Name:
June 16, 2005

(1) Evaluating Internet Resources: Most of what is posted on the Internet has never been subjected to the rigors of peer review common with many traditional publications. Students must learn to evaluate the reliability of information of the websites they visit.
  • Select two websites that provide information about a topic related to your curriculum. Cite the URLs and names of both sites and explain, which is more reliable using evaluation criteria.

I selected websites on “Autism in Preschool”[1] and “Autism Seizures.”[2] I would use both sites to research on the different areas that I could improve on to make my educational techniques in the special education field more precise and fulfilling. I think that the website “Autism in Preschool” is more reliable than the website “Autism Seizures,” which is explained in further detail below.

On the “Autism in Preschool,” the organization involved in creating this site is the Autism Speaks Inc. Yes, this is a reputable publisher because the NIH, CDC, and HRSA recognizes this organization.[3] Their goal is to “change the future for those who live with autism disorders.”[4] To verify the legitimacy, I would go the contact page and use those resources for further research into the Autism Speaks Inc. They also have a “Terms of Service” page, which will give the copyright holder’s name. There seems to be possible peer reviews in the “Press Release” page and “In the News” page. The sources used in the website are listed in the paragraphs and sentences; but the actual location of the source (besides the name of the source) is not stated. As for accuracy, I copied and pasted a portion of the text and found grammatical errors (seen below).

In addition, I did not find spelling errors on this page.[5] The motivation to publishing the website to help those with autism and those with loved ones who have the disorder. There is not any bias to the information. The website seems to use accurate, cited information with language that is not filled with bias. There may be some profit motive on the donate page, but highly unlikely. The intended audience is for the families and friends with loved ones who have autism spectrum disorder and for those who have autism. The website/articles was started three years ago on February 25, 2008.[6] The website does not state when it was last updated although I would infer from the copyright that the date would be some time in 2008.

On the “Autism Seizures” article, Autism Independent UK is the party responsible for creating this site. The website seems to be somewhat reputable because when I googled the organization, I did not find anything irregular about the site and its organization. The main goal is to “improve the quality of life for people with autism.”[7] I can verify the legitimacy through the contact page because one can contact the organizer to assure that the information posted is correct. The site does show the copyright holder’s information on the contact page. The site seems to have been peer reviewed through the discussion page. The factual information is given links on the left side of the webpage. The page is not free of spelling and grammatical errors (seen below).

The publisher’s motivation for the website is to help those with Autism, to make a change in their lives, and in the families’ and friends’ lives. After skimming through a couple pages, there seems to be no bias on the pages written through the kind-hearted language. There may possibly be a profit motive through the donations page but highly unlikely. The intended audience is families and friends, those with autism, and people who are researching autism. It is unclear as to when the article was written, but the article/ website was updated in 2008.

(2) Research with Electronic References: Since we live in the Information Age, it is particularly important that teachers are able to access and evaluate information to prepare accurate, up-to-date lessons, and to teach their students the principles of electronic research. In this activity you will examine a variety of electronic references in your quest to acquire information for lessons or other professional activities.
  • Identify two topics to research using electronic references (broadcast news, almanacs, quotations, etc.). Research the first topic using at least one resource from each of five categories of electronic resources. Repeat the process with the second topic, using references from five additional categories. Include the URL, name of the resource, key information acquired, and a screen capture from each resource. (See examples of research ideas).
The first topic that I chose to research is “Learning ABC’s,” and I used the electronic reference, “Book from a Library.” The link is ABC's . The resource is the Los Angeles Public Library. The title of the book is ABC’s of e-learning and is written by Brooke Broadbent. Next, I used the electronic resource, “encyclopedias,” which I selected to research the “alphabet” from Wikipedia. In Wikipedia, the “alphabet” was defined and the history behind the “alphabet.” I also used the “Quotation” resource and searched under “alphabet.” The resource listed a quotation from Mark Twain, which is located at this link. The next resource is from “dictionaries,” and I chose the American Heritage Dictionary. The resource listed the definition of the word and the etymology. The link is here. The last internet resource used is from “research databases.” I used the online Columbia Encyclopedia, which is located at this link. This resource gave the background of the “alphabet” from different countries.
The second topic that I chose to research is “Nutrition.” The first resource used is from “public domain text” and is located at this link. The source is called the “Internet Public Library” also known as “IPL.” In this site, I typed in “nutrition” and several items came up regarding nutritional analysis tools, books on nutrition, and different resources to do advance research on nutrition. The second resource used is from “news magazines,” and the link is about different topics about nutrition. The source is “The New York Times,” and the title is “Fitness and Nutrition.” On this web page, the source lists several articles about “Fitness and Nutrition.” The third internet source is “local news” and is located at this link, which is called, “Washington Post.” This source lists several articles about nutrition and several subtopics of nutrition. The fourth internet resource used is “broadcast news.” The source that I selected is “ABC News,” and is located at this link. This source listed several current issues and articles about nutrition from different locations. The fifth internet resource used is “almanacs,” and the name of the resource is “U.S. Census Bureau.” The online location of the nutritional research is here. This resource listed several spreadsheets on the 2008 statistical data dealing with nutrition in the United States, which I found very interesting.
  • Identify the special features (e.g. hypertext linking of terms, Boolean search capabilities, archival search, knowledge tree, downloadable movies, online audio transcripts, animations, translations, reference lists, printer-friendly output, multimedia links, PDA or book reader download, visible directory structure, etc.) of each of the reference tools you have used.
Special features for each of the following internet resources are listed as follow:
“Book from a Library” – LA Public Library: online library search catalog, audiobooks, databases, photo collections, regional history, web links, LAPL indexes, central library periodicals, research guides, LAPL government document locator, word processing, an online resume program, an “ask a librarian” tool, a free e-Media account (includes digital guided tour, e-audiobooks, fiction, non-fiction, kids, teen, and regular e-audiobooks, Spanish e-audiobooks, music, videos, e-media software), printer friendly output, and online renewals.
“encyclopedias” – Wikipedia: 10 languages for translations, hypertext linking terms, Boolean search capabilities, archival search, downloadable movies, animations, reference lists, printer-friendly output, multimedia links, Wikipedia talk, MediaWiki talk, help talk, and several other capabilities.
“quotation:” search tool, hypertext linking terms, archival search, forums, links, and email uses.
“dictionaries” – American Heritage Dictionary: hypertext linking of terms, search capabilities, archival search, animations, translations, reference lists, printer-friendly output, and multimedia links.
“research database” – Columbia Encyclopedia: hypertext linking of terms, search capabilities, animations, reference lists, printer-friendly output, visible directory structure.
“public domain text” – Internet Public Library: hypertext linking of terms, search capabilities, animations, reference lists, printer-friendly output, visible directory structure, online newspapers, encyclopedias, books, and magazines, an IPL Teen Space, online exhibits (includes online interviews, sound files, animations, photographs, virtual tours), ready reference (online almanacs, dictionaries, encyclopedias, and others).
“news magazines” – New York Times: hypertext linking of terms, search capabilities, archival search, downloadable movies/videos, blogs, online media kit, online audio transcripts, animations, reference lists, printer-friendly output, multimedia links.
“local news” – Washington Post: hypertext linking of terms, search capabilities, archival search, online audio transcripts, animations, reference lists, printer-friendly output, multimedia links, online videos/photos, widget capabilities.
“broadcast news” – ABC News: hypertext linking of terms, search capabilities, archival search, animations, online audio transcripts, reference lists, printer-friendly output, multimedia links, visible directory structure, online videos/photos, weather forecast anywhere, money and business quotes, slideshows.
“almanacs” – U.S. Census Bureau: hyperlink linking of terms, search capabilities, archival search, animations, reference lists, printer-friendly output, multimedia links, visible directory structure, data finders (populations, economic indicators).
  • List criteria for determining the authenticity of information on a website.
Today, students can put up what they want on their websites. Therefore, some criteria for determining the authenticity of information on a website are listed as follows: the location (e.g. “.edu,” “.com,” “.gov”), “.gov” (which is highly regulated), a “published” journal (e.g. ERIC, scholar-peer reviewed), peer-reviewed information, currency (where one clicks on the “cached” on the website and will show date most recently updated, and intent of site (informational, advocacy, and commercial).
  • Compare and contrast electronic references with their traditional paper counterparts. Discuss at least ten tasks or features that are possible with electronic resources that are not possible with traditional paper resources.
Some similarities between electronic references and traditional paper resources are the following: searchable online and paper library resources through the computer, archival information from online newspapers and newspapers from the library, and accessible lists of references and cited texts. Through both electronic and traditional paper resources, one can access videos through the library. One can access encyclopedias online and in the library. For those who are visually impaired, both online and paper library resources use Braille to help them access the information.
Some differences between electronic references and traditional paper resources may include the ability to access library resources from your home versus elsewhere and the capability to access all online resources at one time (multi-task). Also, when searching for definitions through dictionaries, one cannot click on hyperlink linking of terms, which can further your research immediately from your computer versus continual searches throughout different locations (cost effective with gas). Through online newspaper articles, one can search throughout the archives for past articles from home. One can retrieve statistical information about anything in the United States from almanacs online instead of searching for several almanacs. One can access library or any other videos from home. One can also access online audio transcripts. Another difference is that online resources have multimedia links, which can be accessed immediately. Online resources are time effective. Using an electronic resource, one has the ability to use Boolean search capabilities. One can view slideshows, recent events, and current issues of the News online (e.g. ABC news). Online resource tools have forums and blogs to discuss current events and other information. Online maps also have a satellite view where paper maps do not show the satellite picture of the location.
  • Develop a lesson plan that incorporates electronic references. Your lesson plan should require students to use two or more electronic references to address a specific curricular objective.

Name:______

Date:______

“Finding My Favorite Places”

Assignment: Parents please assist your child by helping them use Google Earth to view satellite photos of your home. Next, assist your child in using the TerraServer to retrieve an aerial photo of any favorite location of your child. Then, please print a picture of these photos and glue them below.

Picture 1.

Picture 2.

(3) Educational Research: Teachers should be familiar with research related to the teaching of their discipline. The Educational Research Database (ERIC) provides access to abstracts from numerous educational publications, and is the best place to start when conducting educational research.
  • Find two or more abstracts of recent, relevant articles related to the use of technology in the teaching of your subject. Summarize implications for the teaching of your subject. Cite the articles using APA format, and include the text of the abstracts.

According to Douglas Clements’ abstract, the Early Childhood Education system (ECE) is “[sophisticatedly]” integrating the use of technology into the curriculum; and through this integration of technology into the ECE system, young children have more social interaction among each other.[8] Also, Clements summarizes the paper by “[reviewing] the research on computers and social interaction, teaching with computers, and curriculum and computers.”[9] He mentions that using technology in ECE curriculum one needs to “[match]” the child’s skills to the type of technology needed.[10] He ends with the discussion of the “Building Blocks curriculum for pre-kindergarten through grade 2.”[11]

Abstract: “Research on the use of computers and other educational technology with young children has become increasingly sophisticated as their use has increased in early childhood educational settings. This paper reviews the research on computers and social interaction, teaching with computers, and curriculum and computers. The review finds that computers serve as catalysts for social interaction, with children spending nine times as much time talking with peers while working at computers than while doing puzzles. Social interactions are influenced by the type of software used and the physical environment surrounding the computer. Computers and other technology offer opportunities to aid learning through making more visible individual and gender differences in approaches to learning. Effectively integrating technology into the early childhood curriculum entails several issues, including matching the type of computer software used with the skills desired and coupling computer and off-computer activities for maximum learning. The paper then describes The Building Blocks curriculum for pre-kindergarten through grade 2: this technology-based curriculum is designed to enable young children to build mathematics knowledge and develop higher-order thinking skills. The curriculum integrates computers, manipulatives, and print materials. (Contains 36 references.) (KB)”[12]

Next, Marina Bers, Rebecca New, and Laura Boudreau discuss the necessity of educating teachers about integrating technology into the Early Childhood Curriculum to increase the well being and education of young children. These women begin their discussion by explaining the “how’s” and the “why’s” of technology integration, which lead to the importance of “children learning through experience.”[13] The writers also mention that the math and sciences come second next to literary education, which is why they believe that technology integration will bring a more fulfilling educational environment and curriculum.[14] Last, the abstract mentions the product of the technology integration workshop given to parents and their children.[15]

Abstract:

“Within the field of early childhood education, there is a strong tradition of integrated, emergent, and arts-oriented curriculum that must now respond to a growing and competing emphasis on literacy-based experiences. Considerably less priority (or teacher expertise) has been or currently is demonstrated in the areas of science, math, engineering, and technology (SMET), with math a distant second place to the role of literacy in the curriculum. Supporting teacher resistance to including science, engineering, or technology is the growing body of research on children's learning that makes clear that children learn best when academic domains are integrated within the context of personally meaningful experiences that build upon their own prior knowledge and current interests. For these reasons, it is essential that teachers become better prepared to apply and integrate new technology, not only in the service of teaching math and science but also the bigger goals of helping children learn and develop socially, emotionally, and intellectually. This article highlights experiences and understandings gained from a pilot workshop within Project Inter-Actions--a workshop series during which parents and children learned together about new robotics technologies; played with Legos, computers, and art materials; and built projects that reflected their own cultural practices and family heritage. The discussion considers the potentials of technology to support children's exploration of family values, cultural practices, and religious heritage; explores the complementary nature of two contemporary theories of cognition--constructionism and social constructivism; and revisits prevailing assumptions about developmentally appropriate practices as they inform early childhood education.”[16]