Today I evaluated the website "Famous Trials." I found the evaluation process very helpful. I have learned about website evaluation in other courses. This is the first time that I was asked to evaluate a website not just for its accuracy and reliability but for its usefulness in a classroom. I had to step back a moment and consider how, say, a high school freshmen would see that site. That added requirement did make me think about how I would use websites as resources in the classroom. Teachers have to be very picky. It's not enough that a website be factually correct (although this is a necessity). The site must also be clear and easy to use for students in a classroom. Having to complete the form made me think through use of the website in a very thorough manner. I think that systemic thinking about a website's usefulness and appropriateness is absolutely necessary for a teacher.
Yesterday, I observed some High School Juniors learning in a computer lab. They were extremely difficult to keep focused, and these were Juniors! That was enough to convince me that accessibility is one of the most important teacher requirements for a website. These students were in a college prep class, but they were having trouble following simple instructions to navigate the school's own website. I am very interested to see what other resources my peers have evaluated and how useful they judged those to be. I will be setting some pretty high standards for websites in my classroom.
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