Andrew+Seymour's+Research+Evaluation


 * Andrew Seymour **
 * Directions **: This is your unique page. Use it to evaluate the digital tools presented in the Jog The Web activities. You can type in the tables below by clicking on the Edit button in the top, left-hand corner. When you are done, click Save.

=Digital Tools for Research=

Search Engines
Search for Kids || A child friendly search engine || Safe search is always on || Young people || I searched a few "key" words and they all came up with official sites. Great for a health project! || 5! || English || It's a simplified Wikipedia || Takes out the "academic speak" that you see often in Wikipedia || Young people and adults learning English || LOVE IT! I'm often frustrated with Wikipedia's academic language on most classical music sites. This is the best find of the summer! || 5+++++++ || Search || A search engine where you provide the websites that can be used. || Only uses the website you want AND can be imbedded on a blog or wiki || Great for classroom projects! || I am going to use this for SURE for my composer research projects || 5+++++ || >
 * [[image:tool2.jpg width="112" height="29"]] || [[image:description2.jpg width="112" height="29"]] || [[image:features.jpg width="112" height="29"]] || [[image:audience.jpg width="112" height="29"]] || [[image:comments.jpg width="112" height="29"]] || [[image:rating.jpg width="112" height="29"]] ||
 * Qwiki || A short slide show on a topic || They have millions of entries || People who don't want to read :-) || This would be a very effective tool to help a student to choose and get excited about a topic, but I could see how they would then want everything to be that easy. || For it's purpose I give it a 5 - but as an exhaustive source I have to give it a 1. ||
 * Google Safe
 * Ask Kids || A search engine that seems to come up with "fun" activities and information designed for kids || All sites are chosen by a team that deems it "child appropriate" || Young people ages 6-12. || Maybe too simplified for 7/8 graders. My Beethoven search came up with mostly little games and a coloring book. || 2 - for my purposes ||
 * Famhoo || A family friendly search engine || It says their methodology is a "secret", but they filter their sites || Parents (and teachers) who don't want their kids to be exposed to the dangers of the internet || More expansive than Ask Kids - but it looks just as safe. || 5 ||
 * Sweet Search || Search Engine for Students || Only 35,000 sites selected by "experts", teachers, and librarians || Students - probably older middle school or even high school? || Loved sites and format! Very easy to follow || My FAVORITE! 5+++ ||
 * Wolfram || Search Engine that doesn't search the web but uses their own algorithms || Quick detailed information - not websites || Anyone || Good for mathematical equations and detailed data, but not great for searching composers || 2 (form my purposes) ||
 * Search-Cube || Search engine that puts all sites in a cube to quickly browse || You can see the pages at a glance and figure out if they are worth your time || Young people || It may be a good way to find images, but I imagine it's pretty slow on older computers and I image kids would just play with it. || 2 ||
 * Wikipedia Simple
 * Awesome Library || Highly selective search engine - also has access to professional and private databases || Only child-safe links, useful to teachers, "real stuff", current - all looks good to me! || Anyone || It failed my tests!! Links were dead ends and sent me to the wrong sites || Not awesome 00000 ||
 * KidRex || Searches kid-related websites || Powered by Google - but keeps out any explicit material || Elementary school || Sites are not bad though! Many of my students would benefit from simpler language but the format is too childish for middle school || 3-4 ||
 * Google Custom
 * Twurdy || Stands for "too wordy" - Search engine that rates the reading level of a site || Easy to read color system || Young people or adults learning English! || Pretty slow actually, but interesting || 3 ||
 * // Feel free to add your own tool(s) here // ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Note:** You can add a row or column to this table.
 * 1) Click on any cell and this symbol will appear
 * 1) Click on the symbol to see options to add a row/column OR delete a row/column.

Tools for Simplifying and Summarizing Content
for Mac || A reader for mac || Anyone - often used in special ed classrooms || Easy to use and included on a mac || Not quite as useful for middle school research - except when modifying a project for special ed. || 2 || for PC || A reader for PC's || Anyone - often used in special ed classrooms || Can be converted to mp3's and taken anywhere || Cost involved || 1 || for Word (Mac/PC) || Summarization tool included in Word || Anyone struggling with reading or too much info || Drop a text and the app determines the most important info - also can give an abstract || How does it know? || 2 || Bookmarklet || A tool that works directly with your browser and can modify a website to make it easier to view the text || For anyone who would like to see less of the distracting material on the web and focus on the content || Can be downloaded to mobile devices and even saved for later || Subscription fees to get all the services || 2 || English || It's a simplified Wikipedia || Young people and adults learning English || Takes out the "academic speak" that you see often in Wikipedia || LOVE IT! I'm often frustrated with Wikipedia's academic language on most classical music sites. This is the best find of the summer! || 5+++++++ || Click to Jog through the tools
 * [[image:tool2.jpg width="112" height="29"]] || [[image:description2.jpg width="112" height="29"]] || [[image:audience.jpg width="112" height="29" align="center"]] || [[image:features.jpg width="112" height="29" align="center"]] || [[image:comments.jpg width="112" height="29" align="center"]] || [[image:rating.jpg width="112" height="29"]] ||
 * Text-to-Speech
 * Natural Reader
 * Text Compactor || Free online summarization tool || Anyone struggling with reading or too much info || Drop a text and the app determines the most important info || Could be useful || 2 ||
 * Auto Summary
 * Twurdy || Stands for "too wordy" - Search engine that rates the reading level of a site || Young people or adults learning English! || Easy to read color system || Pretty slow actually, but interesting || 3 ||
 * Readability
 * Wikipedia Simple
 * The Find Tool || A simple way to find info on a page || Anyone || Finds any word on the page || Whoa. How did I not know about this. || 5++++++++ ||
 * // Feel free to add your own tool(s) here // ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||

Tools for Organizing Research
Read/Write/Think || online note-taking tool || Students || Organize into topics and subtopics || Can't you just do this in Word? || 1 || CLRS Research Guide || Online outline maker || Anyone learning how to write a paper || Encourages good information and form to a paper || GREAT! It is nice to see all the basics of an essay laid out for you. || 4 ||
 * [[image:tool2.jpg width="112" height="29"]] || [[image:description2.jpg width="112" height="29"]] || [[image:audience.jpg width="112" height="29" align="center"]] || [[image:features.jpg width="112" height="29" align="center"]] || [[image:comments.jpg width="112" height="29" align="center"]] || [[image:rating.jpg width="112" height="29"]] ||
 * Easy Bib || An automatic bibliography maker || Students || Just type in a source and it gives you a bib || lots of adds a pop ups but effective - shouldn't they learn how to do this? || 2 - ||
 * Notestar || internet tool to help prepare research papers || Teachers and students || Organizes into topics and subtopics || A neat way to take notes. || 1 ||
 * Online Note Taking
 * Outline Maker
 * // Feel free to add your own tool(s) here // ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||