This activity will give you some insight into how our perceptions, biases, and fears are fed by the technology we use. You will also learn some helpful strategies for refining your searches in Google.<\/p>\n
##### Activity 1<\/p>\n
What does Google tell us about us? In a previous activity, you performed some searches on your own name. Hopefully that process helped you to understand a little more about the importance of maintaining and curating your online presence. In this activity, you will explore how Google in particular is not simply a ‘search engine’ helping you find the things that you need, but it is also powerfully shaping our culture in ways that may be subtle if you are not looking for them.<\/p>\n
Here are some things that you should pay attention to in this activity:<\/p>\n
* Before you run a search, try to predict what types of images will be displayed.
\n* What ethnic categories are shown in the results (Caucasian, Asian, Aboriginal, African)?
\n* How are different genders portrayed, both within the same search and between different searches?
\n* What suggestions are provided at the top of the results page?
\n* What other things strike you as being important?<\/p>\n
To begin, log out of all of your social media accounts, especially Google, then perform image searches for the following terms. To search for images, go to google.ca, type the search term in the field and click ‘Google Search’, then click ‘Images’ at the top of the search listings.<\/p>\n
* professor
\n* teacher
\n* leader
\n* doctor
\n* nurse
\n* boy
\n* girl
\n* teenager<\/p>\n
##### Activity 2<\/p>\n
To begin, read the following short article from [Alan November](http:\/\/novemberlearning.com\/educational-resources-for-educators\/teaching-and-learning-articles\/the-advanced-google-searches-every-student-should-know\/). While you are reading through the post, follow along with November’s suggested search terms related to the Iranian Hostage Crisis.<\/p>\n
Once you have completed that process, read the somewhat cheeky article [Google advanced search](https:\/\/bynd.com\/news-ideas\/google-advanced-search-comprehensive-list-google-search-operators\/).<\/p>\n
With your new Google skills, try the following searches (you may have to find some other strategies as well…)<\/p>\n
* academic articles from Canadian universities on the topic of leadership.
\n* a PDF copy of an article related to your career
\n* a podcast related to your home town, province, or state<\/p>\n
##### Blog<\/p>\n
Once you have completed these activities, create a new post on your blog and write about your experience. Please incorporate appropriate visual elements such as images, screenshots, reaction GIFs.<\/p>\n
Categories for this post:<\/p>\n
* TWU Online
\n* Digital Literacy
\n* Googly Moogly<\/p>\n\n