Week 2 - Searching the net

The task this week seemed a little weird to me at first: How come I search something in the internet NOT using Google? Google is my standard search engine, iGoogle is my home page when I turn on my computer, and I do have Google toolbar. What else can I say? I even change search engines in the computers at my school for Google. That is not addiction, it is just that I have always found things easier using Google, and normally it fits my query better than the others I have already tried.


First, reading the texts about using operators in searching. I was a bit used to that, I learned using them by reading the “help” sections. That helps a lot in learning, I use to tell my friends when they ask me how I know something in computers. And I am sure that, if you do not know how to search for something in a “correct” way, you may spend a lot of time and not get to a good result.

I followed the Noodle tools guide and tried some of the sites suggested. Some of them I already knew, most of which I had found through Google. Cluster was one that I found interesting because it groups sites in “clusters” according to the ideas they present, I suppose. It helps a lot specially when you are not sure of what you really want, and too broad queries definitely result in poor results.

Another site that was new for me was the Social Issues. It made my mind boil with so many ideas for themed lessons. Unfortunately the time was not sufficient for everything I wanted to search. It will come with time.

Márcia