We take for granted that students know how to use technology
to effectively search for information online. This is largely due to the fact
that most kids are always on their phones, ipods or computers. So we assume that they all know how to
effectively use them. The truth is, they don’t. If we want our kids to become
expert online searchers, basic search skills need to be explicitly taught- the
earlier the better.
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| This is the amount of technology my 20 4th graders bring to school with them each day! |
How it All Started...
I first noticed the problem at the beginning of the school
year. My 4th graders were surrounded
by technology, but couldn’t seem to find the answers to their guided inquiry
questions. They had access to
information everywhere they looked, but they could not find the exact answer
quickly to save their lives.
The Test...
I decided to do a test.
I posted the following search question on the Smartboard and gave the
kids unlimited time to find the answer.
A coconut hits your head and you have no idea where
you are. It's pitch dark and all you can hear are proboscis monkeys shrieking
and Friendly Bush-warblers chirping. What country are you in?
(Source: www.agoogleaday.com-
accessed September 2013)
On average it took the kids 23 minutes to find an answer-
and I’m sad to report that not all answers were right. We discussed how different students found
their answers, and I was shocked to learn how many students simply typed THE
ENTIRE QUESTION into the Google search bar and then took the first website
answer that popped up. It seemed that
their constant access to the Internet did not naturally yield awesome researchers. Darn.
I’m not alone…..check out the chart
below to see how students rank in basic online search skills. How would your students rate?
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(Source: Why K-12 Schools Are Failing by Not Teaching SEARCH by Jeff Utecht) |
So, how do we help kids to become better researchers, and
make effective and efficient use of the technology they carry around each day?
With a few key strategies, online searches can yield
powerful results.
It all starts with understanding how Google actually
works. Knowing how Google works helps
students to understand why key search words are so important, and what Google
is trying to tell you when it returns a response. For example, did you know that Google will
automatically choose the media format that it thinks best for your query?
When learning about life cycles, my students found that
Google wanted to share images and videos with them more than websites. And when they were searching for background
information about a chosen country, they found that Google wanted to show them
a map of where they were researching.
Knowing how to read your Google results will narrow down the time it
takes to find credible and helpful resources.
Click on the video below to watch a short tutorial that
explains how Google works.
(Source: Power
Searching with Google Tutorials- Class 1, Lesson 3- How Search Works- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtAkYnoRelM)
Click on the video below to watch a short grade 4 tutorial that
explains how Google works.
Next, simply changing the reading level of your Google by
changing the search settings can really speed up your research time because
Google will only show you websites at your reading level (note: the basic level
mostly only shows kid-friendly webistes).
Also, it’s a great way to eliminate all those distracting sites like
ask.com. This has been one of the most
useful strategies in my classroom to date.
It has empowered my students to find websites at their own level, and to
identify which websites will help them in their online searches. Unfortunately,
this feature is only available in English for right now.
Click on the video below to watch a short grade 4 tutorial on
how to change the reading level of your Google search.
Another thing that kids absolutely need to know is how to identify key words for their search. In using specific words in their search they are setting themselves up for better search results. Eliminating connecting words such as “the” “and” “for” etc. will really help narrow down specific information.
Click on the link below to watch a Google tutorial about
identifying key words for search.
(Source: Power Searching with Google Tutorials- Class 1, Lesson 4: The Art of Keyword Choice https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41MbhzAucpw)
(Source: Power Searching with Google Tutorials- Class 1, Lesson 4: The Art of Keyword Choice https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41MbhzAucpw)
Once students have mastered changing the reading level and identifying key words, it’s time to show them how to skim a website to see if it contains the information they are looking for. This is a real time saver. To quickly find information on a page, you can use the CTRL +F feature. Teaching kids how to skim a webpage quickly and easily using this strategy allows them to know in under a minute if the webpage they have chosen has the information they are looking for, or enough information for their assigned task.
Click on the video below to watch a short Google tutorial about finding text on a webpage.
(Source: Power Searching with Google Tutorials- Class 1, Lesson 6- Finding Text on a Webpage- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiCtf8JD92k )
Ummm... What?!?...
I know what you’re thinking: this is going to take FOREVER,
and there is not enough time in the day for everything we need to cover as
is. You’re right. There is much to cover, and there never seems
to be enough time for everything.
However, what if I told you that empowering your students with these
simple search strategies would actually save you time in the long run? Taking the time to teach specific search
skills will win you back hours each year because your students’ searches will
become more efficient and more effective.
For fun I still like to challenge my class with "agoogleaday" problems every now and then. What used
to take over 20 minutes, and produce less than admirable results, is now a fun
and competitive activity in my room.
Using only the basic search skills mentioned in this blog post, my
students have cut their search time down to less than 5 minutes. I think that’s impressive growth.
I have found only positive results in taking the time to
explicitly teach my students basic search skills. Not only are they proud of their abilities,
(they always want to show off to mom and dad during conferences) they are
producing more accurate and efficient research projects. I challenge you all to
try these simple search skills in your class to improve online searches. What
have you got to lose?
I agree, there is nothing to lose in teaching students to search more effectively. You provided many great ideas and helpful tips to teach students to use search engines correctly, finding valid and age/reading level appropriate sources. I love the warm up of a GoogleADay questions too. These would lead to very good discussions about best search practices and techniques students used.
ReplyDeleteGoogle actually has an entire site dedicated to helping students, exactly the way your are promoting in your post. It even includes lesson plans and live tutorials. https://www.google.com/insidesearch/searcheducation/
Also, I enjoyed reading all of your personal stories from grade 4. I can relate to them all, students searching for information in middle school take nearly as long. I found this interesting article, written also from a teacher's point of view, about guiding students in proper searching. It includes many Google tricks to searching and also a good laugh about Britney Spears. http://www.byrdseed.com/teaching-search-skills/
I have a few questions about your post. First, I love your idea of adjusting the reading levels on Google, which eliminates sites such as ask.com or about.com. However, do you know if there is a way to keep the reading level high, yet eliminate these (non academic) results? Also, it sounds like you are on your way to teaching students be better Googlers for information, but how about Diigo and other resources students can be suing to streamline the vast amount of information on the web? I think it is important that increasing students ability in finding valid information includes more than just Google.
Very informative and resourceful article, Jenn. I enjoyed reading it and all of your great ideas!
I also appreciate your comments on teaching students how to search more effectively in order to maximize time use in the classroom. I also have experienced this problem and have discovered that even with review and lessons on using search terms more effectively for research purposes, students need constant refresher lessons. But with the GoogleADay, this would be a great way of practice with students. This would help to develop a habit of searching effectively and efficiently the answers to daily questions and perhaps even the lead to development of students creating and asking more questions which leads to further learning. I also had the same question as Lexi about using Diigo to streamline the overload of information on the web. Even using vetted resources (sites) with our students, how can we help them to find the most valuable sources of information by using other tools other than Google?
ReplyDeleteThank you for the positive feedback and support, ladies. I would love to be able to give you a few resources that you could use in your class tomorrow, if you wanted to, to help your students easily find valid information online, but to be honest this is the first time I am teaching my students explicit search skills and I am still in the learning phase. I find myself randomly searching online for names of apps/ass-ons that I could offer you (like EverNote), but I don't have any experience with them, and I don't really know how they work or how helpful they really are.
ReplyDeleteThe truth is, I don't yet know more than what I've shared with you. Once I noticed that the kids needed specific help in learning to search online, I signed up for the GAFE (Google aps for education) course to get a little more information about how to actually teach a skill that comes so naturally to us as adults. The course introduced me to the inner workings of Google search, and has since guided which skills I introduce to my students, the order I introduce them in, and why.
I'm taking this course in the hopes to find more tools to help increase my students' ability to find valid information online, and to work collaboratively to sort/evaluate/work with the information they find.
Surely Diigo will help with storing, sorting and organizing information but will it help students to sift through their searches to find VALID information? I'm not sure. Changing the reading level in Google has been our biggest help in this area (and yes, Lexi, you can use the search filters to keep the reading level high while eliminating sites like ask.com- here is the link to the Google tips page to find out how to use these specific filtershttps://support.google.com/websearch/answer/142143?hl=en), but I hope to find more tools for practicing this specific skill.
As with any new initiative in the classroom, the journey to find valid and kid-friendly resources continues......