Evaluating websites for learners ‘ A wise teacher does not lead you into the house of wisdom but the threshold of your own mind ” Kahlil Gibran

Outcomes Why the need to evaluate? Criteria educators could use Criteria for learners to start using Alternatives: kid safe search engines/directories Google Custom Search Teaching website referencing.

Why the need to evaluate?

Criteria educators could use

Criteria for learners to start using

Alternatives: kid safe search engines/directories

Google Custom Search

Teaching website referencing.

A sign of the times

Why do teachers need to evaluate Websites? www.adcet.edu.au/.../web_Design.chpx

Web is like a jumble sale – anybody with internet access can contribute a website, but finding that prize item or website gem is relatively hard work. Prevent the ‘million hits syndrome’ Steer learners towards educator-evaluated web sources

Web is like a jumble sale – anybody with internet access can contribute a website, but finding that prize item or website gem is relatively hard work.

Prevent the ‘million hits syndrome’

Steer learners towards educator-evaluated web sources

More reasons to evaluate Ready list of annotated web sources – focus Information Literacy Skills on synthesis and engagement with the sources Share resources – bookmark, collect under learning areas e.g. use social bookmarking tools like Delicious, DiggIt With older learners especially, model web evaluation for learners to mimic

Ready list of annotated web sources – focus Information Literacy Skills on synthesis and engagement with the sources

Share resources – bookmark, collect under learning areas e.g. use social bookmarking tools like Delicious, DiggIt

With older learners especially, model web evaluation for learners to mimic

Last but not least … Teachers - evaluate so that YOU are not hoodwinked! For example, do you know the difference between the following two websites?

Teachers - evaluate so that YOU are not hoodwinked!

For example, do you know the difference between the following two websites?

www.whitehouse.gov

www.whitehouse.org

www.whitehouse.org

http://whitehouse.georgewbush.org/index.asp

Create a checklist

Criteria for educators Dozens of Web evaluation tools online. Many different types of Web sites and no one way to judge them all. Purpose of a checklist/criteria/form is to guide you through the evaluation process into asking appropriate questions. After using the forms several times, you will develop an intuitive feeling about which Web sites will be successful with learners.

Dozens of Web evaluation tools online.

Many different types of Web sites and no one way to judge them all.

Purpose of a checklist/criteria/form is to guide you through the evaluation process into asking appropriate questions.

After using the forms several times, you will develop an intuitive feeling about which Web sites will be successful with learners.

Where to find Web evaluation examples On Weblogs - http://philbradley.typepad.com/phil_bradleys_weblog/2006/12/fake_websites_a.html On Video sites like YouTube; TeacherTube; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_qR5lpnXBE On SlideShare- http://www.slideshare.net/betchaboy/5-factors-for-evaluating-website s Via Images - www.favors.fit.qut.edu.au

On Weblogs - http://philbradley.typepad.com/phil_bradleys_weblog/2006/12/fake_websites_a.html

On Video sites like YouTube; TeacherTube; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_qR5lpnXBE

On SlideShare- http://www.slideshare.net/betchaboy/5-factors-for-evaluating-website s

Via Images - www.favors.fit.qut.edu.au

Evaluation Criteria Authority Content Design

Evaluation criterion AUTHORITY

Authority (Individuals) Do the author’s credentials show experience and expertise on the topic? How reputable is the author in said field? Is the information credible and trustworthy?

Do the author’s credentials show experience and expertise on the topic?

How reputable is the author in said field?

Is the information credible and trustworthy?

Authority clues Author’s contact details X-check author’s authenticity on other websites Check if author associated with any reputable organisations or institutions

Author’s contact details

X-check author’s authenticity on other websites

Check if author associated with any reputable organisations or institutions

Authority: Organisations & Institutions Is the domain - .ac, .edu, .org credible? How reputable is the organisation? Is the organisation’s mission statement available? Are their contact details provided?

Is the domain - .ac, .edu, .org credible?

How reputable is the organisation?

Is the organisation’s mission statement available?

Are their contact details provided?

Organisation’s clues Look at the domain - .ac, .edu, .org for credibility Click on the Home page to find out more about the organisation Click on “about this site” to read about the organisation’s purpose

Look at the domain - .ac, .edu, .org for credibility

Click on the Home page to find out more about the organisation

Click on “about this site” to read about the organisation’s purpose

Evaluation criterion CONTENT

Content Accuracy/ Correctness Scope/Coverage Relevancy Currency

Accuracy/ Correctness

Scope/Coverage

Relevancy

Currency

Content: Accuracy/Correctness What is the intention of this site? Is this site for entertainment or education or is it persuading me to buy something? Is the information error free and reliable?

What is the intention of this site?

Is this site for entertainment or education or is it persuading me to buy something?

Is the information error free and reliable?

Accuracy clues Read the “about us” for intention Typos, spelling and language errors indicate poor editing X-check factual information with other sites

Read the “about us” for intention

Typos, spelling and language errors indicate poor editing

X-check factual information with other sites

Content: Scope How in depth is the coverage? How unique is the content?

How in depth is the coverage?

How unique is the content?

Scope clues: A webpage of information with mostly hyperlinks to other articles won’t satisfy depth of coverage A student’s essay or personal rant about a topic is not usually original or worthwhile citing

A webpage of information with mostly hyperlinks to other articles won’t satisfy depth of coverage

A student’s essay or personal rant about a topic is not usually original or worthwhile citing

Content: relevancy Who is the audience for this site? Is the content at the right level for the audience? Does the content assist in answering the question?

Who is the audience for this site?

Is the content at the right level for the audience?

Does the content assist in answering the question?

Content: Currency How up to date is the page? Does the information require constant updates or is it not time-bound? Are the links still working?

How up to date is the page?

Does the information require constant updates or is it not time-bound?

Are the links still working?

Evaluation criterion DESIGN

Design Is the site designed with ease of use and is it aesthetically pleasing?

Is the site designed with ease of use and

is it aesthetically pleasing?

Design clues Site does not take long to load Colour & graphics enhance content Navigation is easy Site map is evident Links are clearly visible Activity pages are printable Games are playable Limited “bells & whistles” Site is disability friendly

Site does not take long to load

Colour & graphics enhance content

Navigation is easy

Site map is evident

Links are clearly visible

Activity pages are printable

Games are playable

Limited “bells & whistles”

Site is disability friendly

Web Evaluation Checklists for teachers

http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html

Learner Web evaluation checklists/forms Kathy Schrock’s Critical evaluation of a website for Senior phase learners http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/evalelem.html For Intermediate Phase learners try http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/rtrieger/rubric2-3.htm

Kathy Schrock’s Critical evaluation of a website for Senior phase learners http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/evalelem.html

For Intermediate Phase learners try http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/rtrieger/rubric2-3.htm

Alternatives to evaluating websites yourself …use specialised search engines

Search Engines for learners Yahoo for kids (http://kids.yahoo.com/) for IP & SP learners Kidsclick database compiled by librarians. Over 6 400 sites. Search a subject directory or by key word. Can limit search by reading level! Ask Jeeves for Kids (www.askkids.com)the natural language search tool Awesome Library over 30 000 reviewed resources with ‘doors’ for kids, teens, teachers, librarians, or parents

Yahoo for kids (http://kids.yahoo.com/) for IP & SP learners

Kidsclick database compiled by librarians. Over 6 400 sites. Search a subject directory or by key word. Can limit search by reading level!

Ask Jeeves for Kids (www.askkids.com)the natural language search tool

Awesome Library over 30 000 reviewed resources with ‘doors’ for kids, teens, teachers, librarians, or parents

More search engines for kids Kids.Net.Au an Australian search engine for kids Berit’s best sites for children (http://www.beritsbest.com/) directory of selected, rated sites for children 14 and under Barbara Feldman’s Surfing the Net with Kids Archive http://www.surfnetkids.com/

Kids.Net.Au an Australian search engine for kids

Berit’s best sites for children (http://www.beritsbest.com/) directory of selected, rated sites for children 14 and under

Barbara Feldman’s Surfing the Net with Kids Archive http://www.surfnetkids.com/

Creating a customized search engine Google allows us to create our own search engine which can be added to our Weblog, Website or customized Homepage As the creator, you can decide whether or not you want outside contributors So, you can create a child appropriate search engine with selections of your choice

Google allows us to create our own search engine which can be added to our Weblog, Website or customized Homepage

As the creator, you can decide whether or not you want outside contributors

So, you can create a child appropriate search engine with selections of your choice

Referencing websites Why? Learn to acknowledge Web source Learn difference between a search engine and a website Learn to scrutinize a website

Why?

Learn to acknowledge Web source

Learn difference between a search engine and a website

Learn to scrutinize a website

Referencing a website How? Author/s or organisation – if available Date on which the site created Title of webpage Uniform Resource Locator (URL) including the ‘http://’ part Date when you, the user, accessed the site

How?

Author/s or organisation – if available

Date on which the site created

Title of webpage

Uniform Resource Locator (URL) including the ‘http://’ part

Date when you, the user, accessed the site

For example Foods Standards Agency (2003). What is BSE? [Online]. Available http:// www.foodstandards.gov.uk/bse [Accessed 4 April 2006]

Foods Standards Agency (2003). What is BSE? [Online]. Available http:// www.foodstandards.gov.uk/bse [Accessed 4 April 2006]

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