Searching and Selecting WWW Resources for your course

1
Searching and Selecting WWW Resources for your
course

• Tracy ChaoArts Technologies for Learning Centre
• 5-21B Humanities Centre
• 492-7049
• tracy.chao_at_ualberta.ca

2
To-dos in this workshop

• How to do effective searches on a search engine?
• Where to go to find resources in your discipline?
• How to evaluate search results?
• How to incorporate search results into your
  course?

3
How to search?

• Two types of search (Raybould, 1995)

Query-based
Browsing-based

• Search engine
• Keyword search
• You have a clear idea about the subject and
  specific needs

• Structured index
• Good way to get started
• Good places to get started

4
Query-based search

• Use a search engine
• Google, GoTo, AltaVista, Yahooetc
• Search engine showdown http//www.notess.com/searc
  h/
• List every keywords you can think of
• Use , , and - to form your searches
• Example recipe fruit salad mango

5
Meta-Search software

• FreeWare Copernic 2000 http//www.copernic.com/
• Automatically manage boolean operators
• Search major engines simultaneously
• Keep track of search history

6
Browsing-based search

• Subject index
• Humanities and social sciences
• Virtual library http//www.vlib.org/
• Voice of the shuttle http//vos.ucsb.edu/
• Discipline-specific resource
• Philosophy in Cyberspacehttp//www-personal.monas
  h.edu.au/dey/phil/
• Art, Design, and Architecture Mediahttp//adam.ac
  .uk/
• Internet Resources for Language Teachers and
  Learnershttp//www.hull.ac.uk/cti/langsite/

7
Teaching and Learning Resources in your discipline

• Merlot http//www.merlot.org
• Consortium of digital educational resources in
  Higher Education
• Search, browse, or contribute
• Discipline-specific
• Peer-reviewed

8
Evaluate search results

• Quality of the content
• accuracy and currency
• credibility of the site
• language level
• culture context or bias
• Technical Requirements
• browsers
• proper plug-ins

9
WWW in educational Context

• Ways of using WWW in a course

Web-based instruction
WWW as a information source
WWW as a communication tool.
10
Incorporate WWW into a course

• Will the resources extend what I do in class?
• Will the resources help me achieve my
  instructional objectives?
• i.e. develop students critical thinking skills
• i.e. better convey some key concepts

11
Incorporate WWW into a course

• Some instructional strategies
• Find information
• Critique
• Question and Answer
• Case study
• Virtual trip
• Simulation

12
Examples

• Scenario 1Choose a theme, ask students to find
  1-3 Websites, summarize the content, critique and
  relate them to the theme.
• Scenario 2 Design critical thinking questions.
  Students answer questions by accessing some web
  sites and exploring others.

13
Examples

• Scenario 3 Virtual field trip to an
  organization, museums, or galleries. Write a
  journal after the visit.
• Scenario 4 Access authentic sources of
  information to simulate a situation or to conduct
  a case study where students learn how to complete
  a task.

14
Some Tips for incorporating WWW into a course

• Look for learning enrichment and enhancement -
  media and content
• Overall course design and structure
• Allocate adequate time and marks for WWW
  activities