I have been thinking about the importance of citing sources when using the internet as a resource. I am especially impressed with the instant cite information provided by Answers.com. In case you don't know about them, Answers.com is a search engine that provides only academic results. Dictionary, almanac, encyclopedia, journal type of results. I thought Google was the be all and the end all but I think I am going to have to change my stance with my students. I made a special point to drive this home with them..."Why does Mrs. Clark just LOVE Google?" They would hollar back..."Because it puts stuff in order for you by the most popular!!!!" And we would all jump up and down and celebrate because we could not be bothered to click on the other pages of our search results....not enough minutes in our computer lab time. However, this did not take into consideration the possibility of Google bombing.....if you don't believe me, just try doing a search for failure in Google ( I cite Patrick Crispen with that nugget of internet joy. I heard him talk about Google two years ago at the AETC.)
So many people are making so much information available to the masses. I appreciate the information that I am absorbing. I am trying to give props where I need to as I write. It does not bother me to slow down and find the right link to give the proper credit. Last year, I did an enrichment lesson that connected dreams and Dr. Martin Luther King. I made a PowerPoint and started looking around for images. I came across this really great looking piece of art...on Google Images, of course. Digging a little deeper, I found the site and an email address. I sent a message requesting permission to post the image in my PowerPoint. The artist was truly grateful that I took the time....probably no more than 5 minutes total....to search for the right image, find the site and to ask permission and move forward. Could I have right clicked and forgotten about it? Sure! Am I glad I didn't? You bet. The artist wrote back and was so grateful that I had asked permission to use her work....not to mention, no one had ever connected it to Dr. King! I had created a teachable moment without even planning it....aren't those the best ones?
Just thinking about my own children....they need the info instantly, it
is on the web...right click, copy.....right click,paste, save, print
and turn in......is there a problem? Not to them. There is to me because....wait for it....it is really good.....I HAD A TEACHER THAT MADE ME REALIZE IT WAS IMPORTANT TO CITE MY SOURCES. That was back in the days of index cards....please tell me they still aren't using index cards at the middle and high school level! I will be checking into this because they both have a paper due on the first day of school. Seventh grade, here they come. Why do I feel like some real learning is about to start
