ITEC2360

A website full of interactive games for math, english, science, etc.

Overview: This site is all about interactive and fun games to help enhance learning for elementary school-aged children. You can sing songs, play games in math, language arts and vocab. It is child friendly so you can easily find what it is you want to play. Content: The author is not very clear but at the bottom lest side of the page shows the sponsor which is Time4Learning, a online home educational program for homeschooling, afterschool and summer learning. There are links to all the different activities the site has to offer from fun interactive learning games to free worksheets to online learning. The content is mainly the focus for elementary aged kids. It provides the needs to teach and help children learn new concepts and refresh old ones. The information is consistent and updated frequently. Design: The design is fun and appealing for kids. There are pictures to go along with the links which make it easy to navigate and know exactly were to go. Everything loaded fine and had extra places to visit for extra help.

Overview: This website provides games for young learners to explore even before they reach classroom age and throughout the early elementary years. The website covers several subject areas including but not limited to Health, Spelling, Animals, Science, Math, Art, Geography, and Literature. The games are fun and challenging. Content: There are games for young learners that are both challenging and entertaining in a wide variety of topics. Each topic has sub topics and then a multitude of game options for that sub topic. There are illustrations of cartoons throughout the site. The author is not clearly identified but the sponsor is. The website links to other young children's websites and cartoon television shows. Design: The amount of subjects and then sub-subjects is outstanding. The entire website is geared towards young children which is not only seen through the illustrations but also through the advertisements. The games are easy to get into the first time but after you have gone into one of them it is difficult to get back out to the website's main menu. While it has links for the subjects it doesn't have links such as home, about, contacts that may be helpful additions. A copyright is not readily available. The directions for the games are clear and concise.

Information on child development including prenatal, physical, intellectual, language and social development.

Ryan Pinkston January 22, 2011 1) The site provides the information and tools parents need to understand the uniqueness of children and to enable them to help each child develop into the successful human being they were meant to be. Their mission is to help parents develop a positive parenting style that leads to a family where parents and children can listen to each other, support each other and have fun playing and enjoying family activities. 2) Content Credibility- It is easy to determine the basic content and intended audience. The authors of the material are available and easy to find. According to the information given the authors appear qualified to present information of this topic. I couldn't tell when the last update occurred but information seems up to date. The website is well organized and the information is easy to understand. 3) Design Overview- The page downloaded in a timey matter. It is a little boring to look at, however, it is clearly organized and has tabs highlighted in different colors depending upon the information you are seeking. The site definitely has information worth visiting; the information is all clearly labeled and organized. Information is easy to find and the links are easy to use. They have links that lead you directly to the staff that provide the information for this website. 4) This is a website that I would use to help parents understand their children. It has a ton of information that can be used to help parents better understand and help their children.

Emily E. Krabbenhoft January 22, 2011 Overview: This website is a resource for teachers who are using SmartBoards in the classroom. It gives teachers different ideas for using the SmartBoard in Math, English, and Geography subjects. Content: The content of the website is really useful for people who are looking for new and innovative ways to use a SmartBoard in their classroom everyday. The website was created by a teacher in the UK. The website provides a way for teachers to lead the conversation not the entire lesson plan so it allows for teachers to decide what will be learned.Design: The website is very easy to navigate. Clearly labeled titles and links on the left side of the web page allows the user to switch from different subjects easily. 

Emily E. Krabbenhoft January 22, 2011 Overview: This website has a lot of fun activities and simulations for students to use to further their knowledge about several science concepts. For example, one particular simulation called Weather allows students to learn about weather patterns by reporting the current weather and also predicting future weather in different areas around the nation. Content: Several different simulations allow the students to have fun and learn a great deal in an interactive way. The site is sponsored by The Ohio State University Medical Center and also National Center for Regenerative Medicine. The site only provides simulations to be used for science like simple machines, the weather, and some extensive medical concepts. Design: This website uses bright colors and is very attractive to the eye. Each simulation takes a couple of seconds to load but once loaded are very smooth during the use of the simulation. 

Emily E. Krabbenhoft January 22, 2011 Overview: This website provides interactive websites for teachers in grades K-12.  Subjects available range from Reading, Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. All of the resources are based on standards and can be used to integrate other subjects. Content: While the contact is not actually on the website it is a large resource for links that lead you to these other websites that have already been viewed and used by other educators.Design: The main page is easily used by just clicking on the subject you are wanting to view. However, when you enter a subjects home link page it is just a large list of different links. Thankfully, the links do have a very short explanation of the website but the user will have to do some inquiry before using a website in their classroom in order to see if the website is useful or not. 

Interactive site for math, vocab, memory, and geography and puzzles.

Ryan Pinkston January 22, 2011 1) Overview- This is a web site that parents and kids can use to learn basic skills while having fun. This goal is to provide a safe place to learn computer skills, math skills, reading skills and problem solving skills in a context that is fun to use. 2) Content Credibility- It is easy to determine the basic content and intended audience. The author was not clearly identified however, the contact information was readily available and easy to locate. The latest revision date was not given and it's not stated how frequently the page is updated. The purpose of the site is effective for the intended use and is well organized with information that is easy to understand. 3) Design Evaluation- The page downloads efficiently and it is somewhat attractive and appears to have strong eye appeal to children. There is an index, the information for contacting the provider is available, and the copyright date is at the bottom of the page. The same basic format is used throughout the whole site, the information is easy to find, and everything is clearly labeled. 4) This is a site that I would use. It has a variety of games for children to use to learn about math and English or science.

WatchKnow.org Michelle Petty, January 22, 2011 Overview: This site is aimed at students ages k-12, with a variety of educational portals from science to math to social studies. The site allows the user to select the area they are learning about, for example social studies and then within that category they can specify a content area like the Trail of Tears. Once the search results come back it offers a variety of information, however the information is only presented through videos and pictures. The site is easy to use and covers a wide variety of topics that makes it useful for students studying a variety of topics. However, without articles it makes using this site in research type projects difficult. Content: The website is clearly aimed at students and links to all content area taught to them. At the bottom of the site there is both a contact link and an about us & visions tab that informs the viewer who maintains the site, its goal, when it was last revised and how to contact someone with questions. When search results are found, the viewer can watch the video, go find the history of the videos to see where they came from and what the video has to offer and a separate tab to leave comments under. All of the video links work and are of good quality and offer a wide range in video content, from people reenacting historical events to math problems being solved step by step. Design: The website, while aimed at ages k-12, caters more to the younger audiences. The graphics used and even the color of font indicate that it wants to appeal to younger aged students. It is easy to navigate and use, and gives plenty of choices in videos and gives the appropriate information about the video that it can be used in an educational setting. I feel like this site would be very useful in replacing youtube videos used in class, because all of these videos are educational and meant for that use. I think I would use this site periodically, but I don't think I would

Rachel Keyes ITEC 2360 01/24/11 http://www.alternativeculture.com/index.htm Poor website Overview This site can be found by searching "alternative forms of literature" (commonly thought of as ways other than classical literature, such as graphic novels, movies, etc.) on Google. However, the purpose of this site is more to discuss alternative cultures and the negative influence that media has on society. My impression of this site is that it was made by a small magazine for a very specific audience. The audience is wary of the media and is searching for an alternative method to receive news. Content The content of this site is extremely random and scattered. At the top of the page there are quotes about being enlightened, followed by a listing of other alternative news sites, YouTube videos, and poems from different cultures about peace. All of the links work, but this site is just a random collection of information the editor believes is important. The editor is a man who, in his biography page, has no credentials other than he really enjoys writing. Design At first look, there is so much going on and so many links and videos posted that seem to be very random. There is a clear title, but some of the links on the page have nothing to do with the others; there is nothing connecting this information. The pictures and YouTube videos are irrelevant to the other links listed. There is no copyright date, so readers have no idea how up to date this site is. The only way to "contact" the editor is by subscribing to his newsletter. There is too much going on to accurately find any information, and because you can find this site while looking for alternative forms of literature, this site would be completely irrelevant to your search.

Rachel Keyes ITEC 2360 01/24/11 http://www.kimskorner4teachertalk.com/readingliterature/litresponse.html Average website Overview This is a site designed for teachers, giving alternative exercises to help their classes respond to literature. My overall impression is that this is an organized, helpful site. The audience would be teachers who are looking for creative and exciting ways for their students to approach literature. It's a very simple website that has links with the corresponding projects listed. Content The content of the site is well organized and listed. The links on the page go to credible sites with ideas for creative book reports, class discussions, etc. The page was last updated in 2007, so it is possible that the ideas and links could be extremely out of date by now. There are some links that no longer exist and do not work, which is one of the sites major weaknesses. The author of the site is a teacher herself, and repeatedly expresses that the ideas are not hers, and provides the credit for the real authors of the ideas. Design The design of this website is extremely plain. Other than the text and the links, there are no pictures or visual aids. The title is clear and gives the author's name and the purpose of the site. The author reminds the audience that she is merely posting these ideas and they are not hers. The site is outdated, and some of the links don't work because they do not exist anymore.

Rachel Keyes ITEC 2360 01/24/11 Average site http://www.alternavox.net/the-graphic-novel-as-a-form-of-literature Overview This site discusses the use of the graphic novel as a form of alternative literature. The main point of the site is an article discussing the history of the graphic novel and where it is today. The audience is anyone who wants to learn more about the educational potential of the graphic novel. The article is from a Canadian site, so that could impact its usefulness to U.S. students and teachers. Content The main content of the site is the article. Other than that, there are no other links to find more information about alternative literature or graphic novels. The article is biased because the author is a reporter who has an opinion and doesn't provide the other side of the argument. The article was published in 2009, so it could be slightly outdated. Design The site has ads and pictures for the newspaper, which could be irrelevant to users from other countries. There is a biography of the author next to the article, but there is no way to contact him with questions. There is no copy right for the website itself. The information is well organized, but other than the article, there is no further information.

Rachel Keyes ITEC 2360 01/24/11 Good site http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3070 Overview Scholastic is a well-known company to me because my grade school worked with scholastic; this gives the sight some extra credibility. It appears to be well organized and geared towards teachers that are interested in finding out more about literature circles and how to use them in their classrooms. The purpose of the site is to educate teachers. Content The content is an article written by a teacher who has used the literature circle in her classroom, and her experience with it. She includes an assessment sheet to go with the circle, and how to grade the students. At the end of the article she includes references and other articles with more information. The content is easy to navigate and to understand. There is a link that gives you a biography of the author; she is a teacher and a very credible source. Design There are ads for book clubs, school supply lists, and essay contests for students. There are links that provide more information about the topic. The site was updated at the beginning of 2011. The information was well organized and clear, and easy to access. All of the links are functional and provide good information.

Haley Brown 1/19/2011 Overview: The purpose of this website is to sell science supplies. Content: Each item for sale is advertised extremely well. When you click on the link there is a video that shows you how to use the item as well as information on what the item is. It looks like the site is updated practically every day. Design: This website is organized very cleanly. All items are organized by categories on one side, the items in the middle, and ads on the other.

Rebekah Asay January 23, 2011 Purpose: The purpose of this site is to allow people across the world to see the amazing sites in Venice and to be able to book a vacation there. The website also provides a lot of information about each tourist site and the history of Venice. The site is directed towards anyone who wants to know about Venice or travel there someday.This website has a virtual tour uploaded, audio guides, and HD movies. Content: This website has a great design that is easy to navigate and attractive to the eye. It has verifiable information about each location in Venice.

Purpose: This website is a section of the Discovery website designed for children. It is used to help kids learn about the world they live in. In this section, it is a lab area and children can follow instructions to many science experiments. Content: The website is easy to use and looks fun. The labs are fun and educational and provide explanations at the end of each one describing why these phenomena occur in science. However, though all of the science experiments are interesting, not all of them would be useful in a science lesson.

Rebekah Asay January 23, 2011 Overview: This website is to help students or adults better their English. There are a number of games including hangman, crosswords, matching games, typing tests, and puzzles to help improve grammar, typing skills, and vocabulary. Content: This website has fun games that are fun and educational. There are many other links for videos, teachers, writing, vocabulary, and pronunciation. There is a lot of information and it is a good resource for someone learning English. Design: The design is easy enough to navigate but isn't very attractive to the eye and is slightly unorganized. There is a lot going on on the webpage and it is overwhelming.

Rebekah Asay January 23, 2011 Overview: This website is an online game that quizzes students on geographical information. It includes quizzes on locations, climates, industries, physical systems, population, culture, environment, and society. Content: The website is fun and educational. It has many categories to choose from and tests students on their knowledge of the world using fun, educational questions based on those categories. The content is mostly for older middle school or high school students. Design: The design is fun and interesting. It is easy to navigate and is engaging.

Rebekah Asay January 23, 2011 Overview: This website offers a 3D close-up-look of earth and the features on it. Content: This website is fun and interactive. It allows you to scour the globe and look at the features on it. It would be useful for a geology class in learning about geological features. Design: The design is easy to use and is fun. It is virtual and interactive.

This page was reviewed by Joseph Scherden on 1/23/2011 Content Review- I picked this page specifically because the other two pages I have reviewed were valuable and credible web pages. This one, however, is not so much. It does not list the author, publisher, or date published even. It was turned up as a result when I searched "teaching methods," on Google. This web pages information does not seem farfetched, but it would need to be verified through more credible sources. Design Review- The design of this page was another reason I picked it. The page is not as "retro" in appearance as Jewwatch.com, but it is still obviously not intended for research purposes solely. The home page loaded poorly on my computer when I linked through several of the page links. The tab set up separates different topics clearly and links are imbedded inside the information to provide definitions. Although some pieces of this pages designs are novel it should still be noted how many ads are on the page. Overall Review- This page has information that may be used as a jumping off point. It would be useful for learning key terms that are used when discussing teaching methods, but it is not a credible source on its own. I would say this site may be useful to education majors, but I emphasize its lack of credibility.

Lynnsey Patterson January 23, 2011 Overview: The purpose of this site is to give and promote information about artists in the US as well as to advertise the magazine Art in America. I believe this could be considered a very valuable resource for anyone interested in modern art. The authors consist of very highly qualified individuals such as an art professor of Yale University and a highly respected art curator and critic. Content: This website is packed with content. It contains archives of past issues of the magazine, links to events taking place in the art world, featured artists of the month, books, videos, news, and more. Everything is very well organized in the top margin of the homepage and the contact information is very well labeled under the "contact us" link on the footer. I would however, call this site a little bias in that it only contains information about art in the United States but I wouldn't considered that to necessarily be a bad thing. Design: This site is very aesthetically pleasing in design and is very easy to navigate. Everything appears to be very clear, concise, and appropriate for the audience it is trying to reach.

David May 1/23/11 Fun website full of games for all ages. Captures attention right away with the bright colors and clickable items. Overview: This site promises to make learning fun and it sure succeeds. Many games are at the user's disposal of learning and having a bit of fun. The games have a game part to learn and then another option of taking a quiz to prove that information is actually learned. The science games are fun and have animations which help show the user what is being learned. The history game is more of a pop quiz that has some interesting things that not that would know. The website has testimonials of users explaining how much they enjoy the site. The entire website has many things for children all the way up to adults and college students. The website has some questionable content in the history quiz portion asking about facts of playboy the magazine which isn't so good if taken by younger children. Content: The user is easily able to discern what the content is. The audience is younger children with the colorful pictures and animals all over. An email is provided with easy access to the email through the contact link. The author is listed as well as everyone involved with the website is listed in the about link. The author is listed with credentials and with the amount of patents he currently has. The website doesn't display any kind of updating date nor a copyright date. The website claims that the sole purpose is for educational purposes. On closer inspection one can see that the purpose is to sell software games to schools, teachers, and parents. The site gains loyalty and then sells software. The site keeps the attention focused and doesn't lack in entertainment with all the games. Any type of game is easily found by category. Some games have to been dug for with multiple clicks. The games do provoke learning, but none of the information is listed where it came from. Design: The website has good appeal with the bright color