Simple searching… or maybe not so simple?

[imogenbertin]

Like others who have posted here, I found the 15-20 minute timescale a real stretch to try to include Absorb/Do/Connect… Here you go… in the real world I would make this look pretty, but I don’t have time… http://www.slideshare.net/imogenbertin/octel1

Title of activity: Octel: simple searching

Intended learning outcome/s

– Use effective Google search techniques: within-site search, boolean search, related-site search

– Understand that search results are personalised by default and not “the same for all”

– Describe one technology used to personalise web pages (does not have to be search-related)

– Situate yourself compared to other learners with reference to your experiences of internet searching and cookies

– Reflect on positive and negative aspects of personalised Internet search results in preparation for next session

Activity description

Time 20 minutes

Prerequisites Own computer (not lab computer), Internet connection, Slideshare, YouTube and Google not blocked by network

Link to technology used: YouTube, Twitter and http://www.polleverywhere.com

Links to additional resources: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzZzf6PoyC4

Imo comment: I would use this as a “week 0” taster activity before a wider discussion on personalisation, data privacy, cookies, the new EU legislation, and to get a handle on whether anyone is actually struggling with basic activities like search (or even more basic – their internet connection) and might need extra support.

[James Kerr]

A quick guide to boolean logic is almost an oxymoron 🙂 I encounter many students who are ineffective at searching, either using Google or other search engines, definitely within library and journal databases, because of the lack of understanding of AND and OR.

[ElizabethECharl]

I totally agree that to ensure that learners stand a chance of achiveing the best outcomes possible, having this research skill under their belt is imperative. Any activity such as yours Imogen that makes this explicitly clear and raises awareness of how important this will be on their journey through academia is to be encouraged and undertaken as early as possible in the course. It seems the more we assume learners understand the basics the more likely that this is not the case.

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