Monday, November 22, 2010

10 Steps to Better Searching

SweetSearch just published the Power Point embedded below (aren't we past that yet??) geared towards educators that teaches search tips we media specialists already know.  It's downloadable, so might be useful for any faculty workshops that you do. 

I just gave my search workshop to teachers, and I really wish I'd done it differently.  Basically, I just focus on search strategies, showing them the same techniques I show students.  However, having watched a couple classes come in over the past month, where faculty didn't talk to me first (it's a slow and ongoing process, isn't it??), and just told students "Go look it up,"  I now wish I had changed my focus. 

Teach the steps, yes.  But I would add a heavy component of also talking about students and searching:  how just saying "go look on Google" isn't enough.  The SweetSearch presentation has a lot of information on teen search strategies that would help faculty understand a) why students need more instruction than just "look it up on Google," and b) why it's a good idea to collaborate with the library any time they want students searching.  I think I'll talk to my boss about using one of our faculty meetings to give THAT workshop to everyone, while simultaneously promoting the library!

However, this is also good information to share with students, because they THINK they know what they're doing, and they really don't.  With that in mind, I'm revamping my search lessons to not only add the above information, but also to include pre and post lesson assessments.  I will post those and the Search Prezi tomorrow or Thursday.


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