Google: What Do You Love?

Learn more about this cool new search feature at the Google Blog.

A Conversation for Learning: Media 21 Students Share Their Search Stories and Strategies

Seeing students utilize the information literacy skills you’ve previously taught them in a new context and independently without it being a mandate is probably one of the most joyful experiences as a librarian and teacher.  Take a look at how one of our inquiry groups is growing as budding researchers and demonstrating these skills, dispositions, responsibilities, and self-assessment strategies from the AASL Standards for 21st Century Learners:

• 1.1.8 Demonstrate mastery of technology tools for accessing information and pursuing inquiry.
• 1.2.1 Display initiative and engagement by posing questions and investigating the answers beyond the collection of superficial facts.
• 1.1.9 Collaborate with others to broaden and deepen understanding.
• 1.2.2 Demonstrate confidence and self-direction by making independent choices in the selection of resources and information.
• 1.2.7 Display persistence by continuing to pursue information to gain a broad perspective.
• 1.4.1 Monitor own information-seeking processes for effectiveness and progress, and adapt as necessary.
• 1.4.2 Use interaction with and feedback from teachers and peers to guide own inquiry process.
• 3.2.3 Demonstrate teamwork by working productively with others.

Rev Up Your Web Browser with Google Toolbar

Google Toolbar via kwout

As we work with you, our students, to harness the power of RSS and to explore options for sharing web resources with classmates, we have found the Google toolbar to be a powerful tool to support these endeavors.   While the Google toolbar has many features we like, we especially love how the Google toolbar allows you to have an easier option for subscribing to a RSS feed either to your iGoogle page or your Google Reader account.  Although the Google toolbar is sadly not available yet for Google Chrome (yes, we are scratching our heads over that one, too), you can get it for Internet Explorer or Firefox.  You can also learn more by watching these videos:

You can also read more about the sharing features in this blog post from Google:

Official Google Blog: Share any web page from your Toolbar (and more) via kwout

Google Social Search Feature

Many of our freshmen and sophomore students have been immersed in the use of Google tools for learning during the 2009-10 school year.   This video showcases some exciting new possibilities for merging your Google profile with your search efforts using Google!  In addition to the YouTube video above from the official Google YouTube Channel, you can read more about Google Social Search at the official Google blog.

Diigo Users: Try The New Diigo + Google Search Tool!

Diigo Blog » Tip of the day: new “Diigo + Google” search box via kwout

Harness the power of your two favorite research tools:  Google and Diigo!  There is now a new search feature that allows you to use your Diigo search box to get auto suggested keywords from your tags, search history, and “Google Suggest.”  Here is a sample search I did:

You may need to enable the search box setting to see these results.  Please visit the post for full directions on making sure the feature is enabled.