WJC Technology

May 14, 2012

12 Ways to Be More Search Savvy (from Mindshift)

Filed under: For students — Blair Heald @ 2:50 pm
12 Ways to Be More Search Savvy

Posted: 27 Dec 2011 08:00 AM PST

This week feature the most popular posts on MindShift over the past year.

Google has made it possible for us to have instant information gratification. Just start typing the first letters of your search word and the site intuits your question and offers you the smartest choice of answers.

Seems simple enough. But as quick and facile as the process is, there are ways to be even more efficient, more search-savvy. And it’s our responsibility to teach kids how to find and research information, how to judge its veracity, and when it’s time to ask for a grownup’s help. I spoke to Daniel Russell, Google’s “search anthropologist” in charge of Search Quality and User Happiness (yes, really), who brought to light some important tips you may not have known.

  1. CONTROL F. A deceptively simple tool, the Control F function (or Command F on Macs) allows you to immediately find the word you’re looking for on a page. After you’ve typed in your search, you can jump directly to the word or phrase in the search list. According to Russell, 90 percent of Internet users don’t know this, and spend valuable time scrolling through pages of information trying to find their key word. “They’re being terribly inefficient,” Russell says.
  2. KEEP IT SIMPLE. Use search terms the way you’d like to see them on a Web site. But think of how the author would phrase it. “It’s not about you, it’s about the author,” Russell says. “What would they say and how would they say it? What are some common terms and phrases they’d write? It’s the kind of thing that people over-think and are hyper-analytical about.” Stay on topic and keep it simple.
  3. DEFINE OPERATOR. This has to be one of the best items of Google’s offerings. To learn the definition of a word, just type “Define,” then the word.
  4. ONE MORE SEARCH. It’s one thing to do a quick search for Lady Gaga’s birthday. But for more important questions that have a direct implication on your life, do one more search. Go deeper and find a second corroborating source, just like a journalist would. “We are a credulous society,” Russell says. “When you have something you care about, something you’re going to spend a lot of money on, or an issue with your help, do one extra search. Never single-source anything.”
  5. FIND THE SOURCE. Russell knows first-hand that Web sites can sometimes publish false information. Though we all know how to find contact information for an organization, confirm the phone number, look for the author’s names and trustworthy hallmarks like logos, Russell says “the bad guys know that too. They’re very good at mimicking credible sources of information.” On the site Who.is, searchers can find details about the source: where it’s located, when it was established, and the IP address.
  6. CONFIRM CONTENT. It’s common to find the same phrases and sentences on different sites all over the Web because people duplicate content all the time. To determine the original source of the content, you can look at the date it was written, but that’s also not entirely accurate. When authors edit an article, that changes the posting date. So even if it was originally written in 2005, the date will say 2011 if it was edited last week. Again, here’s when you put on your journalist hat. Trustworthy websites typically have an “errata column” or something like it where mistakes or corrections are posted. Sites where you see strikethroughs (it looks this) publicly show where previously published information has been corrected or stricken. You’ll also see “Updates” at the top of articles, where clarifications are published, which shows the Web site’s intention of providing the most accurate information. “Those idioms were not practicable or doable in pre-technology days,” Russell says. “You have to understand how the practice of writing and publishing is changing.”
  7. LINK OPERATOR. The way Google ranks sites can be confusing. Sometimes even when a site has negative comments or reviews, it still rises to the top of the search list simply because it’s been mentioned the most. When you want to know what other sites are saying about the site you’re searching, type in “Link: www.yourwebsitename.com” and you’ll see all the posts that mention that site. Whether it’s following up on a debatable article or the reputation of an online shop or person, it’s another incredibly useful research tool that didn’t exist in “pre-Web times,” as Russell puts it.
  8. DON’T USE THE + SIGN. It might have negative side effects, Russell says. Adding the + sign will force the search engine to look for only that phrase and may tweak the search in a way you didn’t intend. That said, it’s a useful tool for looking up foreign words or very low-frequency words.
  9. PAY ATTENTION TO “GOOGLE INSTANT.” In most cases, Google’s instant search function, which is fairly new, will accurately predict what you’re searching for and offer suggestions. “Pay attention to it,” Russell says. “You don’t need to keep typing!” And sometimes it’ll help you come up with the right words for your search phrase. It’s all part of tapping into the wisdom of the crowd, he says. “It’s good when you’re stuck in a hard research problem. Like ‘Which kind of hybrid vehicle should I buy?’ might result in ‘hybrid minivans’ or other ideas you might not have known about.’”

10.  SWITCH ON SAFETY MODE. If you’ve got kids in the house, Russell suggests enabling safe search. In your Search Settings, scroll down to SafeSearch Filtering (or use Control F to find it quickly!) and choose what level filter you want to use. You can tailor it to every computer in the house. Google offers all kinds of safe search tips and functions on Google’s Family Safety Center. And what to tell kids if they accidentally stumble upon an inappropriate site? “I always tell my kids the Internet is a big, wide place, and if you find something inappropriate, hit the “back” button,” he says. A teacher he knows tells her class to just instantly close the laptop when they find something objectionable. “It’s an instant signal to the teacher in a K-8 class that something is not right, and it gives the teacher the opportunity to talk about how the student got there, and how to avoid that in the future.” The tactic might not work as well in the high school setting, though, Russell jokes.

  1. FUNCTIONS GALORE. You can use Google to do calculations (just type in “Square root of 99″ or “Convert 12 inches to mm”). You can search patents, images, videos, language translations. And even if you can’t remember a Google function, you can easily search it. “I use Google to Google Google,” Russell says. “You don’t have to remember URLs.”
  2. LEFT-HAND SIDE TOOLS. Most people don’t notice these exist, but when you search a topic, a list of useful, interesting tools come up. For example, when you type in War of 1812, on the left hand side, you’ll see “Images,” “Videos,” etc., but below that you’ll see things like “Timeline,” which maps out a time sequence of events around the War of 1812 and links to each of those events. There’s also a dictionary, related searches, and a slew of other helpful links.

To those who wonder if Google is making us stupid, Russell has a pithy response: “Plato said that about books.”

I better go search that.

100 Intro Open Courses on Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Learn

Filed under: For students — Blair Heald @ 2:48 pm

 

http://www.stumbleupon.com/to/s/1QJE91

450 Free Online Courses from Top Universities

Filed under: For students — Blair Heald @ 2:44 pm

http://www.openculture.com/freeonlinecourses

May 17, 2011

10 Open Education Resources You May Not Know About

Filed under: For students, Web 2.0 ideas — Blair Heald @ 1:29 pm

http://mindshift.kqed.org/2011/05/10-open-education-resources-you-may-not-know-about-but-should/

April 5, 2010

The Web resources below originally appeared in the Winter and Spring 2010 issue of Gifted Child Today.

Filed under: For students, Integrating Technology into the Classroom — Blair Heald @ 3:53 pm

Booksfree  http://www.booksfree.com Booksfree is a rental service where parents can obtain unlimited access to children’s books. This is like Netflix for books! More than 28,000 children’s books can be rented for a flat monthly fee. When a child is finished reading the books, just mail them back and the next books on your queue will be automatically mailed to you. Shipping is free both ways and there are no late fees.

SAT Question of the Day  http://apps.collegeboard.com/qotd/question.do  It’s not too early to start practicing for the SAT! This page is provided by the College Board and features a daily practice question to help students prepare for the test. There is a link to a hint for those who are stumped. Students can see how well they stacked up against everyone else who tried this item. In addition, students can sign in to track their own statistics and may print practice questions.

Music and Musicians Database http://www.laphil.com/philpedia/musicians-database.cfm Brought to you by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, this site allows people to browse music by title or composer. One can search for biographies of composers, conductors, musical artists, or even Los Angeles Philharmonic musicians. When conducting a search by composer, it displays upcoming performance dates at Walt Disney Concert Hall featuring that person’s pieces. Also included are audio samples of various musical works.

Calculate Pi by Throwing Frozen Hot Dogs
http://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-Pi-by-Throwing-Frozen-Hot-Dogs  Math has never been more fun! This site features the steps for a Monte Carlo Simulation that uses random numbers to solve a problem. Students throw frozen hot dogs and measure the number of times they cross lines that have been placed down beforehand. Once students are finished throwing the hot dogs, they then multiply the number of tosses by two divided by the number of crosses on the lines and they will have an approximation of pi! The site contains specific details for conducting this experiment.

Logical Fallacies http://onegoodmove.org/fallacy/toc.htm Sound logic is essential in making a claim. Is there such a thing as a straw man argument? What is the difference between a post hoc fallacy and a complex cause fallacy? What does it mean when someone is going down a “slippery slope” with his or her logic? This online guide describes different logical fallacies, gives the definition, provides an example, and describes the steps needed to prove that the fallacy was committed. The author of this website points out that this guide is intended to help visitors with their own thinking rather than pointing out other people’s flaws in logic.

Illusions http://psylux.psych.tu-dresden.de/i1/kaw/diverses Material/www.illusionworks.com/html/jump_page.html  In one common illusion, some people may see a young woman while others may see the face of an old woman. This site talks about illusions such as this and features interactive demonstrations where students can see illusions in art, and try to figure out some illusion puzzles. This site also has a link to books on illusions, cutting-edge cognitive science research, and companies that sell illusion products. If students can’t get enough, there are more links to other sites dealing with illusion, perception, and cognitive science.

Letterboxing http://www.letterboxing.orgWhat do treasure hunts and rubber stamp artistry have in common? Letterboxing is a fast-growing outdoor hobby. A letterbox contains a rubber stamp and a notebook and is hidden in a weatherproof box in a public place. Participants find these letterboxes by following clues on websites or by word of mouth. Upon the discovery of one, participants will stamp their personal notebook to provide proof of finding it and also leave an impression of their own personal stamp in the letterbox notebook as record of their visit.

Knots  http://www.realknots.com/knots  Have your students ever wondered how to tie a monkey fist or needed to secure something with a bowline knot? Then this is the website for them! Step-by-step instructions and diagrams show them how to tie these knots and more. Students can find the knot that they are looking for with the alphabetical knot index.

MysteryNet’s Kids Mysteries http://kids.mysterynet.com Do your students love mysteries? MysteryNet’s Kids Mysteries needs their help in solving them! There are 28 different cases on this web page that students can read through and then solve the case at the end of each one! Also featured are magic tricks and mysteries that other kids have written.

Building a Model Railroad http://www.building-your-model-railroad.com/index.html This handy site shows students how to get started in building their own model railroad. First, they need to select a theme, decide on the scale, and then consider how they will display it. Layout designs and different types of model railroad software are discussed. Suggestions on other important topics such as lighting, benchwork, backdrop, laying the track, wiring, and scenery also are included. A gallery of train photos can give children ideas about what they want their model railroad to look like.

Goosebumps http://www.scholastic.com/goosebumps Calling all Goosebumps fans! This is a website that features the popular book and TV series. Students can read a synopsis of the coolest, scariest, and favorite episodes. Fans can join in on chain stories and vote on their favorite endings. If you have students who think they are experts on Goosebumps books, TV shows, and DVDs, they can even try their hand at the Goosebumps trivia game.

Healthy Pets  http://www.healthypet.com  Have you ever wondered if it?s OK for your dog to lick your child’s face? Have you been debating about whether to microchip your pet? This helpful website provides information on cat, dog, small mammal, and exotic animal and bird care. Information on pet behavior, health, nutrition, and general breed information is all available here.

December 7, 2009

Free Homework Help

Filed under: For students — Blair Heald @ 2:29 pm

Alabama’s Free Live Online Homework Help Service

Free online help from real tutors: http://homework.apls.state.al.us/

Web Resources from Gifted Child Today Fall 2009

Filed under: For students, General — Blair Heald @ 1:15 pm

Investing for Kids
http://efinancedirectory.com/article_directory/Investing_for_Kids.html

What are Exchange Traded Funds? What is the difference between a spread and a bid? What do banks do with the money that you deposit and what does the FDIC have to do with it? How is coin and paper money really made? What is the difference between CDs and bonds? Features on this Web site include kid-friendly tips on avoiding identity theft, the basics of investing, how to create a budget, and how the stock market works.

The Smithsonian for Students
http://smithsonianeducation.org/students

If the movie Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian whetted your appetite to learn more about the Smithsonian Museum collection, then this site will get you even more excited about the museum’s 142 million objects, including everything from fossils to tapestries. On this site you will find profiles of our nation’s presidents, a “Walking on the Moon” Apollo 11 mission page, and some of the Smithsonian’s collections as well as tips for starting your own collection. The Secrets of the Smithsonian features behind-the-scenes secrets such as the history of the Hope Diamond and even spiders in space!

Willard Wigan Micro Sculptures
http://www.willard-wigan.com/default.aspx

Read about this artist who creates sculptures of such small proportions that you need a microscope to see them. Each piece typically sits within the eye of a needle or on a pinhead. As a creative outlet to deal with dyslexia at school, Willard started making minute pieces of art from the age of 5. This site features a gallery of his work, including replicas of the Statue of Liberty, Tutankhamen, and Marilyn Monroe.

 

The Berenstain Bears
http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/berenstainbears

This Web site features all of the Berenstain Bears books. Students can browse through short descriptions of all of them, find out more information on how to purchase them, and check out a section on new releases. In the activities section, you’ll find an interactive coloring game, a “Money Matters” presentation, coloring sheets, and more.

Classics for Kids
http://www.classicsforkids.com

Do you know students who are interested in composing their own music? Who want to know more about the different instrument families? Who need to get those musical periods down once and for all? If so, then this Web site is for them. Students can search composers by musical period, by country, or browse for a particular composer on a timeline. One link allows visitors to listen to entire movements of famous pieces by Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Mendelssohn, and more. A musical dictionary might come in handy for those cryptic musical terms. There also are games to play, including Compose Your Own Music and Rockin’ Rhythm Master.

May 28, 2009

Lit2Go

Filed under: For students, Integrating Technology into the Classroom, Language Arts — Blair Heald @ 1:44 pm

This college has created 100’s of sound files for classic literature from K age – college age.  You can download the book or story being read or you can download a copy of the book or story.  It has Aesop’s Fables, fairy tales, poetry, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, etc.  I found this web site through iTunes:  http://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/index.htm  or http://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/ If you have iTunes, you can download these books into your iTunes library.

 

From the website:

Lit2Go is a free online collection of stories and poems in Mp3 (audiobook) format. You can:

  • Download the files to your Mp3 player and listen on the go,
  • Listen to the Mp3 files on your computer,
  • View the text on a webpage and read along as you listen,
  • Print out the stories and poems to make your own book.

 

February 8, 2009

The Web resources below originally appeared in the Winter 2009 issue of Gifted Child Today.

Filed under: For students, Integrating Technology into the Classroom — Blair Heald @ 9:45 am

Optical Illusions and Visual Phenomena
http://www.michaelbach.de/ot/index.html

Our brain uses depth cues to help us perceive and make sense of sensory stimuli. Artificial manipulations can cause us to think we are seeing something that is not there. This Web site is full of optical illusions and visual phenomena. Learn about size constancy, gestalt effects, and things that look like they are moving, but really aren’t!

Visual Puns, Animal Adjectives, Grammar Advice, and More!
http://www.ripleywoodbury.com/News/VisPun.html

Do your students enjoy figuring out puns? Have them guess what phrase this is referring to: History History History. If they guessed “history repeats itself,” that is correct! In addition to puns, the Web site offers a variety of other puzzles and interesting information to challenge students.

Virtual Keyboard
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/music/piano

This virtual keyboard allows users to play one octave of notes. With the click of a mouse, one can select from piano, organ, saxophone, flute, pan pipes, strings, guitar, steel drums, and double bass settings. There is a chord feature that allows users to play chords. With six different drum beats to choose from, students can make their own music in no time at all!

BookCrossing
http://www.bookcrossing.com

BookCrossing has allowed more than 740,000 people in more than 130 countries to recycle books. A book registered on BookCrossing is ready for adventure–all you have to do is leave it on a park bench or a coffee shop for a new reader to find! Track the book’s journey around the world as it travels from person to person. This Web site also has forums for book lovers to discuss favorite authors, characters, and books in every genre.

FEMA for Kids
http://www.fema.gov/kids

This site has plenty of resources for kids on how to be prepared for disasters. Have your students read about the difference between a flood watch and a flood warning, and what the Richter scale is. The site details what kids should have in their activity survival kit and how to protect their home from disasters. There is information on canine heroes who have been specially trained to search and find people who were trapped in a disaster area. Students also can find out what to do if someone is hit by lightning, and check out a tornado-safe room built by middle school students.

Factory Tours
http://factorytoursusa.com

Have you ever wanted to tour the Blue Bell Creameries in Brenham, TX? The National Braille Press in Boston, MA? How about the United States Mint in Denver, CO? The John Deere Pavilion in Moline, IL? Traveling to Washington? Why not make time to stop by Mukilteo and tour the Boeing Everett factory? If you are interested in antique woodworking machinery, visit the Blue Ox Millwork factory in Eureka, CA. This Web site has more than 500 factory tours listed by state. Each tour lists entry fees, hours of operation, and contact information. What a great way to discover interesting factories in your area!

February 26, 2008

Homework Help/Study Skills

Filed under: For students — Blair Heald @ 9:59 pm

1.      Use Fact Monster for ideas to write about, homework help, current events and more. 2.      Incorporate memory boosters from Scholastic Homework Hub in your classes.  3.      Use printable, outline maps to color and label from National Geographic’s Homework Help.  4.      Students can learn to study at HowtoStudy.com.   5.      Students can pick a study guide being successful in school at Study Guides and Strategies.