Social media can be good for entertainment. It can be good to get some ideas that you might want to try in your classroom. But it’s not good for depth of information.
When I want to learn more about a teaching strategy or the use of a particular type of technology in schools, I direct my search efforts to Google Scholar. This is how in 2019 I discovered one of my favorite formative assessment activities, the three color quiz.
What about trending topics?
You may be thinking, “Sure, Google Scholar sounds great for already established topics, but what about new topics like AI?” I’m glad you asked.
Often, topics that have recently become popular in general education social media discussions were being studied long before they became popular on social media. For example, take a look at this list of Google Scholar search results for “Artificial Intelligence in Education”.
I realize I could be preaching to the choir on this one (here is an explanation of that colloquialism for my friends who don’t know him). That said, if you haven’t looked at Google Scholar in a while, take some time this week and dig into a topic that interests you. You may be surprised at what you discover.
Seven characteristics of Google Scholar
And if you’ve never spent much time with Google Scholar, watch my new video which outlines seven key features of Google Scholar that you should know how to use.
There is so much that can be shared in a TikTok or Instagram video. Also, an infographic never tells the whole story. So look to those things for inspiration, but look to Google Scholar when you want to dig deeper.
Teaching search strategies for history students
In my updated e-book Teaching search strategies for history students I describe activities you can use in middle and high school (grades 5-12) classrooms. When you purchase a copy of the eBook, you can use the activities exactly as written (you have permission to use the images I’ve included) or modify them to meet the needs of your students.
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