Web site Evaluation Instructional Strategies and Design Document Instructional Design Spring 2010 Paula Wagner
Goal
Given a web site, the students will use the 5W's of web site evaluation to determine the reliability of the site.
Lesson Rationale
As a future Library Media Specialist, one of my responsibilities will be to equip students with the necessary skills to evaluate web sites in order to produce quality research assignments. As a result of this instructional unit, the students will be able to use a set of criteria in order to determine whether or not a web site is reliable, questionable or unreliable based upon the 5W’s Checklist.
Currently, the sixth grade students do not know how to perform web site evaluations. Although their coursework may require research, the topic of web site evaluation is not introduced to them until the end of the eighth grade.
Instructional Strategy
This instructional unit will consist of teacher-centered instruction followed by guided practice and, finally, independent practice. To gain the learners’ attention, the instructor will begin the first cluster with an example of the results of a web search; each additional cluster will begin with a PowerPoint slide with an internet cartoon. Next, the instructor will ask a thought-provoking question of the class as a whole to get them thinking about why learning this topic would be beneficial to them. Each of the objectives (for Clusters #1 – 5) will be taught one at a time by following the items on the 5W’s Checklist. Corresponding PowerPoint slides for that section will be shown concurrently. Following each cluster, the students will search the web site, individually, for the “W” that was just demonstrated on the PowerPoint slide. The instructor will walk around the room to provide guidance and answer any questions. This process will be repeated until each of the five items from the 5W’s Checklist has been introduced, taught and practiced.
After the checklist has been completed, the instructor will show the PowerPoint slide that corresponds to the evaluation section of the instruction (Cluster #6). Students will use their completed 5W’s Checklist to determine if the web site is reliable, questionable, or unreliable based upon the criteria at the bottom of the handout. A classroom discussion of the results will follow the instruction.
A homework assignment will provide further practice and aid in retention before the post-test which will be administered on the following day.
Media Selection
The media chosen for this instructional unit will include:
· The instructor
· Web site: www.sciencenewsforkids.org
A web site used for the guided learning section of the instruction.
· PowerPoint of “Where to look for the 5W’s”
A slideshow demonstrating where to look to find each of the items on the checklist.
· Student handouts of the PowerPoint 5W’s, 3-hole punched.
Reference materials that the students can keep in their binder.
· Laminated handout of 5W’s Checklist, 3-hole punched.
A reference tool that the students can keep in their binder.
Media Rationale
A variety of media materials will be used to maintain the attention of most learners. The instructor is an essential part of this unit for several reasons: to model each task, to provide guidance during practice, and to give feedback. The student handouts and laminated 5W’s Checklist will be items that the students can keep in their binders for future reference to aid in retention and transfer.
Clusters of objectives
Each cluster number below corresponds to the one of the six Performance Objectives: sub-objectives. The order of Clusters #1 – 5 has been chosen to use the mnemonic device of the 5W’s: Who, What, When, Where & Why, to aid in the students’ retention of the unit. Cluster #6 naturally follows as a decision-making process of the reliability of the web site based upon the information gathered in Clusters #1 – 5.
Clusters/Objectives / Sub-objectives1 - Evaluate the “Who?” / 1.1, 1.2, 1.3
2 - Evaluate the “What?” / 2.1, 2.2, 2.3
3 - Evaluate the “When?” / 3.1, 3.2
4 - Evaluate the “Where?” / 4.1, 4.2
5 - Evaluate the “Why?” / 5.1, 5.2, 5.3
6 - Determine Reliability / 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6
Gagne’s nine events of instruction with ARCS for each cluster
Gagne’s nine events of instruction / Cluster 1Evaluate the
Who? / Cluster 2
Evaluate the
What? / Cluster 3
Evaluate the When? / Cluster 4
Evaluate the Where? / Cluster 5
Evaluate the
Why? / Cluster 6
Determine Reliability
Gain Attention / Tell the learners that we live in a digital age and have information overload, but some of the information can’t be trusted. For example, a Google search for “dolphins” returns 19,500,000 hits.
Attention:
Inquiry Arousal – Specific Examples
Ask the learners why it is important to know who has created a web site?
Attention:
Inquiry Arousal – Inquiry
Relevance- Present Worth / PowerPoint slide: internet cartoon
Attention: Perceptual Arousal - Humor
Ask the learners why it is important to know what content is on this web site?
Attention:
Inquiry Arousal – Inquiry
Relevance- Present Worth / PowerPoint slide: internet cartoon
Attention: Perceptual Arousal - Humor
Ask the learners why it matters how old the information on this web site is?
Attention:
Inquiry Arousal – Inquiry
Relevance- Present Worth / PowerPoint slide: internet cartoon
Attention: Perceptual Arousal - Humor
Ask the learners why we should care where the information comes from?
Attention:
Inquiry Arousal – Inquiry
Relevance- Present Worth / PowerPoint slide: internet cartoon
Attention: Perceptual Arousal - Humor
Ask the learners why it matters if this information is based on facts or opinions?
Attention:
Inquiry Arousal – Inquiry
Relevance- Present Worth / PowerPoint slide: internet cartoon
Attention: Perceptual Arousal - Humor
Ask the learners how we can use all of these pieces to see if the web site is reliable or not?
Attention:
Inquiry Arousal – Inquiry
Relevance- Present Worth
Inform Learner of Objectives / Tell the learners that they will learn how to identify “Who?” is responsible for creating this web site.
Confidence: Provide objectives & prerequisites / Tell the learners that they will learn how to identify “What?” information is contained on this web site.
Confidence: Provide objectives & prerequisites / Tell the learners that they will learn how to identify “When?” this web site was created and if it is current enough for our needs.
Confidence: Provide objectives & prerequisites / Tell the learners that they will learn how to identify “Where?” the information comes from on this web site.
Confidence: Provide objectives & prerequisites / Tell the learners that they will learn how to identify “Why?” they should use this web site. Is it based on facts rather and opinions?
Confidence: Provide objectives & prerequisites / Tell the learners that they will learn how to use all of these pieces: Who, What, When, Where & Why to evaluate whether this web site is reliable, questionable or unreliable.
Confidence: Provide objectives & prerequisites
Stimulate recall of prior learning / Make the connection between the importance of knowing the author of a book as well as the author of a web site.
Relevance: Experience / Remind the learners of the example of a Google search for “dolphins” that returned 19,500,000 hits. Explain to them that many of these web sites are about unrelated topics or may even be inappropriate.
Relevance: Experience / Make the connection between not using outdated information from a book or encyclopedia when writing a report as well as the necessity of using current information on a web site.
Relevance: Experience / Make the connection between the importance of knowing the source of the author’s information for a book and also for a web site.
Relevance: Experience / Remind the learners of the importance of basing research on facts, not opinions, when finding information for a topic.
Relevance: Experience / Remind the learners of the concepts of web site evaluation that were covered in the fifth grade: identification of author, accuracy of information.
Relevance: Experience
Present the content / Present the information for finding the “Who?” from the PowerPoint slides. Focusing on three main areas (sub-objectives 1.1, 1.2, 1.3):
1.Is it clear who is responsible for this site?
2.Is there
information about
the author's profession/
experience?
3.Is there contact information:
phone no. or
physical address?
Confidence: Grow the Learners / Present the information for finding the “What?” from the PowerPoint slides. Focusing on three main areas (sub-objectives 2.1, 2.2, 2.3):
1.Does the content match the URL?
2.Is the purpose or mission of the site explained?
3.Do the links match the
site's content?
Confidence: Grow the Learners / Present the information for finding the “When?” from the PowerPoint slides. Focusing on two main areas (sub-objectives 3.1, 3.2):
1.Is the creation/
revision date for the site current?
2.Are the links current
(working, not broken)?
Confidence: Grow the Learners / Present the information for finding the “Where?” from the PowerPoint slides. Focusing on two main areas (sub-objectives 4.1, 4.2):
1. Is the source of the information listed?
2. Are there links to related information?
Confidence: Grow the Learners / Present the information for finding the “Why?” from the PowerPoint slides. Focusing on three main areas (sub-objectives 5.1, 5.2, 5.3):
1.Is the information based on facts rather than opinions?
2.Is this site free of
advertisements?
3.Is this page useful for my purpose?
Confidence: Grow the Learners / Present the information for finding the “Why?” from the PowerPoint slides. Focusing on six main areas (sub-objectives 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6):
1.All items checked? reliable
2. All items checked in the Who?, What?, When? columns and Question 1 in Why? Reliable
3. Question 1 checked for Who?, What?, When? and Why? columns? reliable
4. Question 1 checked in the Who?, What?, When? columns but NOT Question 1 in Why? questionable
5. Checklist DOES NOT have Question 1 checked in any of the Who?, What? or When? columns, but has one or two
other items checked in each of the five categories? questionable
6. One or more of the Who?, What?, When? columns with ALL of the items left unchecked in the column? Unreliable
Confidence: Grow the Learners
Provide "learning guidance" / Provide graphical representations: handouts of the PowerPoint slides and 5W’s Checklist emphasizing the “Who?”
Confidence: Grow the Learners / Provide graphical representations: handouts of the PowerPoint slides and 5W’s Checklist emphasizing the “What?”
Confidence: Grow the Learners / Provide graphical representations: handouts of the PowerPoint slides and 5W’s Checklist emphasizing the “When?”
Confidence: Grow the Learners / Provide graphical representations: handouts of the PowerPoint slides and 5W’s Checklist emphasizing the “Where?”
Confidence: Grow the Learners / Provide graphical representations: handouts of the PowerPoint slides and 5W’s Checklist emphasizing the “Why?”
Confidence: Grow the Learners / Provide graphical
Representa-
tions: handouts of the PowerPoint slides and 5W’s Checklist emphasizing the determination of reliability.
Confidence: Grow the Learners
Elicit performance (practice) / Tell the learners to independently search for the “Who?” criteria on the web site in order to complete that section of the 5W’s Checklist.
Confidence: Grow the Learners
Relevance: Allow for success that is meaningful / Tell the learners to independently search for the “What?” criteria on the web site in order to complete that section of the 5W’s Checklist.
Confidence: Grow the Learners
Relevance: Allow for success that is meaningful / Tell the learners to independently search for the “When?” criteria on the web site in order to complete that section of the 5W’s Checklist.
Confidence: Grow the Learners
Relevance: Allow for success that is meaningful / Tell the learners to independently search for the “Where?” criteria on the web site in order to complete that section of the 5W’s Checklist.
Confidence: Grow the Learners
Relevance: Allow for success that is meaningful / Tell the learners to independently search for the “Why?” criteria on the web site in order to complete that section of the 5W’s Checklist.
Confidence: Grow the Learners
Relevance: Allow for success that is meaningful / Tell the learners to use the bottom of the 5W’s Checklist to determine whether the web site is reliable, questionable or unreliable.
Confidence: Grow the Learners
Relevance: Allow for success that is meaningful
Provide feedback / Instructor will walk around the room monitor student progress; provide formative feedback.
Confidence: Feedback / Instructor will walk around the room monitor student progress; provide formative feedback.
Confidence: Feedback / Instructor will walk around the room monitor student progress; provide formative feedback.
Confidence: Feedback / Instructor will walk around the room monitor student progress; provide formative feedback.
Confidence: Feedback / Instructor will walk around the room monitor student progress; provide formative feedback.
Confidence: Feedback / Classroom discussion where learners share answers from their 5W’s Checklist. Instructor will provide the answers to each section after the learner responses.
Confidence: Feedback
Satisfaction: Provide feedback & reinforcement
Assess performance / The learners will demonstrate their knowledge by completing the post-test at an 80% success rate. Learners, working independently, will choose between 3 web sites to evaluate and will complete the 5W’s Checklist on the post-test
Relevance: Choice
Confidence: Learner control / The learners will demonstrate their knowledge by completing the post-test at an 80% success rate. Learners, working independently, will choose between 3 web sites to evaluate and will complete the 5W’s Checklist on the post-test
Relevance: Choice
Confidence: Learner control / The learners will demonstrate their knowledge by completing the post-test at an 80% success rate. Learners, working independently, will choose between 3 web sites to evaluate and will complete the 5W’s Checklist on the post-test
Relevance: Choice
Confidence: Learner control / The learners will demonstrate their knowledge by completing the post-test at an 80% success rate. Learners, working independently, will choose between 3 web sites to evaluate and will complete the 5W’s Checklist on the post-test
Relevance: Choice
Confidence: Learner control / The learners will demonstrate their knowledge by completing the post-test at an 80% success rate. Learners, working independently, will choose between 3 web sites to evaluate and will complete the 5W’s Checklist on the post-test