In this commentary I am going to talk about the use of the online application Google. How this application can be used to aid learning and what challenges or benefits can arise from using this technology. I aim to link this to relevant learning theory or style.

In a session we looked at how Google stores information about ourselves and reflected upon how this made me feel. This reflection can be read within another post on this blog.

The application Google is an online search engine designed to seek a variety of answers/information to questions or keywords typed into the search bar, it will list everything the database has on a particular topic/subject. The list will contain links to websites, pictures, maps, anything related to the search question which could possibly hold the information required.

There are benefits to using google, there is a simple search bar which you can easily find to type in any enquires, answers to these queries can be found quickly, it will make alternative suggestions if you type a word incorrectly and searches can be made in the UK or anywhere in the world. Some disadvantages to using google could be that if a student is using this search engine to find academic resources, the information may not be from a reliable source or may be irrelevant to the subject matter, a student may go off topic due to advertising pop ups or alternative suggestions made by google. In this case there is an alternative to google, which is Google scholar this search engine provides academic content from reliable sources.

How can this application be used to aid learning? This application can be used as a self-directed learning tool to do individual or group research for a topic initially set by a tutor or teacher. With a topic title an individual or group could independently use google to research information relating to that topic. Self-directed learning is described by Knowles as ‘a process in which individuals take the initiative without the help of others in diagnosing their learning needs… resources and evaluating learning outcomes` (Knowles, 1975, p. 18), this description from Knowles can be linked to adult learning and university students. University students can be seen to be self-directed learners as they attend university through choice (in most cases) and not under the authority of parents or carers, the research carried out by these students for assignment work or class work is usually done independently. Attending university through choice can be said that an individual has a readiness to learn, as ‘Adults do not learn ‘what they ought’ but are ready to learn that which they see as necessary to maintain and enhance their lives’ (Gould, 2012, p. 94), and given that students within a university establishment have chosen to enrol on a topic; which they find interesting and are willing to learn and understand new information they show they have a intrinsic motivation to grow and develop.

While this lesson was just to view our digital selves and how we used online sources it did give insight on how much information the worldwide web actually contains. There is so much more to online services than I as an individual could ever comprehend. While initially we as a class was given directions on how to access the information google held on us, we was then left to our own initiatives on how to navigate the sight and take a look at how we appeared to the online world. Looking through all the different settings and privacy links in a self-directed manner, I decided to remove googles authority to hold such information. I decided to do this as it made me feel uncomfortable that an online service held so much information, although it is unlikely anyone else would see the information it held, I still felt it was personally necessary for me to do this.

In summary google can be a useful resource within education, as it is accessible to most students on a variety of devices (mobile phones, laptops, tablets, etc) that have internet access, it can aid students/learners to gain access to information on any subject or topic. Given its simplistic base line children from a young age can also use this, even with r without the aid of an adult. Google has many advantages as stated above, but it is useful to bare in mind the disadvantages, when using it for academic purposes.

References

Gould, J. (2012). Learning Theory and Classroom Practice in the Lifelong Sector (Second ed.). London: SAGE.

Knowles, M. (1975). A Guide for Learners and Teachers. New York: Cambridge Books.