I wanted to first take a moment to comment upon statements made by some past participants about the last session. Dale wrote,
"Responding to Jim Viner’s “I wonder why Google doesn’t advertise more of these useful tools…” got me to thinking about that as well. At first, I reasoned that perhaps it is because it is still beta testing the “product,” so it might not be ready to formally open it up to a large population. But then, what better demographic group to test it than a group of educators? Perhaps Google has done this, but hand-picked a specific set of educators…and they’re not us. Responding to Sandy, too, regarding her wondering why Google “always seems to be at the forefront,” I have to agree with “Anonymous” and Jim who said that Google does it right and has the financial base to make it work. I wonder if there is a way that we can “put a lid” on plagiarism within school settings, or will it grow rampantly with the ease of access through all of these on-line sources?
They are slowly coming out of their beta stage. Here is an example of their Google Teacher Academy:http://www.google.com/educators/gta.html
And as far as rampant plagiarism is concerned, I think that more and more teachers are changing their assessments and projects for their classes by having students:
-personalize their reports and answers,
-make text-to-text and text-to-self connections, and
-relate a lesson's topic to the world around them.
Also, Brad asked if there was a list of "Vertical Search Engines," so here is the link: http://searchenginewatch.com/showPage.html?page=2156351
This week's lesson is from the "Internet Detective." Based upon the comments from last semester's students it may take awhile, but it is worth it. I have 'clipped' a few quotes from their comments and pasted them below, but you may find the most recent comments from this Summer here.
"I just finished the Internet Detective exercise in session 5 and talk about absorbing a wealth of information via a web-based all encompassing learning activity. It took me about 2 1/2 hrs to digest this information and successfully complete this exercise. I think it helped me to understand the importance of verifying sites not only by evaluating credible information & sources, but by also checking website functionality and verifying link and contact information for validity and reputability."-Mike
"I'm not sure how long the Internet Tutorial took me. I just know I had to come back to it several times to finish it. It was very useful. Especially the practice websites at the end. I can definitely see how this will be useful in getting students to be more critical of websites and the information on them." -Susan
"I just finished the tutorial and like many of you, it took me a few sessions to finish it. There was an incredible amount of very valuable information throughout the tutorial. I learned so much and the quizzes at the end of each section were very helpful."-Moira
Also, Lisa asked in her comments from session 4, how to do a search and restrict your results to just PowerPoints on Google. Well, under the 'Advanced Search' in Google just click 'PowerPoint' under the "File Format" drop down and you'll be able to see any presentations online that are related to your search terms. Many teachers have found full PowerPoints that were applicable to their current classroom topics and were able to immediately integrate them into the next days lesson. Attribution is certainly necessary, but it is worthwhile to search for them. If you want to modify them then choose, 'free to use, share, and modify'.
Amy also mentioned that it was hard to fine-tune a news alert once it was set up. I've found this to be a small problem until I first did a search using my news alert terms in the regular Google News search engine. I then thoroughly scrutinized the results and repeated this process, while 'fine tuning' my search terms. Once I began to get the best results I then pasted the search terms into my news alert.
It is a few extra steps, but it will sure save you from receiving useless hits to your news alert searches. Hope this helps Amy.
She also asked for more details on getting search engine information sent to her phone.
Quick Start
1. Start a new text message and type in your search query
2. Send the message to the number "46645" (GOOGL)
3. You'll receive text message(s) with results
Tip: For help send the word 'help' as a text message to 46645.
All the details can be found here: http://www.google.com/mobile/index.html
Or you could just try these sample search terms: (all must be text messaged using the steps above)
Local listings: hospital San Jose CA
Phonebook : 2122269817
Driving directions : pasadena CA to santa monica CA
Movies : ice age 94110*
Weather : weather dallas tx
Stock quotes : tgt
Q&A : population of Japan
Glossary : define prosimian
Translation : translate coffee in french
Froogle : price mp3 player
Zip code : 94043
Area code : 650
Calculator : 160 pounds * 4000 feet in calories
Currency conversion : 5 usd in yen
SportsNew! : sf giants, usa, germany
The capabilities are evolving rapidly--so rest assured that the kids will be using these features before us. They even have new ringtones that are created so that they can't be heard by most people over 20 years old. This way they can receive their text messages unobtrusively in class. (One more thing we have to be aware of--what will companies think of next?).
Good luck with the Internet Detective and remember that you can use any and all of these sessions to integrate directly into your classroom. Just a few modifications to cater them to your lesson and they can be a great tool for you. If you want to replace my voice-- the full text of my narration is transcribed in the note's section on each slide . (although with such melodic sounds I don't know why you would :-)
Seriously though, I just ask that you give me attribution if you use my work.
Dave
Posts
19 comments:
Session 5 ~ Internet Detective
A week doesn’t go by when I don’t receive a spoof or hoax email from another teacher. There are several of us who will take the time to look them up and politely pass along that little Sally was found years ago or that there isn’t any evidence that freezing your water bottles or heating things in plastic in the microwave causes cancer (it might, but to date there’s no evidence to support it). Snopes.com is one of my favorite urban myth checking sites.
My point is that these emails come from teachers, and if teachers aren’t taking the time to fact check emails before sending them off to the entire district (maybe this is their version of peer review), we can be sure that our students are being misled online far more often.
That M.L.K. Jr. site that you had mentioned before, David, is scary and goes a long way in illustrating the importance of our responsibility in making sure our students are aware that there are “good, bad, and ugly” sites out there.
One thing on Internet Detective that stood out was the quiz question about paraphrasing by taking out a thesaurus and rewording the information. I know that my sixth grade students aren’t being taught that they can change the words around and bingo, they thought of it. My guess is that they are inferring this from the instruction they’re given, but I’d say 75% of them come to me thinking that some word choice switcheroo is all it takes to avoid citing a source. Granted, I think middle school is where students really start to learn this as they are required to do more research, but it is a bit scary to witness.
I think the quizzes and the “Detective Work” portion were the most interesting. The first few quizzes were easy, lulling me into a false sense of comfort about my knowledge, then when I hit the Global Warming question and had two strikes before getting the correct answer, I learned more than I would have had I just gotten it correct the first time! I liked looking at the actual pages, checking for validity and bias etc. The URL clues, as you had mentioned before, and the Who, What and Where sections were really helpful too.
Good stuff.
Your answer to Amy’s question about texting was interesting (Ha! Word doesn’t recognize the word “texting.” Usage denotes correctness!). I’m not sure if it will help me in the classroom, but I’ll certainly be using these neat little tricks while out and about.
Thanks.
Internet Detective
Session 5
Susan Roberts
This session made me realize how quickly the Internet has changed
education and society. Just twenty years ago I remember doing all my research in the school library. Computers were just being introduced so most of the information I gathered was directly from books and journals.
At that time there was a solid understanding that if than one used the information then one would need to cite it. As well, there was security that the information gathered was from a credible source.
However, in a relatively short span of time gathering information has become easier and more accessible. It enters our homes with little effort on our part. It is free and there is a lot of it.
Along with these changes the possibility of misinformation intensifies. And this in it's worst form can be very destructive. As well, we can easily forget to give credit where credit is due.
Internet detective was informative and contained very practical ways to bridge this gap.
Personally, I hadn't even thought of the need to cite a resource taken from the Internet prior to this course. Now I know the correct way to do so.
It also gave great ways to verify information. It listed web sites dedicated to exposing misinformation. I'll keep those on hand. It also gave ways to determine weather the web site is a credible source or not. Some were more obvious than others. I found the tips on looking at the URL the most informative. That was one of the more difficult quizzes to complete correctly.
Session 5 Internet Detective
I really enjoyed this session because it gave me such a better understanding about what is good and not so good about finding reliable articles and information on the internet. The quizzes were very helpful in reinforcing the material. I was so shocked to learn about the Martin Luther King website! I cannot believe what it entailed! It makes me wonder why people would go to so many lengths to fool or hoax people! I am always receiving crazy emails about urban legends or spoofs. My favorite one that I recently received was that if you pump gas while on the cell phone, you can blow up! It is scary to think that it could happen, but come on!
Plagiarism is also a very serious and this session taught me all that you needed to include when citing an internet source! Now that I have discovered about all of the non reliable sources out there, I would rather just stick to books and journals when researching. It is easier and more convenient to use the internet for information, but much more risky.
Melissa Cavender
One morning I had a group of fifth grade girls rush in and tell me “They are growing cats in jars and selling them!” When I asked where they learned of this tragedy, they moaned “On the internet!”
http://www.shorty.com/bonsaikitten/
We looked it up together and I showed them www.snopes.com and how they could research hoaxes. At that point I realized I needed to do a lot more website evaluation instruction.
I really liked the internet detective, not only for the lessons learned but also for the quality website suggestions such as ROSE and intute.ac.uk. Unfortunately I don’t think I could use it with students because some of the bogus sites get a little too explicit, especially the whitehouse.org one. Of course, then there is the point that they see these sites anyhow; it is better to teach them to use their critical thinking skills when they come across them. A third grader and I did years ago when I typed in whitehouse.com, which at that point was a pornographic site.
Thanks for the additional evaluation sites, like QUICK and 21st Century Fluency. As I go through all these sites, I keep thinking we are doing a real disservice to students if they are not learning these skills early on. There is such a panic in schools to get material covered that there is never enough time for teaching, let along learning. I wonder if there could ever be enough time for a mandatory library workshop extending over several days, which would include searching, evaluation, citation, paraphrasing and using databases.
By the way, I would like to say again how much I like delicious. It has been so helpful. Now when teachers need links I just send them my delicious site and everything I have searched for them at home or school is there. I am going to start saving links tagged for students too, so they can access the lists. The only thing I miss is the annotations. I wish (and maybe there is a way and I just haven't paid attention) I could annotate my links with more description than just tags. Oh! Just went back in and realized I need to add notes, and there are my annotations. Wonderful.
Session 5 - Internet Detective
Most, if not all, of my students have no access to a computer or the internet. Some have used computer programs in school and others have used the internet at the local public library. Other than that, my students have no idea about the wealth of information on the internet or even how to properly use it. Personally, I found the tutorial to be informative in the educational sense but most of information was common sense. Then I remembered my first few experiences using the internet.
I still have the first email I ever received to my personal email account, June 7, 2000. The searches began, the contacts were made, and I found myself spending hours on the internet. My newly created email address was now exposed to the world. I would find an email one day telling me that I won the lottery, another inviting me to watch someone’s personal webcam. I have been asked to purchase a plethora of medication, find love with singles in my area, and check out the latest replica watches. I would open each and every one of these emails, thinking to myself, “If someone is sending these emails to my account, then I need to open them”. My husband had to explain SPAM to me and at that point, I finally saw “the light”. The delete button became my friend and I vowed to never waste an ounce of time looking at any email that I don’t recognize.
Just last year, we bought a laptop for my 72 year old mother and set her up online so she could listen to a talk show that isn’t broadcast locally. She has an email address and only a handful of people have it. Because she does not expose her address to the world, she receives no SPAM. I’m so jealous. I have a great deal of respect for Netflix and The Stephanie Miller Show. Obviously, neither will sell your info.
I try to imagine being a high school student, using the internet for my class work. I know kids these days probably know more about the internet than most adults but it only takes one error and you could find yourself on the wrong page with the wrong information. I laughed at the three different websites for the White House. Would a teenager know which site to use?! As for the MLK site, I was appalled by the tutorial’s link. I can’t believe Freedom of Speech allows that site to exist. How many students (even adults!) stumble upon that site while looking for information regarding Martin Luther King, Jr.?
I wonder if computer classes that teach students how to use computers and the internet in the academic sense will ever be as important as all the other subjects taught today.
Session 5 Internet Detective
I really liked working with this exercise. Even though my students have little or no experience with computers at school or home, I learned a wealth of information for myself. At first, the “What’s the Story” seemed like a lot of common sense but we are adults who have grown to learn how to use the internet and been through college knowing how to do research. However, it did bring to mind the usefulness of Google Scholar when accessing academic sources knowing that the publications listed there are based in academia. Then upon reviewing “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” I started to realize that our students no matter what their age or grade level don’t necessarily know the difference between what is true or false information. It is imperative that students today receive formal instruction using the internet. I agree with Andrea who commented on whether computer classes that teach kids how to use computers & the internet for academic purposes will ever be as important as all the other subjects now taught. Formal instruction is essential.
I, too have received many a bogus email and forwarded it on to others thinking that the info was valid. This exercise really taught me to check more carefully and what to look for. I found the Detective Work exercise with the questions WWW very helpful and I am now able to be more aware of the crap that is out there. I had never used SNOPES.com before but had heard of it recently and will use it regularly now to check the validity of information. This website is easy for even elementary kids to use or at least be aware of when doing any searching on the website. I just designed my class website for the school website and I have a links page. I plan on posting a variety of kid friendly search engines as well as inform parents to regularly check SNOPES.com when their child does any research. Some of my students have older siblings and may find the links useful. I think the biggest help to me was actually learning how to cite a website. My students do one research project this year when we do our water unit and they have to research specific topics of their choice at home. Students in the past have cited websites they have visited on their Bibliography page and now I can model for them how to cite it properly and provide them with an outline of what to look for to make sure they are on a credible site. Thanks, this session was very helpful!
Internet Detective
This tutorial gave me a wealth of information. It did take me a couple of times going back to the site to digest this info.
If I knew this when I was working on my degree life would have been so much easier. I really found the Case of the Questionable Content most helpful. The site gave so many ideas on how to spot hoax sites by looking carefully at the homepage, the URL, and the contact information. There are so many sites that are very similar you have to look carefully. I am usually in a hurry trying to find what I need that the clues will definitely make me life easier. I also liked the Case of the Random Results. Many times I waste time reading through sites that are not giving me the information that I am actually looking for. I enjoyed the quizzes after each “Case” it was a nice way to check that I was internalizing all of the information. I found this exercise very helpful. I wish my students were a little older and could find this useful. In the sixth grade there isn’t much of a need for the internet detective, but it will be very useful to me, it will help me evaluate sites they think are useful for research. I will also be able to guide them better on their searches.
Holly Grennan
Session 5 Internet Detective
I found this tutorial very informative as well as enlightening for use with my high school students. Although I teach Phys. Ed and Health, I do assign research projects to students throughout the semester. I think I may have been under the impression that other teachers may cover these topics with students, but it may be necessary to touch upon the key points again. I especially learned more ways to critically evaluate information on the web, like looking at the date things were published, and who owns the website. Often, my high school students will do a quick search for info because they think anything they read is true.
I bookmarked the sonpes.com page to share with my classes. I got a kick out of reading some of the urban legends out there. It might be fun to write some of the myths on the board as an opening to my class, a great way to have an open class discussion or a free response journal entry!
I enjoyed the practical exercises during the tutorial, like picking the right White House website! I wonder if my students would be able to tell the difference?! I think this session had some great information on plagiarism and citation that will definitely benefit my students in the future.
EDC Session #5
Laurie Patalano
Internet Detective
This is defiantly what my students need to hear, when ever I have assigned an internet assignment they do everything they should not do. This will help me create a better rubric for researching on the internet that I need.
I did try Intute and was happy with the results. When I am putting a lesson together I find that a great deal of my time has gone into searching through questionable information. This lesson has given me tools that will be helpful in the future to sort through the information out there. Time is always an issue for all of us, to search and search without adequate results, not only have I wasted precious time but I end up very frustrated.
I always have my students start in the library with reference materials before they touch the computer; I think I’ll keep this step. But to the usual steps I will use the Internet Detective and Radcab to help students to learn to search and avoid unreliable web sites. These are both sites that I will advise my students to add to their favorites to use as they advance in school. I have started a list of sites that I have posted for the children to visit and explore current classroom topics as extra credit.
I plan to revise my lesson plan for deliverable #4 now and add some of the internet research techniques from session #5. By combining both lessons my students should be able to collect more reliable information in the limited time available in the computer lab. It is a treat to be able to get the use of the internet lab and we all plan how best to use the precious minutes we are able to get.
Karen Izzo
EGHS, English Department
This was my favorite session so far, primarily because I was thrilled to see the Indiana University on-line tutorial regarding plagiarism. I took the tutorial, and the test, and I immediately sent an email to my department suggesting that we require our own students to acquire certificates of completion before we start research papers. We've had situations where, even when the plagiarism is clear, students have fought the charge, arguing they didn't understand what plagiarism is. We now have a comprehensive policy that all students and parents must read and sign, but how much better would it be to take an interactive test on the material.
In the same way, the Internet Detective helped solidify learning through that immediate feedback in the quizzes. (And I agree with Keith; I was sailing along with the initial quiz questions, but had to slow down with the later questions (Harvard citation, for instance). My only disappointment with the Internet Detective is that there is a picture of a handgun in the upper corner of several slides. It seems overly cautious, but frankly given the recent gun threats at schools in Rhode Island, I wouldn't use this for the classroom. "I wonder" what the rest of you think of my concern. Am I being overly protective?
Deliverable #2: News Alert
Keith Swist ~ Language Arts ~ Sixth Grade
Since I’m going to be using a News Alert, I wanted to make a comment on Google Maps. I didn’t realize how far it had come. When I last spent time just playing with it, the satellite images were old. The house next to my grandparents, which was torn down about six years ago was still there, and a tree I cut down about five years ago was still gnarled and standing behind my house. Google Maps and Local have really come far while I’ve been looking the other way.
Okay, the lesson. Here’s the prompt/performance task, which is used as the intro to the unit, both to my students and you fine folks:
Problems are not solved in this world unless people take an initiative to act. Many of these problems, if not resolved, may be far worse by the time you are an adult; however, you have the power to be a voice in the solution.
After considering a number of problems facing you today in your world and nation, you will explore one issue in depth and propose a researched solution. Your goal is to convince your audience to get involved and support your recommendations.
Read about your issue using a variety of sources, e.g. books, magazines, encyclopedias, newspapers, public documents, essays, and the internet. Distinguish facts from opinions and identify possible bias and propaganda in these materials.
Write a persuasive proposal based on your issue that includes:
• lead or hook
• clear controlling idea/topic
• facts and sufficient details, excluding extraneous information
• reader’s concerns and counter arguments
• conclusion that provides closure
• sense of audience
Send your letter to someone who has the power to help solve this problem by enacting your proposed solution . . . and remember, you can make a difference!
Here are the Standards, GLE’s and GSE’s.
I’ve included them for the entire unit, since the News Alert isn’t going to be used as a lesson, but a tool or resource for the majority of the unit. I’ll include the writing standards, since you asked about the writing piece also.
Reading
R-6-11.1 Read grade-level appropriate material
R-6-7.1a Obtain information from text features
R-6-7.3 Organize information to show understanding
R-6-7.5 Identify the characteristics of a variety of types of texts (reference: encyclopedias, magazines, newspapers, public documents, articles,)
R-6-8.1 Connect information within or across texts
R -6-8.2 Synthesize information within or across texts
R- 6-8.3 Draw inferences about text, including author’s purpose or message
R-6-8.4 Distinguish fact from opinion, and identify possible bias/propaganda
R-6-8.5 Make inferences about causes and effects
R-6-12.1- Use a range of self-monitoring and self-correcting approaches
R-6-13 Use comprehension strategies before, during, and after reading text. Examples of reading comprehension strategies might include:
□ Using prior knowledge
□ Summarizing
□ Predicting
□ Determining importance
□ Generating questions
□ Visualizing
□ Making connections
R-6-15.1-Identify potential sources of information
R-6-15.4 – Use evidence to support conclusions
Writing
W-6-1.1 Use varied sentence length and structure to enhance meaning
W-6-1.2 Use the paragraph form: indenting, main idea, supporting details
W-6-1.3 Recognize organizational structures within paragraphs (proposition/support)
W-6-1.4 Apply a format and text structure appropriate to the purpose of the writing
W-6-10 Students use pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing to produce a final product
W-6-6.1 Use an organizational text structure appropriate e to focus/controlling idea
W-6-6.2 Select appropriate information to set context, which might include a hook
W-6-6.3 Use transitional words or phrases
W-6-6.4 Write a conclusion that provides closure
W-6-6.5 List sources
W-6-7.1 Establish a topic
W-6-7.2 State and maintain a focus/controlling idea
W-6-8.1 Include facts and details relevant to controlling idea and exclude extraneous information
W-6-8.2 Include sufficient detail or facts for appropriate depth
W-6-8.3 Address reader’s concerns
W-6-9.1 Apply rules of Standard English usage
W-6-9.2 Apply basic capitalization rules
W-6--9.4 Use punctuation to clarify meaning
A note on differentiation:
We make many accommodations for the special needs students on our team, but a student doesn’t need an IEP to receive accommodations. Nearly all modifications are available to all students when needed, just as they’re removed when not needed. For this unit, the most common form of differentiation is in the sources we guide them towards. We also guide students towards topics in which they will have an opportunity for success. For example, students who struggle with reading may not be able to find sources at their level if they choose a topic like illegal immigration or the situation in the Gaza Strip, so I guide my stronger readers towards these types of topics (making them think it was their idea all along, of course!). Our struggling readers are led towards topics like endangered species, cyber bullying, or similar topics in which resources at their level are abundant. The subject differs, but the goals and product expectations remain the same.
We also differentiate by guiding them towards sites and sources that are appropriate for their reading level. I have many post-high school readers, and for them Proquestk12.com is fantastic, but many of Proquest’s articles are indecipherable for someone reading at a third grade level. You can find articles at a 6th grade level, but they’re infrequent. We guide reluctant readers to use sites like WebPath Express, which is accessible from our library’s RICAT page and connects students to safe, verified K-12 websites by grade level. We guide all of them to WebPath Express, but there’s more there for the reluctant readers than there will be on Proquest. I’ll also allow them to use Google News this year, as I’ll be spending more time on defining what makes a web source credible.
When students are provided sources that are at the student’s reading level, we find that all can succeed and be challenged by this unit.
The Plan:
After students brainstorm and choose topics, I’m going to create an email address for each topic. Many sixth graders do not have email addresses of their own, and I’m not sure of the legality of making them get one, so I’ll provide them. I will create a News Alert for each address. For example, I’ll set up an address like KMSglobalwarming@google.com (KMS for Kickemuit Middle School), and tie the alert to that address, and I’ll share the password with the groups who chose that topic.
I plan on setting these up together with the students in a mini-lesson format. There are usually three to four students per class on one topic, so I’ll gather them while we are doing our research in the library. I will have already set up the email addresses. We will have already gone through the strategies that I’ll want them to use for choosing search words, refining their searches, and the new tips I’ve learned from the Internet Detective site, which I’ll adapt for sixth graders.
I’ll introduce them briefly to the News Alert, but I will set it up (in sixth grade, I think it will benefit them to know this exists for future reference, but I don’t think I’ll having them set one up would be beneficial [introduced, not secured]). What they will be expected to do is to help me brainstorm terms and items we should be having it search for and fine tune the searches as results are returned. I will guide them to do the fine tuning. Since this is the first year I’ll be doing this, I’ll gauge the release of responsibility on how well they seem to be doing with it. I’m sure some groups will be able to take it and run solo very quickly. I’m not as concerned that they master the News Alert as I am that they learn how to better judge websites and their credibility.
Unit Extensions:
The extension to this unit is built in and wide open at the same time. Because they are asked to mail their proposals out to a real world audience, almost 100% of them receive responses, and most guide the students into new and different ways to get involved in the issue that they’ve chosen, which they share. They bring in the responses to share with the rest of their class. This is undoubtedly the most exciting part of the unit. One student even received a hand written response from Oprah Winfrey!
I have graphic organizers for research and prewriting, citations sheets (pre-formatted, they just fill in the blanks depending on the media type, as an introduction to formal citation) criteria, rubrics, PowerPoint presentations, Peer Editing sheets and other handouts that I designed for this unit that I could include, but they would not work if I cut and paste them into the blog. I’ll email some samples to you David, and would be glad to share any of them with any of you. Just email me at school at swistk@bw.k12.ri.us and I’ll send them along.
Frankly, I’m not sure when to stop and even though I don’t really get into the writing portion of the paper, I’ll wrap it up. I piloted this unit that was originally from America’s Choice (it not longer resembles the original unit, and nearly all of the handouts, the only ones I’ll send out, are original), and I was on the committee that wrote it into the curriculum and designed the rubric, so I could really go on for another twelve pages about this unit. If there’s anything I’m missing, please let me know, and I’ll be glad to add it in or explain anything I’ve left out. It’s a seven week unit, so I know I’m only scratching the surface here.
You asked about assessment. This unit is full of constant formative assessment that begins on day one of the unit, for an example of one of the summative assessments, I’ll email the final rubric along to you, David, with some of the other materials I’ve put together.
Session 5-Internet Detective
Chace Loomis, South Kingstown Business Education
This site does an excellent job of organizing all the little "snippets" I've used over the years...and the hoaxes continue for sure over the email waves. I'm still receiving hoaxes, offers etc. about Apple Computers and sending me money etc...just silly things. I have learned, albeit not in a formal way, to really dissect the URL's, altho as seen with Whitehouse.org, sometimes that isn't enough either. Again, the "detective" does a nice job of immediate feedback, which I love in the classroom when completing "webquests"...not a person on earth doesn't want to know "how they did" right away; just human nature.
Visited both sites that Dave mentioned, radcab.com and the UK site...both pretty good and yes, I could use both in the 9-12 heterogenous classroom for sure.
I'm not particularly good at "I wonder" questions, but this lesson had me thinking quite a bit about where this skill should be taught, and at what age. I teach over 80% of the school population, so I could definately create a unit in proper resource detection and citing....wondering if the Language Arts department could teach proper citing, whilest I concerned my classes with Internet Detective work during Computer Applications.....long winded for "who should teach this stuff?".......
Session 5-Internet Detective
Chace Loomis, South Kingstown Business Education
This site does an excellent job of organizing all the little "snippets" I've used over the years...and the hoaxes continue for sure over the email waves. I'm still receiving hoaxes, offers etc. about Apple Computers and sending me money etc...just silly things. I have learned, albeit not in a formal way, to really dissect the URL's, altho as seen with Whitehouse.org, sometimes that isn't enough either. Again, the "detective" does a nice job of immediate feedback, which I love in the classroom when completing "webquests"...not a person on earth doesn't want to know "how they did" right away; just human nature.
Visited both sites that Dave mentioned, radcab.com and the UK site...both pretty good and yes, I could use both in the 9-12 heterogenous classroom for sure.
I'm not particularly good at "I wonder" questions, but this lesson had me thinking quite a bit about where this skill should be taught, and at what age. I teach over 80% of the school population, so I could definately create a unit in proper resource detection and citing....wondering if the Language Arts department could teach proper citing, whilest I concerned my classes with Internet Detective work during Computer Applications.....long winded for "who should teach this stuff?".......
Pam Hurt
Session 5
Internet Detective
I found this week’s session very valuable in supporting many of the guides and skills I teach, particularly, to my incoming freshmen. Although they have, of course, already prepared many research-based assignments, most need to hone their documentation and interpretation skills. As students organize research assignments or compose independent essays, it has become increasingly important for teachers to provide ample and specific instruction about visiting, using, and acknowledging appropriate sites.
At Fairview, the limits imposed on Internet sites within the district are very “secure.” In fact, I was not able to visit all of the tutorials offered on Dave’s Powerpoint! Still, students certainly can choose to use all sorts of sites outside school. Our academic concern, of course, is helping them to make wise educational choices and to document sources fairly and fully. Hopefully, this instruction might permeate students’ other web adventures!
Dave’s tutorial links reinforce skills we teach; I think the quizzes are great! While the Indiana University seems to be the most challenging site, I see (and have bookmarked at Delicious) the Internet Detective and Vaughn Library tutorials. At Vaughn, the explanation about URL’s, particularly, is very thorough…I would find this a welcome addition to our usual instruction. This information, coupled with the guides for searching and using various search engines has definitely expanded my I-net background…thus facilitating my instruction, too.
About plagiarism…it’s a topic that we English teachers must fully explain, discuss & correct in classroom exercises…and reinforce. Like other school districts, we have specific guidelines for dealing with plagiarism (listed in our student handbooks & explained, and monitored in English and other classrooms). In most cases, I’ve been able to catch this problem in drafts of papers. Thankfully! Through visiting sites and discussing (again) requisite acknowledgements, word choice, and punctuation (quotations), we’ve usually been able to address and correct students’ problems. Unfortunately, I have had to deal with blatant plagiarism on a few occasions, but I do recall each instance where the issue arose; such memories are not pleasant! Usually, the incidents arose when students were hoping that such a short-cut would pass unnoticed. The failed paper, required rewrite, confrontation with me, notification of parents, and conversation with the principal have, I think, reinforced the directives and examples we’ve considered in class.
Andrea Mancini wondered if schools’ computer classes would ever be as highly regarded as other curriculum-specific courses. I hope so! Here, our students take required computer courses to familiarize them with the technology and techniques of this discipline. Additionally, content specific courses extend this background with units in their fields, often assisted by our librarian, who, by the way, has asked students to review the credibility and content of web sites. In English, besides an extended research project, students use the Internet and Database for ongoing assignments. I think this “coordination of efforts” among disciplines helps to engage students’ learning, prepare them for further education and career, AND to stress the responsibility of using such sources appropriately.
My frustration stems from being a Providence school teacher that sees how technology is simply not as important as it is in other school systems. Having working computers in my classroom that are less than ten years old is like hitting the lottery. We want our students to achieve in this technically driven world but we don't give them the tools to do so. And we can't expect our parents to provide them with this technology at home when they can barely provide food and clothing for their children. Sadly enough, even if parents provide their children with a computer and the internet, some teachers don't care. My friend's daughter, a Providence high school senior, asked her English teacher if she would like her to email her essay to her. Her teacher said no, just write it in cursive. What?!
Andrea...that is truly amazing and sad all at once...there has to be a way to make sure all schools have access to this vital technology....I'm printing your comment and passing it around at our faculty meeting here in South Kingstown.....amazing!....
Much appreciated Chace!
Suzanne Skiffington
LMS
Session 5 - Internet Detective
I enjoyed taking the time to go through the Internet Detective. I feel that I am very up to speed in determining whether a website has questionable content or not. I was glad to see that many of the criteria I use and teach my students, such as the URL, are good ways to determine a website’s validity.
Although I disagree with websites that contain certain content, for example the Martin Luther King Jr. site we were directed to, I do believe in free speech and access to all information. In general, I do not think that we should begin to censor Internet content, just as I do not believe we should censor books. That is why is it so important to teach these website searching and evaluation skills, so students can recognize the validity of the information that is presented to them on the Internet. As with Pam’s district, my school district has a very secure block It is what happens when they leave our buildings that we hope they will use the skills we teach them.
Last year in my school district, the Library Media Specialists were introduced to a program called I-safe. I-safe is an interactive Internet safety prevention program for students. It incorporates many Internet issues including website evaluation, cyber bullying, predatory practices and plagiarism.
We were given access to the website and a professional development session was scheduled. We received very basic training on the program and its capabilities. Unfortunately there was no follow-up to this one time training and no technology purchased to really use it effectively. I have incorporated some of the basic lessons the program has to offer, but have had to modify them for use in “My reality”, which is limited computers with access to the Internet. I agree with what Andrea said regarding the expectations to succeed in this technological world, but not having the resources to teach our students.
I wonder when and if there will be any follow-up training with this program and if it will be incorporated into our curriculum?
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