Thank you all for your help. I'm really satisfied with the lesson I've =
come up with, though I have not had the opportunity to implement it. =
But I will soon! In the meanwhile, here is a list of the invaluable =
resources that so many of you contributed. I'm sorry it took me so =
long, but we had visitors from another country, and being that I see =
them only once a year (if that often!) I had to pay attention to them.
Thanks again.
Esther
P.S. I tried to send the attachments, but my message was rejected. If =
you would like the attachments, e-mail me privately.
______________________________
Esther Lewenstein
Librarian
I.S. 278 Marine Park
1925 Stuart Street
Brooklyn, NY 11229
718.645.6201
Fax. 718.998.7324
ELewens@nycboe.net
**The opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of my =
employer.**
I have 8th graders, and each of them has chosen a topic to investigate =
for
the year using various resources. After doing a thorough introduction =
about
the Internet, what it is, isn't, can be, etc. we talked about =
pitfalls--and
discussed potential authors of websites (a 2nd grader, any student, a
crackpot, a professor, a professor in chemistry who writes on current =
events
and is a crackpot, etc) and what to look for: authority, currency,
relevance, reliability. I make an anology by saying that we wouldn't =
expect
them to choose their own science textbook, but they expect themselves to =
be
able to find "really good" websites in minutes! I give them my site
evaluation sheet (there are lots out there--try Kathy Schrock's site if =
you
don't have one you like--hers are at three levels) and require them to =
use
it to evaluate 2 of the sites they found for their topic. (We had =
previously
done a survey of search engines using a boolean searches for their =
topics,
so they had plenty of sites to work with.)
The result is, they understand how much work it is to really decide =
about
the value of a site, and have a better appreciation of places like =
lii.org,
and the sites suggested by the online databases we already subscribe to.
Hope this helps.
Any book you have not read is a new book ;-)
*********************************************************
From my book, FLIP it! Information Skills Strategies for Student
Researchers:
EVALUATING A WEBPAGE: Just as a webpage is a non-linear presentation, =
so
too is the process of evaluation. Specific criteria have been grouped =
into
the four strands
of FLIP only as an organizational schema; during the actual evaluation
process, many of
the considerations will automatically overlap.
FOCUS: why? who?
LINKS: how?
INFORMATION: what?
PRESENTATION: wow?
***************************************************
These are a number of sites for web evaluation that have been previously
suggested by
LM_NETTERS, perhaps one of them has what you want.
Web evaluations
http://alexia.lis.uiuc.edu/~janicke/Eval.html
http://cityoftakomapark.org/library/children/eval.html
http://courses.unt.edu/csimpson/5720links.htm includes sites that =
spoof
real sites
http://discoveryschool.com/schrockguide/
http://lib.nmsu.edu/staff/susabeck/evalcrit.html
http://lib.nmsu.edu/staff/susabeck/evalexpl.html Susan Beck's "The Good, =
the
Bad, and
the Ugly: Why it's a Good Idea to
Evaluate Websites"
http://libsci.sc.edu/miller/web/htm is a wealth of web page =
development
information
http://libweb.sfasu.edu/ref/critical.htm
http://milton.mse.jhu.edu:8001/research/education/net.html
http://nt.gc.cc.fl.us/library/WEBEVAL.htm
http://refserver.lib.vt.edu/libinst/critTHINK.HTM Bibliography on =
Evaluating
Internet
Resources
http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/eval.html
http://sosig.ac.uk/desire/internet-detective.html Internet Detectives =
Web
evaluation
tutorial
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/InternetIndex/
http://thorplus.lib.purdue.edu/~techman/eval.html
http://thorplus.lib.purdue.edu/library_info/instruction/gs175/3gs175/eval=
uation.html
Evaluating World Wide Web Information
http://volvo.gslis.utexas.edu/%7ekidnet/evalinfo.html
http://weber.u.washington.edu/~libr560/NETEVAL/criteria.html
http://widener.edu/libraries.html
http://www.ala.org/ICONN/rating.html
http://www.ala.org/parentspage/greatsites/criteria.html
http://www.albany.edu/library/internet/addictions.html
http://www.alltogethernow.org/mp/127.htm
http://www.bf.rmit.edu.au/Dimals/rguides/website.htm
http://www.bpl.org/WWW/KIDs/Evaluate.html
http://www.capecod.net/schrockguide/eval.htm Kathy Schrock's Collection =
of
Critical
evaluation surveys
http://www.capecod.net/schrockguide/evalelem.htm
http://www.capecod.net/schrockguide/evalhigh.htm
http://www.capecod.net/schrockguide/evalmidd.htm
http://www.capecod.net/Wixon/eval.htm These are Kathy Schrock's guides =
for
educators
http://www.cityoftakomapark.org/library/eval.html
http://www.crcs.k12.ny.us/lib/hs/evaluating_web_sites.htm
http://www.cyberbee.com/guide1.html has a good rubric for rating =
content
and design
http://www.duke.edu/~de1/evaluate.html Web page evaluation worksheet
http://www.fau.edu/library/evaluate.htm
http://www.fno.org/jun97/eval.html
http://www.iat.unc.edu/guides/irg-49.html
http://www.infosearcher.com/nassau.htm links to evaluating web =
information
as well as
sites that show "good, bad and ugly"
web pages. Scroll down to sites under the heading of Evaluation.
http://www.ithaca.edu/library/Training/hott.html
http://www.kalama.com/~zimba/plag&cheat.htm
http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/college/instruct/critical.htm
Thinking critically
about WWW Resources
http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/college/instruct/hoax/evlinfo.htm =
an
online lesson in
web evaluation
http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/college/instruct/web/critical.htm
Critical Look at
WWW Resources from UCLA
http://www.libsci.sc.edu/miller/Evaluate.htm
http://www.mindspring.com/~klv/eval.html
http://www.mit.edu:8001/~mkgray/head-explode.html
http://www.sccu.edu/faculty/R_Harris/evalu8it.htm
http://www.science.widener.edu/~withers/webeval.htm Teaching critical
evaluation
skills for WWW resources
http://www.southampton.liunet.edu/library/evaluate.htm
http://www.tiac.net/users/hope/findqual.html Evaluating quality on the =
Net
http://www.vuw.ac.nz/~agsmith/evaln/evaln.htm
http://www.widener.edu/libraries.html and click on "Evaluating Web
Resources".
http://www2.widener.edu/Wolfgram-Memorial-Library/cklstlnk.htm
http://www2.widener.edu/Wolfgram-Memorial-Library/webeval.htm
www.allnations.com/webtech/url.shml
*****************************************************
Source
Objectivity
Depth
Accuracy
Scope
The acronym, of course, is SODAS. (Not very nutritious, but I couldn't
think
of anything better! : )
**********************************************************
Hi, there is one on the web that is at
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/searching/sevensteps.html
the acronym is My plump starfish quickly lowered lincoln's tie
************************************************************
If you haven't already found it, check out
http://nt.gc.cc.fl.us/library/researchhelp/webeval.htm
**********************************************************
Here is a site that I found and really like. Hope it helps.
http://www.quick.org.uk/menu.htm
***************************************************
When I teach this, I try to keep it simple. APAC (Authority, =
Perspective
OR Point-of-View, Accuracy, and Currency). There are other elements but =
I
feel these are the most important for judging the information found on =
the
website rather than the "look" of the site which I would emphasize in a
class teaching web design.
*************************************************************************=
*
Hi Esther,
Please find attached an evaluation sheet developed collaboratively with
a digital media teacher.
(See Website Analysis Evaluation.doc)
Barbara Combes, Lecturer
****************************************************************
Hi Esther
You'll find a number of links I use for Gd 6 and 7 lessons here:
http://www.sfc.wcape.school.za/Webeval.sfcj.htm
*************************************************************************=
**
http://sunnyheights.warren.k12.in.us/school/webeval/evalweb.htm
***************************************************
I have been getting ready to do a similar thing. Yahooligans has some=20
info under teacher resources on the topic.=20
**********************************************************
The March 2003 issue of Technology and Learning has an excellent article
on Web Literacy. It has links to some wonderful web sources that will =
be
helpful in planning your lesson. If you do not subscribe to the =
journal,
you can read the article online at www.techlearning.com. In the upper
left corner, click on T + L Magazine. Then, under Feature, click on Web
Literacy and Critical Thinking: a Teacher's Tool Kit. It is a great
article with many practical sites and ideas. Good luck!
(fantastic resource!)
********************************************************
I am preparing a college course on this subject. So far these are the =
sites I have found.
Evaluating Websites
=A7 ICYouSee: T is for Thinking: A Guide to Critical Thinking About What =
You See on the Web: http://www.ithaca.edu/library/Training/hott.html=20
=A7 Evaluating Web Sites: =
http://volweb.utk.edu/Schools/sullivan/sullms/evaluate/evalwebstu.html#ba=
ck%20to%20top=20
=A7 Evaluating Web Sites: =
http://www.splendora.k12.tx.us/sms/lib/eval.htm=20
=A7 Media Awareness Network:=20
http://www.media-awareness.ca/eng/webaware/home.htm=20
=A7 Evaluating Internet-based Information: A Goals-based Approach: =
http://landmark-project.com/evaluation/index.html=20
=A7 Evaluating Information: =
http://servercc.oakton.edu/~wittman/find/eval.htm=20
=A7 Evaluating websites: =
http://trochim.human.cornell.edu/webeval/webeval.htm=20
=A7 Evaluating Web Sites: Criteria and Tools: =
http://www.library.cornell.edu/okuref/research/webeval.html=20
=A7 Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators - Critical Evaluation Surveys =
and Resources: http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/eval.html=20
=A7 Evaluating Websites for Educational Uses: Bibliography and =
Checklist: http://www.unc.edu/cit/guides/irg-49.html=20
=A7 Evaluation Rubrics for Websites: =
http://www.siec.k12.in.us/~west/online/eval.htm=20
=A7 The Quality Information Checklist: http://www.quick.org.uk/menu.htm=20
=A7 Richard Waller Website Evaluation Checklist: =
http://www.waller.co.uk/eval.htm=20
=A7 Using Primary Sources: =
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/calheritage/k12/primary_lesson.htm
Read UC Berkeley's ideas on evaluating Web sources.
=A7 Web Literacy: =
http://www.libertycenter.k12.oh.us/schwartz/default.htm=20
=A7 WEB LITERACY and Critical Thinking: A Teacher's Tool Kit: =
http://www.techlearning.com/db_area/archives/TL/2003/03/toolkit.html=20
**********************************************************************
Here is an idea I have used with 5th and 6th graders.=20
Have students visit bogus websites without knowing that they are fake. I
have used several (California Velcro Crop, Pacific Northwest Tree =
Octopus,
Lake Michigan Whale Watch to name a few). Have them take notes for 10-15
minutes and then regroup to discuss. The goal is for them to figure out =
the
sites are "bogus".
Then take them to this website:
http://www.quick.org.uk/menu.htm
It is an 8 step process for evaluating websites. It makes for excellent
discussion.
Good luck.
**********************************************************
Esther:
I recently ran a parent/student web evaluation seminar and here's how I =
did
it: First, I brought them to a hoax site (The Pacific Tree Octopus) at
http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus.html. I did so under the guise of =
searching
for rainforest animals that our 4th graders would be researching. I =
walked
through the site, clicking on the authentic links to newspaper articles,
etc. Then I talked about how I always want to make sure the kids use
information that is authoritative, so I want to make sure that the =
author of
any website is an expert. I went to the FAQ's page, and summarized who =
the
author was and that the whole site is in fact a fake. Next, I covered 7
essential steps to evaluate websites, and brought them to an online =
website
evaluation tutorial, called The Quality Information Checklist, available =
at
www.quick.org.uk. The 7 steps I used were a combination of ideas from =
this
site as well as many other website evaluation checklists I've collected =
over
time. After that, we evaluated 2 similar websites: =
www.nasa.gov/forkids (I
went to the game section and chose the game that compares your weight on
Earth to your weight on other planets). After that, we went to
www.spacekids.com and played the same game, but it was a different =
format,
not to mention the noise and the slow loading time for all the flashy
graphics. I pointed out the advertising on the spacekids.com site, and =
how
difficult it was to find the author (you have to link to space.com, find =
the
list of Board of Directors, and then question if the Neil A. Armstrong =
is
the astronaut...the site doesn't say, so I've assumed he's not, =
otherwise
they WOULD say). One of the founders of the site is Lou Dobbs, of CNN's
Moneyline (a financial guy who has a passion for space as a hobby. As =
far
as I could tell, I couldn't conclude that he's an "expert").
I'd be interested in hearing back from you directly or via HIT on what
others are doing. Best of luck.
************************************'
The following site was mentioned on the listserv not too long ago in =
relation to a similar request. I found it hilarious, and I think it is =
just the right tone for middle school. (Certainly an excellent example =
of a great looking site that needs to be evaluated!)
http://zapatopi.net/afdb.html
There is a link from this site to "Special note for "website =
evaluators", which links further to website eval criteria from various =
sources.
**********************************************
I use bogus websites in one lesson and in another use a comparative
worksheet and three websites on San Antonio Texas-- one .gov, one .com, =
and
one .org to show the difference in presentation of material on the same
place. I only use San Antonio because the students read 'Canyons' by =
Gary
Paulson which takes place near there and they have some familiarity with =
the
location.
*****************************************************
=20
=20
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