Trainer script for Kids InfoBits

MMidwest Collaborative for Library Services, MeL Training Materials

revised 8/08 SR

INTRODUCTION:

To use the resources in this class, connect through MeL at http://mel.org . Click on the link for MeL Databases, then scroll down and click on the specific database you wish to search. If your library IP is registered, no further authentication is required. If patrons use mel.org remotely, they will have options to authenticate either with a Michigan driver’s license number or a MeLCat library barcode.

Kids InfoBits is designed for young students in kindergarten through fifth grades. It contains reference sources (many from Blackbirch Press), children’s magazines, newspapers, maps, great charts and graphs, and pictures.

To see a complete list of sources, go to http://www.gale.com/title_lists/.

Scroll down to Kids InfoBits. The first excel file shows the magazines and newspapers included, the second excel file is the list of reference sources.

All sources are full-text. Most reference content is proprietary and will be found only in Kids InfoBits.

BASIC SEARCH:

1. Begin at mel.org. Click on MEL DATABASES, then on KIDS INFOBITS.

Point out the main features of the home page (most of these will be demonstrated during the class):

• colorful, graphic icons for major topic areas

• links across the bottom of the page that can help navigate in the database

• a search box at the top

• Advanced Search button

• links to Help, Dictionary, Teacher Toolbox, other Gale databases

3. Explain that the idea behind the topic icons is for younger students to be able to search by recognizing what the “pictures” stand for (major topic areas). It’s also designed to help students understand how to narrow a topic from a broad topic to a more specific one.

When students use the icons to search, it is a Topic Tree search. The Topic Tree is a subject search, but the subject thesaurus has been modified to map like terms together. So for example, a search on "Dolphins" in the Topic Tree includes results on related terms, such as "River Dolphins" and "Bottlenosed Dolphins," but not the "Miami Dolphins."

Click on the icon for ANIMALS. Point out the smaller topic divisions that appear. Click on PETS & FARM ANIMALS.

Point out the list of animals that appears. At this point, the icon-searching ends and students have to recognize words. (Ultimately, students will need to have at least minimal reading skills to use the database with any degree of success). Click on CATS.

4. Point out that the results are displayed with tabs indicating the type of material. If the title of a tab is “grayed out,” it means there are no sources in that format. Show how to go to another type of material by clicking on a different tab. Also show the class the “Breadcrumbs” display at the top; this shows the path the student followed to get to this point in the search. To go back one or more steps, a student can click on any link in the Breadcrumb trail.

Point out that the number of sources is displayed for each tab. Point out the page numbers and demonstrate how to move from one page to another; also demonstrate how to move to the next group of pages and to the last page by using the arrow buttons and the arrows with small lines at the points (these go to the first or last page of results). Explain that the camera icon means there is an image of some sort with the article.

Point out that students can select individual articles to go into “My Backpack” by clicking in the small white box near the title. This is the same as a marked list in the other Gale databases. Have the students mark and put 3 or 4 articles into their backpacks. Show the LOOK IN MY BACKPACK link that now shows up on the upper right corner. Have the students click on that link and see their selected articles listed. The display page also tells them how many items are in the backpack. Show that they can remove an item from their backpack by clicking again in the box. The article disappears from the backpack.

5. Point out the PRINT button. Explain that this button will reformat all the articles in the backpack. Demonstrate what reformatted articles look like. To print, students would need to click on print in their browser menu at the top (don’t have them print). The full text of every article in the backpack would be printed.

Have the class click on the EMAIL button at the top left. Have them select PLAIN TEXT. Have them select either LIST VIEW (they will only get the citations) or EACH DOCUMENT SEPARATELY (they will get all documents emailed to them, full text). If they want to, they can actually email to themselves.

Have the class locate the red audio control panel on the left side, just above the citation. Have each person click on the small triangle that points to the right. If the speakers on are in the lab, the articles should be read out loud (machine reader). Let them listen for a short time, then have them click the square in the control panel to stop the reader.

6. Use the browser back button to return to the search results screen with the tabs. Click on CHARTS & GRAPHS.

Kids InfoBits contains many colorful charts and graphs that will appeal to teachers since this is a curricular goal in many districts. Let them look at several graphs. There is an Adobe print reformat button for charts and graphs.

7. Point out two ways to reach the InfoBits home page:

-the “Home” button just under the title in the upper left corner (not the browser home button at the top!)

-the links across the bottom of the page.

Go HOME.

OTHER FEATURES:

1. When a student types a word or phrase into the search box, it will execute a subject search. Therefore, a search on "Dolphins" will pull up a subject listing so the student can choose dolphins, the animal, or dolphins, the sports team, for example.

Type Michigan in the search box at the top. Hit ENTER or click on SEARCH. “View” means look at a list of sources. (Under some searches, you will find “See Also” which means look at related subject headings).

Click on VIEW ### ( number) items for Michigan. (The number of items here may change over time). Point out that for Michigan, there are sources under each tab.

Select any article and open it by clicking on its title. Point out the citation information at the top. Point out the number of that article out of the total, and the 2 arrows on each side of this phrase. These arrows allow users to move the next or previous article, not to the next or previous page of citations.

Point out the “Print,” “Email,” and “Backpack” buttons.

Have the class click on the MAPS, FLAGS & SEALS tab and then open any of the Michigan maps. Point out the print button at the upper left then the Adobe “Click here for a printable version” link. Caution users may need to play with the settings to get the size map they need.

2. Go to the HOME page.

Type Indians in the search box, hit enter. Click on SEE NATIVE AMERICANS. Click on VIEW next to # items (number may change over time). Now click on the SEARCH HISTORY button in the upper right corner of the screen. Your search history will only display after you have actually looked at a list of sources. Highlight TOPIC TREE: CATS and click on VIEW. You will return to your previous search results on cats.

3. Click on ADVANCED SEARCH in the upper right corner.

Type telescope in the first box, Hubble in the second box. Leave the default search parameters in place. Hit ENTER or click on SEARCH. View the number of results for each tab. Now click on ADVANCED SEARCH in the breadcrumb trail. Change TITLE/HEADLINE to FULL TEXT for both boxes and click on SEARCH. View the number of results for each type of material.

4. Click on the DICTIONARY tab. Type telescope in the box and hit ENTER. Review the dictionary results.

5. Click on the TEACHER TOOLBOX link. Click on CREATING A WEB. Point out the option to download – we’ll come back to that. Give the class a few minutes to skim the type of instructional assistance that is offered in this article. Click on DOWNLOAD A SIMPLE WEB TEMPLATE. Explain that teachers can print these templates and have students use them to help organize their research information before writing anything.

The Teacher Toolbox is a very nice feature of Kids InfoBits. It has suggestions that fit all ages; they would just need to be modified to fit the level of complexity of the assignment and the student. For example, the “complex web template” would be more useful to middle school students. A senior high student might be required to complete an even more detailed web.

For help with teaching students to use Kids InfoBits, you can use a PowerPoint developed by Gale: http://www.gale.com/pdf/searchtip/infobits.ppt