Terry's Tech Tips

This week's blog post features Guest blogger Robin Cicchetti explaining the ins-and-outs of Google Scholar! Do you ever get frustrated with web searches? When your students do research do they come back with unimpressive sources? Even when using advanced search strategies the Internet can feel like a barren place as you paw through endless pages of returns! Skimming the Surface That’s because Google and other current search engines are only skimming the surface web (Goodman, 2015). The algorithms that direct web crawlers identify metadata through hyperlinks and then index the site. They don’t have access to the proprietary content that lives in the deep web which consists of: Results of database queries Subscription-only information and other password-protected data Pages that are not linked to by any other page Technically limited content, such as that requiring CAPTCHA technology Text content that exists outside of conventional http:// or https:// protoc...

Inquiry-based learning   (noun) is a form of  active learning  that starts by posing questions, problems or scenarios—rather than simply presenting established facts or portraying a smooth path to knowledge.    Source:   Wikipedia This week I thought we would explore another classroom where inquiry-based learning is being utilized!   Claims 'Supported by Science':   Ryan Palmer (along with many of the Chemistry teachers) now uses part of his class on Fridays to do ' Science Friday '.  Named after the popular Science Friday NPR radio program, Ryan will pick a current topic making a claim 'supported by science'.  Ryan used the video below created by the Jimmy Kimmel Show to introduce the topic ' Are GMO's Bad for you? does science support the claim that GMO's (genetically modified organisms) are detrimental to your health?  Students are given 10 minutes to research the topic and determine an a...