Internet Search Literacy

This article actually opened my eyes even further to how students need to be taught how to search a topic online, especially lower level students, many of whom have no computer to practice with at home.

Next time I will create a scaffolded record sheet for them to react to and record about their initial findings on their search. I will also encourage them to not just use Google to search. I will demonstrate on a site how to evaluate its credibility (look for an author, "about us," a date of publication, and corporate source, etc.). I will ask them how many initial hits they got on their search and where to find that, so they can narrow their search (something they inevitably need to do every time). I will demonstrate how to scroll over a home page to see what areas are "hot" and can be opened, and to read the page as one would a chapter in a text, noticing headlines, pics, links, and the general site map. I will also make an edoc or hard copy of scaffolded guidelines for them to record their findings without merely copying, how to summarize and cite the source, etc. This and more--back to letters of recommendation due in 2 days!