Sharpening Your Internet Skills

Here is a series of "teach yourself" tutorials developed by a group of subject and information experts that offers a first-rate learning experience for either novices or experts - http://www.vts.rdn.ac.uk/ .

The Resource Discovery Network (RDN) http://www.rdn.ac.uk is a well-known and highly regarded web directory (site) of teaching and learning resources that has been compiled by volunteers who work in colleges, universities and other related organisations. In contrast to search engines, it gathers resources that are not only carefully selected and indexed but are well described by specialists in their field.

Whilst the volunteers that maintain this web site are, in the most part, located in the United Kingdom giving it a particular flavour, the language of the Web is universal and international with plenty of relevance for most visitors.

Is this site for tutorial learning only?

The Resource Discovery Network (RDN) is also an outstanding access point to many thousands of Invisible Web sites, that's about as close to a search engine for the hidden web as can be found. You may remember that the Hidden Web, sometimes also called the Deep Web, is thought by many experts to contain as much as 80% of the Webs knowledge - but cannot be seen by most search engines – see http://www.searchenginewatch.com/searchday/article.php/2158321

The Invisible Web is said to be an enchanted realm for searchers, but only if you know how to access its abundant treasures. The Resource Discovery Network has an outstanding gateway to these hidden resources. Visitors to this site should be sure to check out "Gateway to the Invisible Web" link.

In addition to the RDN's web directory, the site also offers a superb "Virtual Training Suite" that aims to help people develop their Internet information literacy skills.

These are free "teach yourself" tutorials offering skills training in a wide variety of subject areas. There's a tutorial for most of the subjects taught in universities, colleges or schools.  There are also eleven "Further Education" tutorials that focus on non-academic subjects.

How are the Further Education tutorials different?

Primarily, they're written by professional teachers and tend to concentrate on resources relevant to all types of students. They tend to be shorter, more graphical and of a less academic nature.

The tutorials offer, "any time, any place" training that include quizzes and interactive exercises. They are designed to make the learning experience fun. Each tutorial is organised around four guiding principles:

TOURing key web sites for a subject. Sites listed here are chosen specifically to help with the course work.

DISCOVERing how to search.  Here the emphasis is placed on the best search tools and methods to use for a particular subject.

REVIEW and JUDGE Web sites.  Evaluating the quality of information on the web is just as important as knowing how to find information in the first place. In this section the emphasis is more on developing and sharpening crucial information skills.

REFLECTing and PLANing to work efficiently.  For the very reason search engines are easy to use and provide quick results, it is often overly tempting to just jump in and start searching. Unfortunately, this approach often results in dead-ends, or worse, hours of aimless surfing.  This last section emphasises how to make the most of the Internet for study, teaching or research.

How long do these on-line tutorials take?

Each tutorial takes about 1-2 hours to complete. Alternately, a person might prefer to do one chunk at a time during several sittings, or focus on the sections of most relevance to their own specific needs. If you happen to be a teacher there’s an added bonus supplementary of "Resources for Teachers and Trainers" along with each tutorial.

Sounds like the site has been designed with "ease of use" in mind?

The RDN Tutorials web site features a number of design components that make learning even easier.

There's a "Links Basket" that lets you collect your own list of useful Web sites as you work through each tutorial. A "Teaching Pack" offers resources, materials and advice on how to make the most of the RDN Virtual Training Suite.

There is a Print Friendly icon that displays a print-optimised version of the tutorial’s pages, designed to make high quality printouts.  For students and teachers alike, these pages are great for handouts.

Finally, there's a Glossary of Internet and computing jargon.

The RDN Virtual Training Suite is a great resource for improving a persons searching and Internet research skills.  Along the way, they’ll also likely discover a number of new sites that they will want to add to their own searching toolkit.

Other Valuable Non-Commercial Web Sits

http://www.searchenginewatch.com/searchday/article.php/2177001
A number of non-commercial sites exist which can offer the searcher a well organised collection of valuable resources.

Arthur Hissey
Computer Research & Technology
www.crt.net.au