Google Search - For the Win!

Google Search is probably the most well known product Google has as part of it's application and web program offerings.  The company that has brought us Google Docs/Drive, Gmail, Google Maps, Chrome and the Android operating system also purchased Youtube not so long ago.

Contrary to what many think, when you perform a Google search, you're not actually searching the web, you're actually searching Google's index of the web... or at least as much as they can find of it.  Google's strength is to take all the sites on the web they index and compare them against your search terms using over 200 different questions.  They then rank the pages they think will best help you find what your're looking for... all in under 1 second.  (Don't believe me?  Just ask Matt!)

Finding what you want on the web should be simple with all of Google's amazing built-in-wizardry running in the background.  But without the knowledge of how to ask the right questions or how to sort through the potential millions of returns... You might end up spending more time then you bargained for...

This leads us to a quick 3 lesson series on how to get the most out of Google Search... (click here to get worksheet A for lessons #1 & 2 or worksheet B for lesson 3.)

Lesson #1:  Picking the Right Search Terms (Youtube Walkthrough Video)

How can appropriate search terms and queries guide targeted searches?

Individual Search Terms become Queries when we group them together to perform a search.  Sometimes we might ask a question (complete with a ? for punctuation), other times we might Parse the question to provide more appropriate Keywords for a better targeted query?

Four steps for successful parsing:

1. Look for Keywords
2. Use Synonyms for "maybe" statements
3. Add missing information
4. Remove unnecessary words

Here's two example queries that will help demonstrate this point:
Original Question: What food does Tyson like best?
Parsed Query: food Tyson favorite Percy Jackson

Lesson #2: Understanding Search Results (Youtube Walkthrough Video)

What do I need to know to help me choose the right links?

Each time you do a Google Search in the Search Bar you’ll be given a variety of data in return that includes your Natural Results,  Advertisements (Ads) and Search Filters.  The natural search results show the Web Address and include a Snippet of information that will assist you in determining if it holds any useful information for you.  The web address of a result can clue you in to how useful it might be if you’re able to decode the Server Name, Domain and other Suffixes.

After doing a quick search of the search terms "wind power" you should get a similar result as shown in the image above.

Image courtasy of: http://bigwebfaq.com/what-are-the-parts-of-a-domain-name/

Each web address designates what file or website will open when you click on it. The domain name (or address) includes the name of the site and a suffix, in most cases one of the following: .com (most companies), .org (used for organizations), .net (for network based site), .edu (colleges and universities, .gov (government run sites), .mil (military sites), etc.  

Some sites might have an extra two digit suffix that indicates that site is hosted on a server outside our country: .uk (England), .au (Australia), .jp (Japan), etc. Finally, each address may or may not end with a file extension name such as .htm/.html (website), .doc (Work document), .mp3 (music file), .jpg/gif (image files), .ppt (presentation file), etc.  

By examining a web address, you can often get a sense and idea of what type of information you'll find if you were to click on the link to go to that site. Some sites are better than others when it comes to research for the classroom. Can you think what type of site domain names or suffixes would help you find valid research information from a local university? You could if you knew how to read the domain name!

Lesson #3: Narrowing a Search to Get the Best Results (Youtube Tutorial)

What filtering strategies help me find accessible sources from the Web?

Successful Google searches can be narrowed down by effectively using the built in search Filters to better define your queries. Google filters can assist you in locating Sites with Images, locate resources by Reading Level, Maximize Image Searches and help broaden or expand your query and more.  

The Sites with Images filter gives preference to sites where the text matches your query but also includes a number of images. This can be helpful for younger searchers where text-only results may be more difficult to read and interpret. 

The Reading Level filter can also be used for filtering through results for technical words or helping you to understand complex concepts. Setting search options to "Basic", "Intermediate" or"Advanced" will tailor the vocabulary level and sentence structure of the text on the resulting web pages.


Filtering searches using the Images filter allows the user to quickly find images with specific needs. based on size, color and type. You can narrow your image search based on size, color and type. This can be useful if you are looking for background or iconic images and want to designate the image size. Narrowing searches to just photos or clip art along with a designated color can be helpful when you have a specific theme in mind and trying to find images to match that theme.

These are just a few of the many advanced search tools available. Explore the other options and see how these tools can help you become more efficient researchers!

Evaluating Your Final Blog (Reflection #3)

You did it!  We researched, designed, planned, created and finished our final blogs!  As you look at your finished product, you should be proud of your accomplishments.

Now, in this phase, you will take a step back to reflect on the outcome of your product.

Create a post that includes and addresses the following:

1. Introductory Paragraph (to help readers understand the need and process of evaluating a final product.)
   
   
2. What are your feelings about your final product? (Positive and/or negative)
   
   
3. What aspect of your final product are you most proud of and why?
    
4. How does your final product meet your design specifications i.e. your personal criteria, functional blog requirements, design elements and your personality/theme?
    
5. What features or functions on your blog would you change to make a better product?
    
6.  Moving forward, what steps can you take to grow your blog and use it as a tool to have a positive effect on yourself and your community?
    
7. Conclusion paragraph (that sums up the success of your final product.)

You may either do this in written or video format.  If you opt for the video option, note the following:

• Suggested web tool to create video:  http://screencast-o-matic.com/
• Video length should be no more than 5 minutes.
• Video must be uploaded to your YouTube channel and then embedded in your blog post.

Here's an example reflection from Tobi a current Design Tech MYP 2 student at Yokohama International School in Japan.

Due Dates:

• All Sections:  Dec. 17 (M)

Planning the Finish Line

Can you see it off in the distance?  It's right there!  Our blogs are almost finished...

At this point of the unit we would normally be planning the steps and actions we would take to build and create our product or solution.  We would start determining what resources, equipment and tools we would need, how much time each of the steps might take and what support on knowledge we would need to acquire or call upon.

In this unit, we've already begun the process of creating our blogs.  In fact, each of you already has a functional working blog that you've been modifying continuously over the last few weeks.  So instead of planning to build a blog...  we're going to plan on how to finish our blog...

Many of the functional and aesthetic aspects of our blogs are in place.  There are just a few of the elements that need to be added or tweaked before our blog is finally ready for prime time.  Which elements?  Well according to our functional sketches and blog template mock-ups...  we still need to ensure we have a...

• functional Menu,
• a complete Author Bio Page,
• an appropriate unique URL,
• a Background that matches our theme
• appropriate and functional Gadgets,
• a clean and organized Layout,
• and an optional Banner!

As we've talked about in class, we should plan on finishing these items are part of our create page by following the guidance we've received by looking over our Design Criteria, the Functional Blog Sketches and our Template Mock-ups.

As we have little time left to use this semester, it will be up to you to determine when the best time for you to work on these items will be.  Mrs. Okumura and I have come up with an Action Plan Worksheet to help you plan and budget your time appropriately by coming up with some task action steps, complete with space for you to plan when you'll work on these items and to check off when you have completed them.

Additionally we've put together a set of tutorial resources videos to better help you begin creating and fixing each of these items after using your Action Plan Worksheet to determine what your priorities are and when you'll get to them.  To access these resources, please view the linked videos below:

Creating a Menu and Author Bio Page in Blogger
Choosing a Unique URL for your Blog (The blogs web address) [Linked Articles: #1, #2, #3]
Adding Appropriate Gadgets (includes ClusterMap)
Managing Your Blog Layout
Adding a Banner Using  (includes introduction to Sumo Paint)

Looking for help to add on a "Courses" widget for your blog?  See the "Creating 'My Courses' Widget" handout on Google Drive.  

Be sure to use the task specific rubric to guide you as you finish up your final blog.

To earn a 5 – 6, make sure:

• Blog layout looks professionally organized, including clear space and distinct division between elements
• The blog clearly reflections a thoughtfully crafted presentation of the theme
• Includes recommended and student selected gadgets that add to the user experience and enhance user interactivity supporting posted content instead of distracting from it
• Thoughts are concise, coherent and communicate effectively to all readers
• Blog post content is consistently and effectively supported with a balance of related images, links and other resources
• All links work as expected (including opening in new tabs when leaving blog)
• All text is easily readable (appropriate font type, size, contrast and adequate paragraph spacing)
• The blog is free from any spelling and grammatical errors
• Student Bio/About Me page is complete, creative and informative while following class blogging bylaws

Due Dates:  

• All tasks in your action plan should be completed by Tuesday, December 11 (R day).  This includes all functional and aesthetic elements of your final blog.
 

Image Credits:
Runner's Den by Dru Bloomfield. Creative Commons Licensed on Flickr

Evaluating Your Designs (Reflection #2)

Great job bloggers!  We have seen some amazing designs and themes emerging from all of you.  Now, the last step in the Design Phase is to create your reflection #2 blog post where you will evaluate the different design mock-ups that you came up with.

Step 1.  Write your 4-5 paragraph reflection:

• What theme has emerged from your designs? 
  How does this theme relate to or represent you?
• For each blog template mock-up:
• explain the choices you made 
• compare how this design measures up to:
•  your design specifications (from your Reflection #1)
• functional blog requirements (your sketch)
• aesthetic design elements (color, photo, graphic design)
  
•  Select your final design and justify your choice by validating against your specifications and other design options.
 

Step 2.  Add your screen capture images from your Picasa Web Album into the relevant paragraphs of your reflection.


Be sure to use the task specific rubric #2 to guide you as you write your reflection.

To earn a 5 – 6, make sure:

• You have included a complex and detailed reflection.
• You have done an excellent job justifying and comparing your designs with the specifications.

Remember:

• Your reflection should include at least 4-5 paragraphs.
• Your reflection should be published on your blog.
• You reflection should include only answers, not the questions.
• Each paragraph should be written so the reader can understand the question (without including the question).
• You are writing for an audience that may not be in our class, make sure to describe things so that anyone could understand.

Due Dates:

• 8-01:  Nov. 26 (M)
• 8-02:  Nov. 28 (W)
• 8-03:  Nov. 28 (W)

The Aesthetics...Creating Your Mock-Up Designs

Here's the fun part!  How can we create aesthetically pleasing designs by incorporating a variety of design elements?  We will focus on answering this question over the next few classes and in the end have a number of design mock-ups to select from.


STEP 1. The Color Wheel

• a. Create Mock-up #1 applying elements of the color wheel discussed in class (hue, shade, tint, color relationships: monochromatic, analogous, complimentary, etc.) to your background.
• b. Refer to your Color Wheel worksheet notes taken from the Color Wheel Video Explanation
• c. To edit background:  Template --> Customize --> Background (select a color theme) or Advanced (to customize each section of your blog)
• d. Take a screen capture of this design #1 and upload to your Picasa Web Album.
• e.  Add a caption with brief explanation of your color choice.

STEP 2. Photographs 

• a. Create Mock-up #2 applying a photograph to your background that uses rule of thirds.

• b. To edit background:  Template --> Customize --> Background --> Background Image (look through gallery of photograph categories OR take and upload your own photo).
• c. Take a screen capture of this design #2 and upload to your Picasa Web Album.
• e.  Add a caption with brief explanation of your photograph choice.

STEP 3. Graphic Design  

• a. Create Mock-up #3 applying graphic design elements discussed in class (color relationship, line, vector-shape,stroke-outline, patterns.
• b. To edit background:  Template --> Customize --> Background --> Background Image (look through gallery* with graphic designs or create/upload your own.)
• c. * Suggested graphic design categories include:  Abstract, Patterns, Technology, Textures & Transparent.
• d. Take a screen capture of this design #3 and upload to your Picasa Web Album.
• e.  Add a caption with brief explanation of your graphic design choice.

Be sure to use the task specific rubric #1 to guide you in this design phase.

To earn a 5 – 6, make sure:

• You have generated THREE or more thoughtfully created template mock-ups through screen captures.
• All mock-ups demonstrate good blog design using the basic design elements and principles.
• All mock-ups clearly reflect your personality, theme and design specifications of your blog.

Remember:

• Each of your designs should display insight into your theme.  Some ideas discussed:  Star Wars, Sports, Hawaiian, Nature, etc.
• Take a look at your mind map.  Are there any themes that you could tap into from there?