Lesson Plan and Teaching Demonstration

1. Lesson Plan and Teaching Demonstration Holly Heitman MLIS 7430 Spring 2011

2. Lesson Plan • Title of Presentation • Website Evaluation Strategies • Circumstances of the Instruction • All freshman students at Baynor College are required to attend six sessions of library instruction during their first academic year. Previous sessions introduced the students to the library catalog, periodical databases, and basic search strategies. This 50-minute session will cover the basics of Internet website evaluation.

3. Needs Assessment • Two weeks prior to the session, the library instructor will provide the faculty with an outline of the upcoming session’s structure, content, and supplementary materials. The library instructor will encourage feedback and suggestions for enhancement of the session. • Information Literacy Standards • ACRL Standard One: The information literate student determines the nature and extent of the information needed. • ACRL Standard Three: The information literate student evaluates information and its sources critically and incorporates selected information into his or her knowledge base and value system.

4. Bloom’s Taxonomy Level • In this session, students will learn how to apply specific criteria and techniques in the evaluation of Internet websites (Application/Applying - Level 3). • Teaching Goal • The successful student will be able to critically evaluate Internet websites for authority, bias, currency, purpose, and relevance, enabling him or her to make more informed decisions in the selection of websites as research sources.

5. Learning Objectives • At the end of this instruction session, students will be able to: • Articulate the importance of evaluating websites • Identify at least three criteria and two techniques for effective website evaluation • Use evaluation criteria and techniques to competently assess websites for their validity and value • Preparation of Materials • Lecture PowerPoint presentation (library instructor) • Website Evaluation Wordsearch handout (take-home supplementary activity for students) • Website Evaluation Checklist handout (for students)

6. Presentation of Content • The library instructor will begin the session by describing a scenario that illustrates the importance and purpose of the concepts being presented. • The instructor will show a PowerPoint presentation on website evaluation criteria and techniques. This PowerPoint will include learning objectives, analogies, graphics, and examples to provide learner guidance. One possible example to demonstrate authority: • An article on a celebrity in the National Enquirer vs. a biographical article in a peer-reviewed journal by a renowned expert in the field.

7. During the PowerPoint, the library instructor will present selected content and ask students for additional ideas to add to that content. Students will also be asked to view screen captures and identify elements to look for in website evaluation. Feedback will be provided. • At the end of the session, the library instructor will provide two take-home handouts to aid in the retention and transfer of the terms and concepts discussed. • Evaluation of Learning • During the session, the library instructor will ask the students questions to confirm their understanding of the concepts being presented.

8. Enhancement of Retention • The library instructor will provide two supplementary take-home handouts designed to reinforce relevant terms and concepts: • Website Evaluation Checklist • Website Evaluation Wordsearch (Adapted from the lesson plan format in Teaching information literacy concepts: Activities and frameworks from the field, edited by Jacobson & Gatti.)

9. Website EvaluationStrategies

10. What makes website evaluation so important? • The sheer volume of websites available • Anyone can put anything at anytime on the Internet without approval or review • Effective website evaluation will help you find quality information you can use in your research papers and projects

11. Website Evaluation – What Do We Look For? • Accuracy • Audience • Authority • Bias • Currency • Design • Domain Name Extension • Links • Purpose • Relevance

12. Accuracy • Is the information on the website: • Objective • Reliable • Verifiable • Can you compare/confirm it with information from other electronic or traditional print resources?

13. Audience • Who is the intended audience of the website? • Age group • Ethnic group • Hobbyist • Parents • People managing an acute or chronic disease • Political party • Professionals in the field • Religious group • Social media user • Sports fans • Students • Travelers

14. Authority • Who’s the author of the content? • Credentials • Expert in the field • References or citations (e. g. published works) that can be verified • Contact information provided • Who’s the sponsor? • Well-known, reputable company or organization • Provides link to home page and information on its purpose and mission

15. Bias • Is the content balanced or slanted toward a particular point of view? Be wary if: • It tries to change your opinion • Alternate views are not considered • Important information is intentionally left out • It promotes a “conspiracy theory” • Is the author or sponsor connected to an organization that might influence their treatment of the topic?

16. Currency • Can you tell when the website content was created? • When was the website initially published? • When was it last updated/revised/modified? (Hint: Check the bottom of the page.) • Does it matter if the information is old? Some historical facts are timeless. Research in science, technology, and medicine usually need to be more current.

17. Design • Look for a website that is: • Well-organized • Easy to navigate • Quick to load without difficulty • Free from spelling and grammatical errors • Is the text easy to read and understand or are you distracted by: • Animation • Backgrounds • Colors • Fonts (size, type) • Graphics • Unfamiliar jargon • Is the website searchable? Does it offer a “Help” feature or search tips?

18. Domain Name Extensions • The domain name extension is part of the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) or website address

19. Domain name extensions can tell you a lot about a website: • Who hosts/sponsors the site (e. g. a university, government agency, or business) • If it’s a personal page (remember the “~”), which may not be part of the hosting organization’s official website and may reflect personal opinion • From what country it originates (e. g. “.fr”=France)

20. Links • Does the website offer links to other sites? • If so, are they active, relevant, and up-to-date?

21. Purpose • What is the website trying to do: • Advertise/Sell? • Advocate? • Educate? • Entertain? • Inform? • Persuade? • Provide a service? • Publish (e. g. a scholarly article or fan fiction)? • Solicit donations? • State an opinion?

22. A website may have more than one purpose and all of them may be legitimate. • Example: The American Red Cross website informs visitors of available classes (first aid, CPR), solicits blood donors and donations for disaster relief, recruits volunteers, and sells items from its web store.

23. Relevance • What kind of information are you looking for? • Current events • Historical facts • Medical or Scientific • Biographical • Social issues • Emerging technology • Primary sources • Diaries, speeches, letters, interviews, news articles • Secondary sources • Journal articles, criticisms, commentaries

24. How are you going to use your information? • Debate pros and cons of an issue • Write a research paper • Prepare a presentation • The type of information you need and the way you plan to use it can influence which websites you need to focus on and the criteria you should be looking for in your evaluation process.

25. Web Site Evaluation Techniques • Do a “quick scan” of the perimeter of the web page. Look for these features/links: • About Us • Background • Biography • Contact Us • Philosophy, Mission, Vision • Privacy Policy • You can often find more information by truncating back to the primary URL: • In the location box, delete the end characters backwards, stopping before each slash (leave the slash) and press enter until you see information on the author, sponsor, or origins/nature of the website.

26. See what blogs are linked to the website. What do they say? • Try the URL in Google Blog Search: • <blogsearch.google.com> • In Google, utilize the “Similar” and “Related Articles” features. This can help establish or confirm the credibility of your original website. • Step back and think through all you have learned about the website. • Listen to your instincts. • Does it all add up? • Could it be bogus, a spoof, or a hoax? • Is the Web the best place to find the information you need? Does this website fulfill that need?

29. Can they be verified?

39. Back on the Home Page...

50. Final Thoughts • Use a website evaluation checklist to streamline the process and ensure that you’re being thorough (see hand-out). • If you need help with website evaluation or research, our reference librarians are always available to assist you. • Phone: 958-555-0183 • E-mail: reference@baynor.edu • Web: www.baynor.edu/library/reference.html