Thing 2

Both of the websites for my selected project evaluated well using 2 of the evaluations. The main differences between the two check lists were not in the areas of criteria used to evaluate but in vocabulary used in the questions to the user of the evaluation. My student audience is elementary students where at least a third are not strong readers so vocabulary and ease of usage is a primary concern. I liked parts of both of the evaluation sheets with Kathy Schrock's being the best but it was too long and needed to be updated. The ending part about having the students write a little paragraph about what the student learned about the website he/she evaluated is a good idea since it synthesis learning and is another area of an example of writing which so many teachers need in evaluating learning or as additions to the students writing folder.

As far as making it a natural part of the research process, I liked the quote Joyce Valenza had on her site "when in doubt, doubt." So many times students are gullible and believe anything they hear or see whether it is on the web or what they heard from their neighbor. Evaluating information comes from practice and exposure to both good and bad information using some type of criteria whether that it a formal checklist or taking a moment to self-question a site with the simple question : "Hey, what are they trying to sell me?" This is an area that I need to address more next year in the library especially with the older students in the 3rd - 5th grades.