Teacher Notes

Introduction

This WebQuest was designed as part of a summer workshop at Southern Connecticut State University, in conjunction with the Connecticut Educational Media Association.

Students will utilize this lesson to accomplish three tasks. First, students will learn to extract criteria for evaluating websites from assigned reading on the Internet. Second, students will use this criteria to design an evaluation rubric. Last, students will use their rubrics to evaluate a set of websites.

This lesson is designed to take place over 2-3 class periods, depending on class time and number of students.

Learners

This lesson is designed for a middle school media center or computer technology classroom. The students will be expected to have basic computer skills, including basic knowledge of browser navigation.

With minimal adjustments, this lesson could be modified for a high school classroom as well.

Curriculum Standards

Excerpted from Chapter 2, "Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning," of Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning. Copyright © 1998 American Library Association and Association for Educational Communications and Technology. ISBN 0-8389-3470-6

Information Literacy

Standard 1: The student who is information literate accesses information efficiently and effectively.

Standard 2: The student who is information literate evaluates information critically and competently.

Standard 3: The student who is information literate uses information accurately and creatively.

Independent Learning

Standard 6: The student who is an independent learner is information literate and strives for excellence in information seeking and knowledge generation.

Social Responsibility

Standard 7: The student who contributes positively to the learning community and to society is information literate and recognizes the importance of information to a democratic society.

Standard 9: The student who contributes positively to the learning community and to society is information literate and participates effectively in groups to pursue and generate information.

Process

Note: Students have some words in pink on their screens. These words are linked to their definitions. If a student is unsure of the meaning of a word, he/she can simply click on the word.

Part 1: Researching

You will be placed in groups of 4 by your teacher.
Your group will view 3 websites on website evaluation.
You will choose 4 criteria that you feel are the most important in evaluating a website.
You will prepare an informal presentation in which you will explain your choices to the class.

Timing: the teacher or media specialist should keep students aware of their time. For example, the teacher should allot a certain amount of time for each of the four steps listed above, and give students verbal warning as those times elapse.

Part 2: Evaluating Websites

Each member of your group will take responsibility for one of the four areas chosen in the previous section.
As a group, you will evaluate 3 Civil War websites, using the evaluation tool you've filled out,with each member of the group filling in the score for their criterion. You should print this evaluation tool out and hand it in.
List the websites, starting with the one your group feels is best and ending with the one you feel is the worst.
Each group will share their findings with the class and be prepared to defend their choices.

Timing: Again, teachers should allot a specific amount of time to view each web site, and give warning as that time elapses.

Part 3: Individual Summary

Each of you will submit a hand written one page summary containing the following:

1.	Define again, in your own words, the criterion you were responsible for.
2.	Describe and briefly explain the criteria you chose as a group.
3.	Describe the process your group used to come to an agreement on your ranking of the websites.
4.	Name the most valuable tool you gained from this lesson for evaluating websites.

Variations

If you have one computer per student or additional time, you can add these three websites for evaluation.

Causes of the Civil War	http://members.aol.com/jfepperson/causes.html
Life Stories of Civil War Heroes	http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Aegean/6732/
The American Civil War	http://mirkwood.ucs.indiana.edu/acw/

Resources Needed

Computer workstation for each group of four students
Internet access for all student groups
Ideally done by a teacher or Library Media Specialist, with an aide

Evaluation

The following rubrics will be used to evaluate your performance.

Group Performance:

	Beginning 1	Developing 2	Accomplished 3	Exemplary 4
Choice of Evaluation Criteria	Unable to identify 4 criteria from given sources.	Identified 4 criteria from given sources.	Identified 4 criteria from given sources. Criteria somewhat defined.	Identified 4 criteria from given sources. Criteria defined, including supporting ideas.
Oral Presentation of Criteria	Incomplete presentation of criteria.	Criteria is presented, somewhat defined and/or explained.	Criteria is presented, definitions given and you are able to explain your choices.	Criteria is clearly presented, definitions given, and you are able to thoroughly explain your choices.
Oral Presentation of Website Evaluations	Presentation is unorganized and each member of the group does not participate.	Presentation is partly organized and each member of the group participates	Presentation is adequately organized, each member participates, and you somewhat defend your scoring of the websites.	Presentation is well organized, each member participates equally, and you are able to defend your scoring of the websites.
Total Score

Individual Performance:

	Beginning 1	Developing 2	Accomplished 3	Exemplary 4	Score
Group Participation	Off task much of the time, was not much help to your group.	Participated and on task some of the time, did not contribute as much as you could have.	Participated and on task most of the time and was a valuable resource to your group.	Participated and on task all of the time, and was a valuable resource to your group.
Independent Written Summary	Points are not covered clearly or completely.	At least 2 points are covered clearly and completely. There are more than 4 spelling and grammar errors.	At least 3 points are covered clearly and completely. There are 3-4 spelling and grammar errors.	All 4 points are covered clearly and completely. There are 2 or less spelling and grammar errors.
Total Score

Your total score will be determined by adding the group and individual grades. Therefore, a maximum score would be 20, and a minimum score would be 5.

Credits & References

Additional References for Teachers:

http://lib.nmsu.edu/instruction/evalcrit.html

http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/EvalQuestions.html

http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/eval.html

http://www2.widener.edu/Wolfgram-Memorial-Library/webevaluation/webeval.htm