Click Next…

If you’re anything like me, you get on your computer or tablet to do a little research and 1 1/2 hours later you have either drowned yourself in so much information you can barely remember your original question … or worse, you aren’t even on the same topic anymore.

All you did was click next.

That’s what your students are doing as well. Search engines are designed to optimize results if you type in the right keywords. But once on an article, it’s possible to find links to other related articles. Some of those articles might be outdated. But they’re ‘related’ right? So it must be worth it to read it … right?

In the February 18th, 2016 EdSurge.com article by David Wiley, he describes this problem. “Our world is awash in information. There is some disagreement over the exact amount, but reasonable estimates state that humanity records and transmits a little over three exabytes of information every day. Now, more than ever before, people are desperately in need of skills that will help them determine what is worthy of their attention, and how to effectively study and learn over their lifetime in this increasingly ill-structured and information-rich environment.”

Are your educators and staff using time wisely? Are they instructing other staff and students the best ways to do research? Research has always been a topic of instruction in school. Although the media forms we use to do research have changed, HOW to research, WHAT to research, and how to NOT GET LOST while doing research are all still very important to remember.

A great way for you to know what sites your students and employees are browsing is to have monthly reports generated showing you where they are going and how much time they spend at each site. If you don’t already have a means of generating your own reports, West Valley Technical Services can help. Contact us today to discuss easy and affordable options.