ICDL UNIT 03: SHARING

LESSON 01 –
ADVANCED
RESEARCH SKILLS
 LESSON 01 – ADVANCED
RESEARCH SKILLS
LESSON GOALS
After completing this lesson, pupils will be able to:
• Use advanced search and evaluation techniques
to find appropriate information online correctly.
 ADVANCED SEARCHING
• To find relevant and useful information as quickly as possible.
• Carrying out a search using a search engine.

ADVANCED SEARCH FEATURES

Useful in finding more relevant information, such as:-
• Search for web pages in a specific language.
• Search for a specific type of content like an image or a
video.
• Search for web pages that were published on the web in a
specific period of time.
 USING ADVANCED
SEARCH FEATURES
• Using ‘Google Search’ in ‘Google Chrome’

Google
Search Google
Chrome
Tip: Search criteria
in the search results
page can be
changed by
selecting one of the
options and making
a new selection
from the list shown.
Tip: If you're looking for
something specific, try
using the options under
the Images tab. There,
you'll find a Usage Rights
button that can help
narrow down your search
results so you can find
images with the right
license for your projects
and assignments. Don't
forget to select the Tools
button to access Usage
Rights!
11.Select Tools to see a list of options for making your search more specific.
 USING MEDIA RESPONSIBLY
➢ If an image is copyrighted, you need to get permission to use or modify it.
➢ Creative Commons licensing offers the ability to reuse images under certain conditions
- such as crediting the creator.
➢ Utilize search engines to look for content that has been licensed for reuse.
➢ Websites that provide media that is licensed for reuse using Creative Commons
licenses, such as:
• Photos for Class includes age appropriate images.
• Pixabay and Pexels provide free to use images.
• CC search and Creative Commons Edshelf provide images, video and music.
• NYPL Public Domain Collection provides free to use digitized items in the public
domain.
• Sample Focus provides sound files.
 SOURCES OF ONLINE
INFORMATION
1. e-Books
• Electronic books.
• Can read on a computer, mobile device or a specialist e-
reader like the Amazon Kindle.

Why use e-Books?

• Can instantly download over the Internet and can be
accessed anywhere and anytime. They also save space and
reduce the weight of school.
• Can be good for visually impaired and dyslexic students -
can increase the font size and contrast; and can use screen
reader software to read text aloud.
How do I find e-books?
• Online bookstores
• libraries, and
• book publisher’s websites.

Websites offering free e-Books:

• Project Gutenberg
• The Digital Public Library of America
• Internet Archive.
2. Reference Websites
• Provide factual and accurate information.
• E.g. online encyclopedias and dictionaries.

Why use reference sites?

• Useful for researching for projects and for studying.
• Can bookmark a few trusted websites so you can
always refer to them quickly.
How do I find reference sites?
• Some examples of trusted online providers are:
✓ National Geographic, Encyclopaedia,
Britannica, Europeana,
encyclopedia.com, Fact Monster,
Infoplease.com, libraryspot.com, IPL.org,
dkfindout.com;
✓ Collins dictionary and Oxford dictionary.
• Wikipedia (Anyone can add or update it, so it may not
always be accurate.)
3. Podcasts
• Audio programs published in episodes, usually weekly or
monthly.
• Can be downloaded from its website using a web browser
or can be found or listen to them using an app.
• Can subscribe to podcasts that you like. This means new
episodes will be automatically downloaded.

Why use podcasts?

Can be useful for students because
• there are podcasts on most topics;
• they can bring a topic to life and;
• you can listen to them while doing other things.
How do I find podcasts?
• On iPhone and iPad - Apple Podcasts.
• On Android devices - Google Play app or install the
Google Podcasts app.
• Spotify and SoundCloud or
• Specialized podcast apps like Pocket Casts.
• Brains On!, Grammar Girl, Stuff You Should Know and
Tumble.
4. Audio
• Short audio clips, interviews, speeches, songs, audiobooks,
and sound effects.
• Podcasts, which have already been mentioned, also fall into
this category.

Why use audio?

• Can be a good way to learn, especially if you prefer
listening to watching or reading.
• Sometimes it isn’t possible to read or watch – for example on
a journey, but you may be able to listen to audio books and
podcasts.
How do I find audio books and audio recordings?
• Libraries
• Purchase them from bookstores or online.
• Specialized audio search engines like FindSounds and
Audioburst.
5. Online Courses
• Online learning is accessible through various providers,
ranging from free to paid.
• Some courses require students to attend classes and
have a tutor, just like in college.
• Additionally, there are options that provide materials
and practice assessments to work on independently.
• There is something for everyone - from preschoolers to
adults studying at university - covering all sorts of
topics, from academics to leisure activities.
Why use online courses?
• Can learn new things like typing or coding.
• Can be used as a study aid
• Can be used anywhere and at any time,
• at a pace that suits you.

How do I find online courses?

• Duolingo for language learning;
• Codecademy for learning code;
• BBC bitesize and Khan Academy which cover school
subjects.
• Other sites such as Alison.com, edX, Coursera and
iTunesU have a broader range for older ages.
6. Video
• Video content includes interviews, speeches, screencasts,
documentaries, films and stories.

Why use videos?

• Can be a good way to learn, especially if you prefer watching
to reading or listening.
• Can use videos to learn how to do things from how to use an
application to solve a math problem.
• Visualize what you have read about.
• Can also include video clips in your own assignments and
projects.
How do I find online videos?
You can search for educational videos in sites like
• Google Search, YouTube, YouTube Kids, and SchoolTube.
• Some educational YouTube channels are Numberphile, The
Brain Scoop, the SciShow, and Veritasium.

• Sites of providers like Ted-Ed, Smithsonian, Khan Academy,

watchknowlearn.org, and National Geographic.
7. Animations
• A creative, engaging and fun way to bring anything
you can imagine to life.

Why use animations?

• Used for storytelling, for explaining concepts, for
demonstrating things, for exploring things;
• Fun and interesting and can help you understand a
subject and remember it.
How do I find online animations?
• Google Search, YouTube, YouTube Kids, SchoolTube
and TedEd.
• Examples from TedEd include
• ‘Could we survive prolonged space travel’ and;
• ‘How deep is the ocean’
8. Discussion forums
• These are websites where you discuss topics you have a
special interest in by posting and replying to messages.
• The topics can be things like books, science, politics or sport.

Why use forums?

• A great place to discuss, debate and ask questions.
• Remember! The information is only someone else’s opinion
unless they reference a source.
How do I find forums?
• Goodreads, an online community for people who love
reading and free;
• MATHhelp for help with Math questions.
9. Review sites
• These are websites where people share their views and
opinions on products and services in the real world and
other websites or online services.

Why use review sites?

• To judge the dependability of a certain website or service,
based on ratings from the review sites.
• Thus, info may not be accurate or true.
• Other review platforms provide reliable reviews which are
verified and examined.
• In some cases, they could be written by staff of the website.
How can I find these review sites?
• Common sense media, providing of entertainment
and technology reviews for families and;
• Teen Ink, providing reviews of books, movies and
video games.
10. Data sets
• These are sets of statistics.
• Types of data sets include things like a country’s census
information, election data, survey data, online search
statistics or even average grades.

Why use data sets?

• To investigate a topic, demonstrate a point or make
an argument.
How do I find datasets?
• UNData, providing international statistical databases;
• EarthData from NASA provides access to NASA’s data
collections;
• the Pew Research Center, providing datasets on a
wide range of topics, and;
• Google Trends, which allows you to explore and
download search statistics.
 EVALUATING SOURCES OF ONLINE
INFORMATION
• There is a huge amount of information available online
in different formats and may also have different
purposes.
• For example:
To make sure you are getting reliable
information that is suitable for you, it is
important to assess the information and
source. To do this, some questions can be
asked about the information and its creator
or publisher: