INTRODUCTION
Scope of this Project
Standards Addressed
COMPARING SEARCH ENGINES
Introduction
Evaluation Criteria
Comparison Chart
SEARCH ENGINES FEATURED
AOL@SCHOOL
Ask Jeeves Kids
Awesome Library
CyberSleuth Kids
KidsClick
Librarians' Internet Index
OneKey (Google Safe Search)
Open Directory Project (Kids and Teens)
Yahooligans!
STUDENT ACTIVITIES
Elementary Lesson Plan
Middle/High School Lesson
Interactive Search Tool Finder
FEEDBACK
Education Search Features
Your Favorite Search Engine
ABOUT ME
Ginger Lindberg |
INTRODUCTION
According to a recent study* by Partners in Brainstorms for AOL, teachers
typically use general, non-education-related search engines – Google, Yahoo! and MSN – to assist with schoolwork.
There are common problems with using these and other major search engines for
and with
students.
- Not age-appropriate (i.e., objectionable content appears in
results even with filters, material too difficult etc.)
- Much of the content has little or no educational value (full of
e-commerce and entertainment)
- Too many results, no focus
- Results are usually not annotated thus more time is needed in
order to assess initial usefulness
In the same study, students, teachers and parents also talked about their frustration with the results and are disappointed by the
quality or content of some of the sites. They will switch to another search engine for a specific search if their favorite doesn’t give
them desired results, yet they usually go back to the favorite despite repeated disappointments.
SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT
How to evaluate a Web site is a common research skill that is covered in
most grade levels, however, before one can evaluate a Web site they must
first find one. How to search effectively is also taught but one
must know where to start searching. While most teachers provide
starting points for their students on where to start looking for
information on the Internet, most do not "defend their choices" by
offering why they recommend a particular search engine over another.
Through its tools and resources this project will not only serve as a first line of defense, but it
will also
assist in teaching students and educators on how to properly evaluate a search engine.
*Source: Education Portal
Qualitative Market Research. AOL Digital Services. St. Louis and
Philadelphia: Partners in Brainstorms, October 2005.
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