Annotated Bibliography (ENGLISH First year level)

ENGL 1101: Introduction to University Writing 1

TRU Open Learning

Documenting Research Information Template (Sample Answers) Activity—Complete this template for the article “Why We Need to Teach 21st Century Skills—And How to Do It.”

Identify the Source

Source title:

“Why We Need to Teach 21st Century Skills—And How to Do It.”

Citation Information

Author, title, year, publication?

Regan, B. (2008). Why we need to teach 21st century skills—And how to do it. Internet@Schools, 15(4), 10-13.

Access to Article

Where did you find the source? Online link? Library search? Did you download a PDF?

• Using library search engine • Search terms were: 21st century skills AND digital literacy • Available as HTML full text; emailed to myself • Source is also available free online at

http://www.internetatschools.com/Articles/Editorial/Features/Why-We- Need-to-Teach-21st-Century-Skills-And-How-to-Do-It-%5BAvailable-Full- Text-Free%5D-61011.aspx

Evaluate the Source

What type of source material is this?

Where was it published?

• Media report • Trades/popular article • Academic journal • Other?

2 Documenting Research Information Template (Sample Answers)

TRU Open Learning

This article is published in an online journal called Internet@Schools: An Educator’s Guide to Technology and the Web. You can visit the home page for the journal online to learn more about it: http://www.internetatschools.com/

The journal provides authoritative and practical research, guidelines, and editorial pieces aimed at a general knowledge, but focused specifically for practical use by educators.

Is the source authoritative enough and of good enough quality for an academic project?

This is a perfect example of the quality and complexity of source that would be suitable for this course. The information is researched, based on practitioner and expert knowledge, but presented in an accessible form for undergraduate research. It makes reference to previous research and is engaged in debate relevant to the fields of teaching and technology.

Determine the Relevance of the Source

Why do you think this source might help with the research project?

A quick skim over this article for key words and ideas reveals its relevance. The article summarizes and justifies an emphasis on 21st century skills as a focus for approaches to teaching, with attention to the value of media literacy, problem- solving, and collaborative skills.

How do you think you will be able to use this source to answer the research question?

Here’s a quote that might be useful:

“To succeed in school and on the job today—where a visual cacophony and information overload are the norm—students need to learn how to assemble data in a meaningful way that expresses the possibilities, interpretations, and implications that arise from the facts.” (Regan, 2008)

What might it contribute to your research project?

These 21st century skills identified in this article overlap with the information from the Henry Jenkins article “Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture.” This provides us with at least two articles that are engaged in conversation about the same issues and questions (a good goal for the research project). Both articles provide examples of the skills we need in the 21st century to be good communicators.