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Selecting and Evaluating Web Sites Web site evaluation is an integral part of using the Web as a resource and instructional tool. The convenience, speed, sheer volume of information and dazzle of multi-media imagery found on the Web can lead people to have a false sense of confidence about the information they find online. However, there are no set criteria for what information can be posted on the Web. While this is one of the qualities that makes the Internet such a democratic resource and tool - it is not a publishing and teaching environment that is limited to experts - it also suggests that teachers must thoroughly review sites they intend to use in the classroom. The freedom of the Internet means that information of all kinds, from all types of sources (reliable to laughable) can be found on the Internet. Let's say, for example, that your class is doing a project on racism in America. A student wants to do research on the history of the Klu Klux Klan. She does a key word search on Excite for Klu Klux Klan. The list she gets will include links to a wide range of Web sites, from the reliable American History Online - The Victims of the Ku Klux Klan (1935) to the laughable - Aryan Dating Page, as well as links to Klan-sponsored sites. Clearly, students should be briefed about what's available on the Web before embarking on their search. Other important Web site selection criteria concern site design and structure. Some sites are so large that students may get distracted by too many extraneous links or get confused as to where to go next. In this case, specific Web pages should be bookmarked or mapped out for students beforehand. In some cases, it may be helpful to give students printed copies of certain pages on a Web site to preview together in class. When they see the material online, it will be familiar and will help the students focus on the lesson rather than the technology. On other sites, the best material is found in sound or video files that take too long to download or require specific software you may not have. Some sites may look educational, but a closer inspection reveals their commercial or purely political purpose. The lessons on these sites may be designed around a video or textbook that you have to purchase (and can do automatically, using their online order form). While some politically motivated sites may be wonderful sources of primary materials, others are filled with slanted and occasionally inaccurate information. Even purely research oriented or educational sites should be evaluated beforehand. Going to what seems to be a good educational site may land you in the middle of a curriculum that is wonderful, but too ambitious for your goals. Or, a site that has a wealth of information about your topic may be written at a level too difficult for your learners. Take the time, however, to explore other resources linked from the site. You might find something more suitable. Keep in mind also, that Web pages are fluid and constantly changing. Unlike printed material, material on the Web can be revised, updated, moved or deleted virtually overnight. A site you visited two weeks ago may not contain the same information two weeks hence. Be sure to preview Web sites yourself and double-check them on the same day you plan on using them with your students. With so many different elements to consider when evaluating Web sites, it can be helpful to use a prepared questionnaire or checklist. We invite you to use the following Web Site Evaluation Questionnaire to assist you in selecting the best sites for your lessons. Remember that the nature of Web technology requires you to add some new methods of evaluation to those you would normally use for print or media resources. Here are reminders about what makes the Web a unique source of information and therefore unique in terms of evaluation:
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