| Three Types of Internet Learners: (taken from Ed4764 Moodle)
If I were to classify myself, which dominates my interaction with the Internet? When I think about my use of the Internet, I'd say I'm tied between being a knowledge-seeker and feature-seeker. I definitely use the Internet to gain knowledge (read the news, research, my photography business), but then I also really enjoy features like Pinterest and Netflix which are very feature-based. Are there strategies that might move you or your students towards becoming knowledge seekers? In PS2, as a pre-reading activity before reading Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird", the students completed a Web Quest. Students were each given a popsicle stick. Grouped by the colour of the stick, each colour group was assigned a context area (Harper Lee's life, the Scottsboro brothers, Jim Crow Laws, Great Depression, etc.). The groups researched their area and answered a series of questions. Then, during the next class, students were then jig-sawed and grouped into number groups (written on their popsicle stick), where they became the expert on their context area, and they shared their notes with everyone else. I think activities like this can move students to become knowledge-seekers, because at least for this Web Quest Jigsaw, they became the experts in their field and were responsible for bringing information to their group members. For students to become knowledge-seekers on the Internet, we need to provide them with two things:
For example, when I was teaching "To Kill A Mockingbird", the final assignment was a written essay on a topic of the student's choice. All of the leg-work for the essay was completed as we read: chapter quotes, character activities, etc. As we read, I encouraged the students that the work they put into the novel during reading would make their essay easier, less stressful, and better! I found that they really gravitated toward this idea of scaffolding - even if they didn't know it as scaffolding. (Note: I had the rest of this blog post typed up...then somehow/somewhere I lost it. What a terrible feeling! Now I'm redoing all of this work...and I've learned my lesson. Frequently SAVE!!!) Comparing Meta-Search Engines:
Invisible Web: I had no idea that Google didn't reach all of the corners of the internet! Perhaps this is naive, but I truly did think, before this, that Google could access all information. Google Earth in the Classroom: I think that Google Earth is a great classroom tool that can be used within a variety of disciplines. As an English major, and hopefully as a future English teacher, I think it would be interesting both for myself and for students to look up different landmarks/geographical areas that we read about in literature. It would also be interesting to see how things have changed/grown using the Time Slider. Do I use advanced search or are you satisfied with the superficial searches to provide “adequate” information? When do I use advanced search features? How can I encourage students to develop their search strategies? I don't often used advanced search, unless I'm using one of the search engines provided by the UofL library (like Academic One Complete) while doing a research paper, for example. If I'm just googling general information, I'll admit that it remains rather superficial. I do know how to use the advanced features, but only because we learned in our PS1 tech class. I think having an overview lesson that introduces students to the different and helpful features would encourage students to develop their strategies. How can teachers increase the student motivation and appreciation for more complex search strategies? I think if the teacher is passionate and explains how the complex search strategies has helped them, students will be more receptive. Also, if the benefits are explicitely explanied to students, they'll be more likely to invest in the search strategies themselves. For example, I gave a few mini-lessons on MLA formatting to my students in PS2. I explained that I never learned MLA formatting (or other formats) in high school, and that it was a huge learning curve that I had to develop on my own. Now, I love the idea of students learning these things before post-secondary. Similarly, if students are invested in their work, the final project will exemplify this. Significant Comments:
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