Google Blocked??

[mathking]

As a HS computer science teacher, I think blocking google for a little while is an excellent educational tactic. Too many students, no too many people, today are very good at finding information but not nearly so good at evaluating that information. Learning how to use databases is an important skill. Google is a fantastic starting point for finding information. As is wikipedia. For simple stuff one of those two is pretty much always how I start.

But when you are looking for information with any level of sophistication and/or subjectivity, you really need to learn to use databases so you can find information with more reliability. I use wikipedia all the time. Its power derives from its open nature, but that nature means that for a lot of information, you need to dig a little deeper. WAY too many people of all ages just accept what they read and hear as the truth. When they first learn about a controversial subject, they tend to settle on the first information they find as correct. If you want an example, try using just google and wikipedia and tell me what caused the civil war.

Furthermore, good databases allow you to use really powerful techniques to find exactly the right information. Everyone who uses computers should know how to use them.