Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Chapter 5: Researching & Evaluating Internet Info.



Focus Question: What pieces of information do students need to know about Internet searching?

To start off, students should know that the most popular search engine in the world, known as Google, does not only search for webpages by keywords, but also by popularity and cross-listings with other sites. Although, Google is very well-established in today's generation, I do believe that there are more appropriate search engines that can increase accreditation in students work and also provide a more informative learning experience for students. 

Searching the Web involved one of three search strategies:
(1) Free-text
(2) keyword/exact match
(3) Boolean

I believe that it is crucial for students to be introduced to writing and researching at an early age. Some students in today's world reach high school without having the knowledge to adequately write a research paper and use accredited sources. I have come across research papers in college where at least one of there sources was Wikipedia. Now I don't really have anything against Wikipedia other than anyone being able to post anything about anything. Eventually the posts are reviewed and if found to be inappropriate or inaccurate  they will be removed.


Students need to be able to recognize an accredited site from one that is not. For example, I was taught at an early age to never use Wikipedia or Google as part of my resources, but that doesn't mean that they should be banned from being used. I, myself, use Google to direct me to pages that are relative to the subject I am researching. Most of the time, the results from Google's search engine will lead me to an accredited site and vuala!

There is also something called a Boolean search. Most search engines, such as Google, have an advanced search section. This means that it will allow the researcher to narrow down or broaden the search with a few key words such as "OR", "AND", and "NOT". This will make a world of a difference when searching for something on an enormous database, such as Google or Bing.

Tech Tool Link: Customize Your Web Browser With iGoogle


I personally like to customize websites that I use online. I have a Google account and every time I go online it automatically takes me to my homepage. You are conveniently shown everything that you have chosen to be on your homepage, whether it be the news, weather, fashion, the time in Japan, whatever you want, it's there.  This can be extremely helpful to be kept up-to-date on select topics. I could see myself using this as an attention grabber for my students; when they walk into the classroom they'll have something to read and look at. Sometimes, I might even add a video or an audio so it can be a little more interactive.

Summary & Conclusion:
When it comes down to it, students do as they are taught. If we (teachers and upcoming teachers) do not make it a priority to teach these students how to distinguish and navigate the world wide web, then they will continue to use these search engines instead of maybe using a peer reviewed article or even a book! And yes, using books is still an option when researching. Although, it might seem a bit Neanderthal, it is and will always will be the most educational source of information.


Resources:

Maloy, R. W., Verock-O, R. E., Edwards, S. A., & Woolf, B. P. (2010). Transforming learning with new technologies. Allyn & Bacon. 

 




1 comment:

  1. Extensive commentary on the focus question and much of it is good information that often is unknown by students - Searching the internet is a relatively new skill and its 'rules' are still being developed to some extent. I'm not so sure that books will be the "most educational source of information" in the future - likely not even now, as digital information is being created and published daily. :)

    ReplyDelete