Let this Case Study show you how it ties complexity to a fairly simple problem statement/research focus:

How do the instructional approaches and professional influences of the director of reading at Ruben Dario Middle School help her to refine her successful teaching practices. As researchers, we want to shed light. A simple focus question can help.

Journal Writing Activities to Help Students Learn...

Procedure 1 Write a question on the board each day before students arrive. Open your journal and write for five minutes, responding to the question on the board. When students finish writing, you might (1) save the writings for future use, (2) have three volunteers read their responses and lead the discussion into the day's lesson, or (3) read each response aloud, then use class time for group revising and rewriting.

Procedure 2 Use journals for closure by allowing five minutes at the end of a day's lesson for students to write their own observations or summaries about what occurred. During this time you can also write in your own journal. This models the activity for your students and allows you some important reflection time.

Procedure 3 Interrupt a lengthy lecture with a five-minute journal write. For students passively listening, this gives them a chance to get their thoughts back onto the subject. If students are misunderstanding a point in the lecture, reading their journals will give you some insight to help clear up the misunderstanding.

Procedure 4 Interrupt a discussion with writing to help the discussion change direction, to get back on the point, or to encourage more students to participate. Having them write their ideas about the point of discussion will show them that they have something to say about the subject.

Procedure 5 Use learning logs for problem solving by having students write about a problem. The act of writing helps clarify thinking. Solutions to problems are often discovered while writing about the problem.

Procedure 6 Arrange readings into several major divisions, with six to ten selections in each. After each division, have students write one or two pages in their journals. Have students identify a unifying theme and support your choice with references from the works you have studied in this unit.

Source ED 295 127 Jacobson, Annette, ed. Essential Learning Skills across the Curriculum, Oregon State Department of Education, 1987.