Topic:	Reflection#2
Conf:	DED240 Conference
Date:	Wednesday, February 07, 2001 10:36 PM

 

I must say that all the information that I've learnt about search strategy was really enlightening. I am well aware of some teaching strategies but search strategy, now that was something else! I am highly dependent for information on the Internet although some of my peers may feel that it would be better sometimes to find information in the library. I used to carry that sentiment until I realised that I just cannot afford to coordinate my researches with the library hours and so I find that the Internet was a God-sent. I used it almost any other night but all this time I was unconscious of the search strategy that I had taken as I embark on my "information exploration". Now, however as I reflect on my usual practices, I realised that I've basically formulated my own search strategy to obtain my information. learn "on-the-job" and this means that I do not refer to any manual whatsoever all these years to do a search on the Internet and I am rather glad that I did what I should do now that I am well aware of the procedures that needed to be taken to obtained quality and manageable information. These are the steps that I usually take.

Firstly, I decide on a subject. For this reflection activity, I had done a search in Science and the topic of my interest was Animal Life.

 

Secondly, I would focus on an area and since I am especially interested in Animal Adaptation, in particular, how animal protect themselves against predators and how they disguise themselves to feed on their prey, I worked within that perimeter.

Next, I did a simple mapping exercise in my brain. What I would do is to arm myself with a few synonyms or key words associated with my topic area. I believe that this "pictorial aid" would allow me to obtain information fast. Through my experience, I am well aware that I might be searching for information that is "camouflaged" too. This means that it is somewhere on a Web page somewhere waiting to be discovered. This was done even before I go to my favourite site, Yahoo.

I realised that when I key in," Animal Camouflage", I was referred to approximately 15500 Web pages. When such situation occurs, what I would use my exhaustive list in my "pictorial aid". Such problems can make surfing the Internet for information rather frustrating or exciting sometimes. What I would do when such a thing happen is to "narrow or widen" my search. For this particular search, I was rather lucky to find good information after my first try. Very often I would have to look through a list of Web pages that were either not suitable or relevant to my research. Perhaps, I may trip further if I were to use a phrase such as "Animal disguises in the natural setting". If I were to leave it as that, I will obtain information on many areas such as animal, disguises, natural or even setting. This will leave me very exhausted by the end of 10 minutes, as I have to filter all the unnecessary information. What I've learnt so for is to be specific and focused. This means to use precise or really close Key words that would attract food and relevant information with less time.

After going through the summary of the first 10 to 20 web pages, I would decide whether to continue searching using the initial Key word or revise my search. The 15500 web pages that my Key word had attracted included animal camouflage, art galleries and even animal craft. The problem was not just the varied area but also the relevancy of my information for use in my classroom. I wanted the information for use in the upper primary classroom and here, the information were written by distinguished authors, except from encyclopaedia and even art lessons for kindergarten kids. I decided to narrow my search by keying in Ocean Animals, Camouflage. Now, I had narrowed my search to only about 1490 web pages. I soon realised that I soon recalled 2 fantastic reference materials- National Geographic and The Magic School Bus. I decided to expand my search to "National Geographic, Ocean and Desert animals camouflage or adaptation.

Now my search was more focused and I was referred to only 69 wonderful web pages. The reason that I added "desert animals" was because I thought that a variety of animal in different habitat would be exciting for pupils.

 

After I selected my materials, I even made a quick trip to The Magic School Bus Web page by keying in "The Magic School Bus and animal camouflage" just to take a peek at the information available before I decide whether it was worth it to go on a tour around the home page. I decided to do otherwise because I had obtained a piece of wonderful test suitable for use in the classroom with lots of coloured pictures and even list of ways in which animals disguised themselves in their natural surroundings. After the fruitful journey, I was quite happy to not only obtain my information but to engage in "meta-cognition"- I was thinking about thinking. Now, I am more conscious of the procedures that I had taken and could even arm myself with some "widening" or "narrowing" Key words like and, or, not or even the use of symbols such as + or – to find the information on the web.

One thing that I've learnt is that I have my favourite strategy- which is to narrow my search and I realised not it is just one of the may ways in which I can adopt to surf the Internet. As there is no right or one way to conduct searches, I feel that it is rather based on experience as well as a person's attitude towards information on the Internet. If a person is pessimistic about finding good information then I believe that he would not persevere to find the information that is "camouflaging" somewhere on some Web pages.