Students need to be taught the skills in how to evaluate websites by themselves. It is the TLs responsibility to know how to evaluate websites in terms of technical, reliability and educational criteria.
Prior to reading this I will have a stab at writing down what these might entail. Technical criteria as the name suggest may include things relevant to to the actual working of the websites, such as dead links, navigational ease, design elements. Reliability criteria might include things like how credible and reliable the information is, any bias, who created the website. Educational criteria might include things like appropriateness to students' ages, the information fulfilling the intended purpose.
Now I will go through Herring's Chapter 3 and be more specific in terms of getting clearer understanding of these 3 criteria.
TECHNICAL CRITERIA
The technical aspects of websites and include from the College of New Caledonia Library http://www.cnc.bc.ca/__shared/assets/internet-evaluating3234.pdf
- elements of design, speed, browsers, special software
- page loading quickly
- dead links
- upgrading browser
- installation of special software or plug-ins to view content. If so, what was needed? Was it easy to install? Free or pay for use?
- Special technical requirements suitable to the audience
- Work with various browsers (Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera)
- Does the page look good/still work on various screen sizes?
Hains (2002) Consideration For Website Users (dead link) suggests:
- format content effectively & break content into screen-sized sections
- use navigational transitions - links, headings, bullet points, graphics
- uses graphics & features that contribute to conveying its message, rather than detracting or distracting
Schrock (1999) in The ABC's of Website Evaluation http://kathyschrock.net/abceval suggests:
- efficiency - does it work at all times of the day
- graphics - accessibility to all users, especially visually impaired students
- design of website - poorly designed websites that also contain spelling and grammatical errors may be unreliable
- navigation - easy to use, contain search function, students be easily aware of how the site is organised & how to move from one part to another
Herring (p. 47) suggests other technical criteria includes:
- working links
- use by various web browsers, not just Internet Explorer
- Move around site effectively - links to home page
- used immediately without interruption or requests for 'plug in' software
- graphics a distraction/detraction from its purpose, slowing down access
- site be used by people with visual impairments
Reliability Criteria
"Can I trust this site for my own purpose?" Egs. of purpose include
- using a site to update/extend the teacher's knowledge of a subject area
- guiding students to a site that will reinforce what the teacher has already taught
- is there a clear indication of the author's or organisation's name? Include information that allows user to judge its credibility e.g. government department or protest movement.
- facility to contact author/organisation, other than just email.
- rated high on a search engine list
- whether it's included in an educational subject gateway
Sharock's (1999) includes:
- authority - author a recognised authority on a topic or recognised organisation
- bias - what organisation is sponsoring the page, link to e sponsoring organisation's website, is the page an ad disguised as information
- easily visible date on the website and when it was last updated
- whether site contains misinformation - is the site verifiable (information verified from another source), purports to be neutral and hides bias behind clever design
Ed's Oasis guide to website evaluation (dead link) includes:
- standards, authority, interactivity, tone
Herring (p. 50) reliability criteria include:
- trust the site because the author/organisation is a reliable source of information
- contact the site's author for further information
- rated highly by a search engine or subject gateway
- updated recently?
- is the site up-to-date
- is the site unreasonably biased?
- contain misinformation or does it deliberately try to mislead the reader?
EDUCATIONAL CRITERIA
Also known 'curricular criteria', 'learning criteria' or 'content criteria' - criteria for evaluating websites for teaching or learning purposes
Is the site related to and useful for what is being taught or learned in this part of the school curriculum?
Purposes are often identified by the teacher.
Ed's Oasis (2003) (dead link) criteria includes:
- curriculum, activity helpers, grade level, quality information
Herring's educational criteria (p.51) includes;
- is the content related to the purpose?
- is language used at the right level for the students?
- Will website contain any student activities? (educational games, quizzes)
- Will site inspire or motivate students (pose questions that encourage critical thinking)
- Contain suitable graphics that the students can use or study (important science & geography students)
IN SERVICE TRAINING FOR TEACHERS
Website evaluation for staff in service training key reasons:
- teachers' website use is increasing and they need the skills to evaluate them
- teachers' ability to educate student in website evaluation will be enhanced
- student learning will be enhanced if they can be taught effective website evaluation
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