User Guide

This user guide shows how to access ITM with Knowledge Forum and use the various ITM features to support the different milestone phases of a knowledge-building inquiry. Follow the links to the features to get specific guidance. (Please note that some of the pages about cross-project sharing etc. are yet to be finished)

Before the inquiry starts…

Access ITM with Knowledge Forum

Set up a Knowledge Forum (KF) community on a KF hosting server

https://kf6.rit.albany.edu | https://kf6.ikit.org (or other server)

Enable ITM in your Knowledge Forum community (KF manager only)
Login KF & ITM

Start and manage an ITM Project

Create/edit a Project
Add students as Project Members
Ready to Open/Enter the project

During the progressive phases(milestones) of idea improvement…

Engage & Explore

Kick-off an inquiry with an engaging activity to build shared interests, generate questions, and carry out initial exploration and open dialogue.

Start ITM Open Talk (in the Open Area) to share new questions and ideas

Wonder, Research, & Reflect

Form and gather around “juicy” wondering areas, generate and improve ideas (theories, designs, solutions) in/across the wondering areas through deep research and collaborative talks, while identifying deeper problems and goals as the work proceeds.

Create wondering areas as shared directions of inquiry
Add idea threads each focusing on a more specific challenging problem/topic
Students identify their personal focus areas and form flexible groups
Contribute to an idea thread by adding notes, reading notes, and building on; highlighting high-potential ideas/questions in notes for the community to act upon
Write Journey of Thinking to reflect on progress and plan for further inquiry
Use Activity Radar to follow the work in each thread/area
Use multi-thread mapping to monitor project-level progress and connections

Re-organize/Rise above for Deep Understanding

Expand/re-organize the wondering areas based on new inquiry directions and cross-cutting themes that have emerged, review “big ideas” from different areas for connected insights, and have “super talk” and sharing with other classrooms focusing on challenging issues.

Add/modify wondering areas and idea thread topics based on new/deeper goals and connections
Change/add personal focus to the new wondering areas and grouping
Cross-classroom sharing and collaboration:
- Add Buddy Projects to partner with other classrooms in this inquiry
- View the cross-project sharing space to see the progress of the buddy classrooms
- “Super Talk” with buddy classrooms focusing on challenging issues of shared interest