Journal #1

“Your Google Guide” by Doug Johnson

Doug Johnson describes the following that google has produced over the years. Google is now being put into the classroom as the main search engine used by students. Johnson has used this journal to report the best ways to get the most out of the search engine google. The best way to get fewer, more specific results is to use the advanced search option. A specific question can also be put into the search box, google will take the keywords out and produce websites that may answer the question or at least contain the words. Taking advantage of search tools such as maps or images, that google offers is another way to retrieve only those items related to the search topic. Learning to efficiently read the descriptions offered will save the user time because they will not have to go into each website. Google also offers their own search techniques I order to make it as easy as possible for its users to navigate their site.

What is the easiest thing that I can do to get results that are closest to my search topic?

Doug Johnson suggests that we recourse the advanced search option for every search that we do. It will recover fewer results that more closely match the search topics. He also recommends reading the google search tips that are offered. They offer tools to make navigating the site simply.

How can my students benefit from these search techniques?

Students will have research projects in which they will want to turn to the web to assist them. By learning how to efficiently and effectively navigating through the google search engine they will be able to retrieve related and appropriate results for their search needs. It is vital that when students are required to use the internet for school purposes that a teacher go through all of the rules and best techniques for usage.

Introduction

Hi my name is Britni Giampapa. I will be graduating at the end of the summer with my Bachelors Degree in Liberal Studies from CSUSM. I am not very confident in my technological abilities, but I am able to perform simple tasks in Word, Powerpoint, Excel and navigate the Internet. I do not have a myspace/facebook, nor have I ever blogged, so this is all very new to me. Not to mention I am used to working on PC's. I probably use the Internet most often. I check my email account daily and enjoy "googling". I use Word for school assignments as well as in my preschool classroom.

I will be entering the multiple subject credential program here at CSUSM this Fall and I am very nervous and excited. I hope that I can use the experiences that I have gained from teaching preschool in the program and beyond. Through my observations in Edu. 350 I discovered that I have an interest in middle school. I am still deciding what I should do with that new information!

I hope that I am able to get more comfortable with technology in general and I am interested in seeing what Mac's have to offer. I am always looking for new ways to appeal to my students so this class is a great learning opportunity for me. I know that there is so much that is available through technology and I look forward to becoming familiar with some of these features. It is also nice to know that we have the support of our more experienced classmates if we need it!