[MACEP] searching with Google--appropriately

[Lynn Lary]

Hi,

I had a conversation today with a person who told me that their 
school is not allowing students to use Google because inappropriate 
search results were coming up. The example that she had given was, 
"bunnies" and sure enough nothing really related to rabbits came up 
when I searched for this word.

My suggestion was that rather than block Google, perhaps the staff 
should teach the students how to search effectively. Having students 
enter a single word into a search engine and having both the teacher 
and student think that this is a good search is a not a good thing. 
When I suggested that perhaps they do a more meaningful search such 
as bunny habitat, the results were vastly different than the initial 
search.

My experience is that adults think that students know how (without 
ever being taught) to search effectively. This just doesn't seem to 
be the case...How can we get folks to understand that that it isn't 
the tool, but the user, that is the problem?

Do any of you have a search curriculum that you are using at elem, 
ms, and hs levels that you think is effective?

Thanks in advance.

Lynn

>HI All,
>
>I am interested in learning what/how other districts are using 
>Google domains and web pages, along with the many other features of 
>Google. With the exception of the Goolge search, I don't see much of 
>a downside to using the many other features of Google, and in fact 
>can think of many advantages to using these in instruction (Google 
>notebook, docs and spreadsheets, Page Creator, domains, etc.)
>
>Maybe I am naive...
>
>I would like to get a wider perspective from all of you about the 
>advantages and disadvantages, and ways to effectively use these 
>tools districtwide.
>
>Thanks in advance for any info you can give!
>
>Tricia George
>--
>Tricia George
>TOSA Instructional Technology
>georgep at nclack.k12.or.us
>503.353.6117
>
>_______
>
>"The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity." 
>~~ Dorothy Parker (1893 - 1967)
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-- 
Have a good day,

Lynn

Lynn M. Lary, Instructional Technology Specialist
Lane ESD
1200 Hwy 99N
Eugene, OR 97402
(541) 461-8216; FAX (541) 461-8335
http://www.lane.k12.or.us/insttech/

"Helping schools make effective use of current and future 
technologies as tools for improving student learning."