Stanford Researchers find students have trouble judging the credibility of information online

Prism – Collaborative Interpretation of Text

WolframAlpha is one of his favourite websites. It’s a  knowledge-based search engine. You can combine this with a tool that has recording possibilities. To keep evidence of learning and understanding of concepts. It allows to pinpoint where the learning breaks down. The teacher’s role in a world where the information is at your fingertips has to change. The role of the teacher is enhanced – What do we teach kids in a world where a paper can be written from the push of a button. Creativity trumps memorization. Teachers need to focus on what to with the knowledge rather than passing on facts, it is what we do with it. You can play with information in a tool like this, extrapolate hypothesis, research them, find real information that stems from the students’ interests.

Jing is a software that allows screen casting. For example, students can record voiceover on a video to explain their understanding for educational purposes. (Please note that this recorded voice over cannot be published online)

Other available options for screencasting available to anyone at EMSB:

• Mac: Quicktime (free)
• PC: Chrome extensions such as “Screencastify” (free) or “Loom” (free).  You can install these extensions by going to https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/extensions
• iPad: Native app (or function) See example at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nxu7ExoojKA
  • Educreation app ($)
  • Explain Everything app ($)

Another tool that can be used to show understanding or make presentation is Minecraft. It allows for creating projects that demonstrate their understanding, it also allows for building or recreating the physical world from stories virtually. Ex.: Minecraft San Diego Mission Project

Activity to learn about effective Google Searches: Find a powerpoint presentation about teaching Shakespeare from UK that addresses more specifically Romeo and Juliet – -using filetype and site such as: “romeo and juliet” filetype:ppt site:ac.uk – – ” ” to search for exact terms, ppt to search for a powerpoint file and ac stands for academia and uk for United Kingdom

Another assignment could be to research information about the Iranian Hostage Crisis – Search… if the exact words are typed in the search field, it is likely your results will be local and represent only one point of view.

You could search various points of view depending on location using country codes. Internet Country Codes

Guide to Google Search Operators

Google Advanced Search does not include all search operators, it is therefore important to learn about web syntax and country codes and other syntax.

Analogy- “When you read a book, you read the story. When you read off the Internet, the Internet reads you. (The book doesn’t read you back).”

*to learn more about filter bubbles and Internet tracking I recommend Do Not Track / Traque interdite a series by NFB

Discussion on Breast Cancer Steps for Google Timeline (Tools, Date,Time) timeliness for latest results may be of great importance.

Google Scholar –Not always best search results, using search operators, combined with google search features, may refine your search results with needed information. Depends what you look for. Google Scholar – good for things that are established, not recent information. At least 2 years delay.

Google like  a pro – ear mouse Vacanti

Power searching with Google – Online Course

Archive.org will give you history of a site and access to information on specific dates and data from that time Will give you access to how media has covered events on the day of…

… The punctuation of the Internet helps you know where the information comes from

Other research topics, ideas:

-Search with hashtags –  Another search place could be Twitter searches

-Ask kids to create problems from real life pics

Asking/creating interesting questions when giving research assignments – open-ended questions, not factual based suggested resource: The Right Question Institute