D.+Collaboration

Like most subjects, nature is multi-faceted. Several individuals are specialized in one particular area of interest within birding. For example, some birders focus on how to save hurt birds from the wild and nurse them back to health, while others are focused on attracting birds to their own backyards, and others are experts at photographing them in their natural habitats. It is important to collaborate with fellow birders or information specialists in order to gain the most accurate information about a particular subject.

Media specialists and teachers would make an excellent collaborative team for providing students with a highly informative and interactive birding experience or inquiry. It would be up to the media specialist to initiate contact with teachers and propose a inquiry rich project for the students. Teachers may feel weary of this or think that collaboration means more work for them. Because of this, the media specialist will have needed to do their homework on the topic before approaching the teacher. Having an outline of a lesson plan in addition to several different approaches will let the teacher know that you are motivated to create a unique learning lab for their students.

Teachers can turn the students over to the media specialist in order to have them investigate their birds of interest with more depth by using a variety of resources. Media specialists will come prepared with interesting ideas about the topic, providing an exciting and interactive environment for discussion within the media center. They must know how to interject interesting inquiry skills or topics that will pique students explorative interests. Students will learn how to find accurate information about their birds, as well as birds that live in the exact opposite habitats, such as penguins. Being able to locate a wealth of information about all bird varieties is what will help drive students curiosity, making them passionate life-long learners or investigators.