Lone Eagle Self-empowerment Mini-course #1:
Internet Self-empowerment -Becoming a Self-directed Learner
Course description:
Successive hands-on experiences are simply presented in an entertaining way to quickly build the skills for using search engines, free web tools, and the Internet to learn anything from anywhere at any time. Four hours are recommended to complete the required tasks for this course, not counting the additional time exploring the great resources.
Course Goals
To begin to review the quality and range of resources available on the Internet.
To confirm mastery of basic browsing, cut and paste, and searching skills and to identify the best sources for futher skill development.
To learn about resources for improving your Internet searching skills.
To learn to have fun using the Internet to learn.
Lesson Tasks Required for Certification After working through the lessons, complete the following:
1. After reviewing all the links in at least two Web Tours of your choice, from http://lone-eagles.com/webtours.htm , cut and paste the four best web addresses into an email message and send them to your mentor with 2-3 sentences each describing the best resources of each site.
2. Email to your mentor at least three quality searching tip/tricks, not included in your handbook or this lesson, that you have learned using the help buttons of search engines of your own choice.
3. Email your mentor your review of this lesson and any questions you might have, along with suggestions for improving this lesson. Include what you most want to learn next, for were unable to learn during this lesson.
Lesson One - Flip through the entire handbook to become familiar with the diverse resources, review the four levels of Internet Style of Learning format, hands-on activities, articles and handouts. If you don't have a printed handbook, go to http://lone-eagles.com/guide.htm and you'll see the complete table of contents and can access the pages by the titles given in the lessons. Note that the lessons for this course are not the same as the activities in the handbook.
(15 minutes)Read the Internet Style of Learning Essay
(found in the Table of Contents) http://lone-eagles.com/islessay.htm . (15 minutes)
Other recommended readings are at http://lone-eagles.com/teled.htm Lesson Two - Select the "Checklist Activity; Web-Browsing and Cut and Paste Basics" http://lone-eagles.com/browse.htm from the online Handbook’s table of contents and verify your mastery of each task on the checklist. This checklist is not browser specific. Please feel free to ask questions of your mentor.
(15 minutes)
Cut and Paste Skills: Make sure you can use cut and paste to move text and web addresses from any web page to any word processor. PC users: Select the Windows help button from the Start Menu, click on "Index" which is the help search engine, and type "cut and paste" (without the quotes.) Mac users: do the same using the Mac help system. (15 minutes)Note: To use cut and paste you’d first open the wordprocessor of your choice, and then will need to jump between your browser and the wordprocessor using the Windows taskbar or the Macintosh "finder" each time you move a URL or block of text. If you don’t know how to jump between two open applications, consult your Windows or Macintosh help menu on "Using or Running Programs." (Ask questions if you need help, it is easy!)
Select the Quick Web Tours, http://lone-eagles.com/webtours.htm from the online Handbook’s table of contents and spend at least one hour reviewing the resources for two web tours of your choice. Cut and paste the four best web addresses into an email message and send them to your mentor with 2-3 sentences each describing the best resources for each site. (One hour)
Tip: The most valuable section of most websites is their listing of "other sites." Once you find a few sites that vigorously maintain and update their listings of "other sites" you’ll be able to return to learn what’s new without having to hunt down the new sites individually all by yourself.
Lesson Three
- Take the Free Web Tools Web Tour at http://lone-eagles.com/currtour.htm and get yourself a hotmail email account if you don't already have your own email account. (30 minutes)Lesson Four - Select the "Checklist Activity: Internet Searching Basics" http://lone-eagles.com/search.htm from the online Handbook’s table of contents and verify your mastery of each task on the checklist.
(15 minutes)
Review carefully the activity handout " Tips on Searching the Internet " a portion of which is listed below, on the basics of using AND, OR and NOT with keywords, and then expand your knowledge of searching tricks (syntax) by exploring the help buttons on your choice of search engine.(Altavista is recommended; http://altavista.digital.com )
Review the other searching handouts in your handbook, also listed below. (15 minutes)
Searching Basics:
The more keywords you use, using AND, OR and NOT, ideally the fewer, more specific resources will be retrieved. Using AND provides fewer resources (Memory Tag; "AND is CANNED.") Using OR provides more resources (Memory Tag: "OR is MORE.")
Putting quotes around a specific phrase will return only websites containing that specific phrase. Ex: "Digital Diploma Mills" or "Project-based Learning"
Truncation characters such as * or ? will allow for flexibility with words than may have multiple suffixes: EX: email AND tutorial* will find sites with the words tutorial and tutorials. Edu* will return sites with educators, educational, education, etc.
Search engines are NOT created equal, while often similar, they search different information using different syntax and you’re advised to refer to the help tips on the search engine of your choice to learn how to use it most effectively. Go to http://www.searchenginewatch.com and review the
resources with emphasis on : (30 minutes)
First Select: Web Searching Tips, then Search Engine Tutorials
Then Explore: From the main page select Search Engine Listings and then Kid's Search Engines
Noodle around at http://google.com http://aj.com and http://dogpile.com just to see what you can learn from these very popular searching sites. (30 minutes) Also, you can find tutorials on almost any topic by using the following keywords in any search engine, for tutorials on email enter "email AND tutorial*" (without the quotes.) Try it!
TIP: Making mistakes is an excellent way to learn computers and Internet. Be Bold! Have Fun!
Lesson Feedback: Optional, but much appreciated.
You're invited to privately email your mentor:
1. What areas, if any, did you have trouble with during this
lesson?2. What questions remain now that you've finished this lesson?
3. Approximately how much time did you devote to this lesson?
4. What improvements would you like to suggest?