Online+Search+Skills

=What are online search skills? = Students should be able to select an appropriate search engine to conduct an online search. Students should also be able to identify components of a URL and navigate to appropriate web pages.

=Why is it important to develop online skills? =  The Internet provides new opportunities for students and adults alike to apply their literacy skills in ever-expanding virtual learning, professional, and social spaces. According to Leu, Kinzer, Coiro, and Cammack (2004), students in the 21st will have to develop the “skills, strategies, and dispositions necessary to successfully use and adapt to the rapidly changing information and communication technologies and contexts that continuously emerge in our world and influence all areas of our personal and professional lives” (p. 1572). In other words, successful global citizens must be able to communicate information and ideas, search for solutions and effectively use a variety of media and formats found on the web. = = =Online search activities: Search Engines and Online Navigation =

Search Engines:

 * 1) In groups conduct a search on "BP Oil Disaster" using three different search engines: 1) Google, 2) Bing, and 3) Yahoo
 * 2) Record and analyze the top three "hits" generated by each search engine. For example, are these .com/.org hits? Is there an exact word match in the title?
 * 3) Compare and contrast content findings with members of your group.
 * 4) Share with your group, which engine you would use and why?

 I. URL

 * 1) Conduct a search using this phrase: BP Oil Disaster Clean Up
 * 2) Decide which of the hits best answers your question: How much did BP spend on the oil disaster cleanup?
 * 3) Justify your answer in terms of .com, .org, or .net.

II. Narrowing your search

 * 1) Click HERE to review basic Boolean search logical techniques.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Using 2 to 3 Boolean techniques (e.g. and/or/not) narrow your search to better answer the question:<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">How much did BP spend on the oil disaster cleanup ?
 * 3) Record the Boolean strategies you employed and be prepared to discuss which technique yielded most relevant resources.
 * 4) Share with group the Boolean strategy you found most useful in answering the question and why.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Additional resources for teaching online search skills:
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">The research team at http://www.newliteracies.uconn.edu/iesproject/ provides the TICA.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">References:
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Coiro, J. (2003, February). Reading comprehension on the Internet: Expanding our understanding of reading comprehension to encompass new literacies. //The Reading Teacher, 56//(6), 458-464.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Leu, D.J., Jr., Kinzer, C.K., Coiro, J., & Cammack, D.W. (2004). Toward a theory of new literacies emerging from the Internet and other information and communication technologies. In R.B. Ruddell & N. Unrau (Eds.), //Theoretical models and processes of reading// (1570–1613). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Leu, D. J., O’Byrne, W. I., Zawilinski, L., McVerry, J. G., & Everett-Cacopardo, H. (2009). Comments on Greenhow, Robelia, and Hughes: Expanding the new literacies conversation. //Educational Researcher 38//(4), 264-269

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Image Copyright information:
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">http://www.flickr.com/photos/pgordon/4765312530/sizes/s/