|
Links for K-12 Teachers | Assessment Assistance | On-Line Practice Modules | Daily Dose of the Web
The camera icon
indicates which search engines have image search capability.
The PowerPointicon indicates a search engine which can list .ppt files on the results page
Search Strategies | Search Advice | New Search Engines
Search Engines
claims that you can "find it all" using their service. Caution:
This search site is blocked by the Tennessee content filter. allows searches
for documents in a specific language and provides a topical index.
is a search engine powered by Excite and enhanced by Google.
The premier visual search engine. If you are searching for an image, you will
probably find it here. searches
by accessing several search engines. If you have been using the search engine
MetaFind, you are now automatically routed to Dogpile. links to several search engines powerful, new search engine that does real-time indexing
ranks the quality of sites based on the quality of sites that link to it. a metasearch engine from Microsoft search for
a word or a phrase Google's
SafeSearch screens for sites that contain innappropriate types of information
for students and eliminates them from search results posted by c|net and powered by Excite. Their topical index is in the form of a
pull-down menu, or a listing of topics they call Specialty Searches. - makes many of Google's features
easier to use has a clean
new look. No ads, No Banners, No Pop-Ups.
features a topical
index as well as a search function. The topical index provides pre-defined search
results. I like this one
almost as much as I like Vivisimo, and that is saying a lot. I really do like
their Quick View feature, give it a try. Although this meta search engine does
give a small, manageable number of resources, the first sites listed are commercial
sites. Recommendation: Skip the Featured Sponsor Listings and go
straight to the Web Site Results section.
It has always been my recommendation that teachers should search for Internet resources they want their students to use and design lessons/projects/units so that the Internet sites to be used are clearly defined. However, if you plan to send your students searching, use one of the Kid-Safe search engines below:
Ask for Kids - Just type in a question and click Ask! Actually a word or two works just as well as a whole question.
CyberSleuth Kids - an Internet guide for K-12 kids (warn your students about the ads) Kids Click: A web guide and search tool for kids put together by librarians. Fifteen major categories each with several subcategories, this site has a look similar to Yahoo.
ithaki.net - a powerful internet metasearch engine developed for kids (age group targeted, kids above 10)
Kids.Net - Search Engine Just for kids & children - Searching safe & clean sites. Kids' Search Tools - Search here for words, information or web sites with this all-inclusive page that includes a dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopedias, kid safe search engines and more. Quintura Kids - a clustering search engine for Kids Super Kids - Super Cool Guide to Finding Stuff on the Web
Search
strategies for finding resources to support a classroom unit
see
a list of search engines
Take a look at the list provided by Debbie Abilock titled "Choose the Best Search for Your Information Need." For example, you might "have a broad academic subject and need pointers to quality sites." If so, Debbie suggests that you go to Librarians' Index to the Internet or Infomine. On the other hand, if you need to see relationships among ideas, she suggests that you use KartOO or Web Brain. This is a great site, check it out!
Step 1. Choose a few search engines, and learn how they work
Find 3 - 4 search engines that you are comfortable using and do most of your searches with them. This tutorial will use Vivisimo, which sends search queries to several search engines and then clusters the results. I have found that Vivisimo consistently gives me good results. If you wish to use a different search engine check out the list at the top of this page. There is also a list of Kid Safe Search Engines above.
Tip: Do not search with the
button. Go to a search engine's homepage, not where the browser sends you.
Step 2. Use a Clustering search engine (Clusty)
Clusty is quite a bit like Vivisimo, with a cleaner looking interface. The one problem that I sometimes find is that the Tennessee filter blocks this search engine for some reason.
Step 3. Searching for pictures
Ditto calls itself the premier visual search engine. If you are searching for an image, you will probably find it here. Several search engines offer graphics search capability. In the list above they are identified by the camera icon -
Internet4Classrooms has a collection of graphics links with a section on picture collections found on the Internet.
Step 4. Search for sounds on the Internet
FindSounds.com is a search engine for finding sound effects on the Web. Search the Web for sound effects and sample sounds. Take a look at the types of sounds you can find. This is a partial list. Many more sounds are available. You may also find a large number of sound files of all types at Partners in Rhyme.
Step 5. Let the purpose of your search determine the search engine to be used.
Take a look at the list provided by Debbie Abilock titled "Choose the Best Search for Your Information Need." For example, you might "have a broad academic subject and need pointers to quality sites." If so, Debbie suggests that you go to Librarians' Index to the Internet or Infomine. On the other hand, if you need to see relationships among ideas, she suggests that you use KartOO or Web Brain. This is a great site, check it out!
Step 6. If you feel comfortable as an Internet sleuth, move on to discover how to evaluate web sites.
The University of California, Berkeley has an exercise in evaluating web sites. Essentially a WebQuest on evaluating sites, this activity is used to show UC Berkeley students why it is important to evaluate the source of information on the web. Try the activity yourself.
Step 7. Teach your students to think as they search the Internet.
Alan November asks, "Is your high school teaching students to access the Internet for research?" If so, he points out that "it is essential that students also learn how to validate the information. The Internet is a place where you can find 'proof" of essentially any belief system that you can imagine. And, for too many students, 'If it is on the Internet, it is true.' " Read his entire article, titled Teaching Zach to Think [Note: this link opens on a new page]. Alan wrote this for the September 1998 issue of High School Principal Magazine.
Step 8. Learn to use Boolean Logic in your searching
"Boolean searching is named after George Boole, a British mathematician (1815-1864), who wrote about logical ways to formulate precise queries using true-false connectors or "operators" between concepts. The true-false nature of Boolean logic, as this system is commonly called, makes it compatible with binary logic used in digital computers. It has become the conventional basis for searching most computerized systems." Quoted from Joe Barker (jbarker@library.berkeley.edu) from “Best Stuff on the Web” – Copyright 2002 The Teaching Library, University of California, Berkeley, CA. See a two-page .pdf document about using the primary operators.
Step 9. Use four Nets for better searching
Dr. Bernie Dodge, co-developer of the WebQuest concept, suggests using NETS as an acronym for remembering a way to improve your search results. The NETS acronym comes from his suggestion to: "start narrow, use exact phrases, trim the URL, and seek similar pages." For a more complete explanation of this suggestion, see his page posted on the San Diego State University domain.
Custom Search
| Visitors since November 2000 |
 Memphis, TN |
