Reading
Let’s search!

This activity aims to raise students’ awareness of how search engines filter results for individuals, and how this can impact on one’s studies/work. Before attempting this activity, you may want to point students to the Search literacy… what is it? page or use some of the language specific content to consolidate their vocabulary and written and aural comprehension skills.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this activity, students will be able to

  • Understand the limitations and personal filtering of search engines
  • Narrow down and refine search results

Technology requirements

  • Internet-enabled computer connected to a data projector
  • Internet-enabled student computers or mobile devices (one per student or student pair)
  • Search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.)
  • Microsoft Snipping Tool or any other screenshot capturing tool

Procedure

Before the class
  1. Before the class, select a search term (word or phrase) that relates to the topic you are working on with your students;
  2. Conduct several searches using the same search term
    1. A few minutes apart;
    2. On different devices;
    3. Using different search engines (e.g., Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.) or regional versions of the same search engine (e.g. Google France/Canada/Belgique, etc., Google Deutschland/Austria/Switzerland, etc.).
  3. Make screenshots of the first page of results each time and save them.
  4. Prepare a handout or PowerPoint presentation to show in class.
  5. Prepare a Google Form for students to fill in in class (Step 2 below), with 3 text boxes for entering search terms (optional).
In class
  1. Introduce the subject of the search (for example: finding student accommodation in their target country).
  2. Ask students to write down 3 search terms, in their target language, relating to the selected topic. This can be done on a piece of paper or by filling in the Google form that you have prepared in advance of the class. Students can work individually or in pairs.
  3. Read or display the results to the class and discuss the following questions:
    1. What do the chosen search terms tell you about the authors?
    2. What kind of information are they looking for?
    3. What types of results can one expect to get?
  4. Agree with the whole class on one search term in the target language (for example ‘student accommodation’).
  5. Ask students to open their regular search engine and to search for the term agreed in Step 4.
  6. Ask students to capture a screenshot of their results using Windows Snipping Tool or any other screen capture tool.
  7. Ask students to repeat Steps 5 and 6 with different search engines (for example Google UK, Google Ireland).
  8. Ask students to compare and discuss the results of their search (Step 7).
  9. Ask students to do the same search using the following symbols: +, -, “…” (e.g., +student +accommodation,+student accommodation, -student accommodation, “student accommodation”).
  10. Ask students to compare and discuss the different results.
After class

Ask students to conduct the same search at home or a new one using a term or terms agreed upon by the class. Students could bring a printout or a screenshot of the first page of search results to class the next day. Let them share their results and compare. What might they say about each student? You may want to point them to Eli Pariser’s Ted’s talk: Beware online “filter bubbles”:

 

 

Related activities

Context of useTitleRelated themesLanguages
Activities for the classroom
Let's search!FR
Independent learning
Search literacy... what is it?Hypertext literacy; VocabularyFR
Let's explore some search enginesSearch literacy (student)

 

 

Source/attribution: Adapted from Dudeney et al. (2013, p. 193, Activity 26) and from Blin & Jacquot (2016)

Show Additional Content

Additional Content

Additional material and links

CPD reference material

Quelques idées de sujets de recherche pour la classe de français

Pour chacun des sujets ci-dessous (et pour d’autres), vous pouvez préparer des captures de la première page de résultats pour un ou plusieurs mots-clés donnés par un ou plusieurs moteurs de recherche.

  • Trouver un logement étudiant à l’étranger (en lien avec l’activité Student Accommodation)
  • Données personnelles
  • Changement climatique
  • Système éducatif

Moteurs de recherche en français

Moteurs de recherche: comment ça marche?

Si vous voulez indiquer à vos étudiants quelques ressources en français, essayez les liens ci-dessous:

Suchen und Finden im Internet

Für jedes Thema hier unten (und auch für andere Themen) können Sie einen Screenshot der ersten zwei Seiten von Suchergebnissen machen.

* Eine Wohngemeinschaft im Ausland finden (im Zusammenhang mit der Übung Student Accommodation)

* Persönliche Daten

* Klimawandel

* Bildungssystem

Deutsche Suchmaschinen:

 

Suchmaschinen: wie funktionieren sie?

Nützliche Links:

Foghlaimeoidh tú le Cuardach Casta a dhéanamh ag an nasc thíos:

 

Má chliceálann tú ar an nasc thíos, foghlaimeoidh tú an chaoi le Ceanáin / Leabharmharcanna a láimhseáil:

 

Alcuni argomenti per l’attività di ricerca in italiano

Per ciascuno degli argomenti seguenti potete salvare la prima schermata dei risultati (per una o più parole chiavi e per uno o più motori di ricerca):

  • L’alloggio per gli studenti
  • Il sistema educativo italiano
  • Le tradizioni regionali italiane

 

Da vedere:

Come funzionano i motori di ricerca? Guarda il video di PCAbc.it:

 

Da leggere:

Piccola guida scritta: Come fare ricerche online

 

Alcuni motori di ricerca italiani:

 

Author for Italian contents: Valentina Rizzo