Monday, July 10, 2023

The Teacher’s Toolbox (part the first): Search Engines and E-Cyclopedias

    In undergrad, I became painfully aware that a massive amount of my time was spent on “research”. I use quotes here because most of my searching was just browsing the internet, trying to find anything that pertained to the paper of the week. I did not understand how to refine my process in a helpful and de-frustrating way. I did know what I did not know – namely that Wikipedia is a great way to access good research and Google can return results outside of my personal algorithm’s perspective. In other words, these online portals are tools. In order to use a tool effectively, you must understand it; what problem was it made to address and how to use it to accomplish the end for which it was designed.

 

    Google and Wikipedia can be used to great effect when we take time to critically evaluate online resources, where they come from, and how we can and cannot depend on them. So come out to the proverbial shop with me and let’s explore how to use Google outside one's own bubble and the trustworthiness of Wikipedia.

 

    Technology, including platforms like Google, Facebook, and Instagram, is designed to collect data. However, not all educators or students are aware of the extent to which their information is tracked and utilized. As educators, it is crucial to teach students how to navigate and critically assess the tools they are using. Recognizing the impact of technology on research and learning is crucial in empowering students to become digital-savvy individuals.

 

    But Google is also an information index, and was designed to be browsed in specific ways. Using specific search techniques can help us break free from our information bubbles. For example, by leveraging search language like “history of global trade site:gov” or “history of global trade site:gov.cn” (the government sites for the US and China respectively), we can explore different perspectives on a particular topic. Being aware of domain codes like this helps us understand diverse viewpoints. By actively engaging in media literacy, we gain a more comprehensive understanding of the world around us and can access the information we seek much more effectively.

 

    As we talk about Wikipedia, it is important to note the history of encyclopedic knowledge in classrooms. Schools used to spend money on volumes and volumes of printed encyclopedias for classrooms for students to access as needed. However, with the advent of the internet and particularly of online encyclopedias like Wikipedia, that was no longer necessary. However, the fear of misinformation online spurred educators to shy away from Wikipedia. Thus, while Wikipedia revolutionized and monopolized the encyclopedia format, it simultaneously fell out of favor in the classroom, leaving behind a massive void of information in the classroom.

 

    Like Google or any other tool, it is also important to exercise caution and critical thinking when using Wikipedia. Its strength is in its ranking system and its collaborative nature, with volunteers editing and maintaining its content and each page’s administrators. Seeking to find good information beyond that within its pages is a tricky business. But, by becoming critically engaged with the site and thoughtfully contributing ourselves, we actively add to the largest body of knowledge created by humans!

 

    Phew! It is hot out in the proverbial shop without proverbial A/C, let’s head back in for now and return when its proverbially cooler. Thank you for exploring the world of online information with me today. By learning how to use search engines effectively, understanding technology's impact, and seeking to understand more about Wikipedia’s strengths, we move closer to becoming better equipped teachers; empowering our students and ourselves to be knowledgeable, responsible, and effective digital citizens.


This post was created with assistance by ChatGPT.


1 comment:

  1. Effective digital citizens. That's what it's all about. Like it or not we are all digital citizens and are teaching and preparing the next digital citizens.

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