Evaluating Websites

Evaluating Websites
By Janet Kelly
　
I looked at the following websites on evaluating websites: Elementary CCs For Evaluating Websites, 5 Criteria for Evaluating Web Pages, and Kathy Schrock’s Critical Evaluation Survey-Teacher Sites. I found two of these sites on Kathy Schrock’s page and one in an article that one of my classmates posted this week. I decided to use Kathy Schrock’s evaluation because it seemed more complete and appropriate for the younger students that I work with.
I tried to look at two more sites on Kathy Schrock’s page, but was surprised to find out that the links didn’t work. One gave a message that the site was outdated (Evaluation of Internet Websites: An Annotated Bibliography-ERIC) and the other one could not be found (Bibliography on Evaluating Internet Resources).
　
　
15 Websites
KinderKorner- This website is produced by Victoria Smith. Ms. Smith is a kindergarten and 1st grade teacher in California. On her website, Ms. Smith lists a monthly calendar of lessons that she teaches, pictures of her classroom and students, teaching materials that you can buy, and teacher websites that she recommends. After going through Kathy Schrock’s Critical Evaluation Survey, I decided that I would recommend this website to other educators because it has up-to-date information and relevant lesson plans that can be used in kindergarten classrooms. The site is pleasing to look at and is easy to use. I trust the information that Victoria Smith puts on her site because she is an expert in her field. I do not see any bias on the part of Victoria Smith. I would use KinderKorner as a resource for expanding my lesson plans.
Google- This website is much more than a search engine. It also allows you to access books, maps, news, a language translator, videos, and images. It now also has a desktop application. I had a hard time evaluating this site using Kathy Schrock’s guide. It seems like most of the questions were not relevant to this site. However, I do like this site and would recommend it to others because it has different ways to obtain information through the site. For example, it can show you books on your subject as well as show you videos. I would use this site to find information that I am looking for. This is a very easy site to use.
Oregon Department of Education: Oregon Virtual School District- This website gives educators a place to find lesson plans, a list of professional development opportunities, tutorials on using ORVSD tools, and a place to share information with other educators. I believe this site would meet all the criteria on Kathy Schrock’s evaluation guide. I would recommend this site to teachers because it has lesson plans that are matched up to the state standards on it. It also has on-line classes that you can take to improve your teaching skills and knowledge. I would use this site to take the professional development classes.
American Library Association: Color With Leo- This site has interactive activities, coloring sheets, games, and lesson plans for educators. Using the evaluation guide, I decided that this site would meet all of the criteria that are required for a good site. It has a link that states the purpose of the site, which I believe benefits children. I would recommend this site to teachers because it has good activities for children to use that will enhance their learning. I would use this site to teach my students about art.
Enchanted Learning- This site is a great resource for primary teachers. It has theme units, printable books, summer activities, calendars and bookmarks to make, and little multi-language dictionaries that can be printed out. I believe that this site would meet all the criteria that are required for a good site. I would use this site for the printable books and multi-language dictionaries.
Starfall- This site is dedicated to teaching children how to read. It has interactive videos that teach children letter sounds, sight words, and how to sound out words. This site is highly recognized by experts and has been recognized as a top website four times. It meets the criteria for a good website, especially since the information is researched based. I would use this site to supplement my reading lessons.
Jan Brett- This website has links to videos that teach children how to draw different things and watch Jan Brett talk about some of her books. It also has printable coloring sheets and games, computer games, and a blog from Jan Brett. I really like this site and think that it has all the criteria of a good website. I would use this site for the math flashcards that is available on it. I would also use it to introduce my students to Jan Brett before sharing her books with them.
The K Crew- This is a good site for kindergarten teachers. It has thematic units, handouts from workshops they have presented (for example, Turning Your Technology Woes into Whoa’s), freebies, and a blog. This site is okay, but not perfect. It did not have a link back to the homepage on each page. It did not have a list of other resources that you could use. I think this would have been helpful. I would use this site for the workshop handouts that are on it.
Kinderpond- This site has links to theme units, discovery bags, units, center ideas, and a link to her favorite websites. I believe this site meets the criteria of a good website. It has a stated purpose and contact information for the creator. I would use this site to supplement my lesson plans.
ABC123 Kindergarten- This site has links to 65 observable verbs to use in lesson plans, classroom management, theme units, phonemic awareness, and teacher resources. Based on the evaluation guide, I believe that this is a good website. One thing I would change on this site is how the purpose of it is presented. It is listed at the bottom of the page in a small box with very small print. I would make this bigger so that it is easier to see. I would use this site for the educator links.
The Virtual Vine- This site has themes and units, Promethean Board resources, displays, printables, and teacher tips. I believe that this is a good website. The purpose of the website is stated on the home page in large print and is signed by the creator. It has a date that it was created and dates when it was updated. I would use this site for the teacher tips and the cooking with kids section.
Education.com: - This site lists hundreds of activities that you can do with your students in all subject areas. It also has information on child development, printable worksheet, a place to ask questions, help on finding schools and colleges for parents, and information on on-line learning. When I first found this site, I was really impressed with it. However, when I went back to evaluate it, I wasn’t as impressed. One thing that really bothered me was the ads that kept flashing on the screen. The two ads I saw the most were for e-schools and HPV. Upon further research, I discovered that this site was really for parents and not for teachers. I believe the title of the page is very misleading. I believe that this would qualify as a good website for parents, but not for teachers. I probably would not recommend this site to other educators. I don’t think that I would use this site.
PBSKids- This site has games and videos on all subject matters. It also has printable coloring sheets, storytime, and music that children can listen to. Although this site has good activities for children on it, I don’t believe that it would qualify as a good website. There is no stated objective nor is the creator of the site listed. It does not contain a list of other resources or list dates that it was updated. I am not sure if I would use this site or recommend it to others.
edHelper.com- This site has printable worksheets on different subjects like library, telling time, and dot 2 dots. This site does not list the creator of it. It also does not list other resources that you can go to. I would use this site because it has great worksheets that I can use with my students.
SoftSchools.com- This site has printable games and worksheets on reading, math, language arts, science, and social studies. This site does not list the creator, the date it was created, or if it has been updated. It also does not have a stated purpose. I would use this website for the math games that it has.
NOTE: When I started this assignment, I was filling out the Evaluation Guide for each website. Unfortunately, I was not able to get them to attach to this page. Or maybe, I just don’t know how to do that yet. Consequently, I had to go back to this page and just make comments.