This second week started with a frantic search into the world of search engines and allowed most of the participants to discover that the web is offering a rich variety of search engines that help hit sites we can use to carry out our search for relevant and reliable information.
We thus came to realize that there are many other alternative search engines to Google we can resort to; indeed, as one of my e-classmates has put it "Google is just one of many". As a matter of fact, I have learned from the insightful discussions we have had during this week that the choice concerning which one to use depends on what you are looking for and thanks to the various search engines listed in http://www.noodletools.com I was able to try out some whose existence I would not have known hadn't I participated in this course. Once again, this shows how enriching the course is.
I also learned that there are 'General Purpose' search engines which can display an ocean of websites (with the risk of drowning), such is the case for Google or Bing but if we want to carry out more pinpointed types of search, we can also have more 'Specific Purpose' tools like Infomine, KidsHealth, or Intute, to name but a few.
A major point worth mentioning is though that even if it is good to familiarize our students with varied search engines and websites, it is more important to have them crosscheck the information they retrieve from one site. Indeed, from experience, I know that students have a tendency to consider anything from the net as trustworthy, which is not always the case.
On the whole, then, I can say that the door has disclosed a real treasure when opening for us/me the world of search engines and as hinted during the discussions, the coming week promises to be more enriching.
Colomba!
ReplyDeleteI have just checked your blog and I was awed by its design first and then by the enticing titles. The titles that make you want to read. You are such a creative person. If that is your approach in teaching as well then you are an awesome teacher and I have lots to learn from you. I am grateful to this course that I get to know people like you and get to learn a lot of new things. Now looking at your blog I got to have some ideas about improving mine. :) I hope you don't mind. It's been a hell of a week for me at school as we celebrated a festival dedicated to the languages of Europe, but next week I hope I can get my hands to my blog and have some improvements done. Thank you for having that effect on me. ;)Collaborating and sharing is stimulating.
Excellent work!
Dear Liliana,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your visit and your encouraging words. To tell you the truth, I'm myself still exploring and trying to find the best way to express my feelings with regards this course but I guess the words are not enough to say it. I'm sure that you will also enjoy all what the web is offering us as much as I do. I wish I could spend all my life in front of the screen, browsing various sites, but we have to be realistic, don't we?
Like you, I feel blessed to have people like our group around. Our motto at ETP is 'teaching is sharing' so feel free to make the most of everything here. Enjoy, Liliana!