The searching I conducted before the mapping activity is something I would consider to be average. I believe that I knew enough information about searching to find some of the items that might be needed. Before completing the activity I would have never took time to notice the makeup of URLS. I had no idea that they are made of up based on domain name and extension. The extensions also are compatible to the business in which you are researching. Examples include extensions as such as, “edu”, which means educational organization, “com” which means company, and “org” which means any organization. This information is very important and will also help me to explain to my students that this information can help when searching for various webs sites. I also did not know that there is a website that gives you certain credibility’s as such as the authors of websites. When conducting the siteing of sources it can be very difficult to find all the information needed to complete it.
The searching that I will conduct now after the mapping activity would include being more knowledgeable about the different search engines. Before I would just use google because that was the only one I was knowledgeable about. Now that I know we have more than one way to search, I can now use “Yahoo” which is the web's oldest directory, “Ask Jeeves” which gained fame for using "natural language" search engine that let you search by asking questions and responded with what seemed to be the right answer to everything and, “HotBot” which provides easy access to the web's three major crawler-based search engines: Yahoo, Google and Teoma. With new knowledge of the different web search engines, I now have more resources for finding information that I may need in case one may not offer may exact search. I also learned that the websites history can provide you with great information that can help with your research. Usually when I look try a website, I go by what’s given on the page of where my information is located, but I also noticed that many of those pages don’t give me all the information I need. From now on when looking for certain information, the history of the web page will also be an option to help in my findings.
After learning all this new information about searching I know I will most definitely be making changes on how I search in the future. The information given gave me more options and knowledge on searching for information needed. I learned that the web has lots of meanings and reason for its being. I hope that with the new information I will be able to teach my students new tricks in searching for information. I also plan on always giving a full lesson on searching before have my students to go and research information. My students will not only have the opportunity to learn how to research information for school but also to help them in the future with the endeavors of searching for anything they may want or need for their own personal reasons. I value the opportunity to learn new ways to not only better my future students but also myself. I want to be very literate in technology so I can use all my resources create the best activities for proper learning. I am too excited a being a future teacher and also providing all this new information learned in order to help them.
Citations
Incisive Interactive Marketing LLC.( 2011). Major Search Engines Directories. Retrieved from http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2048976/Major-Search-Engines-and-Directories.
November Learning. (2011). How to Read a Web Address. Retrieved from http://novemberlearning.com/resources/information-literacy-resources/iv-how-to-read-a-web-address/
2 comments:
I am also excited about teaching my students about how to search. The ones that listen and use what I plan to teach them will have am much easier time searching. I also like the easywhois website like you mentioned. I had no idea that such a site existed and I can't tell you how many times since learning about it I've come across research sites that I've used in the past and became irritated that I had to spend so much time trying to find out who the author was. Now, I don't have to. Today, I actually put my High School's domain name in the easywhois website. I found out that it was made in 2005 by our computer class teacher. 2005 was when that teacher started teaching and I only started going to that school in 2004. I had no idea that they didn't have a website (or at least the website that I know) until 2005. It's intersting finding out how much you thought you knew but didn't. Well, at least I know how to use the internet to my advantage now.
~Stacy Hill~
I am a fan of your posting here Stacy because you grasp the reality of learning good techniques for internet usage and passing on what you have learned to your students not only for an immediate assignment but also to carry the knowledge with them for a lifetime. Learning is fun and with a little effort can take you wherever you want to go in this life. There is no limit what we can achieve and learn and that is so important to pass on. I like how you were honest with yourself in how much you already knew or didn't know. Good job!
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