You used WIKIPEDIA for your research? Are you CRAZY!?!

I loved reading about the Wikipedia debate.  I always thought that if a student had kind of an idea for a research project, but needed to flesh it out a bit, Wiki was a great place to start.  It gives the student some great, usually credible, research sites by back-researching the work that was posted on Wiki in the first place.  When my students get stuck for resources, I tell them to check out the resources on the article in Wiki, and they can usually find, through links from those websites, viable sources for information that isn't found through a typical Google search.  I've also found that if I check an article's sources right away, I can usually tell if it is a credible article.  Wiki is a tool that our students can use, but they need to proceed with caution.  When reading about the debate with other educators, I was happy to see that I was with the majority.

Speaking of great research tools, Noodle Tools will find it's way on all the bookmark bars on the computers in my LMC!  What an awesome way for students (and me!) to find their way through the confusing maze that researching can sometimes be.  Try to get a 5th grader to understand that using 1 website isn't research, and no, you can't just say what they said - it can be trying.  But by introducing Noodle Works into the equation, I think my students are going to be more willing to cast into the Research Sea and come out with something they can keep!

The classes that I'm taking through this cohort just keep giving and giving.  It amazes me how every week I'm coming away with more and more tools to use in my professional and private life.  I guess I'm receiving a real education!