October 20, 2012

Lesson 2c- Britannica Academic Edition

Britannica Academic is very similar to the public library edition.  It contains the same types of research tools and materials as the other interfaces.

I have used Britannica School Edition and Britannica Academic Edition to show specific successful result lists to high school students.  However, in reviewing the tutorial videos from Stephanie and from the Public Library and Academic Editions, I discovered several notables pieces of information:

• it is easy to toggle between the Kids' version and the Public Library Reference Center
• the editions differ by their reference sets, yet they are all interrelated, e.g. primary sources and ebooks are on the inside results page for the School Edition; on the front search sidebar for the Academic edition
• Stephanie Zurinski's video on this reference set includes some great tips on the concepts for an advanced search; great explanation!  https://stateofmaine.adobeconnect.com/_a827390218/marvelbritannica/
• The Workspace is useful for gathering articles and especially clever for gathering snippets of articles and the accompanying citations.  Not super user friendly for notetaking.  Commendable in its invitation to participate in article development; keeping it a vibrant, non-stagnant resource.
• The extended play videos would be good for independent study, especially as our teachers look to create more customized units of study.  Full screen viewing lacks clear resolution; downloading did help a bit.
• Want to show Real World Economics series to Deb Carver and Guide to Shakespeare (very comprehensive, including links to other lesser known Elizabethan playwrights and actors) to Meg Doughty
• Great title list for magazines and periodicals including the ever popular American Snowmobiler for our regional interests!  
• Some very up to date segments including:  NYTimes and BBC News, Popular Quizzes, and an Advocacy for Animals Section. Twitter updates are super current and of high interest.
• In the Academic edition, use the "drawer" to view media types.  Results list allows you to mouse-over and view preview of the articles.
• Teachers will find "Learning Activities" for some topics.
• Feedback:  the "back to Britannica" button should be more visible and accessible at multiple points when reading an article.
• GREAT graphics for all of the Presidential Election results---note to Chris Carver and Jarrod Dumas
• I used the World Data Analyst with our Freshmen World Studies classes last year.  It was very useful to find it as a separated source in the MARVEL list.  I knew it was a Britannica product, but I did not know it was embedded into the Public Library Edition.  Did I miss it in the School Edition?
• The School Edition has learning and training resources for librarians and teachers to use with students.
• Britannica Mobile looks nice on the iPad, but you lose the workspace functionality.  Also, the Learning Zone doesn't work on it at all.  Must be Flash-based.
• I spent hours on this resource that I thought I already knew; great stuff!  And always more to learn!

I learned some new things after reviewing the following MARVEL tutorials:

https://stateofmaine.adobeconnect.com/_a827390218/marvelintro/

https://stateofmaine.adobeconnect.com/_a827390218/marvelnavigation/

https://stateofmaine.adobeconnect.com/_a827390218/marvelsearching/

I learned that Maine Memory Network images are searchable in One Search.  Very cool!

Second takeaway:  In teaching about home access to MARVEL, I usually encourage my high school students to create their own account using school email and their own selected username and password.  I have to confess that I did not think about encouraging them to obtain or use their public library cards.  Yeeks; shame on me!  I will say that my thought process is in preparing them for life after high school.  "What college will you be attending?  If so, please remember to get your library card/ID!  It will provide you with the access you need....even if you never step your foot into your college library."  Perish the thought!

I also learned that there is no longer an "About" or info. button to inform you of the content of each database.  Now, you can just mouse over the title of the database.  So easy!