Wondering

After deciding for certain that I was moving forward with the bathroom remodel, I used the physical space to help me brainstorm some of my research questions. I literally walked around the room noting what things would need to be changed, what things I wanted to change and what I needed to research about these things.

• Vanity- paint or replace? How to paint? What are the options/costs?
  Vanity top- replace or something else?
  Flooring- replace? What are the best types of flooring for the bathroom and the pros/cons of each type?
  Mirror- What are the options/costs?
  Light fixture-What are the options/costs?
  Shower curtain- Make or buy? Style?
  Walls – Color?
  Towel racks, other fixtures - What are the options/costs?
  Toilet – Replace?
  Wall niche – how to build? Style?
  After doing this I consider what kinds of overall questions I needed to answer (budget, design style).
  How much do we want to spend in this bathroom?
  What kind of look/style do I want?
  What are the measurements of the room and things in the room (vanity, shower rod, etc.)
  

Finally I consulted with my husband to find out his opinions and to see if I missed anything.

This phase seems especially important for a project like a remodel. In order for things to run smoothly once we get into doing the work, I need to have done my best to think through the process so as to avoid surprises. I really enjoyed this phase because this remodel has been something I’ve been itching to do, it was quite satisfying to start exploring what we might actually be able to do.

As Annette points out on her Wondering page, keeping an open mind in this phase was a challenge. I already had things in mind that I wanted to do, so I had to keep reminding myself that I needed to do this research before I committed to anything. I had to go back and add to my questions to make sure I was exploring all my options.

Preddy writes that "Inquiry research should be generated from the student's base knowledge by building on what they know instead of what they don't know," and Stripling notes that this part of the inquiry cycle usually includes tapping "into prior experience, background knowledge." I did not use any sort of chart or anything to connect to my prior knowledge. My connection to prior knowledge was mostly subconscious. For example, as I was walking around the bathroom creating my questions, I did not have many about painting because I am already familiar with that. My prior knowledge includes best paint for bathrooms, techniques for prepping walls to paint, and painting techniques. Since I enjoy watching home improvement, design, and DIY shows, I also had some vague prior knowledge of what I wanted in the bathroom.

Preddy, L. B. (2002, November). Student inquiry in the research process. Part one. School Library Media Activities Monthly, 19(3), 28-30.

Stripling, B. (2008, September). Inquiry: Inquiring minds want to know. School Library Media Activities Monthly, 25(1), 50-52.