Assignment #2: Searching the internet

Due in week 4. Submit to David via email (bell@sfu.ca)

You can use any of the search engines discussed in class.

Part 1: Internet Scavenger Hunt (3 points)

While almost all of you have done web searching before, you may not have paid much attention to the strategies you used to do so. For this part of the assignment, I would like you to choose any three of the following items to find:

a) A lesson plan that involves the "SimCity" software (any version of the software, any grade level in school or university)

c) A site having to do with "telementoring"

d) A research paper by a professor here in the Faculty of Education about gender equity in computing at school

e) Another web scavenger hunt for K-12 students

f) The web site of a BC Provincial Specialists Association for the subject of your choice.

g) Integrated Resource Packages (ie. BC curriculum guidelines) for the grade level and subject of your choice.

h) A site with information about the use of computer technologies for students with learning disabilities

For each item you find,

• Provide the full web address (URL)
• Describe (in a couple of sentences at least) what it (they) contain(s)
• Explain the steps you took to find it. ("It just came up" doesn't count as an answer.) Include steps that didn't seem to get you anywhere, and mention the strategies you used to get back on track.

Part 2: Position Paper research (2 points)

Now that you've completed Assignment #1 and chosen at least a rough topic area for your position paper, you should do some searching on the web and in the library to discover what controversies may be brewing in this area, and to inform yourself about the positions people take around these issues.

a) (1 point) Using any search strategies you think are appropriate, locate at least two resources relevant to your topic that point to current questions, controversies, or debates in the area. These can be articles in the popular press (newspapers, magazines), articles in academic journals, recent books, or web sites. Provide the web address or full citation of the source (author, title, year, publisher) and tell me how you found it.

b) (1 point)

• Explain at least one thing that surprised you, or that was new to you, about what you read in each source. (Dig deep. If nothing surprised you, you should be taking a higher level course!)
• Describe at least one issue or question that your sources pose, or attempt to resolve.
• Describe at least one lesson you learned from your search so far that you think will help you as you continue your research.