How do we select Web-based materials?

Criteria for Selection

As a teacher and a school library media specialist I think it's important to look at what the needs of a specific school community are as well as what parameters have been laid out by professional organizations. As a rule, I reference the American Library Association (ALA) for much of what I do, particularly with regard to collection development guidelines. I think they have a complete list of important criteria to consider when selecting electronic resources, including Web-based materials. Below I provide evaluative questions as well as the ALA’s selection policy criteria regarding electronic resources.

Personally, I like to ask questions when evaluating pretty much anything. As far as determining whether Web-based materials are appropriate, I think the following questions are helpful:

• Do the materials make learning a more efficient process?
• Do the materials provide a more efficient means for assessment?
• Is there a means for learners to self-evaluate/self-assess progress?
• Do the materials make learning more easily accessible?
• Do the materials save money?
Do they provide methods for self-study?
• Do materials offer more features than print versions?
• Are there alternatives or supplemental materials for learners who prefer print materials?
• Will these materials increase engagement?
• Is it compatible with common hardware and software?
• Can it be used on PCs and Macs?
• How much does it cost in comparison to print materials?
• How often are updates available?
• How much of the content is downloadable?
• Is a free trial available? If so, for how long?

ALA defines electronic resources as those that encompass full-text and abstracting/indexing databases, CD-ROMs/DVDs, computer software (especially bibliographic management products), Internet sites, e-books with no print counterparts, e-reference works, and collections of e-books and e-journals. We review both commercial (fee-based) and open/free electronic Web sites, the latter including those that offer unrestricted full-text access to material, including digital archives; collections of research journals; preprints/e-prints; and discipline-specific repositories. We selectively review Web-based magazines, courseware, and electronic sites based on collaborative authorship (including wikis and blogs/Weblogs), carefully scrutinizing the quality of the material and the content review processes. Criteria particular to electronic resources include the following:

Access (commercial databases only): try to arrange a free trial so that both editor and reviewer can evaluate the full database.

Scope: give priority to resources that are comprehensive or broad in coverage.

Comparative formats: review electronic resources that are available only in electronic format (including e-books), along with those that have print counterparts.

Multimedia: review selected CD-ROMs/DVDs and Internet sites offering collections of streamed or downloadable full-length video, audio, and multimedia

Currency and updates: product information that shows evidence that the publisher/producer plans regular updates

Hardware and software: Technical requirements of a product should be compatible with standard and commonly available hardware and software.

Publication or release date: may re-review an online resource when content has changed substantially or when the developers have substantially upgraded the interface

Stability of content: Electronic products and Internet sites should be stable in content and format.

Source:
American Library Association Selection Policy

Evaluating Web Resources

Since anyone can create a Web page, students and teachers need to be able to critically evaluate Web resources and materials for authenticity, applicability, authorship, bias and usability. Being able to accurately and critically evaluate resources is a necessary life skill for a 21st-century learner. Information literacy requires users of information to be able to do just this. There are many important components to look for in evaluating any type of Web resource. When I evaluate resources or I teach my students how to evaluate resources on the Internet I use content and usability as the main areas of focus for determining whether a site provides valid as well as appropriate information for students’ queries. Below are specific areas of criteria regarding a source’s content and usability which help to evaluate its usefulness. I typically have students use a list of Web site evaluation questions to help them determine if it’s an appropriate resource for them to use. Additionally I model the evaluation process as well as provide examples of inaccurate and/or completely bogus Internet sources.

Content:

Authority - Does the source provide the author's name? Are author’s credentials listed or the publisher given with contact information?

Accuracy - Are there sources cited? Is there a bibliography included? Is the information misleading or are biases easily identifiable? Is the information relevant?

Audience - Is it obvious who the information is intended for?

Last Updated - How current is the information?

Is this a valuable source - Is the information available elsewhere? In what format? How does this source compare to other sources? Can you cross check data?

Purpose - Is the purpose of this resource clear? Is it a commercial site trying to sell something?

Usability:

• Does the site include clickable images?
• Is the site easy to navigate?
• Is help available?
• Is the layout appropriate for the topic and audience?
• Does the site include a table of contents or menu available on all pages?
• Does site or certain page(s) take a long time to download?
• Is the title accurate for the contents of each page?
• Is there a way to return to the home page on all pages?
• Do all links work?
• Are there any restrictions or is registration or fee necessary?
• Is the Information included here worth the effort?

Sources:

Riedling, A. M. (2004). Information literacy: What does it look like in the school library media center? Westport, Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited.

Evaluation Checklist

Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators

University of Maryland University Libraries

Teaching with Primary Sources Sources

Teaching with primary sources engages students in that it requires that they draw upon prior knowledge, make connections, and promotes student inquiry. I believe that examining primary sources gives students a powerful sense of history and that teaching students how to analyze primary sources pushes them to use higher-order thinking, which improves critical thinking and analysis skills. I use the following Web resources to support my unit on using and analyzing primary sources with my students.

Library of Congress:

I use this source often and for many different reasons. I show students how to access primary resources in an effort to support their research with authentic, quality resources. I also show them how to read/evaluate primary sources by using much of what’s available on this site. I use The Teacher's Page to access lesson plans, themed resources, primary source sets, presentations and activities as well as collection connections. This page also includes information about the what/how of using primary sources to teach. It's truly a useful source you should investigate if you haven't already.

TPS Quarterly Newsletter:
Each issue explores how to use primary sources and focuses on a specific theme, i.e. research and inquiry learning. It also provides summaries of and links to online resources that provide research and current thinking relating to the current theme.

National Archives Digital Classroom:
This source provides lesson plans by era for teaching with documents. Here you can access activities correlated to the national history standards, national standards for civics and government, and cross-curricular connections.

Smithsonian Source - Resources for Teaching American History:
This is the Smithsonian Web source for which provides actual lesson plans that incorporate teaching with primary sources, historical topics like Civil Rights, transportations and Westward expansion. This online resource provides a means for accessing various primary sources on any topic related to American history. For example, if you search for the keyword 'revolution' you will be provided with documents beginning with one from 1769 which outlines a key issue of why the American Revolution took place. It even provides a way to narrow a search by choosing the type of primary source needed and/or a specific era.

Primary Sources at Yale:
I use this source to access primary source materials to help students during the research process as well as during a unit on evaluating primary sources. I like to use this site to show students what a primary source is, because it is defined so nicely on this site. I also like to use their 'tools for discovery' page which includes tips on identifying materials relevant to research.

Voice Thread:
I use this for teaching students about primary sources. I post actual pictures for them to evaluate and make comments about. This is a means for getting students to share opinions and view others’ opinions. It’s very much like a classroom discussion, but students work independently or in small groups to access and contribute to our Voice Thread projects.

Become an expert surfer

Think you know how to surf the Web? Think again!




Check out this visual search application to start searching more efficiently while having fun doing so.

Managed Q makes typical searches, which are basically databases, into a full-fledged application that integrates the exact same results and ordering delivered by search engines like Google. They extract the important People, Places, and Things from the search results and make the results instantly explorable by simply typing and rolling over. The result exploration is also faster because managed results are pre-downloaded and render instantly because the slow code, such as javascript, has been removed. This application makes it a more efficient means for accessing information because the results are organized by providing pictures of the sites. You can roll over any part of the results page to get even more information. They also include a previous and back button so that you can quickly get back to or move forward to sites that may be of interest. The pictures and summaries provide instant feedback on whether the site includes something you are looking to use. The results are organized by taking important numbers, names of people, places and things which can be rolled over of click on so that these words are highlighted in each result box. If there is nothing on that site that matches, it will say “no matches”. Words used in your query are listed as links at the top of each result box, of which there are six able to be viewed at one time, so that users can quickly weed through results. You also have the option of deleting a result or getting more information about it. A search box is located at the top of the results page so that you can continuously refine your query if needed.

I created a lesson to promote it as a research tool for teachers in my school to use for their own needs, but also to use with their students. I strongly encourage you to go to Managed Q on your own and experiment with this application so that you can understand exactly how it manipulates and organizes search requests. There are tutorial, blog, forum, about, contact and feedback buttons at the bottom of the home page that provide more information about this awesome application. The creators have also begun to provide a way to reconfigure your browser’s search box so that ManagedQ is how you automatically search. You can convert yours from Google to ManagedQ by clicking on the i believe box next to the tutorial on the home page. This is visually pleasing and easy to navigate.

If any of you are interested, I created a brief professional development session for teachers on how to use ManagedQ. Below is the link to my lesson on Scribd, yet another valuable tool for communicating via the Internet.

Managed Q mini PD

SOURCE:

Managed Q - http://www.managedq.com

Inquiry

How can we learn to read critically?

This is the title/topic of an inquiry-based unit where the objective is to evaluate statements and facts in order to gain a deeper understanding of what is written either in texts and/or on the Internet. "For example, we learn that "in 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue" and that he discovered America. But what did he really discover and in what sense did he discover it?"

Students are to choose a commonplace statement from a list and then use the Internet to search for information on this topic to see what they can learn about why the statement may be in some way limited or incorrect. Students should continue searching in an effort to find facts they did no know prior to their search on the chosen topic. The point is for students to locate information that changes their view on a particular subject. Students are to use the following questions to guide them through the inquiry process as well as respond to each:

• What does the Web say about it? Does it contradict the statement?
• Does that change your beliefs?
• How do you know which is true? The original statement? The web page? Something else?
• What does this tell you about credibility of the Web? About credibility of other sources? About knowledge? About how we acquire knowledge?

The important components of an inquiry-based lesson are inherent for the most part. The enduring understanding and essential question(s) exist though not labeled clearly. Students need to think for themselves, make connections, construct new knowledge, demonstrate learning, problem solve, and synthesize information gathered. All of these are done by choosing a statement, searching for information, and answering the guiding questions, which require students to compare, contrast, connect, analyze, synthesize and determine what is accurate, which would be the problem solving component of the lesson. Also, this unit includes authentic lessons that are providing students with a skill that is applicable to real life situations. Any user of information must learn how to engage in the process of evaluating what they read in an effort to understand something to the greatest extent possible. Additionally, this unit provides background reading to prepare students for this activity as well as examples of misinformation in texts and on the Internet. There are two other lessons in this unit; one about Web site evaluation and another about issues that affect evaluation of information in digital environments, both of which further support the objectives of this inquiry-based unit.

source:
Inquiry Page - http://inquiry.illinois.edu/index.php
Inquiry Units - http://inquiry.illinois.edu/bin/unit_update.cgi?command=select&xmlfile=u10324.xml

Value of Internet Resources in Education

There are myriad Internet resources currently available that can enhance educational experiences for students, parents and teachers, thereby positively impacting students’ learning. The infinite Internet resources at a teacher's disposal enable them to create and teach engaging lessons and provide positive learning experiences. It is in an educator's best interest to create lessons requiring the use of technological tools to teach the lesson as well as for the students to use in school or at home to extend the learning in an effort to meet students' preferred intelligence and learning modalities. The Internet affords an infinite cache of tools that will help students understand, organize, synthesize and share knowledge. For example, Web 2.0 tools provide such things as Snipd for archiving, Delver and Managed Q for searching, Gliffy, Exploratree, Mayomi, Mind Meister and Kayuda-just to name a few, for concept mapping, EasyBib for creating a bibliography, Similipedia for researching, Diigo for annotation, slideboom, Google Docs and knols, for file sharing, wikis, blogs, podcasting etc... the list goes on and on. There is so much information available and these tools are especially wonderful for the purpose of accessing it efficiently. Students can demonstrate learning by pulling up a presentation on slideboom whenever necessary. Teachers can communicate at any time via Websites and blogs. Students can share opinions and reactions with each other via wikis, knols and blogs. Parents can check in on their child’s progress via student information systems and communicate with teachers and administrators. They can even pay for lost or damaged school library books online. The Internet provides free access to information easily. While it is not without it’s pitfalls, it has the capacity to do more good than harm simply by making it easier to communicate and access information. The Internet is currently shaping minds whether teachers use it for teaching or not. It is a school’s responsibility to teach Internet safety and train teachers and students how to use its’ resources. It is a community building tool simply by being an avenue for increasing communication. It is a learning tool used by teachers and for teachers regularly during professional development whether it’s in school, or an online tutorial or class at home. Teachers are using the Internet to learn, plan, and teach on a regular basis. Students are using it to learn and demonstrate their knowledge constantly. As the Internet advances with Web 3.0, so too will teaching and learning.

Millenials

Know your millenials so you can better teach them how to research. This will create amazing information literate beings who contribute to society by making it better.

Q. What's a millenial you ask?

Good question!

A. Anyone born between 1982 and 2001 give or take a year.