Evaluation of Online Resources NAME: Jennifer A. Wetzel SCHOOL: Ravenna High School WORKSHOP LOCATION: Kent State University TITLE OF COMPANION CONTENT PATHFINDER: Website Wanderings GRADE LEVEL(S): 9th-10th CURRICULUM/SUBJECT AREA: English SPECIFIC TOPIC: Website evaluation CONTENT INFORMATION The topic of this pathfinder is the evaluation of websites and online resources. Intended to aid in instruction of website evaluation and implementation of information literacy lessons, this pathfinder is geared towards providing professional and instructional materials for teachers. The topic of the pathfinder includes elements of website evaluation, rubrics for website evaluation, and professional websites and resources for teachers who will instruct students in the critical evaluation process, and resources for students to utilize. It is intended to be used a resource for teachers who are preparing lessons to integrate website evaluation into their curriculum. Dewey Decimal call numbers associated with this topic include: B7 001.4 (Research methods) B7 025.04 (Information storage and retrieval systems) B7 372.3 (Teaching computers, science, technology, and health) Subject headings for this topic include: B7 Computer literacy B7 Electronic information resource literacy B7 Information literacy B7 Information retrieval B7 Internet resources B7 Internet searching NON-FICTION BOOKS Alexander, Janet E. Web Wisdom: How to Evaluate and Create Information Quality on the Web. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1999. Written by reference librarians from Widener University, this book presents information, techniques, and checklists for evaluating the content of websites. Applying typical print criteria to the internet, the authors show readers exactly how to evaluate online content and provide checklists and other resources for implementing the techniques. Due to the scope and depth of this book, it is recommended for students with experience in utilizing and evaluating websites. Mintz, Anne P. Web of Deception: Misinformation on the Internet. Medford, N.J.: Cyberage, 2002. A collection of essays on the use of the Internet, this book combines the knowledge of internet industry professionals and librarians. The ten contributors examine trends and pitfalls of the internet of which both casual internet users and professionals should be aware. The information explains deceptive internet practices, how to evaluate websites, and how to effectively use internet search engines. Wolinsky, Art. Internet Power Research Using the Big6 Approach. Berkeley Heights, N.J.: Enslow Publishing, 2002. This informative text explains to students how to apply the Big6 research model to the internet, helping them make the transition of evaluating print resources to online resources. The author explains how to evaluate web content, utilize Boolean logic, recognize differences among search engines, and other relevant techniques. Though written for a younger audience, the clear text, diagrams, and screen-shots makes it easy to understand at all levels. PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES Barclay, David A. Teaching and Marketing Electronic Information Literacy Programs: a How-to-do-it Manual for Librarians. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, 2003. This manual, though written for librarians, would also be useful to teachers. The manual covers the key concepts and strategies of teaching electronic information literacy, the essentials of internet searching, and how to evaluate website information. The manual also includes powerpoint presentations for use in teaching electronic information literacy. Braun, Linda W. Hooking Teens with the Net. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, 2003. This professional resources utilizes websites geared to a teenage audience to teach students about website evaluation and information literacy. Using websites about entertainment, shopping, and similar subjects, the author provides suggestions and techniques for enhancing studentsb ability to research on the internet and assess the validity of the information they find. Chamberlain, Ellen. Evaluating Website Content. Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa International, 2002. Produced by the education honor society, Phi Delta Kappa, this resource appeared in their Fastback series in 2002. Each title in the Fastback series offers a brief overview on a trend in education. This title gives information on choosing Internet resources wisely and how educators can make use of online information. Eisenberg, Michael B. Teaching Information and Technology Skills: the Big 6 in Secondary Schools. Worthington, OH: Linworth Publishing, 2000. This manual shows teachers and librarians how to implement information literacy skills in teaching technology and website evaluation. Part I of the book offers a theoretical overview of the Big6 model in relation to technology and the internet while Part II provides lesson plans, worksheets, forms, and other instructional tools. Schrock, Kathy. Evaluating Internet Web Sites. Manhattan, KS: Master Teacher, 1998. In this book, Kathy Schrock examines the twenty-six criteria of website evaluation that she has advocated in professional articles and on her website. In addition, she includes masters for teachers to use while teaching. Valenza, Joyce Kasman. Power Research Tools: Learning Activities and Posters. Chicago, IL: American Library Association, 2003. This resource contains activities and reproducible tools for teaching students research skills. Though it is an overview of the entire research process, many of the activities contain information on using the internet successfully and examining the content of websites. Posters, rubrics, and worksheets on the topic are also included. WEBSITES FOR STUDENTS Beck, Susan E. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: or, Why Itbs a Good Idea to Evaluate Web Sources. 30 October 2003. New Mexico State University Library. 31 March 2004 http://lib.nmsu.edu/instruction/eval.html This website, written by the head of the Reference and Research Services Department of the New Mexico State University Library, explains the criteria for evaluating website content to students. Also included is a link of examples of to examine how they compared to the criteria and a bibliography of resources. Elkordy, Angela. Evaluating Web-based Resources: a Practical Perspective. 30 June 2000. The Learning Site. 31 March 2004 http://www.thelearningsite.net/cyberlibrarian/elibraries/eval.html Arranged in an accessible table layout that would appeal to students, the criteria for website evaluation is presented in brief but clear terms. The author describes the points to consider for the categories of suitability for audience, content, timeliness, ease of use, presentation, appropriateness for digital or web-based format, and special characteristics of web-based media. Netskills. TONIC: Internet Detective. 1999. TONIC-NG Online Tutorial Delivery System. 31 March 2004 http://www.netskills.ac.uk/TonicNG/cgi/sesame?detective This online tutorial presents students with information about the criteria for the evaluation of websites and makes them apply the criteria in a practice setting. The guided process allows students to go step-by-step at their own pace. Since the free website requires users to register with an ID of their creation, students are able to take the tutorial at several sittings and obtain quiz scores. Schrock, Kathy. Kathy Schrockbs Guide for Educators: High School Critical Web Page Evaluation Tool. 2003. Discovery Channel School. 17 March 2004 http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/evalhigh.html Though written with teachers as the intended audience, this websites would be useful and practical for utilization by students. The website contains a rubric for high school students to use when evaluating websites. The rubric is easy-to-use and covers all criteria for evaluating websites, from technical aspects to content. WEBSITES FOR TEACHERS Schrock, Kathy. Kathy Schrockbs ABCs of Web Site Evaluation. 30 March 2004. Kathy Schrock Homepage. 30 March 2004. http://kathyschrock.net/abceval/ This website is a collection of resources for teachers to utilize when incorporating critical evaluation of websites into their curriculum. The website includes links for articles describing the criteria of evaluation, handouts for students, and a lesson plans for different grade levels. Also included on the website is a list of links to use when looking at pages with a specific criteria in mind and a list of links for websites to demonstrate critical evaluation, including Ban Dihydrogen Monoxide and Californiabs Velcro Crop Under Challenge. Schrock, Kathy. Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators: Critical Evaluation Surveys and Resources. 2004. Discovery Channel School. 17 March 2004. http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/eval.html This compilation of teacher resources is designed by the author of several articles and rubrics on critical evaluation of websites. The resources include surveys for students at the elementary, middle school, and secondary levels, professional articles, and lessons plans for teaching website evaluation to students. It also contains an in-depth bibliography of professional resources for teachers on the internet, including lesson activites, rubrics, and interactive tools. ARTICLES Branch, Robert M. bEvaluating Online Educational Materials for Use in Instruction.b ERIC Digest. 1999. EBSCOhost. Infohio Databases. Ravenna High School Library Media Center, Ravenna, OH. 31 March 2004. This article, written with teachers as the intended audience, describes the evaluation of online resources and contains a Checklist for use in the evaluation process. The article explains seven key criteria to consider when selecting websites and includes websites that include internet evaluation tools. Eisenberg, Mike. bApplying Big6 Skills and Information Literacy Standards to Internet Research.b Book Report. November/December 2000: 33-35. EBSCOhost. Infohio Databases. Ravenna High School Library Media Center, Ravenna, OH. 31 March 2004. Written by the creator of the Big6 information literacy model, this article focuses on the application of those techniques to internet research. For teachers who are instructing students in critical evaluation of websites, this articles outlines the implementation of the Big6 model, describing what is to be considered at each step of the process. The article also includes a link a matrix of instructional activities for applying the Big6 model. Schrock, Kathleen. bThe ABCs of Web Site Evaluation.b Kathy Schrockbs Guide for Educators. 2002. Discovery Channel School. 26 February 2004 (first appeared in the December 1998/January 1999 issue of Classroom Connect) http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/ In this article, twenty-six criteria for assessing websites are explained by the author. For each criteria, she gives a clear explanation of what to examine and questions to ask while accessing the website. The information is presented in a well-organized, brief manner that will be useful to both teachers and students. Schrock, Kathleen. bSeparating the Wheat from the Chaff: How to Tell the Good Sites from the Bad.b Kathy Schrockbs Guide for Educators. 2004. Discovery Channel School. 31 March 2004 (first appeared in the March 1998 issue of Internet Trend Watch for Libraries) http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/ A brief but well-written article for those beginning the critical evaluation process of website content. The article describes three basic areas of evaluation and details what to consider in the navigation, authorship, and content validity of websites. The article also includes links to evaluation rubrics for the elementary, middle school, and secondary levels.