Group items tagged

Kate McDonnell October 13, 2014 The purpose of this website is to inform people about cyberbullying. Not only does it inform its reader about what it is, but what people can do about it as well as how to prevent it. This website makes many resources available, as well as valuable knowledge that can be put to use almost immediately for anyone who reads this. The intended audience is the general public, not just someone who is researching this topic. This website relates all of its information to society, so it is relevant for anyone who has taken notice to cyber bullying. Overall, this website seems reliable, though it isn't perfect. It is the better of the two resources I reviewed. The issues are minor, and the overall combination of design as well as content is strong. Content: When first viewing this website, the user can determine the basic content of the site, as well as its intended audience. The specific author wasn't clearly identified, therefore the information about whomever wrote the information on this site isn't available or known by the users of this website. The sponsor was clearly identified, though, as this is a government site so it clearly states that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sponsors this website. There is a link to the website for that specific department, where one can find more about the sponsor as well as how to contact them. The latest revision date wasn't listed, so it is unknown if the content is updated. The content is complete, well organized, and easy to understand. It is free of bias, as well as interactive. There are videos, pictures, blogs, and many other components that contribute to this website. Design: The download was affective as well as speedy. The homepage has strong eye appeal; it isn't too busy but there are pictures and colors that make it appealing. No directions are required to navigate this website, it is easy and clear for the user how to make their way around this websi

Jamie Szallar Website Evaluation #1 9-1-2010 U.S. Department of Education www.ed.gov Overview The U.S. Department of Education website is extremely useful. I found the information to be current and correct. The site is easily explored and visually appealing. Overall I would highly recommend this site to anyone interested in education, teaching, or the United States public school systems. Content The content of this site is amazing. The information given covers a wide variety of topics related to the education field. Links to numerous educational sites, as well as other government sites, are easy to use and all beneficial to furthering the understanding of the site subject. The site is very well organized, subject headers make it easy to find what part of the site you are interested in exploring. Contact information is given for several government agencies, as well as other educational resources. Design The site has great eye appeal. A general theme follows the entire site, appropriate photos and emblems are add nicely. The home page does have a large amount of information on it, but is not cluttered to the point that it becomes difficult to navigate. This site is definitely worth visiting and would be valuable for a wide variety of visitors.

Lindsey Carter 9-4-2011 Overview: DrGrammar.org is intended for individuals with English questions ranging from grammar and word origins to common errors in English. The site is provided by the University of Northern Iowa and is edited by the UNI Department of Languages and Literature. Overall, I was very impressed by the amount of information the site provided, although it was slightly less organized than I would have hoped. Content: At first look, the basic content of the site and intended audience is very clear. The author of the site is also identified, and a link is available for the user to find out more information about the university. Users may also contact the UNI Department of Languages and Literature via email from the site. A date of the last revision isn't clear, but the copyright date is. All links work perfectly, loading quickly and effectively. The purpose of the site is informational, and it is quite effective and complete. The information on grammar and common mistakes is given along with easy-to-understand examples. The website is free of bias, and additional resources are available via link to Purdue University. Design: The website's homepage is not the most attractive. The title and sponsor of the site are both clear, and an index does exist to guide the user. Directions are in place to help the user navigate the site and find the information they seek, but the titles of the index are not clearly categorized. Again, the date of last revision also isn't clearly identified, but the overall information is helpful to those with English inquiries.

The intended purpose of this website is to provide teachers with background information and resources when teaching about energy resources to all different age levels. On the website there are different lesson plans and activities to incorporate into the classroom for all grades. The website overall is easy to navigate and understandable. The purpose of this site is clear: to inform. The author is not clearly identified, but the website is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and the information is consistent with similar information and appears to be accurate based on my prior knowledge. It gives many facts not only just about energy and lesson plans/activities, but information specifically about the federal government energy department. Links to other sites are current and working properly. Overall, the website is friendly. The author and when it was recently updated is not provided, but the information appears to be accurate. It is easy to navigate and offers sufficient information. Also, the links are up to date on the website.

Content- United States Department of Agriculture. This site is very easily understood, and the basic content is very easily figured out. This site can be used for many different purposes, so the intended audience is a broad range. There are many authors to this site, but the sponsor and contact information is easily found. This site was last revised on 9/20/2009, and that information is easily found at the bottom of the homepage. This shows that content is also updated very frequently, as the site also contains hot news topics. All links from this site are in good working order. The content of the site is well organized, and has obvious beneficial purposes. The links from the page all help to make the page stronger, and all help to add to the overall content of the site. Design- This is a very busy site, though still easily navigated. The hyperlinks all add something beneficial to the site, and make it a very inviting site. The site has nice titles and links to every page which makes for easier navigating. The site has appropriate graphics, and the graphics help with the intended purpose of the site. There is plenty of information on the site, which makes it worth visiting, and would be great for many purposes in the classroom. This site would provide many outlets for resources and research. Attribution- This site has a great link that helps you to properly cite the information that is used from their page. They have many different Privacy Policies, and all are clearly stated.

Dillon Karajanis 10/21/13 Review of ChooseMyPlate.gov Overview: The educational site I chose was ChooseMyPlate.gov and from what I observed I was able to determine right away that the website had to do with health and nutrition. The purpose of this site is to inform the users about the United States Department of Agriculture's regulations regarding a balanced diet, healthy recopies and nutritional activities. After just a couple clicks I learned that this site can be for educators, parents and children as well. ChooseMyPlate.gov provides interactive games, songs, videos and activity sheets that the users can engage in. My overall impression of the site is positive; there are just a few concerns of mine but in general I like the site and would use it in my classroom. Content: I decided to rate this site worth bookmarking because it does have very useful information that can be used in my class in the future. The sponsor and author are clearly displayed in the site and in this case they are the same source, the USDA. Contact information is also displayed inside the website for users to ask questions or verify topics. The content looked very well organized and complete with no spelling or grammar errors. The content of the site was complete and finished. Design: First of all the design of this website was very well put together. The homepage pulled up very quickly and was extremely visually appealing; with a slide show, bright colors and bold, easy to read text right on the first page it really draws the user in. One thing I did notice was that the copyright date and the latest revision date were not displayed and were not that easy to find. This raised a concern for me. Other than this I thought the information was well organized with a directory if needed as well. The additional links in the site were active, did not lead to dead ends and were all relevant to the subject. I thought over all it was a well designed website.

When looking for different techniques to use in a classroom setting, I came across a website called www.southernworlds2010.com. While viewing this web site, I first notice that there is not very much offered on the site and it has limited information. The target audience could be applied to as anyone that is involved in the Education system such as a student, parent, teacher etc. The basic concept behind this web page is to explain how virtual worlds can be used to reach children in their educational studies. Although this may sound like an interesting topic to read about, there is no Author given and therefore no information describing who wrote this. All that was provided was what the idea came form the Tasmanian Department of Education. There is also no sponsor given on this web page. This website was also only added a couple days prior to my finding.

Content: The first look at the website does a great job of displaying the content of the article but it is more difficult to really pin down an audience. It seems like it is aimed at people who want a quick overview of the topic. The author of the article is not identified so it is hard to judge the qualifications of the author. The sponsor on the other hand is clearly identified. Idaho National Laboratory and Department of Energy sponsored the article. There are also two specific contact people identified. The user is given both a phone number and the ability to e-mail the two contact people. The site lacks any information about when it was last updated. This shows that the information may not be updated frequently and it is difficult to know if the user should use this information because there is potential that it is outdated. The only date I can find is actually on another page. Although there is no way to know how often the website is updated, the links all appear to be working appropriately. The information on this site seems to be of a pretty high quality. The purpose is very clear. It is an informational page and effectively achieves its purpose. The content is complete and well organized. The information is easy to understand for the most part. Some of the terms are a little confusing but otherwise it is very clear. I don't know very much about this topic, but from what I know this information seems accurate. The bias in this article is easy to identify because it is pro Xylanase. It really preaches the benefits of this substance. There are a lot of links to further information as well as links that take the user to other science related sites.

Overview: Art Education is a website for links to jobs and lessons for high school art teachers. Links are functioning properly and the website is inviting for students as well as teachers.

Nathan Wonnacott9/9/11 Overview: The Incredible Art Department is a source where art teachers can submit and share lesson plans. These lessons apply for all grade levels and are neatly organized, equipped with tools to better one's teaching methods. I find this site extremely helpful, and have not seen anything negative. Content: It's distinguishable as an art site that teachers as well as students can use to learn about art in a non-traditional way. The author Ken Rohrer updates the site frequently, and has a long list of great reviews. The lessons are in-depth, filled with pictures, games, and rubrics to grade students' progress. Links are fully functional, and provide additional sources to their information Design: Speedy, attractive, and available in the public domain; this site offers an efficient way to address teachers' lack of time. Graphics and the title bar at the top of the home page adds to its fluidity. Constantly updated and sponsored by Princeton Online, this website seems to be a worthwhile source inside and outside the classroom.

Robb Lancaster January 25, 2010 The Labyrinth is a resource for medieval studies site sponsored by Georgetown University. Content: This site offers one of the better searches for medieval content as well as quite a lot of links that will direct you to very specific content. When you click on a link it will take you to other links, each more specific than the last, until you finally wind up at your desired information. The content is spot on with anything you would need to do a research paper about the medieval times. There are links from archeology to myths and ledgends. Furthermore, if you aren't satisfied with the links there is an easy to use search box. Design: The design for this site is not as simple as it could be. The links open up too many other links and other tabs. Also, the search area is not very user friendly. They definantly call this web site the Labyrinth because of the difficulty your going to have using it rather than how it pertains to the medieval world.

Purpose:The purpose of this website is to give students from kindergarten all the way to the 12th grade and parents and teachers information about the United States of America. The information ranges from how the government works, U.S. documents, and differences in state and national government. To me I think this is a great website, it has information for all ages and the information is very age appropriate and covers all aspects of American government, even though the information is not extremely  in depth it covers all the surface points that give a great understanding of government.Content:The information in this website is very thorough, and it all is very credible. The website was made as a service of the Superintendent of document of the U.S. government. The information is very vast and is focused on different age groups. The information covers basics; such as the flag, the national anthem, and what simple things in our government means. Then goes in depth about the processes that each department of government has and the importance in which they serve.  The content is very well organized in which there are main categories of information in which each category has many sub-categories with further information.  Overall I would give this website an A in contentDesign:The design of this website is also very good. The home page starts with the age in which the information is set. Then there are categories that direct you to further information about specifics in each category.  The information is clearly labeled and directs to easily find the information needed. There are also fun interactive games that allow the students to learn in a different way.

Nicole Sutton 9/5/11 Overview: The e learning for kids website is a nonprofit foundation that provides free and fun learning activities on the Internet. The website is for ages 5-12 but can also be used by people in the education department, parents who want to connect and learn what their kids are learning, as well as game developers who want to contribute. e-learning for kid's hopes to be a better source for children 's learning through being available through the Internet so it can be accessed from anywhere. It's free and offers course content in math, science reading and keyboarding. The website helps children master these important basics so they can be successful in their future lives. e-learning has many partners and supporters; there are also helpful resources such as a media link that connects you to new, case studies and other important information. Content: The e learning for kids website is very easy to navigate, and is very high quality. There is a very nicely laid out home page where you can click on the grade level you need. Below the grade level there is a list of subjects you can choose from. There is also a choice of languages to choose from at the very top of the page. Once you click on a grade or subject it gives you a list of fun and helpful activities as well as what grade it would be best for. The content of the site is very helpful and well laid out. The website seems reliable as well because it gives you a list of board members, executive team and advisory board so you know exactly who is involved in the website and what they do for the site. Overall I got a very good impression from the content of this well laid out website. Design: The e-learning website is very easy to navigate and very pleasing to the eye. It is colorful and lays out all the links that you need on the home page. There is a clear area to contact the creators of the site and sponsors or partners were very easy to determine. The copy writes date is clear and the

John Ripley 9/12/11 Web Rangers Overview: This site is produced by the National Park Service (Department of the Interior) and I found it through the Yellowstone National Park website. It is listed under the heading "for kids" on the YNP homepage. The intended audience is kids, and not necessarily kids who have been to YNP or any other park. Content is varied and covers several different fields pertaining to history and natural science mostly. Content: The basic content of the site is not immediately clear, but once you navigate into the site a table of contents appears. While I could not find a date for the most recent revision, all the links of the site worked properly and I have no reason to think that anything on the site is out of date. The information is accurate as far as I can tell and fairly diverse. There are several different games under each subject heading. Design: This website looks like it was designed by the National Park Service with the logo in the top right corner of each page and the colors of the NPS on all the pages. The home page is not especially catchy and if I were not doing this assignment I would not go wandering around this site. However, once you get into the site to the contents and the games it gets a little more interesting. It's still not what I'd call exciting though.

Katharine Johnson September 19, 2009 Georgia Agriculture Education Introduction: This website is from the Georgia Department of Education and is there to help teachers in effectively teaching their classes. It has different power points and lesson plans. Content Evaluation: First Look: When I first looked at this site it was inviting. It is well organized and easy to navigate. Information Providers: The authors of the site are listed at the bottom of the homepage. It just talks about who they are and gives their job titles. There is contact information if you have any questions. Information Currency: It just says that it was last updated in 2009. From looking at the information it looks as though the site is maintained regularly. The other site links are updated and in working order. Information Quality: I think the information that this site provides could be extremely helpful to a new teacher. It gives power points with information that could be used and also has lesson plans that could help. Not only this but there is information for other organizations and other aspects of agriculture in the class room. However I did run into some problems opening a couple of the folders, but other than that everything is functional. Design Evaluation: Speed: Most of the pages opened quickly and effectively. Home Page: The homepage is attractive and eye appealing. All the information is clear and organized and easy to find what you are looking for. Ease of Navigation: The site is easy to navigate. All the information is clear and organized and helps you find what you are looking for easily. Use of multimedia: All the graphics and other medias used are effective. Browser compatibility: Only tested Internet Explorer. Content Presentation: All this information could be really helpful in the classroom.

Posted by Mitchell Clark 9/18/09: CliffNotes is a site that provides free summary-type information and helpful tips for just about anything education related. Content: CliffNotes is a site sponsored by Wiley Publishing that covers just about everything that is involved with education. This site provides free information for subjects such as literature, writing, foreign language, math, science, college, test prepping, and more. The articles found under these subjects are easy to cite but may not provide an author. One of the things that set this site apart from similar sites is that it provides information on topics such as getting into college, avoiding scholarship scams, AP test, college entrance exams and grad school entrance exams. Also this site is updated on a regular basis making the information up to date, but as mentioned before there may not be a credible author. This site also offers full length practice test for the SAT, AP Biology, AP English, and AP Chemistry, but these resources are not free. As far as organization goes this site is decent, it is easy to navigate the main subjects such as literature or foreign language but there is so much advertising that it can be both confusing and distracting when reading down the page. Design: Apart from the advertising this site is well designed and easy to navigate. There is a search bar at the top right of the window as well as multiple tabs that link to various subjects of education. The home page is bombarded with ads, but they are mainly advertisements for student travel programs, back to school supplies or the Army ROTC program. The sponsor of the site is clearly stated at the bottom of the page and there is a link to their contact information. This site uses very little graphics aside from their advertising, but the page is still visually attractive due to the well known black and yellow color scheme. Attributes: This site comes from a credible source for review or study purposes. The infor

This is a site mostly used by teachers for lesson plans within the art department. It is specific to the high school students but leaves much to be altered and adapted to other grade levels. The content on this page is very "short and to the point" plans for teaching students things like drawing hands, experimenting with other artists processes, and much more. The thing I liked about the content was the way you can adapt, alter, and integrate your own creativity and required learning into these lesson plans but that this gives you the foundation to build on. The design of the page leaves much be be desired though. General outlines of critiria, supplies, and objective with sparse thumbnail photo references of artist work or the process to be done with visual aid. None the less, this is a legitimate site updated regularly and used by teachers, adults, and even students since 1994. The lesson plans are also teacher submitted from working teachers from Florida and elsewhere.