This intriguing module was packed with information regarding searching the web. We also learning about information fluency and how to properly cite sources in MLA format. Information fluency, which I had never heard of before, is a combination of information literacy, technological literacy, and critical thinking. The combination of the 3 is highly desirable to modern employers. I also learned smarter ways to search, such as eliminating stop words, and using a plethora of search engines. If after trying to search a few times and no desirable results appear, you should change your search query or try a different search engine. Not all search engines contain the same information. We also covered how search engines collect data. They use web crawlers to go in sites and copy the pages. Not all pages are copied on a site. These pages are known as opaque. Sites that are not copied at all are known as invisible. They are often not in html format. Some search engines are now taking steps to add sites that aren't html by changing their crawlers. I was also alarmed to learn that search engines save what you search. It did not surprise me that search engines saved what was searched, but for the duration some engines such as google, save it for. Google saves queries for up to 18 months! I learned from some one's discussion post that some search engines, such as Startpage, do not save your information for any great length of time. I was pleased that Boolean operators were covered in this unit. I think digital logic is fascinating and I've had experience using the NOT, NOR, AND, IF, OR, and NAND commands in coding. Overall, I would say I learned a lot in this module, and I believe I put in the necessary amount of time. I do think I could've been a little more active in discussion but that is about it.
Stop words: small, unimportant words that are part of a natural language search like: what, where, is, the of, in, how, why. These words can be eliminated to speed the search and save the user the trouble of typing them.
Breadcrumb Trail: (What Hansel and Gretl left?) Actually, it's list of category and subcategory links that the user has clicked
Invisible Web: (All the cobwebs in the world. Never seem to see them until I happen to run into one) In regards to the computer Web, it is part of the Internet that users can't access using regular search engines. Usually, the material on the Invisible Web is more scholarly and professional than on the visible web. The invisible web is also supposed to be 2 to 500 times more vast the visible public web! This is incomprehensible to me, seeing as how huge the public web is. Non-html resources (PDFs!) and password protected sites are some examples of what the invisible web consists of.
Opaque Web: Also known as the partially visible web. (And no, it isn't partially visible because the users need glasses) It known as partially visible because it is only a click or two away from the reach of a search engine. Search engines don't collect every page of a site, the pages they don't collect are partially visible.
Helpful Sites!
http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=6482Site about information fluency
Article with listing of sites that can be used to access the invisible web
Life, Career, Media, and Technology Skills Necessary for this Century
Life and Career- adaptability
- flexibility
- work well with others
- time management
- works efficiently
- community oriented
- find and evaluate information in a timely fashion
- analyze media: why and how was the media message created?
- consider how different people interpret messages differently
- keep in mind cross cultural connotations
- use technology to research, analyze, and communicate information
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