Integrating the Internet into the Classroom-Week 2 Day 1-2

Integrating the Internet into the Classroom
Facilitator: Michael Krauss, Lewis & Clark College

Daily Assignments Week 2
|Day 1|Day 2|Day 3|Day 4|Day 5|

WEEK 2
Finding, Organizing and Accessing On-Line Materials

DAY 1
Searching the Internet and Making Resources Accessible

I'm sure you are anxious to begin designing your own web-based activity formats. And we will do that this week! However, honing your search skills will make materials development *much* more efficient, so we'll work on search skills first.

There are two primary vehicles for finding information on the Internet. A search directory (ex: Yahoo! Search Directory) is a catalog, consisting of categories of information, and is created by human beings, whose job is to catalog Internet sites. A search engine, on the other hand (ex: Google), uses complex software to search out and index Internet sites, add them to its database, and then make them available based on key words you enter. Most directories these days also include a search engine. Search engine technology is improving by leaps and bounds with intuitive search engines allowing more "plain language" searching, and using innovative ranking techniques to provide more relevant, concise results.

TASK 1: Google is far and away my favorite search engine. Spend 20-30 minutes (don't get hooked into spending hours!) reading the Google Search Tips and trying out some searches. It will be the *best* minutes you can spend in terms of improving your searching efficiency Learn to use Google well, and it may well become your best Internet friend!

TASK 2: Print out Bernie Dodge's Four NETS for Better Searching. Then go to Google to complete Dodge's worksheet (yes, this is a pencil and paper activity). This will show you a very effective approach to using Google's Advanced Search feature. This can be used quite effectively with students by substituting searches that would interest your students (in place of the ones suggested by Dodge).

TASK 3: Specialized Search Engines and Directories. Bernie Dodge has links to search engines useful for finding special categories of information, e.g. literature in the public domain, primary source articles, images, biographies, maps, country profiles, etc. Find a resource that would be productive to use with your students. Share the resource and your ideas for using it via ed648@lclark.edu

TASK 4: Buddy Group Check! - Check in by email with your buddies. Share what you have found out about your topic of interest. Remember, in Week 3 you will report to the class on what you have been discussing in your Buddy Group and any conclusions you have drawn.

Additional Information/Resources:

Browse the Search Engine Watch site--everything you ever wanted to know about search engines and directories. You may want to sign up to receive the free Search Engine Report Newsletter.

Finding Information on the Internet: A TUTORIAL, University of California, Berkeley's Teaching Library Internet Workshops The Tutorial Outline offers a progression from beginning information to advanced searching and beyond. You may pursue the tutorial linearly following the outline or you may skip sections you feel you already know and start anywhere in the outline by clicking on that section. This resource covers search engines, subject directories and the invisible Web!

Return to top.

WEEK 2
Finding, Organizing and Accessing On-Line Materials

DAY 2
More Searching the Internet

TASK 1: Browse the site: University of Albany's, Searching the Internet: Recommended Sites and Search Techniques. Be sure to also look at the section, Second Generation Searching on the Web, which covers the newer search engines. For those really wanting a comprehensive understanding of search engines and directories, this site is the best, and it is continually updated with the newest information. Get a general sense of the pros/cons of each search tool covered and also the basic syntax used for searching with the various search tools. (Tip: Open a second browser window for doing your searches. File --> New Window, or Page, depending on your browser version).

TASK 2: Perhaps you know the specific type of information you want to research. For example, you may know that you want the information to be appropriate for kids, contain primary source materials, and include textual and graphics resources. If you enter these particulars into "NoodleQuest" , you will be given links to the appropriate search vehicles to meet your research needs. Try NoodleQuest out by selecting criteria appropriate for your classroom situation. See what search engine/directory suggestions NoodleQuest comes up with. Vary your criteria and see how the recommendations change.

TASK 3: Complete the activity, Scavenger Hunt: Trying Out Internet Search Tools in order to get practice using several of the most popular search engines. Your answers will automatically be emailed to me. (Note: When you click on links for the Search Engines, a new window will open. When you finish using a search engine, you can close that window. Don't hit the "Back" button on the page where you record your answers or you will lose your data. Also, you'll need to complete this task in one sitting. If you quit your browser, your answers will be gone.) Suggestion: Write down your search terms and answers on a piece of paper as you go. Or copy and paste your search terms and answers into a word processing document. Then, if you inadvertently erase your answers, or if you can't finish in one session, it will be a simple matter to re-enter your answers (or copy paste them) into the form!

Additional Information/Resources:

What is the "Invisible or Deep Web?" The fact is that a huge number of pages on the Internet do not show up in standard search engines. Find out more about the this body of hidden resources and try out search engines that will help you find them.

Return to top.

Go to Daily Assignments - Week 2 Day 3-5

Return to Workshop Home Page.

Return to Workshop Discussion Page.

Return to Syllabus-at-a-Glance.

Created by: krauss@lclark.edu
Updated: 7/25/08

WEEK 2	Finding, Organizing and Accessing On-Line Materials
DAY 1	Searching the Internet and Making Resources Accessible
	I'm sure you are anxious to begin designing your own web-based activity formats. And we will do that this week! However, honing your search skills will make materials development much more efficient, so we'll work on search skills first. There are two primary vehicles for finding information on the Internet. A search directory (ex: Yahoo! Search Directory) is a catalog, consisting of categories of information, and is created by human beings, whose job is to catalog Internet sites. A search engine, on the other hand (ex: Google), uses complex software to search out and index Internet sites, add them to its database, and then make them available based on key words you enter. Most directories these days also include a search engine. Search engine technology is improving by leaps and bounds with intuitive search engines allowing more "plain language" searching, and using innovative ranking techniques to provide more relevant, concise results. TASK 1: Google is far and away my favorite search engine. Spend 20-30 minutes (don't get hooked into spending hours!) reading the Google Search Tips and trying out some searches. It will be the best minutes you can spend in terms of improving your searching efficiency Learn to use Google well, and it may well become your best Internet friend! TASK 2: Print out Bernie Dodge's Four NETS for Better Searching. Then go to Google to complete Dodge's worksheet (yes, this is a pencil and paper activity). This will show you a very effective approach to using Google's Advanced Search feature. This can be used quite effectively with students by substituting searches that would interest your students (in place of the ones suggested by Dodge). TASK 3: Specialized Search Engines and Directories. Bernie Dodge has links to search engines useful for finding special categories of information, e.g. literature in the public domain, primary source articles, images, biographies, maps, country profiles, etc. Find a resource that would be productive to use with your students. Share the resource and your ideas for using it via ed648@lclark.edu TASK 4: Buddy Group Check! - Check in by email with your buddies. Share what you have found out about your topic of interest. Remember, in Week 3 you will report to the class on what you have been discussing in your Buddy Group and any conclusions you have drawn.
	Additional Information/Resources: Browse the Search Engine Watch site--everything you ever wanted to know about search engines and directories. You may want to sign up to receive the free Search Engine Report Newsletter. Finding Information on the Internet: A TUTORIAL, University of California, Berkeley's Teaching Library Internet Workshops The Tutorial Outline offers a progression from beginning information to advanced searching and beyond. You may pursue the tutorial linearly following the outline or you may skip sections you feel you already know and start anywhere in the outline by clicking on that section. This resource covers search engines, subject directories and the invisible Web!

WEEK 2	Finding, Organizing and Accessing On-Line Materials
DAY 2	More Searching the Internet
	TASK 1: Browse the site: University of Albany's, Searching the Internet: Recommended Sites and Search Techniques. Be sure to also look at the section, Second Generation Searching on the Web, which covers the newer search engines. For those really wanting a comprehensive understanding of search engines and directories, this site is the best, and it is continually updated with the newest information. Get a general sense of the pros/cons of each search tool covered and also the basic syntax used for searching with the various search tools. (Tip: Open a second browser window for doing your searches. File --> New Window, or Page, depending on your browser version). TASK 2: Perhaps you know the specific type of information you want to research. For example, you may know that you want the information to be appropriate for kids, contain primary source materials, and include textual and graphics resources. If you enter these particulars into "NoodleQuest" , you will be given links to the appropriate search vehicles to meet your research needs. Try NoodleQuest out by selecting criteria appropriate for your classroom situation. See what search engine/directory suggestions NoodleQuest comes up with. Vary your criteria and see how the recommendations change. TASK 3: Complete the activity, Scavenger Hunt: Trying Out Internet Search Tools in order to get practice using several of the most popular search engines. Your answers will automatically be emailed to me. (Note: When you click on links for the Search Engines, a new window will open. When you finish using a search engine, you can close that window. Don't hit the "Back" button on the page where you record your answers or you will lose your data. Also, you'll need to complete this task in one sitting. If you quit your browser, your answers will be gone.) Suggestion: Write down your search terms and answers on a piece of paper as you go. Or copy and paste your search terms and answers into a word processing document. Then, if you inadvertently erase your answers, or if you can't finish in one session, it will be a simple matter to re-enter your answers (or copy paste them) into the form!
	Additional Information/Resources: What is the "Invisible or Deep Web?" The fact is that a huge number of pages on the Internet do not show up in standard search engines. Find out more about the this body of hidden resources and try out search engines that will help you find them.