I had the opportunity to take a Google Power Search course over the last few weeks. It may be one of the best on-line PD courses I've taken in a long time. AND - the timing was almost too good to be true. My students are beginning their research on a particular social issue that effects teens as part of our PBL unit on nonfiction, "We've Got Issues."
This course is designed to help you become a better searcher using Google. Classes focused on operators, what words to use in a search and in what order, how to interpret results, and how a Google search works. Each class is a short (under 10 minute video) and a couple of practice activities. Mastery of the course includes a mid-course assessment and a final assessment. Both are hands on activities that require Google searches to answer correctly.
My students will begin the research process tomorrow when we visit the Library/Media Specialist for information on evaluating sources and then I will guide them through the searching process of understanding exactly what they are seeing on a search results page an how to use operators. I am so hoping that it turns out well and they actually use these Power Search techniques to help them refine their searches and sift through the inordinate amounts of information out on the web.
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