Utilizing the World Wide Web for Research

Linda MillsLibrary Media SpecialistGreensburg Elementary

lmills@venus.nethttp://www.greensburg.k12.in.us/ges/Library/index.htm

Why Research?

• Productive member of society• Life long learners (Information Power)• Develop a deep understanding of a subject• Create and share knowledge• Speak to an audience• Present a well reasoned point of view• Indiana Language Arts Standards

Digital Information

Fluency (DIF)• Ability to find, evaluate and use digital

information efficiently, effectively, and ethically

• DIF is knowing how digital information is different than print information

• Having the skills to use specialized tools• Developing the dispositions needed in

digital environment• http://21cif.imsa.edu

Research Models

• The Big6• Pathways to Knowledge• Research Cycle• Kids Connect Toolbox• Information Search Process• Savvy Seven• 8 W’s of Information Inquiry• Stripling Pitts Research Process

Big6 http://big6.com/

• 1. Task Definition• 1.1 Define the information

problem • 1.2 Identify information

needed • 2. Information Seeking

Strategies • 2.1 Determine all possible

sources • 2.2 Select the best sources• 3. Location and Access• 3.1 Locate sources

(intellectually and physically) • 3.2 Find information within

sources

• 4. Use of Information• 4.1 Engage (e.g., read,

hear, view, touch) • 4.2 Extract relevant

information • 5. Synthesis• 5.1 Organize from multiple

sources • 5.2 Present the information • 6. Evaluation• 6.1 Judge the product

(effectiveness) • 6.2 Judge the process

(efficiency)

Pathways to Knowledge http://www.sparkfactor.com/clients/follett/home.html

• Appreciation and EnjoymentExamine the world.

• PresearchDevelop an overview; explore relationships

• SearchIdentify information providers; select information resources; seek relevant information

• InterpretationInterpret information

• CommunicationApply information; share new knowledge

• EvaluationEvaluate process and product

Research Cycle by Jamie Mckenzie

http://questioning.org • QUESTIONING • PLANNING • GATHERING • SORTING & SIFTING • SYNTHESIZING • EVALUATING • REPORTING*

Information Search Processhttp://www.asis.org/Bulletin/Feb-99/kuhlthau.html

• Initiation• Selection• Exploration • Formulation• Collection• Presentation

Savvy Sevenhttp://www.davidvl.org/savvy7.html

• What is the Question? • What Resources Should I Use? • How Do I Find the Information? • How Do I Gather the Information? • Which Information Do I Use?• How Do I Share What I Learned?. • How Do I Evaluate My Work?

8 W’s by Annette Lambhttp://eduscapes.com/tap/topic71.htm

• Watching (Exploring) • Wondering (Questioning)• Webbing (Searching)• Wiggling (Evaluating) • Weaving (Synthesizing) • Wrapping (Creating)• Waving (Communicating)• Wishing (Assessing)    

Pitts/Striplinghttp://witloof.sjsu.edu/courses/250.loertscher/modelstrip.html

• Step 1:Choose a broad topic.• Step 2:Get an overview of the topic.• Step 3:Narrow the topic.• Step 4:Develop a thesis or statement of purpose.

Step 5:Formulate questions to guide research.Step 6:Plan for research and production.Step 7:Find / Analyze / Evaluate sources.Step 8:Evaluate evidence / Take notes / Compile bibliography.Step 9:Establish conclusions / Organize information into an outline.Step 10:Create and present final product.

Using Books

• Books used first as a basic of knowledge

• Maybe a picture book• Maybe a non fiction book• Maybe a group of books• Background knowledge needed for

elementary students

Don’t make young students search

(especially in beginning)

Doesn’t come naturally even if they are Digital Natives and not Digital Immigrants http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf

• Need to be taught how to search• Need to be taught how to evaluate

Various tools to use and talk about for research

• Pathfinders• Noodletools• Various other sources• Online encyclopedias• United Streaming

What is a Pathfinder?

• Around since the ‘70s to help library users navigate resources

• Establishes a plan of action• Now Web-based and even more necessary!• Sharable 24/7 • Scalable—makes teachers’ and librarians’

advice vastly available• Models selection, evaluation, strategies, and

balance!

Why Pathfinders for

Students?• So they won’t miss the really good stuff! • Promote a wide and balanced range of

relevant resources• Multiple formats/Displays range of information

choices• Self-efficacy may discourage exploration• Can students discern quality?• Move students from reliance on free Web or

their favorite search engine

Pathfinders also……

• Inspire thoughtful, comprehensive research

• Have annotations• Select only the best• Have broad spectrum of resources• Have been evaluated by someone• Are entry point to the oral defense

Pathfinders

• Help navigate through a wealth of search choices and resources by developing a path for a student to follow

• Examples and template for a pathfinder http://mciu.org/~spjvweb/pathmenu.html

• My webpage – Go to Presentations http://www.greensburg.k12.in.us/ges/Library/index.htm

Noodletools

• Helps develop research skills• Bibliography maker• Helps develop search strategies• Articles about research• Location www.noodletools.com

Various sites to use

• Reference sites• General sites• Specific subject area sites• Image sites

Links

My webpage: http://www.greensburg.k12.in.us/ges/Library/index.htm

Find these under Presentations and then Utilizing the Worldwide Web for Research

WebQuests

• Inquiry oriented activity• Information is drawn from web• Focus on using information and

synthesizing it, NOT searching for it

• http://webquest.sdsu.edu/

Need to teach students to:

• Evaluate sites• How to be safe on the Internet• How to choose keywords• How to not plagiarize

Kathy Schrock

• Sponsored by Discovery School• Rich in grade level appropriate

materials• Searching terminology• Evaluation skills • http://school.discovery.com/

schrockguide/

Evaluating Web sites

• Author’s expertise• Publisher reliable• Links from author’s page• Reliable pages link to this page• Information from traditional sources• Updated or published• Information accurate• Bias in perspective• Evidence in support

Example

• http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/evalelem.html

Quick

• Quality Information Checklist• United Kingdom• 8 step evaluation guide and online

quiz• http://www.quick.org.uk

Cyberbee

• Rich site with a variety of materials• Evaluation guide• Research tools• Web projects• www.cyberbee.com/guides.html

CyberSmart!www.cybersmartcurriculum.org/home

• Useful site for teaching children how to use the Internet effectively and safely.

• Learn to evaluate and cite the web sites • Developed by McMillian/McGraw Hill • Designed for K-8• Includes lesson plans, teacher support

materials and ISTE NETS alignment

Great Sites Selection Criteria

• American Library Association• Selection criteria for Great Sites• Four evaluation points:

authorship/sponsorship; purpose; design/stability; and content.

• http://www.ala.org/parentspage/greatsites/criteria.html

Illinois Mathematics and Science

Academy• Information fluency tips• Copyright information• Locating resources• Evaluating resources• Search challenges modules• http://21cif.imsa.edu

“If people believe that they have searched the entire Internet when they run a search on a search engine, they are sadly mistaken—they are only seeing a subset of what is available.”

Vint Cerf, Financial Times, 12/5/01

Premise

What is the Invisible Web?

• ‘Stuff’ that search engine crawlers cannot or will not add to their databases.

• Two to 50 times larger than the visible Web

• Invisible Web resources often much higher quality than the visible Web

• Great article by Chris Sherman entitled “The Invisible Web: Uncovering Sources Search Engines Can’t See” in Library Trends

Web sites explained

• Deep Web refers to everything else.• Surface Web refers to Internet resources

indexed by general search engines.• Invisible Web refers to Internet resources

accessible only by specialized search tools.• Opaque Web refers to Internet resources that

are unlinked.• Dark Web refers to Internet resources that are

off limits except to the privileged few.

Pay vs. Non PaySites

Pay sites• Online encylopedias• United Streaming• Other data bases

Non cost sites (Invisible sites)

• INSPIRE--free to ALL people in Indiana

• Databases of magazine resources• http://inspire.net

Online Encylopedias

• Encyclopedia(s)• Atlas• Dictionary• Search features• Videos--Animations--Magazines

Try onehttp://www.greensburg.k12.in.us/ges/Library/encyclope

dia.htm

• Groliers:ID: greensburg password:

home

• World BookID: greensburg password:

home

United Streaming

http://www.unitedstreaming.com/

• Great way to get full length videos• Great way to get snippets of

videos• Lots of images• Can use on computer for whole

class• Students can use individually

Wikipedia

Good or bad???

New vocabulary

What is Web 2.0?• Blogs, podcast, wikis, webinar,

video broadcasting, music files, photo sharing

Examples of Student Research

• Penguins• Continents• Animals/Biomes• Scientists• Space• Lewis and Clark

Locating resources• Don’t waste time searching for things • Search familiar print sources online• Use unique terms• Use +, - and””operators to narrow search• Consider spelling variations on search• Search best sites in depth• Refine your search strategy• Use synonyms• Focus on format• Search the invisible web

What? No Google? Instead

use……• Directories or Kid Search Engines• Reference sites• Specific subject areas• Teacher sites• Maps and Cams• Pathfinders• WebQuests

Integrating digital content into projects

• Respect copyright laws• Use the browser’s find feature• Use bookmarks/favorites to organize

documents• Create an annotated URL list• Cite internet documents correctly• Incorporate text from the web in reports

and presentations• Incorporate images• Publish educational information using web

pages

Remember….

• Teach research model to be effective.• Use pathfinders• Evaluate information• Teach students to be good consumers• Explore sites in depth• Use site map• Important information may be just a click

away

Becoming Researchers

• Prepare yourself for change• Teach students directly• Teach the teachers• Propose a research model for your

school or situation• Gain administrative support

Last but not least….

Have fun!