How do Students Choose How do Students Choose Which Websites to Utilize Which Websites to Utilize

when Conducting an when Conducting an Internet Search?Internet Search?

Jennifer NewmanJennifer Newman

Motivation for this InquiryMotivation for this Inquiry

As I continue to use technology as a tool within As I continue to use technology as a tool within my curriculum more each year, the importance my curriculum more each year, the importance of being able to find valuable websites of being able to find valuable websites becomes crucial for my students.becomes crucial for my students.

Students in the past have had difficulty finding Students in the past have had difficulty finding websites that were reliable, understandable, websites that were reliable, understandable, and knowledgeable on the topic they were and knowledgeable on the topic they were seeking. seeking.

By studying how they currently make choices By studying how they currently make choices about websites, it was my hope to discover about websites, it was my hope to discover what could then be taught that would increase what could then be taught that would increase their successfulness in finding high quality their successfulness in finding high quality websites in the future.websites in the future.

PredictionsPredictions

Students will often choose websites Students will often choose websites based on pictures and the appearance based on pictures and the appearance of the keyword searched.of the keyword searched.– This prediction is largely based on the fact This prediction is largely based on the fact

that students often seem to find websites that students often seem to find websites quickly when asked to conduct a search.quickly when asked to conduct a search.

Students will gravitate toward popular Students will gravitate toward popular websites such as Wikipedia.websites such as Wikipedia.– This is often one of the first results This is often one of the first results

returned in a search and almost always returned in a search and almost always appearsappears relevant to the topic being relevant to the topic being searched.searched.

Inquiry DesignInquiry Design

Students complete an ecosystem Students complete an ecosystem research report each year as part of research report each year as part of our science and writing curriculum.our science and writing curriculum.

While researching on the Internet, While researching on the Internet, students were asked to write down students were asked to write down the reasons they chose to utilize the the reasons they chose to utilize the websites they used.websites they used.

Inquiry Design continued…Inquiry Design continued…

Additionally, students were asked to Additionally, students were asked to tell why they did not choose to use tell why they did not choose to use websites they bypassed.websites they bypassed.

After the written information was After the written information was analyzed, a class discussion was held analyzed, a class discussion was held to extract more information about to extract more information about the choices made.the choices made.

ResultsResults

Students have a variety of reasons to Students have a variety of reasons to support their choices in websites. support their choices in websites. Some methods require critical Some methods require critical thinking, while others do not.thinking, while others do not.

Reasons for ChoicesReasons for Choices

The most popular reason for choosing a The most popular reason for choosing a website was that it contained important website was that it contained important details or subtopics when scanned.details or subtopics when scanned.41% of students listed this as a reason 41% of students listed this as a reason for their choices.for their choices.Since the students were researching Since the students were researching ecosystems, some specifically listed ecosystems, some specifically listed that the websites they chose included that the websites they chose included information about the climate, plants, information about the climate, plants, animals, and weather of their animals, and weather of their ecosystem.ecosystem.

Student QuotesStudent Quotes

““I chose this website because it shows the soil I chose this website because it shows the soil type, tree types, local temperature, different type, tree types, local temperature, different wildflowers, maps of the area and pictures.wildflowers, maps of the area and pictures.

““I picked this website because it has all the I picked this website because it has all the locations, climate, animals, vegetations and locations, climate, animals, vegetations and health issues about the forest.”health issues about the forest.”

““This website gives you information on the This website gives you information on the animals, temperatures, plants and locations animals, temperatures, plants and locations of the tundra.”of the tundra.”

Reasons for Choices Reasons for Choices continued…continued…

The next three responses mentioned The next three responses mentioned the most were that the websites:the most were that the websites:– Had been helpful when used in previous Had been helpful when used in previous

projects (27% of students)projects (27% of students)– Appeared interesting (20% students) Appeared interesting (20% students) – Contained a lot of information (18% of Contained a lot of information (18% of

students)students)

Student quote:Student quote:– ““I picked this website because it helped I picked this website because it helped

me on my last report and I thought it me on my last report and I thought it would help me again now.”would help me again now.”

Reasons for ChoicesReasons for Choices

Finally, a few students mentioned Finally, a few students mentioned that they chose websites that:that they chose websites that:– Matched the keyword of their topic (12% Matched the keyword of their topic (12%

of students)of students)– Had pictures (4% of students)Had pictures (4% of students)– Was oriented towards kids (2% of Was oriented towards kids (2% of

students)students)

Student quote: Student quote: “I chose it because it “I chose it because it was for kids and not junk.”was for kids and not junk.”

Reasons to Skip Over a Reasons to Skip Over a Website…Website…

Many students responded that they Many students responded that they found the first two websites they found the first two websites they went to be useful, and therefore did went to be useful, and therefore did not have to skip over a website.not have to skip over a website.

Reasons to Skip Over a Reasons to Skip Over a Website…Website…

57% of students shared that during 57% of students shared that during their search they were taken to an their search they were taken to an unrelated website.unrelated website.

Student Quotes:Student Quotes:– ““I did not use a website because they I did not use a website because they

were giving me the wrong information. were giving me the wrong information. They were showing a car.”They were showing a car.”

– ““Every time I tried to type in coral reef it Every time I tried to type in coral reef it would take me to something totally would take me to something totally different like coral for sale and the best different like coral for sale and the best diving spots.”diving spots.”

Reasons to Skip Over a Reasons to Skip Over a Website….Website….

Other responses included:Other responses included:– The website did not have a good quantity The website did not have a good quantity

of information (25% of students)of information (25% of students)– The website repeated information they The website repeated information they

had already located (8% of students)had already located (8% of students)– They did not trust the website (4% of They did not trust the website (4% of

students)students)

Student Quote:Student Quote:– ““Being so new, I don’t trust it.”Being so new, I don’t trust it.”

Sources of Websites VisitedSources of Websites Visited

Students examined their website Students examined their website addresses after making their choices. addresses after making their choices. It was found that:It was found that:– 44% of the websites chosen were 44% of the websites chosen were

organizational sites (.org)organizational sites (.org)– 38% of the websites chosen were 38% of the websites chosen were

commercial sites (.com)commercial sites (.com)– 14% of the website chosen were 14% of the website chosen were

educational sites (.edu)educational sites (.edu)– 4% of the websites chosen were network 4% of the websites chosen were network

sites (.net)sites (.net)

WikipediaWikipedia

62% of my students chose Wikipedia as one 62% of my students chose Wikipedia as one of their two resources.of their two resources.

As we began the class discussion, I As we began the class discussion, I demonstrated how easy it was to change demonstrated how easy it was to change information on Wikipedia.information on Wikipedia.

The students were shocked!The students were shocked!

Many chose to abandon their Wikipedia Many chose to abandon their Wikipedia article in favor of a more reliable one.article in favor of a more reliable one.

Emergent IdeasEmergent IdeasStudents use a wide variety of strategies to Students use a wide variety of strategies to find information on the Internet. Some find information on the Internet. Some strategies are effective, while others are not.strategies are effective, while others are not.

Students were largely successful in identifying Students were largely successful in identifying websites that were relevant to their topic and websites that were relevant to their topic and that contained pertinent information for their that contained pertinent information for their research in the form of subtopics.research in the form of subtopics.– This was a surprise! I did not think that very many This was a surprise! I did not think that very many

students would scroll through the article and notice students would scroll through the article and notice the various subtopics. Perhaps this skill comes the various subtopics. Perhaps this skill comes from learning how to read newspaper articles or from learning how to read newspaper articles or magazines in previous years.magazines in previous years.

Emergent IdeasEmergent IdeasStudents do not typically use maps, Students do not typically use maps, pictures or other website features when pictures or other website features when making choices.making choices.– I had thought the opposite would be true! My I had thought the opposite would be true! My

observations of students when looking at other observations of students when looking at other types of text (magazines, books, etc.) is that types of text (magazines, books, etc.) is that they are very drawn to visual images. they are very drawn to visual images.

– I’m not entirely sure why this is the case. One I’m not entirely sure why this is the case. One guess would be that often the visual images guess would be that often the visual images that appear in a website are not related to the that appear in a website are not related to the topic and instead are distractions and/or topic and instead are distractions and/or advertisements. Could this be teaching them advertisements. Could this be teaching them to ignore non-text features initially when to ignore non-text features initially when making decisions?making decisions?

Emergent IdeasEmergent Ideas

The ideas of readability and reliability need The ideas of readability and reliability need to be explicitly taught. Very few students to be explicitly taught. Very few students tried to read their websites to see if it was tried to read their websites to see if it was at an appropriate reading level, and/or at an appropriate reading level, and/or checked to see if the information came from checked to see if the information came from a reliable source.a reliable source.Many admitted that if the website they Many admitted that if the website they chose was a book, they would have chose was a book, they would have abandoned it because it was too hard.abandoned it because it was too hard.– For some reason, students are not applying their For some reason, students are not applying their

strategies for choosing a readable book to strategies for choosing a readable book to websites. Perhaps they do not view reading a websites. Perhaps they do not view reading a website in the same light as they do books. One website in the same light as they do books. One way to help students find readable websites is by way to help students find readable websites is by sharing kid-friendly search engines as tools for sharing kid-friendly search engines as tools for Internet research.Internet research.

Emergent IdeasEmergent Ideas

Students need to be taught how to decide Students need to be taught how to decide if a site is reliable.if a site is reliable.

Specific points to discuss are how to find Specific points to discuss are how to find the author of a website, the date it was the author of a website, the date it was created/updated, and how to determine if created/updated, and how to determine if the author is credible.the author is credible.

This conversation also needs to include a This conversation also needs to include a discussion about the various web address discussion about the various web address endings (.com, .org, .edu etc.)endings (.com, .org, .edu etc.)

Follow-UpFollow-Up

After the initial search, I asked my students After the initial search, I asked my students to re-evaluate the websites they chose to re-evaluate the websites they chose using a rubric.using a rubric.

The rubric focused on readability and The rubric focused on readability and reliability issues.reliability issues.

Many students chose to look for a new site, Many students chose to look for a new site, instead of using the one they had chosen instead of using the one they had chosen previously.previously.

ResultResult

92% of the students chose a website 92% of the students chose a website that met all of the requirements that met all of the requirements stated by the rubric the second time stated by the rubric the second time around!around!

This lesson can now be used to teach This lesson can now be used to teach how to search the Internet at the how to search the Internet at the beginning of each year!beginning of each year!