply from the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library History Department concerning some clarification on the name “Indian Suck” and if they can verify, through the historian Carl Leiter, that Derbyshire was where this settlement was located. All indications from my research so far indicate that the facts, as presented by the Richard Ferguson newspaper article, are at least very close to the truth. Some additional verification would be nice to have, however.

Also, I have failed to find any Miami Indian photo or drawing archives. I realize that the date that the Miamis lived in this area—the early 1800s—is early for photography. Yet, a number of artists worked to record people or places from history during that time. Also, I would be satisfied with Miami photographs from later in the 1800s. I find the lack of painting or picture archives to be very surprising, for many museums and libraries are now creating digital archives of their collections. I thought, perhaps, to find something through the Library of Congress’s American Memory Project. No luck as of yet. I really think that, for me, this project won’t be complete until I find some photos/artwork to link to my final project.

Beyond that, I will need to carefully consider how best to organize my project so it makes sense, and is useful to both myself and to anyone else who cares to visit. That will take us to the next step, Weaving.

Citations

Lamb, Annette. Inquiry: The 8Ws: Wiggling

http://virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/wiggling.htm.

Fitzgeral, Mary Ann, and Chad Galloway. "Helping Students Use Virtual Libraries Effectively." Teacher Librarian, Volume 29, Number 1, October 2002.

http://www.teacherlibrarian.com/tlmag/v_29/v_29_1_feature.html.

Stripling, Barbara K., and Sandra Hughes-Hassell. Curriculum Connections. Westport, CT; Libraries Unlimited, 2003.

The UC Berkeley Library Website Evaluation Criteria.

http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html.

Webbing

Dr. Lamb says of webbing:

“Once you have an understanding of your problem or question, you're ready to begin seeking answers. You need to start with a search strategy. Like a spider, you need to create a web of information related to your question.”

(http://virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/webbing.htm)

To start in this process, Dr. Lamb suggests identifying key ideas.

My Key Ideas

I am starting with a very narrow research idea, and hope to expand upon it. This research was spawned by one newspaper article, which tells a bit about the history of the Indian village called Indian Suck, which is where Derbyshire subdivision is now located.

Here are the facts/keywords as outlined by my article. Keywords are in bold:

1. The article mentions that the author is researching a musket ball that he believes is 200 years old, when his yard belonged to the Miami Indian Nation.

2. The author of the article lives between Burlington and Russiaville.

3. Russiaville was once called Richardville, named after Jean Baptiste de Richardville, who was part Miami Indian and who was named chief of the Miami Nation 1814.

4. The subdivision of Green Acres (not far from my subdivision, Derbyshire) was part of the land given to a French trader, Pierre “Pete” Longlois, in 1834.

5. Traders traded with Indians on reserve lands called the “Seven Mile Strip.” David Foster was one of the first traders here.

6. Foster traded with the Miamis at a settlement called Indian Suck.

7. Indian Suck had a ferry service across the Pechewa River.

8. Indian Suck was later renamed Cromwell’s Mill.

9. Indian Suck was our county seat until David Foster donated land near another Indian settlement just east of Indian Suck. This settlement was later called Kokomo.

10. Derbyshire subdivision is located where Indian Suck used to be.

Planning a Search Strategy

I inherently understand that information of the kind I am looking for is most likely to be found only on the dusty shelves of a library historical archive. Still, this particular article, the one I’m starting from, originally appeared in an online version of the Kokomo Tribune. I know that for my project to continue, I need to verify the info in the article as quickly as possible, or my interest in this topic falls apart.

So, I decide to start searching online, using Google, and a few choice keywords, to see if I get any hits to aid in determining a sense of direction for further research.

First steps:

Since “Indian Suck,” was the reason this article stuck in my head originally, I will Google that name first. (Note: I’m pronouncing it as “Sūc” with a long U, as if it were French, since that is the most likely pronunciation and which just sounds nicer.) I also note that I am not going to Google just “Indian Suck” because I’m going to get all sorts of modern day sites that are filled with words and images I just don’t need to see. I will qualify this search by adding “Miami” to the keywords, since this word is a key identifier for this settlement.

Googling “Miami Indian Suck” surprisingly gives me some results that look promising. The first site, in fact, is a link to the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library’s online history archive. When I click on it, I am led to an article on Chief Kokomo, written by historian Carl Leiter. The article, in fact, mentions that a early county resident, Pete Cornstalk, lived at Indian Suck (the southeast corner of Ervin Twp.)

A-ha! I say in satisfaction. I am on the right track and the project can continue.

Next steps:

Dr. Lamb says of webbing: Once you begin locating valuable information, think about organizing this information and adding strands to your "web of information."

(http://virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/webbing.htm)

I have found one source, and I can do two things with it to add strands to my web. First, I can email the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library History Department and ask them if they have more information on this topic. Second, I can see if I can find any more information on the web or in book or journal form, that historian Carl Leiter might have written.

I composed this email to the library:

In one of the articles found under your "History" menu, Historian Carl Leiter wrote about Chief Kokomo. In the first part of this article, Mr. Leiter refers to an early settlement as "Indian Suck." In a 2005 Tribune article, Richard Ferguson, a local history re-enactor, said that Indian Suck was a Miami settlement, and this settlement was located near where Derbyshire subdivision is now located.

I'd love to inquire of Mr. Leiter two things--what does the word "Suck" mean in the name "Indian Suck." (That is, is this a modification of a French or Miami word, and if so, what word?)

Also, can he verify the information in the article by Richard Ferguson, that Derbyshire now located where this settlement was once located?

Any information you can pass along would be much appreciated. I live in Derbyshire, and am very curious about the history of the location.

Next, I look for more information published by Carl Leiter. In addition to the articles he’s posted on the library history site (there are multiple articles) I find that he has written articles for a website containing information on Miami County History and Genealogy. I bookmark this site to explore later.

More Keywords:

● Searching for Jean Baptiste de Richardville gives me a very interesting Wikipedia article that tells me that Richardville was also known as Peshewa, which means Wildcat. I note that Peshewa is very similar to the Pechewa River named above. Could the Pechewa River be the Wildcat Creek?

This Wikipedia entry also gives me a print resource to locate in the library or elsewhere that will tell me more about Jean Baptiste de Richardville’s life.

Using the Biography Resource Center database turns up nothing, which also surprises me.

● Searching for Pechewa River gives me very little, but I do get a reference to Jean Batiste de Richardville and his Indian name “Pechewa” in association with the Wabash and Erie Canal. I note the spelling, and recognize that Pechewa and Peshewa are most likely one in the same.

Adding Strands to the Web

I keep on keyword searching. I search Encyclopedia Britannica for most of the words above, as well as Academic Search Premiere. JSTOR contains text for a number of history based journals, and so I search that database too. I am a little intimidated by the number of databases available to me, and I don’t particularly like the new (fall 2007) database interface for the IUPUI Library. I find very little info here, to be honest, and go back to Google.

Using Google, I track down (through a keyword search of “David Foster Kokomo” more articles at the Kokomo Library, but also I find the Howard County Community History website, as well as a website for the Howard County Historical Society.

As Carol Kuhlthau recommends in her Information Search Process (Callison and Preddy 2006, 39), I start preparing a working bibliography of sources, both print and online. I am aware that some of these sources, upon further investigation, could prove to be useless for my topic, and also, that some of them could lead to other resources. While I try to focus only on topics that are relevant to this topic, I find myself going off on tangents that involve histories of the Miami Indians, Miami Indian birth and death records, Miami Indian language resources, and so on. Some of these I put into my bibliography, just in case they may be of interest to me later, or I decide to broaden my topic

Time is a factor for me with this, and so I valiantly try to keep myself on target. It isn’t easy, and the hour grows late. I have print resources to track down at the library or through WorldCat, if time permits, and so I promise myself to keep the online searching to reasonable time-period, and come back to it if necessary.

Once I have a nice list of resources, I move on to evaluating them.

Citations

Callison, Daniel, and Leslie Preddy. The Blue Book on Information Age Inquiry, Instruction and Literacy. Westport, CT; Libraries Unlimited, 2006.

Lamb, Annette. Inquiry: The 8Ws: Webbing.

http://virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/webbing.htm

Wondering

Dr. Lamb tells us “Wondering focuses on brainstorming options, discussing ideas, identifying problems, and developing questions. According to Webster's dictionary wondering includes many different emotions including surprise, curiosity, and doubt. Brainstorming, discussing, and reflecting on questions, concerns, and ideas are all part of the wondering phase.”

(http://virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/wondering.htm)

As I further explore my topic, I think the first process for me is brainstorming a list of possible questions. Brainstorming will help me find a purpose, or focus, for my work.

What I Want to Know

First, I ask myself why I am working on this project—why has this topic, something I remembered from a newspaper article from 2005—stayed with me so long? What is my interest?

1. The article, which tells me that an Miami Indians once lived where my house now sits, invokes vivid pictures of a past life. I wonder if Miami children played under the branches of the ancient Chinquapin oak tree growing in my back yard. (Note: This is a gigantic tree. Here is a picture of a 150 year old chinquapin or chinkapin oak, as it is sometimes called. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Chinkapin_oak_photo.jpg. Our tree is at least twice this size, and I suspect it is much, much older. See the picture below.)

2. I wonder how this land ended up becoming a subdivision. What happened to the settlement, and how long ago?

3. I wonder what sort of life the Miamis lived here, if indeed there was a settlement here.

4. Are there any pictures of that time, taken in this area? Where/how do I find them?

My Chinquapin Oak. This photo is taken from the top of a slight hill, and you are not able to see the bottom of the trunk. I wish I had some way of showing scale here, but it's difficult to get a picture of this tree. I may try to include a video of this in my final project as a way to show the Derbyshire area today.

What I Know

1. I know that there was a newspaper article written by Richard Ferguson in 2005, that tells me there was a settlement where my subdivision is located.

2. Mr. Ferguson says that the name of this settlement was Indian Suck (which seems like a very strange name, and the oddity of it on modern ears helped fuel my ongoing questioning), and this settlement had a population of 75 to 100.

3. This settlement was populated by one of the last remaining Miami clans.

4. This settlement had a ferry service across the Pechewa River, and a grist and saw mill were later built.

5. This settlement was later called Cromwell’s Mill, and was supposedly our county seat until David Foster donated land to that purpose that would later become Kokomo. (Which is also supposedly named after an Indian Chief.)

What I Want to Know

1. Can I verify the information provided by Mr. Ferguson in his article?

2. Where did he get his information?

3. How active were Miamis in forming this area? As I consider this, I consider broadening my research to include Miamis (and other Native American tribes that lived in Indiana?) and their history as related to Kokomo, at least. When I learn more, I might even want to consider their history as related to the State of Indiana.

4. Can I find any other local historians that can help me in this research?

5. Can I find historical maps showing the settlement or area?

6. Can I find pictures or drawings from that era? (I’d love to see pictures, for they would help me imagine those Miami children playing under the branches of my chinquapin oak tree.)

The Steps of Wondering in Graphical Form

To better understand the scope of what I am proposing, I used Inspiration to block out possible steps in the process.

It becomes very clear to me, in this format, that if I can’t verify the information from the original magazine article, then my project is in jeopardy. At that point, I would have to consider whether investigating only Miami history, local or statewide, is sufficient for me, for my original interest in this topic is based upon the fact that a Miami settlement was once located where I live.

Sandra Guild, as she contemplates the inquiry process says:

“The initial need for a solution to the problem is tested against (1) the perceived effort of the search, (2) its importance to the researcher, and (3) the researcher’s initial affect or emotional state (Stripling and Hughes-Hassell 2003, 143).”

This graphic makes very clear to me that effort of searching may play a role in this project, as well as, if I can’t verify the newspaper article’s info, the importance to the researcher.

Contemplating

Okay, now this topic seems truly terrifying. I fear that I will not find the information I desire by using easy-to-access sources. I fear I am dooming myself to spend endless hours in the library’s history and genealogy department pouring over stacks of dusty books and documents, looking for a clue. This isn’t really the course I want to pursue at this time, and I find myself wondering if I should change topics.

Yet. This is a topic that has stayed with me for 2 years. If I don’t investigate now—if I let fear drive me from it, will I ever investigate it? Probably not, I acknowledge. Carol Kuhlthau says students often make their decisions based on their predictions of the difficulty of the topic and likely success. She also says that it's probably most important that you select an area that you're enthusiastic about exploring.

So that’s what I’ll do. I have the newspaper article, and if I can even find one more fact to add to what I know, I will have achieved a measure of success, and will have satisfied myself that I at least tried to find out more. If I don’t do this now, I will still have that niggling curiosity in the back of my mind. In five years, I’ll have lost my newspaper article, I won’t even have a place to start.

As we are reminded in the Journal of Creative Behavior, “Question asking is sufficient in its own right. Indeed, this “wanting to know,” even though you may never find the answer is an attitude of curiosity and creativity (Nash and Torrence 1975).”

I may not find all the answers I am seeking, but I certainly do want to know.

Citations

Lamb, Annette. Inquiry: The 8Ws: Wondering.

http://virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/wondering.htm

Nash, W.R., and E. P. Torrance. “Creative reading and the questioning abilities of young children.” Journal of Creative Behavior, 1975 Vol. 8, p15.

(Note: The text of the Nash article is not found online, but the quote from this article is cited in an article by Vincent E. Ciardiello, titled "To Wander and Wonder: Pathways to literacy and inquiry through question-finding" and published in the Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, Nov2003, Vol. 47 Issue 3, p228. I felt it more appropriate to cite the original source, primarily from the importance Ciardiello placed on the quote in context. The Ciardiello article is also quite good.)

To wander and wonder": Pathways to literacy and inquiry through question-finding,” and published in the Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, Nov2003, Vol. 47 Issue 3, p228. I felt it more appropriate to cite the original source, primarily from the importance Ciardiello placed on the quote in context. The Ciardiello article is also quite good.)

Stripling, Barbara K., and Sandra Hughes-Hassell. Curriculum Connections. Westport, CT; Libraries Unlimited, 2003.

Watching

Exploring

In order to begin this project, we need an idea we would like to explore. Dr. Lamb, when explaining this portion of the inquiry process, says:

"The world is a fascinating place. However we often get so caught up in our daily routine that we don't look outside and explore the rest of the world. Enjoy viewing, listening, and reading about what's happening in the world around you. Take time to appreciate the information around you. Stop and smell the flowers!

Spend time with nature. Visit a museum. Browse a book or video store. Be sure to listen, read, view, and enjoy."
(http://virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/watching.htm)

I'm not sure how it is for everyone else, but I am a tourist by nature...even in someplace like my own back yard. I am constantly asking questions, and usually have a curiousity of the day. Like why does that particular hummingbird come and look in the window at me when I look out? She seems as curious about me as I am about her. Why do the hornets, wasps, and butterflies like my sedum autumn joy (a fall-blooming plant) so much, while they ignore the flowers blooming around it? Can people be born with personalities that naturally make them "dog-people" or "cat-people?" (I'm a dog person, but my daughter is a cat person.) How do birds and animals sense the coming of winter? For the birds start flocking and animals start hording food long before the weather gets cool and the leaves start to fall. (It was in the upper 80's yesterday, yet I saw a flock of grackles and a flock of geese, all on the move.)

So for me, choosing something to explore for this project is a matter of making a choice between a number of lovely ideas. However, one idea in particular has been niggling at the back of my brain for over 2 years now, and I think this is the perfect time to explore it. I think I have been waiting for such an opportunity, in fact. Two years ago, I read an article in our local paper that declared that my subdivision was once the location of a Miami Indian settlement. Is this true, and can I find out more about this settlement? I have remembered that article, and have a copy of it in my own personal vertical file. Now it is time to look into this further.

Reading

Pulling out the article from my personal file, I re-read it. This is an article published in the Kokomo Tribune, written by a history re-enactor named Richard Ferguson. I immediately go to the Kokomo Tribune website (http://www.kokomotribune.com) to look through their online archive for more articles by Richard Ferguson...maybe he followed up the article, and I missed it. I don't find any, but when I keyword search for "Kokomo history," I get sidetracked by an article stating that the Tipton County Courthouse is one of the oldest in the state. (It was built in 1894 is listed on the National Register of Historical Places.) Another article tells me about the Old Settlers festival in Dephi, which is held outside the Carroll County Courthouse in late summer, and celebrates the lives and history of the area's settlers. I vow to attend this one day. After much searching, I find no other articles by Richard Ferguson, history re-enactor, even though there are a number of other Rich and Richard Fergusons who have written articles. The article I have will have to be the place where I start.

Contemplating

I've chosen a topic, at least I think I have. Now, I start asking myself questions about how I would pursue this. Here are my thoughts:

1. What more do I expect to learn about the settlement mentioned in the newspaper?

2. How do I find more information on this topic?

3. Do I want to limit my explorations to just the settlement, or do I want to expand this topic so I learn more about the Miami Indians and their lives in Indiana?

4. What sort of format can I most readily present what I learn?

As I consider these things, I am immediately struck by the fact that, all at once, this seems a daunting task. The article is 2 years old, I don't know how to find the author, I don't know any history of this area, and I don't know where to find it. I think about exploring "dog-people" and "cat-people," but take a deep breath and make myself stick with the settlement topic. In relation to the inquiry process, these feeling, apparently, are to be expected.

Dr. Lamb tells us "Carol Kuhlthau (1994) has found that these kinds of feelings are normal. She notes that it's important that teachers and media specialists acknowledge these frustrations, feelings, and experiences as a normal part of the inquiry process."
(http://virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/watching.htm)

Kathleen Metz confirms Kuhlthau's observation, and further investigates how uncertainty affected the inquiry methods of 4th and 5th grade students when investiagating a science topic. She found that children can usually identify uncertainty in their topic, and often have ways of moving forward in spite of it. Metz says of the children "Their conceptualizations of the grounds of the uncertainty and strategic ways to change their study conveyed understanding of challenges in the knowledge-building process well beyond ignorance, misinformation, or deceit. (Metz 2004, 283)"

If 4th and 5th grade students can do it, so can I. (Note: This is a very good article, complete with case studies, drawings, and student comments.)

Citations

Lamb, Annette. Inquiry: The 8Ws, Watching.
http://virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/watching.htm

Metz, Kathleen E. "Children's Understanding of Scientific Inquiry: Their Conceptualization of Uncertainty in Investigations of Their Own Design." Congnition and Instruction, 2004, Vol. 22 Issue 2, p219.