Changes

Try searching for 'Mathematics' or 'Science' or 'Geography' applications, Ubuntu Software Centre. and install a software you think will be useful for your learning.   

Try searching for 'Mathematics' or 'Science' or 'Geography' applications, Ubuntu Software Centre. and install a software you think will be useful for your learning.   

References: [[Explore a computer]], [[Learn Ubuntu]], [[Learn Tux Typing]] , [[Learn Tux Paint]]  

References: [[Explore a computer]], [[Learn Ubuntu]], [[Learn Tux Typing]] , [[Learn Tux Paint]]

The internet, a product of digital ICT, has changed the way we think of accessing information or communicating. With the internet, you can connect to any computer in the world and access information and resources. As a 'global digital library, the internet has information on almost every topic. This changes the way we can think of learning and the skills of learning.  Skills of accessing information, organizing, evaluating information are very important. While the Internet is a continuous learning resource and there is a lot of content you can access, to make the resources useful, you need to evaluate the resources, organize it well, and have a clear unit plan on how to integrate multiple resources for teaching.  

 

=== ICT for connecting and learning - Accessing the global digital library (GDL) ===

For making teaching more effective, a resource rich learning environment is necessary. However, in many cases, teachers only have the text book for their subject. The text book is intended primarily for the student and the teacher needs to access resources that are a super set of the topic as dealt in the text book, so that the teacher is well placed to teach the topic in a variety of ways, based on the learning contexts and needs of the students. Teachers must also be resourceful to address any doubts or questions that may arise in class or elsewhere on the topic. However, learning resources other than text books are not easily available to teachers. Also significant part of materials available is copyrighted, meaning teachers cannot make copies of the same for their use and it may be expensive to purchase all the required resource materials.

The internet, a product of digital ICT, has changed the way we think of accessing information or communicating. With the internet, you can connect to any computer in the world and access information and resources. As a 'global digital library, the internet has information on almost every topic. This changes the way we can think of learning and the skills of learning. Skills of accessing information, organizing, evaluating information are very important. While the Internet is a continuous learning resource and there is a lot of content you can access, to make the resources useful, you need to organize it well, and have a clear unit plan on how to integrate multiple resources for teaching.  

Internet is also allowing new methods of learning through on-line courses and resource repositories. Unit 1 will help you learn how you can use ICT to ''connect and learn''.  

The internet is a physical network of millions of computers across the world, each of which has a unique identifier. Some of these computers act as 'servers', they store data which can be accessed by other computers. The Internet is thus like a huge library with information on almost any issue. The 'web-sites' we visit are nothing but folders of computers connected to the internet. Apart from information, many of these computers also have applications or web tools, such as search engine, maps, translation, which have different purposes.  

The internet is a physical network of millions of computers across the world, each of which has a unique identifier. Some of these computers act as 'servers', they store data which can be accessed by other computers. The Internet is thus like a huge library with information on almost any issue. The 'web-sites' we visit are nothing but folders of computers connected to the internet. Apart from information, many of these computers also have applications or web tools, such as search engine, maps, translation, which have different purposes.

==== World wide web ====

==== World wide web ====

Information can be accessed in multiple ways from the www and we need to know how to search for it. Sources of information, even if freely available on the Internet, needs to be acknowledged. Resources are available in different formats on the Internet- images, videos, audio files etc. We must be aware of Internet safety while accessing images, videos and other information on the Internet. We already saw that each website is a page on the Internet and has an address. We can either copy and paste the link directly in the address bar of a web browser.  

Information can be accessed in multiple ways from the www and we need to know how to search for it. Sources of information, even if freely available on the Internet, needs to be acknowledged. Resources are available in different formats on the Internet- images, videos, audio files etc. We must be aware of Internet safety while accessing images, videos and other information on the Internet. We already saw that each website is a page on the Internet and has an address. We can either copy and paste the link directly in the address bar of a web browser.  

==== Search engine ====

==== Accessing information on the internet  - Search engine ====

A popular way of finding information on the Internet is through the use of a search engine. Search engine is a software that can retrieve a large amount of relevant information in very a short time.  

A popular way of finding information on the Internet is through the use of a search engine. Search engine is a website that can retrieve a large amount of relevant information in very a short time.  

The search engine has enormous implications for our processes of teaching-learning. In the  past, rote learning (remembering information) has been seen as important, since such committing information to memory would allow us to access it when needed. Traditional Indian schools also had memorising scripts as an important learning method. However, with ICT, that has changed. Due to information explosion, it is now impossible to commit to memory the numerous aspects of our daily lives. Secondly, thanks to methods of storage and retrieval, including use of search engines, the need to memorise has also reduced. Twenty years back, we used to remember peoples telephone (land-line) numbers, which were not too many. Now with large number of contacts we have, we do not need to memorise their phone (cell phone) numbers, since we can store it in the phone itself and can retrieve by name. In the same way, any factual information can be retrieved in a fraction of a second and hence not worth memorising.

The search engine has enormous implications for our processes of teaching-learning. In the  past, rote learning (remembering information) has been seen as important, since such committing information to memory would allow us to access it when needed. Traditional Indian schools also had memorising scripts as an important learning method. However, with ICT, that has changed. Due to information explosion, it is now impossible to commit to memory the numerous aspects of our daily lives. Secondly, thanks to methods of storage and retrieval, including use of search engines, the need to memorise has also reduced. Twenty years back, we used to remember peoples telephone (land-line) numbers, which were not too many. Now with large number of contacts we have, we do not need to memorise their phone (cell phone) numbers, since we can store it in the phone itself and can retrieve by name. In the same way, any factual information can be retrieved in a fraction of a second and hence not worth memorising.

Thus while in the past, significant amount of teaching was actually the dissemination of information, now that would neither be required, nor would students readily accept it. Teaching has to hence necessarily move to the next order of interpreting, critically reflecting on facts to assess and make meaning. Thus in a way, search engines have done the processes of learning a good turn, by making information transmission as a largely redundant part of learning. On the other hand, they have also enabled easy copying of materials, without requiring much effort to understand, potentially encouraging superficial learning.

Thus while in the past, significant amount of teaching was actually the dissemination of information, now that would neither be required, nor would students readily accept it. Teaching has to hence necessarily move to the next order of interpreting, critically reflecting on facts to assess and make meaning. Thus in a way, search engines have done the processes of learning a good turn, by making information transmission as a largely redundant part of learning. On the other hand, they have also enabled easy copying of materials, without requiring much effort to understand, potentially encouraging superficial learning.

Internet is also allowing new methods of learning through on-line courses and resource repositories. Unit 1 will help you learn how you can use ICT to ''connect and learn''.

Some examples of search engines are [http://google.com Google search engine] or [https://duckduckgo.com DuckDuckGo] search engine. You can search not only for text, but also for images and videos  You can download the file (video, text file, image file) to your computer.

==== How to evaluate an Internet resource / web site ====

===== How to evaluate an Internet resource / web site =====

There are a few things you must check when we look at the usefulness of the information on any website.

There are a few things you must check when we look at the usefulness of the information on any website.

# Source of the website. Whose website is it ? How to contact the website owner/manager? (check the 'About Us' link that is usually provided on a web site to get this information). It is important to know about the source of the information, to get a sense of its authenticity

# Source of the website. Whose website is it ? How to contact the website owner/manager? (check the 'About Us' link that is usually provided on a web site to get this information). It is important to know about the source of the information, to get a sense of its authenticity

You will access and navigate the internet using a free and open source web browser such as [[Learn Firefox|Mozilla Firefox]].  Mozilla Firefox will appear under Applications > Internet >Firefox Web Browser.

You will access and navigate the internet using a free and open source web browser such as [[Learn Firefox|Mozilla Firefox]].  Mozilla Firefox will appear under Applications > Internet >Firefox Web Browser.

If you know the web address of the site you want to visit, you can type it in the address bar. Ex; http://kn.wikipedia.org. If you don’t know the particular web address, you can type a key word(s) relating to the topic e.g. Wikipedia, using a search engine, such as  [http://google.com Google search engine] or [https://duckduckgo.com DuckDuckGo] search engine. You can search not only for text, but also for images and videos  You can download the file (video, text file, image file) to your computer.  

If you know the web address of the site you want to visit, you can type it in the address bar. Ex; http://kn.wikipedia.org. If you don’t know the particular web address, you can type a key word(s) relating to the topic e.g. Wikipedia, using a search engine.  

You will find that much more resources are available for your topic in English compared to Kannada or other languages.

You will find that much more resources are available for your topic in English compared to Kannada or other languages.