"On the Internet, nobody knows you're a dog" - P. Steiner

We live in an incredible age of technology and information.  The Internet is a wonderful resource that provides a wealth of information, however, just about anyone can post to the web and for the most part, the information posted is unregulated and unmonitored.  Students must learn how to identify valid sources and eliminate questionable ones. I am including a couple of resources this month that I hope will be helpful to you and your students.

First of all, I would like to include the following link to a very nice outline from UC Berkeley that helps students identify proper and trustworthy sources.  The full tutorial can be found here. In Brief, this tutorial outlines the five most important components in identifying reliable sources.

1.  What can the URL tell you?

• Is it someone's personal page?
• What type of domain does it come from and what are the differences?
• Is it published by an entity that makes sense? Have you heard of them before

2.  Scan the perimeter of the page looking for answers to these questions.

• Who wrote the page?
• Is the page dated? Is is current enough?
• What are the author's credentials on the subject

3.  Look for indicators of quality information.

• Are sources documented with footnotes or links?
• If reproduced information (from another source) is it complete, not altered, not fake or forged?
• Are there links to other resources on the topic?

4.  What do others say?

• Who links to the page?
• Is the page listed in one or more reputable directories or pages?
• What do others say about the author or responsible authoring body?

5.  Does it all add up?

• Why was the page put on the web?
• Might it be ironic, satire or parody?
• Is this as credible and useful as the resources (books,journal aritcles, etc) available in print or online through the library?

Let Me Google That For You

Google Search also provides some helpful tools to find quality and current information.  When conducting a Google Search - notice the "Search Tools" options that can be found above your search results.  Click on this option to narrow down your results by recently published and reading level.

Many students look for images to include in their research or reports to add visual appeal and impact. Google also provides special tools when doing an image search. It is extremely important that our students understand and respect the usage rights of images found online.   The "Search Tools" option appears again when searching for images but this time you can filter by size, color, type, time, and usage rights.

Google Advanced allows you to narrow your search by specific words, region, recently published, file type and usage rights.  Looking only for Powerpoints or PDFs?  Google Advanced will narrow your results for you.

Many of our students use the classroom computer for searches.  You can set your Google Search to a SafeSearch setting by going to the Search Settings and check the box for "Filter Explicit Results" and then click on the blue "Lock Safe Search" and remember to click Save at the bottom of the page.

Finally, here's a little cheat sheet with 20 Tips to Using Google Search. The more you know, the more efficiently you can search!

Science Edition!

Never Trust an Atom - They Make up Everything!

A New Year - A New Format                              

Several teachers have requested that the information and resources that I share in Digital Cafe be available for retrieval at later, more convenient times.  For this reason, I've decided to give the blog a try. It has an archive feature on the right where you can access older posts (Once there actually are older posts). I would also like this to be a place that teachers can use as an interactive tool.  If you know of additional or helpful information, please feel free to share in the comments below. 

This month's Digital Cafe is dedicated to Science!  Who doesn't love to learn the reasons behind the many mysteries of the universe?  Well, unfortunately, studies show that far too many of our students do not enjoy science.  This is especially true for girls. Let's change this!

There are many online resources that educators can utilize to make science more engaging and approachable for all students. Here are just a few. Please share your favorites in the comments below.  


Elementary Level:
Free Science Powerpoint Presentations - This is a site to access presentations of just about any Science topic you can think of.  Browse the collection to find just what you need. 

UEN (Utah Education Network) has put together an impressive collection of resources for grades 3-6 on a variety of topics.  These are interactive activities which engage the learner.

Secondary Level:

Scitable currently concentrates on genetics and cell biology. Scitable has a free science library to browse and explore

The Chemcollective is a collection of virtual labs, scenario-based learning activites, tutorials, and concept tests.

Edheads is an organization that provides engaging web simulations and activities for kids. Current activities focus on simulated surgical procedures, cell phone design (with market research), simple and compound machines, and weather prediction.

Just for fun, Symphony of Science  is a site where scientists become Rock Stars!  By remixing ordinary science lectures and documentaries with uplifting and exciting music, the series puts a new spin on science, appealing to students, teachers, and laymen.

I hope you have found something to peak your interest.  Remember to share your favorites in the comment section below.