Google Notebook – The Answer
May 16th, 2006 by Christopher HarrisGoogle’s new Notebook was released yesterday after an announcement earlier in the week. It is early in the morning still, so it might be a little while before the posts start coming in strong about this latest from the search giant. TechCrunch gives the product a rather negative review, but only because the reviewer asked the wrong question.
Google Notebook, like most products, is an answer. Everything is an answer…if you just know the question. We learned that from Douglas Adams. Forty-two, you see, is the answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything. The problem, though, is determining the question. So what is the question here?
How can we help organize online research so students can find and use electronic resources without becoming trapped in the copy/paste loop that leads to plagiarism while also allowing teachers to track and monitor student progress towards not only resource collection but also interpretation and synthesis?
Why, Google Notebook, of course!
Or, to show my work like a good student…check out my Google Notebook on Web Censorship in Schools.
Google Notebook, you see, lets me capture text blocks from a webpage and create an electronic notebook that truly places the emphasis on being a NOTESbook. I love that I can go back and annotate entries by either editing the entry itself or by adding an additional note below the entry. Notebook also includes a link back to the source document. Notes can also be arranged into sections.
So, when TechCrunch asked if this would be a del.icio.us killer, the answer was no. But if we are asking whether this will be a great tool for libraries and other classrooms? Oh yes…
May 17th, 2006 at 1:18 am
[...] u have to sign up with Google to use this service, Infomancy points out how it could be quite useful for library instruction!! Google Homepage: As you might guess, it’s a personalizable homep [...]
May 19th, 2006 at 10:52 am
Here’s the answer for all who don’t want to bother thinking. Just pass on others’ ideas as one’s own. Then the readers can use google to discover what’s plagiarized.
May 19th, 2006 at 11:10 am
Ouch, I sense a bit of anger there, Paul. Fighting with plagiarism is never fun (unless it is so sad it is funny, thus the post yesterday from Alex Halavais), but I do try to maintain a positive outlook. I wrote before about constructive vs. deconstructive research. Google Notebook does provide a nice tool for having a bit more constructiion within the research process. Notes or clippings can be annotated, additional reflective notes can be added, and research progress can be reviewed as an ongoing part of the assignment. It still depends on the assignment, though. A poorly developed assignment that is most easily answered through plagiarism will more likely result in plagiarism.