~ Internet Searching for Beginners ~

The internet contains a huge range of resources - some are verified facts and research from reputable organisations, others are subjective opinion; some are trying to sell you something, others have an educational purpose. A simple search using any old search engine will probably produce thousands of 'hits', most of which won't be what you are looking for! And what about the 'invisible web' - the resources not found with your average search engine? 

To improve the efficiency and quality of your searches you first need to understand the variety of sources and tools available.

Important Things to Know Before You Begin Searching the Web. Teaching Library Internet Workshops, University of California, Berkeley. Right click to open this link in a new window http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/ThingsToKnow.html#WhatSearching

Part 1 - Search Tools

Scroll down and read the succinct introduction to search tools on the following site. Then spend some time exploring the different tools.

Searching the Internet : Subject indexes and Search Engines 
Stetson Middle School Library, Philadelphia Right click to open this link in a new window http://www.sldirectory.com/search.html#top

HANDY HINT If you want to see where you've been, or 'leapfrog' back to an earlier site, pull down the Go menu and select the site you wish to revisit.

Confused? Then try this:

NoodleQuest
Just answer a few questions about your research topic and NoodleQuest will tell you some of the best search strategies you can use, and even explain why! A brilliant tool from Debbie Abilock, Curriculum Coordinator and Director of Library and Technology at The Nueva School (San Francisco Bay area). 
Right click to open this link in a new window http://www.noodletools.com/noodlequest/

See also her pages aimed at students: Nueva Library Research Goal 
Right click to open this link in a new window www.nueva.pvt.k12.ca.us/~debbie/library/research/research.html 

HANDY HINT By now you may have rather a lot of buttons on the bottom task bar! Open each window and close those you are no longer using (not this one!), otherwise your browser may crash!

Part 2 - Developing search strategies

Over time you will adopt favourite search tools, but as you will have realised by now, WHAT you are searching for has an important influence on WHERE and HOW you search. Have a look at these strategies:

Recommended Search Strategy: Search With Peripheral Vision 
Teaching Library Internet Workshops, University of California, Berkeley
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Strategies.html

More strategies:

Boolean Searches:  http://www.ima.egreen.wednet.edu/search_Tut/tips.html

The principles of Smart Searching: http://www.monash.com/spidap5.html

Resource Sites: http://www.completeplanet.com/resourcesites/index.asp

Pandia Goalgetter tutorial: http://www.pandia.com/goalgetter/index.html 

Tutorial: Guide to Effective Searching of the Internet
Complete Planet, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A very detailed explanation of the syntax of search strings.  http://www.completeplanet.com/Tutorials/Search/index.asp#index

Part 3 - The Internet for Educators

The more you explore, the more you will find. In terms of finding educational resources to use in your teaching there are many directories and portals.

EdNA - Education Network Australia, is the best example in Australia. 
Become familiar with this one-stop shop of resources aimed specifically at Australian educators - lesson plans, teacher discussion lists, latest research, conferences etc. Its worth subscribing to their email alert service. http://edna.edu.au.html

One of the best sources will always be your professional colleagues. ICT makes tapping into your professional networks so much easier. CEASA is an independent peak body representing 59 associations in South Australia: http://www.ceasa.asn.au/ Join a mailing list.

ERIC is the world's largest source of education information, with more than 1 million abstracts of documents and journal articles on education research and practice.  If you can't find what you want in the database, you can AskEric - a free service where, within a couple of days, they will compile a digest of available resources in response to your query e.g.

• Using Critical Thinking To Conduct Effective Searches of Online
  Resources. ERIC Digest, 2000.
  http://www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed447199.html
• An Introduction to Internet Resources for K-12 Educators. Part I:
  Information Resources, Update 2000. ERIC Digest. http://www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed444602.html
• An Introduction to Internet Resources for K-12 Educators. Part II:
  Question Answering, Electronic Discussion Groups, Newsgroups, Update
  2000. ERIC Digest.
  http://www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed438808.html
• Online Resources for K-12 Teachers: Children's and Adolescent Literature. 
  ERIC Digest, 1999 D149.
  http://www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed436009.html

There is a more detailed Teacher Reference page of useful links available on the intranet. Individual teachers are encouraged to pool their 'bookmarks' into faculty pages for the benefit of all! And......Don't forget, your friendly teacher librarian is always ready to help you!