I've written before about this site--it's one of my favorite tools to use when teaching kids research skills. The site is going to launch a major upgrade this summer, and I was privileged to get a sneak peek at it earlier this week. I can't wait for the changes! I learned so much about the new version of the site that I want to share--I don't want to overwhelm anyone with all the changes at once so I'll talk about a few of the new features over the next several postings.
One of the reasons I choose Noodletools over other citation generators is the teaching ability built in to the site. The site wants to help teachers with research instruction, and so it is more than just a fill in the blank website. Kids need to know what type of source they are working with and what relevant information is needed. But lots of help is available on screen right at the point of need and after the upgrade, students will have even more hints available right at their fingertips.
The citation page will have a model citation for the source type available for students to check as they fill in their own information. The relevant pieces of the sample will be highlighted to help them find the information from their own source. And each line will have an error check--a mistake in capitalization, for example, will be pointed out immediately so students can correct it before finishing the citation.
Small popup menus will also help to provide information at the point of need. Hopefully if students will just read the page, they can get questions answered before calling out for help from the teacher!
Can't wait to see the new site--the upgrade is scheduled to be live on June 25.
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