A professor at the University of Brighton banned her students from using Google, Wikipedia, and other online resources (read the story here). Tara Brabazon, the teacher, claims that there is no learning involved by simply typing a query into Google.
The story has spawned a number of blog posts, including one from MediaShift about how Google and other online resources have changed the way we do research. Jennifer Woodard Maderazo agrees that online resources leave her feeling "unchallenged." However, she writes that in order to get immediate answers to questions, you often have to sacrifice some quality of the information.
Jemima Kiss on the Digital Content Blog feels differently. She says that no, Google should not be banned, and that internet research is a skill that all college students will need at some point.
It got me thinking about my own habits. Before I had an internet connection at home, I would go to the library and take out books on the subject I was researching. It usually took hours to go through the books and find the relevant pieces of information. Now, I can go to Google or Wikipedia or Sparknotes and instantly access the exact piece of information I'm looking for, without having to slog through an entire book. I don't even use the phone book anymore: Switchboard has been one of my favorite resources as a reporter.
So, should Google be banned at universities? My opinion is a definitive "NO." As society turns more and more to new media, it's a skill that is just as important as being able to pick out a book by its call number. You can't believe everything you read, but if you do enough searching, I believe you can find the truth.
2 comments:
It seems to me that there are two issues here. Banning Google makes no sense at all, because it's not a source, it's a search engine. If it leads you to a reputable source, then of course you should be able to use it. But if you don't know how to evaluate the reliability of the sources Google gives you, that's another thing.
Hmmm ... if I use Google to find a library, then drill down into the library and find academic articles, have I "used" Google by Professor Brabazon's definition?
As for Wikipedia, I don't allow students to cite it in research papers. Nevertheless, it's an incredibly valuable starting point, and often Wikipedia articles have the best collection of links to reliable sources.
Wow, talk about being unable to move into the future. Online research is essential to any future students. I agree, banning Google is a terrible idea.
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