Ask (your PLN) and ye shall receive!
Oct 11th, 2009 by Cathy Jo Nelson
Friday I was reflecting on Wikipedia and whether or not we should actually teach the dogged tool since most search engines return a Wikipedia article in its top links for queries. I haven’t gotten much response here on the blog (which is okay–some are home run posts that stir a lot of conversation, just as others are pop up flies with little response from readers. Sigh, such is the life of a blogger.)
No blog responses, but…
I did though get a few good responses from another network (and in this case it was Facebook.) (Note: my blog posts are set to automatically feed into the Facebook account.)
Jeff JohnsonIt’s not valid for reference citations but yet it’s an indispensable tool
since Wikipedia articles often contain links to other info…my 2¢
Martha AlewineI use Wikipedia just for that…links to other resources. Would not
recommend to students as a valid reference tool.
Pamela HillI agree with Jeff & Martha! That’s what I always tell students – it’s
a great starting point & quick summary then take a look at the links.It is where I recommend for a “starting point” nothing more. And Jeff, Yes I tell students to sift through those links for gems that may be useful. Still I think it should be shown and taught—for the good, the bad, and the ugly. Not all is ugly.
I just simply wondered (in the blog) and nothing more…
So it was with a pleasant surprise to stumble upon this Google Guide. There is a guide targeted specifically for teens located here too. I particularly like the link to how Google works too! My teacher toolbox has just been tremendously enhanced.
I am amazed at the content here, and especially the timeliness in which it was revealed to me, particularly after I just wondered that Friday here in the blog. Thanks network! PLN’s are the best at addressing shared wonders, riddles, and questions.
Cathy,
Ditto to what Jeff, Martha, and Pamela said. Instead of treating Wikipedia as The Great Evil, I have surprised both teachers and students recently by encouraging them to visit links in the References section of each entry.
Before I do so again, however, I think I need to alert the teachers to the suggestion; I think that one believes I was undermining her authority by making it (she had evidently already told her students NOT to use Wikipedia under any circumstances).
Again, I thinks it awesome–especially when you hit the “discussions” tab on any article and can follow the changes and arguments about the information. What other reference source is so transparent? Those Discussions are sometimes even more interesting than the article they’re about!
I am planning on working with the eighth grade on search techniques this week. Before continuing my planning session this morning, I went through my reader and came across this post. The How Google Works and the Teen Google Guide are going to provide me with some extra resources. Thanks!