Lesson One:
     Browsing and Searching Basics

             Introducing yourself via the class listserv
          
           Introduction to the Internet Style of Learning

            Strategies for finding the best resources

                     Using K12 resource sites

                     Using search engines

                     Searchable Lessonplan databases

                     Searchable student homework resources
                   

Lesson One Required Assignments: 1. In the Welcome page http://lone-eagles.com/spu1wel.htm   you'll find a timeline form you need to complete and email to your instructor with your timeline preference for completing the assignments. 2. Post a note to the class listserv that tells who you are, what you teach and what types of resources you're most interesting in finding.  Include at least three URLs that represent the best specific resources you discovered during your lesson one explorations, include at least one Thinkquest site relevant to your teaching. Add a 2-3 sentence description for each resource that describes its specific usefulness for your colleagues. (30 points) 3.On the class listserv, in a separate message, post at least three quality searching tip/tricks, not included in your handbook or already recently posted in the listserv. These should reflect time-saving tips that you have discovered using the help buttons of search engines you have used in lesson one. Perhaps help others identify the best search engines for specific uses. (30 points) 4. In a private email to your instructor send a 1 page review of your experiences resulting from the activities in this lesson with emphasis on relevance for your teaching and a self-assessment on your level of information retrieval skills. (30 points) 5. For the remaining 10 points for this lesson engage in resource sharing with the other participants via the class listserv as described in the class welcome bulletin at http://lone-eagles.com/spu1wel.htm .

Lesson Goals:

To share via the class listserv who you are and what type of resources you'd like help finding, and/or skills and assistance you can offer to others in the class.

To begin to review the quality and range of resources available on the Internet.

To begin explorations of the Thinkquest instructional web sites and resources.

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.

A. Join the class listserv "community"

Your first step for this course is to use your email program to send a simple introductory message, to the class listserv ( edte5174@spu.edu  ) telling who you are, and what your interests are, with emphasis on what you have to share, and what you’d like help finding or learning. You are required to post one introductory message as part of this lesson. You are strongly encouraged to continue to post resources, questions, and humor to encourage participants to interact! (15 minutes)

Hot Tip: One reason students are often ahead of teachers with their computer knowledge is they play and experiment. You're advised to adopt this approach to all the lessons. Experiment, play! Have fun! Mistakes are always learning opportunities. Make lots of them! Frank looks forward to your messages and questions! (Grin.)

B. Read the Internet Style of Learning Essay  (found in the Table of Contents)
  http://lone-eagles.com/islessay.htm . (15 minutes)

C. 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.
(30 minutes)

D. 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.
(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!)

E. Select the Quick WebTours,  http://lone-eagles.com/webtours.htm   from the online Handbook’s table of contents and spend at least one hour reviewing the resources for:

1.  General Educational Web Tour   http://lone-eagles.com/webtour8.htm   Select the first link " Kathy Schrock’s Website."  Look under "Teachers Helpers" and select the slide shows option. Click through her slide show on the differences between Search Engines and Search directories. Note her other helpful resources related to learning search engines! (30 minutes.)

2. Be sure to carefully review the resources listed under the Student Research Tools Web Tour  http://lone-eagles.com/webtour5.htm  Note how most use search engines of one type or another. (30 minutes)

3. 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.

F. 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" 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.

http://google.com is the most popular search engine and I'd recommend Altavista, too.   http://altavista.com   Review the other searching handouts in your handbook, also listed below.

(15 minutes)

Searching Basics:

1. 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.")
   
2. Putting quotes around a specific phrase will return only websites containing that specific phrase. Ex: "Digital Diploma Mills" or "Project-based Learning"
   
3. 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.
   
4. 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.

Review these handouts for consideration for use with your students.  (30 minutes)
        URL's Handout
          http://lone-eagles.com/url.htm 

        Search Strategy Handout
          http://lone-eagles.com/search1.htm

        Search Tool Evaluation Form Handout         
          http://lone-eagles.com/search2.htm

       Tips on Searching the Internet
           http://lone-eagles.com/search3.htm

       Where to Look on the Internet 
           http://lone-eagles.com/search5.htm

        Critical Evaluation of Internet Information Handout   
           http://lone-eagles.com/search6.htm

        Copyright Guidelines Handout 
           http://lone-eagles.com/copy.htm

        Mailing Lists Handout  
          http://lone-eagles.com/mailing.htm

         G. 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

Hot Tip for Advanced Searching!
Here's a new free searching software tools which has received enthusiastic reports!  http://www.copernic.com/en/products/agent/index.html     Select "download now" then "Basic Version" and you'll be asked where you want to save it (use desktop or anywhere.) Its a 2.5 megabyte file so it might take a good while to download. Once you have the file, you double click on it and follow the installation instruction. You've just learned how to download any file and there are thousands of great free software programs out there. Explore more software at http://www.tucows.com

H. Select Lessonplans   http://lone-eagles.com/lessons.htm   from the online Handbook’s table of contents and review the many sources, many of which use search engines. Conduct sample searches at  http://www.thegateway.org  (Begin by selecting "Simple Searching")
(30 minutes)

I. Review some of the 5000 student-created instructional web sites created through the Thinkquest Internet Challenge Competition.   http://www.thinkquest.org/library/index.html Prepare to be impressed!