• And now by popular request we have the search engines module!

  First of all we will learn together about how to use various search engines - this part was written by my colleague Jean Vermel and then we have a treasure hunt and then a mini project with your partner

• If you are looking for specific information in a particular subject or area, the Web is the place to try and find it. But with the millions of sites already on the web, finding exactly what you are looking for is not always easy.

  Both Netscape and the Microsoft Explorer have buttons that will take you to their Net search page, and each seach engine also has its own URL to which you can go. We will be working with a number of search engines, mainly to demonstrate some of the differences among them.

  Keywords | Refining Your Search | Additional Resources

• Keywords

  Choosing appropriate keywords is a very important stage in your search. Choose words that are as specific as possible and that don't have too many other meanings in different fields. It is also a good idea to think of appropriate synonyms for your keywords as not everyone uses the same words to express the same concepts. For example, if you are looking for portfolio assesment, you could also look under alternative assessment or portfolio evaluation.

• We will begin our searching on a simple level, without taking into consideration Power Searches and boolean searches.

  Please read the instructions of this section to the end before beginning your search.

  Assume that you are looking for information in the field of Dyslexia, Special Education. In this first search, we are interested in comparing the results of a fairly general search with a more specific search. So, use the keywords Special Education. Choose one of the search engines offered through either Netscape or Microsoft Internet Explorer and put in the keywords. Try, in the class, to vary the search engines used, so that a comparison can be made afterwards.

  When you get the results of your search, pay attention to the following:

  how many sites were found with these keywords?

  how many different sites were found containing words with morphological variations?

  how many sites were offered on the first "set of responses?" (often that infomation is contained in the numbering)

  how many additional pages did this search engine offer?(Usually found at the bottom of the page)

  does each entry have a short, helpful summary?

  is the URL written as an URL as well as hypertexted in the name of the page?

  Visit one of the sites and see if the information contained in that site looks relevant to dyslexia.

  When you have completed this, share the results of your search and the answers to the above questions with a partner. Compare the different results and the way the different search engines display their information.

  Now do a search on dyslexia. Use a different search engine and again compare your results with your classmates. Choose which site you want to visit according to the brief summaries offered, and see what kind of information is available.

  For more challenging tasks, try our treasure hunt.

1. In the future, whenever you do a search, use a different search engine until you find those search engines that give you the best results for what you are looking. There is choice and variety on the Netscape Search Page as well as on the Microsoft Internet Explorer Search Page.

   Here are some additional sites with lists of search engines:

• Big Kahuna Search Engines
  Search for Information

• • A power (or advanced or custom) search allows you to define different boolean options. For the exact explanation of what each search engine has to offer, read their tips (this one belongs to Open Text). In most cases, there are pull-down menus which allow you to identify which connector (and, or, not) you want between words. For example, if you are looking for sites that deal with teacher training and technology, you would choose "teacher and training and technology."

• • In addition, you can often define how many results per page you wish. A high number is disadvantaeous because it takes that much longer to load. A low number (like 10) can be disadvantageous for the opposite reason: you need to go from page to pagewhich also takes a while to load. A good number to work with is 25.

    For simple tips on searching go here

    Here are some URLs of power search sites. You can get there directly if you bookmark them or you can go to the search site and go on from there.

    • northernlight

      google

      AltaVista Advanced Search

      Open Text Power Search

      hotBot

      dogpile

Task:

1. For teacher trainees find information dealing with reading and writing skills and strathgies , giving feedback, and portfolio assessment. Locate sites and articles on the subject.

2. For EFL students choose a subject you are currently studying. Use at least two different power searches to find information. Compare and contrast the results you receive. Which one of the search engines helped you more. What were the reasons?

3. For university students, use the explanations above to search for material for your research projects.

• And now for the treasure hunt:

  Divide the list below between you and your internet :

  Find 10 of the following:

  1. Download the soundtrack from one of the "Oscar" nominations for best sound track. If you don't have a sound blaster then find a database that gives you summaries and critiques of the nominations. Check out the review for one of these nominations.

  2. What is the last line of the Magna Carta?

  3. What can you see today at The London Palladium Theatre London?

  4. Find a picture of the Rosetta Stone.

  5. Where can you sign up for educational projects through the Internet?

  6.What time is the first American Airlines flight from Washigton D.C. to JFK airport New York on Sunday morning?

  7. You want to go on a guided tour of the Israeli Parliament - the Knesset, on what day of the week is the tour available??

  8. Which publishing houses published the book War and Peace by Tolstoy in English?

  9. Where can you download the computer game Trivia?

  10. Find the words of the Beatles song "Yesterday".

  11 Where is the nearest place to you where you can order pizza through the Internet?

  12.Who is the foreign minister of New Zealand?

  13. Find 2 good vegetarian recipes.

  14.Find out details about a drug for malaria.

  15. What was the name of the panda born in San Diego Zoo?

  16. Who won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1999?

  17. Find a map of the Paris Metro.

  18. Where was the last earthquake?

  19.Find some sites that discuss at what age one should begin teaching a foreign language.

  20. You want to study business studies on a summer course on the East coast of the USA. Find details of a course.

  Collaborate with your on-line partners and when you have completed the assignment send your answers to your online intructors

  More treasure hunts (if you're in the mood for challenges:)

  OPPtical Illusion,
  Online Creatively
  Search for Treasure -- Yujin Gakuen

• • ԡsk: During this course each group will produce a Webfolio, it will include the introductions of each partner, a picture, the famous bio-poem and in fact all the assignments you do together in the modules.

    For this module pupils in Jerusalem are asked to choose 1 topic from the list below that interests you, and then choose 1 different topic with your "teacher" in Tel Aviv that you are both interested .

    The students in Washington should discuss with their Teal Aviv partners what topic to choose and they should work together on this topic.
    By using the powersearch, find 5 really good links for your topic and write a short explanation of what you will find on the site, each member is responsible for their chosen topic and jointly responsible for the shared topic. The pupil in Jerusalem and the university student in Washington are responsible for saving the final versions of the topics because they will be writing the WEbfolio

    The list of topics:
    an animal
    a type of music
    a religion
    a means of travel
    a civilization
    a sport
    a type of movie
    a place in the world
    a festival
    a period in history
    a type of literature
    a type of food
    a famous person
    an artist
    a natural phenomena

    The short explanation of the links should include:
    the name of the site
    the correct citation
    what type of information you'll find here
    what you liked about the site