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Hi folks,

I will be teaching a class this winter called Internet and the Library
Media Professional. To gage the effectiveness of the instruction, and give
the students an idea of what I consider mastery in certain areas of
Internet knowledge and skills, I've developed the following ten rubrics.

If you are so inclined, read them over and send me your comments. This is a
3 hour graduate class, meeting for 30 hours in a lab with full Internet
access.

What have I left out?  What have I over emphasised?  What is unclear? Am I
expecting too much or too little? I'd really like feed-back from *you*, the
 experienced media specialists on the net.

Thanks Doug



                               Internet Skill Rubrics

To successfully complete this class you must be able to evaluate your
skills as level three or four (mastery or advanced) according to each of
the following rubrics. You will keep a portfolio of recorded searches,
journal entries, professional articles, lesson plans, etc. demonstrating
the competencies. On the first night of class you will complete this
self-evaluation, and again on the last night of class. The rubrics will:
        1) Allow the effectiveness of the instruction to be evaluated
        2) Give you, the learner, a guide to the skills you must master to
meet the course outcome.

Level 1:        Unaware
Level 2:        Aware
Level 3:        Mastery
Level 4:        Advanced


I.      Personal and educational uses of networks

_____ Level 1   I do not understand how networks work, nor can I identify
any personal or professional uses for networks.

_____ Level 2   I can identify some personal or professional uses for
networks, and understand they have a value to my students and myself. I do
not have the skills or access to use networks.

_____ Level 3   I can describe what a computer network does and how it can
be useful personally and professionally. I can distinguish between a local
area network, a wide area network, a value-added network, and the Internet.
I can describe student and professional uses for each type of network in a
school setting.

_____ Level 4   I use multiple types of networks on a daily basis to access
and communicate information. I can serve as an active participant in a
school or organizational planning group, giving advice and providing
information about networks. I can speak knowledgeably about network
topologies, protocols, speeds, wiring and administration.



II.     History and structure of the Internet

_____ Level 1   I know nothing about the Internet.

_____ Level 2   I have heard the term used and feel like I should learn
more. I've read some articles about the Internet in the popular press.

_____ Level 3   I can describe the history of the Internet and recognize
its international character. I know to a large degree the extent of its
resources. I can explain the governance of the network and can relate all
this information to K-12 education. I can speak to the social and
educational issues of equitable access. I know what TC/IP stands for and
why it is important.

_____ Level 4   I recognize current issues surrounding membership and
access to the Internet, including the rapid growth of commercial interests.
I understand what is meant by the Information Highway and can speculate on
its effect on culture and society.



III.    Personal accounts and access points

_____ Level 1   I do not have an account on any network nor would I know
how to get one.

_____ Level 2   I can use a commercial value-added network like CompuServe
or Prodigy. I can directly use dial-in access to a library card catalog.

_____ Level 3   I have personal access to the Internet which allows me to
receive and send e-mail, telnet, and read newsgroups. I can use a modem or
hardwired terminal to log-on to my account. I know that I must protect my
password, and should restrict access by others to my account. I can help
others obtain Internet access.

_____ Level 4   I can access the Internet using SLIP or PPP, and understand
the difference between it and terminal emulation.


IV.     E-mail and listservs

_____ Level 1   I do not use e-mail.

_____ Level 2   I understand the concept of e-mail and can explain some
administrative and educational uses for it.

_____ Level 3   I can use the e-mail services of the Internet to:
                * read and delete messages
                * send, forward and reply to messages to accounts in both the
                  same and different domains
                * interpret domain names
                * subscribe to, contribute to, and unsubscribe to a listserv,
                  and understand the uses of listservs
                * I read and contribute to LM_Net and MEMO_Net

_____ Level 4   I can send group mailings and feel confident that I could
start a listserv. I use activities which require e-mail in my teaching.



V.      Newsgroups

_____ Level 1   I have no knowledge of newsgroups.

_____ Level 2   I can locate the newsgroups available from my account, and
can read newsgroups.

_____ Level 3   I understand the organization of newsgroups and can
navigate easily though them. I  read several newsgroups which interest me
on a regular basis. I can speak to issues about censorship and on-line
resources.

_____ Level 4   I can contribute to newsgroups and use a utility like
Nuntius or Newswatcher. I use information I have found in newsgroups as a
resource for my students.



VI.     Gophers and Library catalogs

_____ Level 1   I do not use the Internet to locate information.

_____ Level 2   I know that there are resources available on the Internet,
but cannot confidently access them.

_____ Level 3   I understand the use of Gophers and can locate several
which help me. I can use the Gopher to get to other Gophers and to remote
card catalogs. I can write directions to locating a Gopher so that others
can find it as well.

_____ Level 4   I am aware that some Gophers are subject specific. I can
use a utility program like TurboGopher to set bookmarks to and download
information from Gopher. I use information I have found in Gophers as a
resource for my students.



VII.    Telnet and FTP

_____ Level 1   I cannot access information from remote computers.

_____ Level 2   I know that information and computers programs which are
useful to myself and my students are stored on computers throughout the
world. I cannot retrieve this information.

_____ Level 3   I can access a remote computer through the telnet command.
I can transfer files and programs from remote locations to my host machine
by using FTP.

_____ Level 4   I can use a utility such as Fetch to retrieve files and
programs. I use information I have retrieved as a resource for and with my
students.



VIII.   Search tools

_____ Level 1   I cannot locate any information on the Internet.

_____ Level 2   I can occasionally locate useful information on the
Internet by browsing or through remembered sources.

_____ Level 3   I can conduct a search of Internet resources using at least
two tools like Archie, Veronica, WAIS or Mosaic. I can explain why such
tools are important to the researcher using Internet. I can state some
guidelines for evaluating the information I find on the Internet.

_____ Level 4   I can identify some subject specific search tools, and can
speculate on future developments in on-line information searching.


IX.     Netiquette and on-line ethics

_____ Level 1   I am not aware of any ethics or proprieties regarding the
Internet.

_____ Level 2   I understand a few rules which my students and I should
follow when using the Internet.

_____ Level 3   I have read a guideline for Internet use such as Rinaldi's
"The Net: User Guidelines and Netiquette" or other source, and follow the
rules outlined. I know and read the FAQ files associated with sources on
the Internet.

_____ Level 4   ??? (Isn't courtesy an absolute?)



X.      The Media Specialist's Role in Telecommunications and the Internet

_____ Level 1   I cannot identify any role for a school media specialist in
telecommunications.

_____ Level 2   I understand the role of media specialist as information
specialist and the skills that role requires for many media. I am
knowledgeable and support resource-based education in the school. I have
not, however, applied these skills to information gathered electronically
from remote sites.

_____ Level 3   I can identify, demonstrate, and teach to other teachers
and students basic Internet skills. I can also apply many skills and
philosophies to electronic information sources I now apply to print
information sources. These include evaluation of information, intellectual
freedom, equity of access, and integration of media into the learning
process.

_____ Level 4   I am an active proponent of bringing Internet access to all
my media center patrons.


Doug Johnson, District Media Supervisor | Stager's First Rule Of
Mankato Public Schools, ISD77,          | Staff Development:
Box 8741, Mankato MN 56001-8741         |
507-387-3461                            |       Work with the living.
palsdaj@vax1.mankato.msus.edu           |


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