Using the Internet for Research

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Using the Internet for Research

• Danielle Vogel
• EHS

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The one with the most TOYS wins!
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The one with the most INFORMATION wins!
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• If all our children learn to do is read, they
  will
• not be literate. (p. 21)
• David Warlick
• Redefining Literacy for the 21st Century

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NETSSNational Educational Technology Standards
for Students

• Guidelines for technology use created by the
  International Society for Technology in Education
  (1998).
• Standard 2 Students practice responsible use of
  technology systems, information, and software.
  Students develop positive attitudes toward
  technology uses that support lifelong learning,
  collaboration, personal pursuits, and
  productivity.
• Standard 3Students use technology tools to
  enhance learning, increase productivity, and
  promote creativity.
• Standard 5 Students use technology to locate,
  evaluate, and collect information from a variety
  of sources. Students evaluate and select new
  information resources and technological
  innovations based on the appropriateness for
  specific tasks.

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The Lesson Objectives

• To learn how a search engine works
• To locate specific information on the Internet
• To learn search math
• To publish information in an interactive
  presentation

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Learn how a Search Engine Works

• A search engine scans a websites index for the
  words or phrases you entered in the search box.
• Not all search engines are equal
• According to Danny Sullivan (2004) of
  searchenginewatch.com

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The Assignment

• Choose an endangered animal and research its
  environment and why it is threatened.
• You have chosen to research the Florida Manatee
  and will use one of the four most popular search
  engines to narrow down your information.

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Being Bigger does not mean Better

• Lets try it out!
• Turn to the Not all search engines are created
  equal worksheet.
• Using Google, MSN, Yahoo!, and Ask Geeves
  (Ask.com), we are going to find the number of
  hits using the search term Florida Manatee.

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The Results
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What did we find?

• Google savethemanatee.org and sites about
  swimming with the Manatee
• MSN Manatee tours and Manatee County
• Yahoo! Port Manatee and Manatee County
• Ask.com swim with the Manatee and Save the
  Manatee clubs

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How can we narrow our search?

• We have searched for sites containing the words
  Florida AND Manatee.
• Lets put quotation marks around our search
  term to force our search engines to find only
  pages that have both words together.
• Look at your worksheet and fill-in while we
  search.

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The Results Florida Manatee
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What did we find?

• Still found sites about Manatee County, Manatee
  tours and save the Manatee clubs
• Lets narrow down our search even further

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Narrow the Search further

• We only want to find information on Florida
  Manatee habitats and threats to the Manatee
• Final search phrase
• Florida Manatee county club tours
• This search phrase forces whichever search engine
  you use to look for pages containing the words
  Florida Manatee but not county, club or tours
• The results are more narrow and likely to contain
  what you are searching for.

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Search Engine Math

• Quotation Marks force search engines to find
  pages with the search phrase
• Subtraction Sign (-) removes words from searches

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Why is Search Math Important?

• By explicitly teaching students search math, they
  become better investigators of information
• Students should keep a search log to help them
  record search terms and finding. I have included
  an example search log I modified from David
  Warlicks book Redefining Literature for the 21st
  Century.

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Application - Scavenger Hunt

• Have students try Internet searching on their
  own.
• Create a list of topics you want your students to
  find information on.
• Using what they have learned about search math,
  students find the answers and present them using
  a quiz format by hyperlinking PowerPoint slides.

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Conclusion

• Students should be investigators of information.
• Giving students the tools and skills to find
  information primes them to investigate further
  through evaluation of those sources.

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Resources

• Sullivan, D. (2004). Search engine size wars V
  erupts. Retrieved June 12, 2006 from
  http//blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/041111-0842
  21.
• Warlick, D. (2005). Redefining Literacy for the
  21st century. Ohio
• Linworth Publishing, Inc.