Information search
Problem-centred tasks
Engaging students in online search to develop search skills and understandings. The most effective way to teach these skills is to provide opportunities for finding information online and embed these in class activities.
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Finding information on a given topic
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Playing 'A Google a day'
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Students generate interesting questions and use them as queries
Scaffolding activities
#1 Key words
Students clarify the information they need and brainstorm relevant key words and their synonyms, considering the context.
#2 Compare
Students explore how to do a simple Google search using key words and experience how changing the keyword can change the result.
#3 Everyone is different
Students compare their search results with others’ and learn how Google personalises search results depending on past search history or physical location
(e.g. people in different locations searching 'zoo').
#4 Green URL and domain
Students analyse the anatomy of a Google search result and explore its components (title, snippet, web address, sponsored links (advertisements) etc.).
#5 Reading snippets
Students scan snippets of their searches and compare these with their key words to see whether the words in the search result match their intent.
#6 Deconstructing web addresses
Students analyse the web address to understand the origin of the page and the target audience (e.g. well-known online resource, domain, country of origin, a file type).
#7 Google instant search
Students explore Google instant search - a feature that predicts what is being searched for. Students evaluate which predictions are helpful and unhelpful and justify their choices.
#8 Shortcuts
Students identify some strategies to search for specific information once they click on a site (e.g. Control F or search box, scanning, skimming or detailed reading).