Title: Google Search in the Classroom

 

Description:

Google search “is a web search engine owned by Google, Inc., and is now widely recognized as the world’s largest search engine, an easy-to-use free service that usually returns relevant results in a fraction of a second. Google receives several hundred million queries each day through its various services. It was originally developed by Larry Page and Sergey Brin in 1997”.”Using Google, students and teachers are able to access a variety of information in many different languages: stock quotes, maps, news headlines, videos, images, books, and much more. Students’ curiosity is no longer bound by the limits of the school and local libraries - they can search billions of sources from around the globe”.

Integrating Google Search in the learning process: Google search engine can provide huge quantity of facts, data, images, maps, news and videos that cover all aspects of knowledge.  As a huge source of information, this search engine provides teachers with valuable information about the content of their subject. It provides them with much information that enhances their profession as a teacher such as instructional methods, learning theories and lesson planning tips.

            The Teachers’ role is to provide students with a problem and make them solve this problem depending on Google Search as a source of information. Students can use Google Search results as inputs for their activities projects. For example, students can design a flyer, poster or presentation using facts, images or maps from Google search.           These kinds of activities are enjoyable for the students. It enriches their knowledge and makes them be active in the learning process.  Teachers should train students how to get the reliable information and how to cite the information avoiding plagiarism as discussed in the previous session on Search Engines.

            There are four activities in this part. First, participants will get a general idea about how to access to Google search engine and to be familiar with the features of Google search engine environment. Second, participants will use Google search engine to search for a certain key word getting a website and an image related to it. Third, participants will brainstorm practical ideas that would be applied in the learning process. Fourth, participants will get instructional techniques and device lesson plans. These activities will enable participants to use Google search engine as a source of information enriches his knowledge as a teacher and provides learners in the classroom with an interactive source of knowledge that supports many higher level learning activities.

 

Objectives:

At the end of the session, the participants will be able to:

1.    access the Google Search engine using the web;

2.    be familiar with Google search page and other Google search options as web, images, videos, books and scholar search;

3.    use Google web search to search certain keywords  and use Google Image search to search for an image in a website;

4.    cite practical ways and make an action plan utilizing Google search to enhance their profession as teachers, and

5.    make lesson plans using the Google search engines

 

Instructional Sequence:

Activity #1: Getting Started: Google Environment

Instruction: Participants would work into groups. Two members for each group using a computer connected to the internet.

1.    Participants will open a webpage. Write the following link in the address bar as shown in figure 1 then press enter:  “www.google.com” or “Google.com”  

·         As a result, you will get the Google web search page as in figure 2:

 

 

 

 

2.    Participants will be familiar the positions and functions of the features of the Google search page as in figure 3. The explanations for the features are listed below.

       1. Search box: search key words are written here.

2. Search button: gives command for Google to search.

3. Web search: it is the default option for Google search that enables you to search on the web.

4. Images Search: enables you to search for images and pictures.

5. Maps Search: enables you to search for maps.

6. News Search: enables you to search for news.

7. Video Search: enables you to search for videos.

8. Gmail: leads you to your email account at Google (Gmail account).

(Let participants click on more at the upper left of the page to get more Google options):

9. Groups: leads you to your Google groups’ account.

10. Books Search: enables you to search for online digital books.

11. Scholars Search: enables you to search for academic articles.

12. Calendar: leads you to Google Calendar.

13. Documents: leads you to Google Documents.

 

 

Activity #2: Google Search

 

1.    Write the key word “concept maps” in the search box then click on the search button to get your search results as shown in figure 4:

 

 

(Helpful tips):

o   The underlined blue font titles are the links that lead to the website.

o   Below every title there is a brief description for the content of the website.

o    If you find a suitable title and description that fit your need, click on the blue title to go to the web.

o   You can search for images or books related to the same key words by clicking on the search options shown above the search results.

 

2.    Try searching the following words or phrases using Google Web Search then discuss the results with other participants.

a.    Rivers

b.    Synonyms

c.    Teaching Strategies

 

3.    Try searching the following words or phrases using Google Image Search then discuss the results with other participants.

a.    cars

b.    houses

c.    storm

 

Activity # 3: Instructional Google Search (Brainstorming)

                      Your task: Brainstorm the uses of Google Search in the classroom. Answer the questions in the action plan below:


Action Plan:

 

Q1. How would you utilize Google search to enhance your profession as a teacher?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Q2. How would you integrate Google search in preparing for your lessons?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Q3.How would you make students use Google search as a learning tool?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Q4.what is the best students’ activity that would maximize the benefit from search?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Q5.How would you deal with all these sources of information in a reliable way?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Activity # 4:  Instructional Google Search (Putting into action!)

Google search provides a great source of information for the students that support inquiry based learning activities in which students set their statement or goals then use Google Search as a web search to provide them with the necessary information to examine their statement or fulfill their goals. An example Lesson Plan is shown below that uses Google search.

Subject

Social studies

Topic

Touristic Places in Ohio, United States of America

Objectives

The students should be able to:

1.    utilize Google search engine to find information related to his/her research;

2.    design a product (PowerPoint) that includes: four major facts, a location map and an image related to  the three selected touristic places in Ohio, U.S.A.; and

3.    decide which of these places eligible to be visited first and Support his/her selection by logical reasonable evidence.

Procedures

1.    Search the Google to find information about the following touristic places in Ohio, U.S.A. Your search would include: facts about major attractions, locations and images for these places.

2.     Select one of these places eligible to be visited first. Support your selection with logical reasonable evidence.

3.    Design a product (PowerPoint) that includes: Four major facts, a location map and an image related to the three selected touristic places in Ohio, U.S.A. The presentation would contain a slide for each place and every slide includes four facts, location map and an image related to that place. The final slide would be for your selection and the supporting evidence for your selection.

Be aware of general organization, spelling and citation.

Evaluation

Students work and product would be evaluated by using the following rubric:

Criteria

Total Possible Points

Total Points Earned

Organization and content of the presentation:

70 points

 

Supporting evidence/ Logical Reasoning

15 points

 

Basic skills (spelling and citation)

15 points

 

Total

100 points

 

 

Follow-up Activity

 

Instructional Google Search (Lesson Planning):

Make a lesson plan using the Google search engine in your respective subject areas using the lesson plan in activity # 4 as a guide.

 

Resource:

 Google Search, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_search

 Google Search in the Classroom, http://www.google.com/educators

 

 

 

 

 

 Authors:

Yaser Abuhmaid

ILEP Fellow, Jordan

2009

 

ANA ESPEJO MIRANA

ILEP Fellow, Philippines

2009