Chapter 5 - Digital Blog Post D

Virtual Learning

E-books and E-readers are such useful tools to use when researching information. Think back to the days when we had to go to ten different libraries before finding the exact books we needed; either we found the right book or anything that would come close. With the help of e-books, we are able to have access to the right books without having to worry about there being a lack of copies available or wondering if we have the right edition. The virtual books, compared to physical copies, allows for more convenient access without running into the problem of availability. Now even though this means the same books will be open to more people, thus creating more overlapping in projects or assignments, it also allows different approaches and views on the same topic. Both convenience and efficiency are important factors when dealing with the multitude of virtual books now available, but the diversity of views it encourages is just as important. 

I appreciate in Chapter 5 that the authors discuss how to effectively search for information on the Internet. Sometimes we think simply typing in basic keywords will give us the desired information we are looking for. However, with the Internet being such a vast ocean of information, we have to keep in mind that the more specific we are, the more likely we are to get concentrated results. If you are still having trouble finding information with just the usual search engines, the reading discusses specific ways students can find their topics. One approach for searching is to use search sites that are “designed for students [with] sources of age-appropriate curriculum resources” (Maloy, et al, 2014, p. 110). This will let students find searches specifically for their age group. The second approach teaches students how to “carefully evaluate search results rather than accepting what they find at face value” (Maloy, et al, 2014, p.110). Keep in mind that just because it’s first on the page or sounds similar to what you’re looking for, doesn’t mean it’s the right result for you. Make sure the information is right for you by reading through the material instead of picking and choosing small bits from the piece.

On the topic of searching for information online, we come across a variety of results that try to deter us from our goals. Within the reading we learn more about different challenges we face when we come across misleading or frustrating subject matter. A few problems specifically stuck out to me within this section: Misinformation, Malinformation, and Mostly useless information. I’d like to assume that everyone, at some point in time, has come across results that fit into at least one of these categories. So often we find information that is simply false or deceptive, is so graphic and raw we’re not sure it’d be safe to use it, or information that we just think is full of insignificant topics and thus not worth our time. Although the book describes multiple ways schools try to manage these results (i.e. censorship, filtering, etc.) the most long-term approach, in my opinion, is critical reading. By teaching students how to watch out for these types of sources, and how to evaluate whether or not to use them, can be practiced for years to come and follow them as they move on in life in and out of the classroom. Where certain software systems and regulations cannot follow, the strategies students learn can remain with them long after they’ve left the classroom.

If you'd like to take the time, you can take a quick survey about search engine challenges.

In conclusion, the World Wide Web can either be a powerful tool or a crimpling instrument. However, when we learn how to use the Internet to our advantage and how to avoid the information that would deter us, we can smoothly navigate in whichever way we need to. We need to always keep in mind that the information we find out on the web is not our own (unless you actually published it). Just as we have to site our sources for physical texts to give credit to authors, we also need to always cite our sources for our online findings so that we don’t steal information.

Works Cited

Goshay, N (2015, September 27). Search Engine Challenges. Created with Kahoot! https://play.kahoot.it/#/k/c6c768b8-ca53-473b-8e92-6347631ce693

Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2014). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.

MediaShift (2012, December 17). E-Books or Print Books? Retrieved September 27, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSUcncNFK74