EVALUATING WEBSITES PORTFOLIO

ETAP 623 Spring 2009

Needs Assessment

Students are more inclined to use the internet for research than ever before. Students will enter a keyword in a search engine and use the first bunch of links that are appealing to them. Students need to be trained in choosing websites to gather information for research. Students need to know what to look for and how to tell if a website is reliable and provides truthful, non-bias information. Students will learn new skills and knowledge. Students will gain new perspectives and change thier attitude.

This lesson is geared for a typically developing high school student. It can also be used for teachers who want to expand their knowledge on the topic in order to teach it effectively. The student taking this course will have some previous knowledge about the internet. Students will complete this lesson individually or in pairs. Students will need continuous reinforcement of this lesson. A pattern of questioning by the teachers should be developed in order to reinforce the lesson. A check system should be explained and used consistantly. This particular lesson may be completed in or out of school, as long as the student has access to a computer with internet.

Objectives

Students will be given a hands on approach to evaluating websites. Students will be shown a variety of websites and asked to classify them before the lesson and again after. Students will have hands on experience evaluating websites and will be shown why it is important to evaluate them.

The goal is for students to have an eye-opening experience of how devious the internet can be.

Situation

World Wide Web

Learned Capability

Classification

Object of Learned Capability

Website Reliability

Action

Determining Website Reliability

Special Constraints

State website's author, author's purpose, and the date the website was last modified.

Prerequisites

• Must have basic computer knowledge
• Must be able to use the internet
• Must be able to search a search engine

Instructional Sequence

I will be using a Project Based Learning approach in my course.

Curriculum Map

File:Daniellemelia curriculum map.doc

References

• Wolfgram Memorial Library, "Evaluate Web Pages." Widener University Libraries. 2008. Widener Univeristy. 29 Mar 2009 <http://www3.widener.edu/Academics/Libraries/Wolfgram_Memorial_Library/Evaluate_Web_Pages/659/>.

• Regents of the University of California, "Evaluating Web Pages: Techniques to Apply and Questions to Ask." Berkley University Libraries. 2008. Berkley University. 29 Mar 2009 <http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html>.

• Brisco, Shonda. "Internet or Databases?." Library Media Connection 24(2006): 44-45.