Google and Blogs

The Internet is affording a much less formal way of learning personally. Literally at any time and anywhere, a person can go online to search for information. This information can include the latest news around the world, historical research or even medical and personal advice. The opportunities are endless, thanks in part, to giant search engines like Google, which was started in the late 1990s. In 2000, Google was received 18 million search queries a day and this number has grown exponentially since then.

The Internet is affording a much less formal way of learning personally. Literally at any time and anywhere, a person can go online to search for information. This information can include the latest news around the world, historical research or even medical and personal advice. The opportunities are endless, thanks in part, to giant search engines like Google, which was started in the late 1990s. In 2000, Google was received 18 million search queries a day and this number has grown exponentially since then.

A whole new wave of learning has exploded with these types of search engines. It’s informal, but it is learning. People can gain information about anything and everything. Traveling to a foreign country? Look up the country online to learn the countries economic status, weather conditions, people and culture and even the recommended restaurants. Have an ailment of some sort? Type in your symptoms and find out what it might be before going to the doctor. Want to know what’s going on in Paris today? Type in Paris news and find out the latest.

Another unique form of e-learning is connecting with blogs. What is a blog? Well, this is hard to answer considering one can blog, one can have a blog, one be a blogger and one can be in the process of blogging. It’s similar to the increasingly popular use of the term Google. It used to be simply be the noun of the giant search engine.

Now, however, people google other people to find out information about them. A person can be a googler if they use the search engine, and a person can be in the process of googling. You can actually create your own blog in three short steps by visitng blogger.com. The site will tell you everything you need to know about how to create your own, and then it will walk you through the process.

A blog is essentially a personal Web site, but often containing daily, periodic updates similar to a diary or journal. How does this play into e-learning? The tricky thing about blogs is that they are subjective, often containing personal opinions and attitudes. However, at the same time, the information can be legitimate and often, the blogs will link to other blogs or other helpful resources. They can be used as sites for discussion and thoughts on particular courses for those involved in an online learning program.

The Internet, with its varied and unique capabilities, including search engines and blogs, is allowing for a whole new dimension through which an individual can learn.

Posted on March 14, 2006 at 4:51 PM

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