Study Plans   
Home ]

 

Mining the Web for Educational Resources

Search engines are indispensable tools for Web-based research.  Most, however, are too indiscriminate to be useful to young users.  For example, searching for "White House" on the search engine Alta Vista returns over a half-million hits, most of which will be irrelevant or inappropriate for elementary-school students.   To prevent frustration and inefficiency, experiment beforehand with search engines designed specifically for children.  Bookmark the ones you like best and organize them into a "search  engine folder" on your Web browser.  Limit your students to these as they explore specific topics you have researched in advance.

About Search Engines
How to Find Anything Online:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1047718,00.asp

False Oracles: Consumer Reaction to Learning the Truth about How Search Engines Work:
http://www.consumerwebwatch.org/news/searchengines/ContextReport.pdf
Reports an experiment on how people use search engines which found that most searchers had no idea that some of the top results they were clicking on were paid placement results.

Webresearch Guide of ScienceDirect: http://www.webresearch.sciencedirect.com/
"including expert tips on how to use search engines effectively, focus on quality STM information only, find hidden scientific information online, locate peer-reviewed, subject-specific directories, and set up subject-specific alerts that automatically e-mail you the latest news"

Search Engines
For useful Internet research, you must find a search engine or directory site that is most appropriate to your search. Some search engines specialize in particular topics. Specialized search engines have been lifesavers for many Web users, primarily because they make it easier to dig into the "invisible Web," the online content that is not usually found by general search tools like Yahoo or Excite.  But specialization comes with a price.  Instead of being able to check many sources with just one search, Web searchers looking for the unusual browse directories of specialty engines and then run their searches on each engine, one after the other. Here are a few search engines to help you find what you're looking for:
The Amazing Picture Machine: http://www.ncrtec.org/picture.htm
The purpose of this site is to provide 21st-century students with a search engine from which they can pull up images from around the Internet. Educators, check out the site's greatest feature: a bank of sample lesson plans that encourage students to graphically explore a theme, such as biome investigation, fractions, and Native American history.

Ask Jeeves for Kids: www.ajkids.com
Children type in a question for Jeeves to answer, an easy-to-use format youngsters tend to like. A built-in spell-checker helps by[ass snags--like looking for Pludo instead of Pluto.

Bubl Link: http://link.bubl.ac.uk/linksearch
Selected Internet resources covering all academic subject areas

CompletePlanet: http://www.completeplanet.com/

Copernic:  http://copernic.com/
popular with librarians

Dib Dab Doo and Dilly Too: http://www.dibdabdoo.com/
Children's search engine with no advertising.

Google Local Search: http://local.google.com/lochp
It "will allow Google to display more local information in response to search requests that include a ZIP code or a city's name," the Washington Post reports:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A430-2004Mar17.html. A little compass icon can be clicked to get a map and directions.

HealthWeb: http://healthweb.org/

INFOMINE: Scholarly Internet Resource Collections: http://infomine.ucr.edu/search.phtml

Kartoo Metasearch: http://www.kartoo.com/en/kartoo.html
Kartoo is a metasearch engine with visual data flow,visual display interfaces. As soon as you launch a search, Kartoo analyses your request, questions the most relevant engines, selects the best sites and places them on a map.

KidsClick!: http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/kidsclick!
Developed by librarians, this site has limited content but no advertising and a unique feature; results can be organized by grade level.

Mamma: http://mama.com/
The Montreal-based, self-described "mother of all search engines" aggregates the search results
of Google, Yahoo, and other services.
One hot mamma of a stock: http://news.com.com/2100-1023_3-5173680.html

NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Internet Resource Index
http://www.ncl.ac.uk/library/azindex.html

OAIster Search Interface: http://oaister.umdl.umich.edu/index.html
OAIster is a Mellon-funded project of the University of Michigan Digital Library Production Services. The OAIster search interface allows users the opportunity to freely access and search a wide variety of digital resources from various institutions. Users can view each collection separately or search the database by keyword, author, title, or subject. This user-friendly interface is valuable to students, teachers, researchers, and other information professionals needing simultaneous access to a variety of digital resources.

ProFusion: http://beta.profusion.com/,
Proflusion the site lets people search multiple "invisible Web" sources at the same time. Because ProFusion retrieves data from multiple specialty search engines, it is slow but worth the time because the search only has to be done on one search engine.

Search Engine Showdown: http://searchengineshowdown.com/

Teoma: http://www.teoma.com/
A search engine that lists webpages based on sites linked to them.

Turbo10 search Engine: http://turbo10.com/

Vivisimo Document Clustering-automatic categorization and content integration: http://vivisimo.com/

Way-back Machine: http://www.archive.org/index.html
This is a site that is building a complete archive of all versions of Websites. If you are looking for a site and it is not available any more or if you want a previous version of a site, try looking for it on the Way-back Machine.

WhittleBit Search Engine: http://whittlebit.com/index.php
"WhittleBit works much like most other search engines, except it can help you to refine your searches by allowing you to give positive or negative feedback on each search result." Not entirely successful in the searches I ran, since it kept reinstating results I'd said no to, but the approach has promise.

Yahooligans: http://www.yahooligans.com/

HANDBOOK of ENGAGED LEARNING PROJECTS http://www-ed.fnal.gov/help/index.html
Technology is an increasingly popular tool for learning. These classroom projects were designed by K-12 teachers to demonstrate engaged learning and effective use of technology. They seem to be advanced projects for students and teachers.  They worked closely with a staff of experienced educators and computer specialists at Fermilab's Lederman Science Center.

Learning Through Dynamic Simulations:   http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/edu/icm/
The reasons to use simulations in a classroom, some examples of simulation projects, and how they fit in state standards.

Digital Video for Educators: http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/Cyberia/DVE/FusionDVE/  
Lesson plans to make and use videos in the classroom.  Some need additional software, some do not.  This site sells some of the software. 

Are We There Yet?: http://www.ncrtec.org/pd/wisdwww/arewe/thereyet.htm
Project using many aspects of computer technology.  Great addition of questions and answers by the teacher of problems and solutions that she ran into when doing the project.

If you are itching to begin using the Internet in the classroom but need some help, be sure to visit Internet 101: http://www2.famvid.com/i101/internet101.html. This simple guide defines Internet terminology, describes how the Internet works, and explains search engines, email, and viruses.

The CyberLibrarian's Reststop: http://www.angelfire.com/in/virtuallibrarian/
This site includes great tutorials and helpful tools for all Web searchers. Check out 2a- Evaluating What You Find (Tips for Selecting Resources); clear and precise, without being unappealing.
Grade Level: Middle School, High School, College, Adult/Professional 
Content Area: Technology (Internet)
Application Type: Web-based Tutorial

Sure, the Internet is a valuable educational resource.  Sure, it makes research a snap. Sure, it can provide you with reams of information on almost every topic under the sun. The question is, how much of that information can you actually use?
The Internet's main strength is also its main problem: it is freely accessible. Anyone with a computer and modem can publish anything to a worldwide audience in a matter of minutes. There is no way to regulate content, and Web sites often contain inaccurate, unsubstantiated, or misleading information.
So how can you separate the wheat from the chaff? The process of identifying accurate information is called "information literacy." If you and your students are to benefit from the vast opportunities the Internet offers, then information literacy skills are imperative.
The first step is to recognize that not everything you read on the Internet is true, even if the Web site you are viewing looks great. Learn how to doubt.  Question everything you read. Talk to experts.  Supplement your research with material from other sources, online as well as off.
Next, consider the source of the information. Is it hosted on a free domain? Be wary of sites with URLs with "user" or "userpages" in the title. These sites are published by individuals using free hosting services and often contain personal opinions rather than actual facts.  Is the author an expert in his or her field? It is always a good idea to investigate the background of the author or sponsoring organization before you accept the information as true.
Examine the motivation of the source. Does it seem that the Web site you are viewing is available for the sole purpose of disseminating information? Is the site trying to sell something? Is the site sponsored by a group with a particular bias toward the subject matter?
And finally, check for the date of publication. Very often, sites contain obsolete information. How recently was the information put online? Is the content relevant in the current context? How often is the Web site updated? You will usually be able to find a note telling you when the site was last updated. If it looks as if it has been abandoned, you may want to look elsewhere for corroboration.
As you become more familiar with the Internet, you'll find that separating the wheat from the chaff will become an easier task. Make information literacy a priority, and you'll discover a richer, more rewarding educational experience.

Ways to Take Charge of the Web
1. Use your hobbies and passions as points of entry to the World Wide Web.  If you love auctions, check out ebay: www.ebay.com, the on-line auction house.  Join literary-minded folds at Salon: www.salon.com to discuss the classics or the latest best sellers on-line. 
2. Begin by teaching basic Internet safety rules and discuss the importance of observing them.  Rules you might include in your policy:  students may access only those Web sites that you, the teacher, have approved; never give out yourour students loose with a set of encyclopedias or a stack of Ranger Rick magazines, you shouldn't expect them to find information on-line without a framework. 
3. Search engines are indispensable tools for Web-based research.  Most, however, are too indiscriminate to be useful to young users.  For example, searching for "White House" on the search engine Alta Vista returns over a half-million hits, most of which will be irrelevant or inappropriate for elementary-school students.   To prevent frustration and inefficiency, experiment beforehand with search engines designed specifically for children.  Bookmark the ones you like best and organize them into a "search  engine folder" on your Web browser.  Limit your students to these as they explore specific topics you have researched in advance. 

6.  Use the World Wide Web to lighten your load.  If you know where to look, you can find ready-to-use lesson plans, reproducible, and activities to support curriculum and standards.

ThemeScape is not a search engine. It does help find information, but in a different way.  Just as geographic maps can visually guide you to your destination or help you explore new places, information maps can guide you to documents or resources while exposing new information you may wish to view.   ThemeScape:  http://www.cartia.com/products/demo.html emerged from the research efforts of the Pacific Northwest national laboratory for a consortium of government intelligence agencies that wanted to relate huge numbers of documents based on common themes. 
ThemeScape's key technology -- Spatial Paragigm for information Retrieval and Exploration, or SPIRE -- provides a 3-D representation where the number of relevant documents available determines the height of a mountain on the program's information map.   Similarly, the proximity of one mountain to another is determined by how much the two information sources have in common.  This, ThemeScape addresses three critical information needs.  It provides general intelligence analysis.  It provides new contest by uncovering information buried in huge data bases, and it provides a way to distribute information.    Cartia has created infromation maps built from as many as 750,000 documents. 
7. Teach kids to navigate a Web site effectively.  One good way to do this is to model for students how they can get the most out of a site.  We have an LCD projector so you can conduct a class lesson on a popular site.  Discuss how you would be selective about clicking on the site's links, opting for ones that are most relevant to your interests. 
8.  Use the Web as a professional development tool.  Go on-line to network with other teachers, exchange ideas, and learn about the latest research findings in your field.  For example, Reading Online: www.readingonline.org, an electronic journal developed by the International Reading Association, offers the latest research findings in literacy as well as news about professional conferences and literacy-related events.  Instructor's Teacher Forum at Scholastic: www.scholastic.com invites teacher input on a different professional development issue each month.  And www.EdsOasis.org offers teacher-generated lesson plans and discussion groups with a special focus on ESL students.
9.  Teach children how to avoid plagiarism.  The availability of digital texts and graphics makes it all too easy for youngsters to cut and paste information and photographs into their reports and projects without considering ownership.  Just as you teach students appropriate use and citation of printed reference materials, do the same with respect to on-line resources.  Post examples of correct citations in your computer area.
10. For advanced users, create on-line writers' portfolios for your students.   Consider creating a class Web  site and using it to extend your portfolio management system.  By hyperlinking individual Web pages for each of your students to your class's site, you can offer a far-reaching forum in which to discuss their progress as writers and to display their final products.  By using this electronic medium, you'll add a new dimension to traditional student portfolios, one that can have a profound impact on student's motivation to develop their writing skills and become published authors. 

Additional On-line Resources

Students can be introduced to Web-based research with Little Explorers: www.littleexplorers.com, Enchanted Learning's free on-line picture dictionary of more than 1,100 entries.   Children easily navigate the site by licking on a letter of the alphabet, which stretches in bright colors across the top of the home page.  Clicking on n, for instance, leads to a page of entries, each consisting of a picture and a one-sentence definition beginning with that letter.  Most entries also provide links to related educational sites.  While pre-readers may not have the skills to use these, they will enjoy perusing the picture dictionary as they build basic computer skills.   English-French, English-Spanish, English-German, and English-Portuguese versions of the dictionary provide an opportunity to introduce foreign-language concepts and vocabulary. 

NYSC&TE has established a partnership with ThinkQuest.   ThinkQuest, Inc is the largest and fastest-growing Internet-based non-profit education program in the world.  ThinkQuest provides an educational and highly motivating opportunity for students and educators to expand their academic and technical skills and increase their awareness of the Internet by encouraging them to create high quality, innovative and content-rich Web sites that are made freely available to others via the Internet at http://www.thinkquest.org.   One of their first competitions of the year is called ThinkQuest Junior.   ThinkQuest Junior is a classroom-based competition that encourages girls and boys in grades 4-6 to take a meaningful interest in computers and technology. ThinkQuest Junior helps teachers promote the "Internet Style" of learning an interactive, participatory method that encourages students to take advantage of the Internet as a constantly growing source of information and as a powerful collaborative tool. Making learning fun for other students of the same age, ThinkQuest Junior teams create educational Web sites on a variety of subjects. More than $250,000 in cash, and awards are given to winning students, teachers and their schools.  

The Odyssey: World Trek for Service and Education www.worldtrek.org.  It has lesson plans that can be mailed to the teacher each day. 

Visit http://hometown.aol.com to learn more and get up to 12 MB of free Web publishing space.  Not an AOL member? No worries, you can still create Web pages in Hometown. If you have a screen name for AOL Instant Messenger, My AOL, or Personal
Finance Web Center you can use that, if not, create a screen name, sign-in and let the fun begin.
Create a screen name:  http://hometown.aol.com/_cqr/_register/createsn.adp

This site began in March 1998 and was created by Janet Luch. 
Email questions and comments to: studyplans@yahoo.com