Chapter Seven

Integrating Educational Technology into the Curriculum

Objectives:

You will be able to:

List the components for evaluating Web resources.
Evaluate Web sites for classroom integration and student usage.
Identify various tools for evaluating Web sites.
Locate Internet resources for evaluating resources found on the Web.

This is Important Because...

Not all Web resources are created equal. Web editors have made it increasingly easy for anyone to create and post a Web page. Personal opinions, ideas, theology, and philosophy often make their way onto Web pages and represent themselves as authoritative resources. When using the Internet, it is essential that teachers know how to determine the authority of a Web site, evaluate the information presented, and then teach their students how to do the same.

Evaluating Web Resources

There is a wealth of information to be found on the World Wide Web, making it an incredible resource for research. However, not all of the information is placed there by reliable sources. When a resource book is published, the content has been reviewed for accuracy and objectivity. Additionally, the credentials of the author have been verified. A copyright date is provided so everyone will know how current the information is, and by examining the table of contents the depth of coverage can be ascertained.

There are five main evaluation criteria for printed materials. Becoming familiar with these criteria can assist with evaluating Web resources. The first criterion for evaluating print materials is Accuracy. Prior to publication, printed materials are checked for reliability and errors. The second criterion for print materials is Authority. The qualifications of the author and the reputation of the publisher can easily be determined. The third criterion is Objectivity. Information should be free from bias and attempts to influence the opinion of the reader. Currency is the next criterion, and is easily determined by the publication date. Coverage is the last print evaluation criterion. Topics included in the work are examined for depth and comprehensiveness.

Understanding the five criteria for evaluating print materials can assist in evaluating information found on the World Wide Web. However, evaluating Web resources presents unique challenges. While some aspects of the traditional print evaluation criteria can be used, Web resources require a more in-depth evaluation. Your textbook focuses on five main components: 1) Authority; 2) Affiliation; 3) Content; 4) Audience and Currency; and 5) Design. It is essential that teachers learn to effectively evaluate information found on the Web and then teach their students these same techniques.

Time Saver!

Anytime you are working with software programs like Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, etc., you can get assistance from the Help menu. When Help is used effectively, you can dramatically increase your productivity and decrease the amount of time you spend trying to figure out how to do something. The skills you develop while learning to use Help in one program are transferable to other applications.

Most Help menus provide assistance through using Contents sheets and Index sheets. Many Help systems even allow users to search. Content sheets group Help topics by general categories. These are helpful when you know only the general category of a topic. Index sheets are very specific and similar to an index in a book. If you do not find what you are looking for using these two resources, try searching in Help.

Chapter Seven Assignments

Read Chapter 7 in the textbook and the supplemental information provided with this chapter. The Special Feature following Chapter 7, "Creating a Curriculum Page Using Microsoft Word" will be used to create your own curriculum page.
Go online to the Shelly Cashman Web site, http://www.scsite.com/tdc2/ and complete the following textbook end-of-chapter sections.

“Education Issues”

Write a 150 - 300 word reflection on Educational Issue #3 (page 7.50) “Evaluating Web Sites,” focusing on what you learned. Do not summarize the report, instead discuss ideas and significant insights and how the information can be used to support classroom integration of technology, also reflect on your personal reaction to reading the article. Type your assignment single space with an extra line between paragraphs. You must use Microsoft Word.

Send this document via the “Assignment Dropbox” DO NOT SEND VIA EMAIL. The assignment must be submitted on or before 11:40 p.m. of the chapter's due date.

Create a Curriculum Page. Follow the directions given on pages 7.58 – 7.74 for “Creating a Curriculum Page Using Microsoft Word.” You must use Microsoft Word.

· Substitute Your Name for Mr. Johnson.

· Must follow format shown.

· If the template shown is not available choose another.

· If the graphics shown are not available choose others.

Send this document via the “Assignment Dropbox” DO NOT SEND VIA EMAIL. The assignment must be submitted on or before 11:40 p.m. of the chapter's due date.

Web Evaluations. Using the Web Evaluation Rubric shown on page 7.13, Figure 7-12, evaluate one of the following Web Sites:

· http://www.educate.si.edu

· http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide

· www.firn.edu

· http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/frog/

Send this document via the “Assignment Dropbox” DO NOT SEND VIA EMAIL. The assignment must be submitted on or before 11:40 p.m. of the chapter's due date.

3. Respond to the Discussion questions listed for Chapter 7.

4. Complete Chapter 7 Test