ITEC2360

Ask Jeeves.com is a website that can give you definitions, images and answer all your questions. This site helps students of all kinds with projects, essays, news, and references. The sites images though have some raciest pictures that make fun of President Obama. These pictures should not be allowed on these sites yet they are. Ask Jeeves is note a good site for pictures showing true photos of a person's real character. The intended audience for this site is anyone needing to find something or asking a question about a certain topic. A lot of college and high school students use this site for problems they may face with a project, paper or definition. The resources for this site contain photos, web findings, news, and videos. The resources are mostly correct, but like Google they have photos that are not accurate. This site is very good overall and the only thing it lacks is its credibility of some of its images. I have used this site for definitions, resources and web findings. My impression of this site is good; I just would just like to see that they ban pictures that show raciest pictures or pictures with no reliability. I would use this site for about anything to help me to complete a paper or project.

Kylie Marchant August 31, 2010 Overview This website was created for German language learners and educators. The website lacks credibility as there is no citation for creator or date currency. I believe that some of the content could be considered worthwhile if it was presented in a more user friendly manner and with reference to its credibility. My impression is that there is potential for this to be a good resource but at this time is a poorly engineered website for students and/or teachers. Content From the first look, although the user can determine that this website is designed for German language learners and teachers it is difficult to find the creator and any dates for this website. Several of the links that are provided did not work correctly and are organized so that it is difficult to navigate simply from a link back to the homepage. Some of the information presented seems helpful but other information seems to be inaccurate or out of date. In response to the content of this site, I think it may be too difficult to determine validity to be of practical use. Design The homepage is not organized significantly to make navigation understandable. The website design is very simplistic, bland, and does not generate interest. The speed seemed to be reasonable. I do not think the content is introduced efficiently and due to the lack of dates and citations, there is a lack of credibility. In conclusion, the site is not very well designed and is too difficult to navigate.

Kylie Marchant August 31, 2010 Overview This website is designed for students and others who want to test their language proficiency on 25 different languages using vocabulary tests and crossword puzzles. A German company called Goethe Verlag operates this website for language learners. Based on content and design evaluations, I think this site is worthwhile for using with my eventual students and even in my own studies. It is well organized, simple to use, and seems accountable and accurate. My impression is that it is a valuable resource to have in my repertoire. Content From the first look, the user can discern that the website is for students and others wanting to test their language skills offered in a variety of languages. The website is governed by the Goethe Verlag but it is a little difficult to identify their actual credentials. There is an area where the company can be contacted though. I could find nothing identifying the currency of the information presented on the site. From my proficiency in German, I took a look at the German exercises and they seem to be interesting and interactive as well as accurate and interesting for students. Further, there are no linked sites for more exploration. All in all, in response to the content of this site, I believe it is worth keeping mind for further usage and reference. Design The home page is the launching site for all of the information on the website indicating the title, contents, overseeing organization, and clear instructions for navigating the website. It is rather simple in design but still aesthetically pleasing. The speed seemed to be reasonable for the pages I visited including the home page. There is minimal usage of multimedia but when present it serves a purpose. The content is worthwhile, clearly organized on the website, and easy to use. Again, there are no distinct dates clarifying currency of the information, although I do not believe the information could ever be outdated.

Lana Macdonald Aug 31, 2010 Overview: This site is set up to teach students how to do basic mathematical problems, such as algebra and beginning calculus. The audience is focused on older students. The content of this website makes up for the design. The site may not look pretty, but information is far more valuable to the student. Content: The content of the page is clear that it is an aid in learning some basic mathematical problems for students. The interaction is better than some sites in that it gives a problem, but the user has to click on "answer" for the problem to be solved. This allows the user to try to work the problem out by themselves before they are given the answer. The site also gives a fair number of examples to help the student. There is a short bio of the author which allows for author qualification, and facilitates finding the contact information. The author of the site has also offered his time to answer mathematical questions to aid in the students learning. The site updated frequently, and all links are working properly. Design: This site is not very esthetically pleasing; conversely the graphics are helpful and clear. However, for the most part the site is easy to work with the exception of the organization linked sites. The placement of the linked sites makes the page a little confusing, and hard to move around. Also the contact page was not easy to reach

Lana Macdonald Aug 31, 2010 Overview: As the site indicates, it is for dummies. The content is very elementary for those who wish to learn algebra. A few reviews of the page state that it is a waste of time, yet others state that the site cleared up questions they have had for years. If the user of the site has some algebraic knowledge then the site is most likely not useful. However, if the user struggles with the terminology and basic steps of algebra, this site is for them. Overall the information given in the site is correct but the graphics make it hard to learn. Content: The author of the site is not given; however, the site is based off a well-known series of books that are considered creditable. The site is current, all links are updated. The content of the site is very vast, however the organization of the site allows the user to find what is needed quick and easy. The information given is very helpful, but since the information is given by video, the user may feel that the video explains too quickly. The resources given on the page are not very helpful in learning more about math. Design: This site is attractive, and uses up to date graphics to attract users. The site is easy to navigate and very user friendly. The format of the site is consistent throughout the pages. The new age technology may not work well for teaching math. The site employs video to teach math problems. This has some advantages and some disadvantages. Some advantages allow for the type of people who learn best by listening to learn easily. However, the videos can go fast for the user, and make it harder to learn. Another advantage is that a problem can be explained more effectively as the speaker walks through a problem. One solution the site might try is in addition to the video, have a few problems worked out below the video for a quick overview of what is in the video.

* Jessica A. Wilhelmsen Reviewed September 1, 2010 * Apples4theteacher.com - A Primary Website Overview The overall purpose of this site seems to be an interactive learning environment for both teachers and kids. However, neither teachers nor students would enjoy this site as it seems currently incomplete. While the site is labeled it is cluttered with categories and listings. It is also cluttered with advertisements and gives off a feeling of chaos. While the site does give tons of resources an individual would need time to weed through them all to see if it was something they could use. Content The content of the website has the latest revision date and author. The site is currently under construction, which may be supplying some of the confusion and lack of graphics. The organization of this site does provide categories and various links associated with it each subject. However, the design and over abundance of activities makes looking at it overwhelming. I think individual and students will utilize other sites over this one due to its lack of structure and ease. Design The esthetics of the Apples4teacher.com is very unattractive. The site uses small icons and titles that make it hard to look at. The index for each subject is located just below an advertisement and text boxes border the entire web page. Once you click onto a subject area there is a lack of design, a list of resources to click and more advertisements. There is no flow to the website and the graphics don't add anything to its appeal. I wouldn't bookmark this page unless its updated or I find something in that would work well.

Tyler Knowles August 31, 2010 Review of World History Overview This site is a great way to learn about important people and popular events that happened in history. It gives links to various other related things in which you are searching as well as a brief Wikipedia definition. However it does not go into depth if you are looking for vast amounts of information on a topic it would most likely be used for quick facts. Content The content is quickly understandable and one simply has to search for what they are interested. Information is well cited, and links related topics. Site revision dates are not apparent and information is very limited. The content is well organized by timeline if that is how you wish to find it, or simply by searching. Design The Design is organized by timeline or by related topics which makes it very user friendly however many maps and graphics, while very informant seem to clutter the page. The links to related topics are very easy to find and stand out however while each is a brief definition it seems like all you would do is click from link to link and not get anywhere. Also certain graphics by links make it appealing however if there is say a person with no photo it simply has a blank head next to it taking away from this appeal.

Tyler Knowles August 31, 2010 Review of World Facts and Figures Overview The purpose of this site is to inform the user of fun facts about different countries around the world such as population of a country or city, maps and country flags. It is very easy to navigate and very interesting. This website would target students, or anyone for that matter, looking to find out interesting facts about a certain part of the world. It also has links to current news going on around the world which stand out drawing the attention of the viewer. Content It is easy to determine the content of the site, however there is no information about the creators of this site. The content is to inform people of different statistics as well as interesting facts around the world which is kept up to date. The site offers links to such as measurement and currency converters which would be handy to any traveler, but is aimed for those seeking general knowledge of other countries. Design The design of this site is very user friendly, again appealing to students. The layout is easy to navigate and has many graphics to help you find out maps as well as flags for countries. By giving top ten country and city population ranks it enables the user to want to inquire more about population rankings and by simply clicking a link this is possible. The date of last revision is not exactly shown however links to current news events from around the world show that this site is updated frequently.

* Jessica A. Wilhelmsen Reviewed August 31, 2010 o International Children's Digital Library Overview The purpose of this site is to provide accessibility to children's literature that spans multiple languages and cultures. Its audience is geared toward ages 3 to 13 as well as for librarians, educators, parents and researchers. The site is a collection of currently over 4400 children's books in 54 languages, with the goal of adding and translating even more. This site provides a plethora of resources for children and adults keeping with current technology as well as current research. Users are able to navigate easily through this site finding information as well as activities that makes it engaging and easy for ever user. Younger children will need some assistance when looking for specific books but will be able to turn the pages as well as make the print bigger or smaller. The overall feel from community postings and twitter, gives this site great reviews. Content The content of the Children's Library allows the user to quickly determine the point and use of the site. It provides a site map that is visible, allowing material on the site to be easily identified. Identification tabs with sub menus are located at the top for quick reference. Children accessing the site, interested just in reading would be able to identify the "read a book" button which is centrally located on the page. The content is free of biases and provides users with multiple opportunities to be interactive. This site is educationally based and updates are provided frequently. It is also, well organized providing information on its mission as well as its sponsors. Design The esthetics of the Children's Library is appealing. It uses mostly primary to pastel colors giving an ease to the feel of the website. The links are also helpful as well as appropriate. When navigators access the "read a book" button the format changes to a more interactive coloring b

http://www.indianchild.com/know_the_solar_system.htm Revised by: Rhianna Kipper Overview: The intended purpose of this site can be assumed but it isn't clearly laid out exactly what it's meant to do. The audience isn't clearly laid out at all. The resources of the sight are limited to what is written and the author isn't clearly identified so there's no way to tell how credible it is. I didn't get a very good result from visiting this website and I wouldn't suggest it for anyone else. Content: The audience of this webpage isn't clearly identified at all and the basic content is partly outlined but not in a very effective way. The author is not clearly identified and no information about an author of any kind is available. The sponsor isn't available and a contact person or address isn't listed. There is not revision date. The links to other websites are working properly but they appear to be advertisements connected to random words. The purpose is clear and the content is somewhat organized but it isn't laid out in a productive way. It is free of bias but I wouldn't consider this a website to come back to. Design: This page seems to download fairly effectively. It doesn't have much eye appeal and seems very homemade with little effort. You can't really tell where you are and the content is somewhat clear but not as much as the NASA website. There is not site sponsor identified and there are no dates to show any upgrades or revisions. It's fairly easy to move around so directions wouldn't really be needed. Links to other pages are only advertisements which in most cases probably wouldn't be helpful in most cases. There is some sufficient information but it is very short.

http://science.nasa.gov/kids/ Reviewed by: Rhianna Kipper Overview: The intended purpose of this sight is very clear. It's name is the first clue that the content is meant for kids wanting to learn about the solar system. It lays out the solar system in a way that kids can understand and also offers games and other things to engage them. There is a table of contents that clearly defines all of the pages available which include almost every part of the Universe. This sight is informative and fun at the same time and would be great for older age elementary students to use. Content: The content of this webpage is both informative and fun. Its audience is clearly stated in the name and its purpose is also laid out clearly in the opening paragraph as well as the contents bar to the side. This bar makes it easy to quickly determine what is available on the website. The author is clearly identified and is credible because they are listed as a NASA official. The sponsor is obviously NASA and that is identified. The latest revision date is provided and is recent. I believe that the content is recent and all the links are working properly. All of the content is complete and the purpose is clearly stated. It is all very well organized and free of biased. I would consider this site one worth going back to. Design: The website downloads efficiently and there is immediately appeal to how organized it ia. You can tell where you are and that all the content is related to what you're looking for. The site sponsor is clearly identified. You can move around to each section without clicking too many times or going to unnecessary web pages. There is plenty of information and the same basic format is used throughout the website. The date it was last revised is available and seems to be recent.

Rachel Linke8/31/10ITEC 2360 Overview I did not like any aspect of this website, and would not recommend it to others. The purpose of this site I believe is a sort of online classroom for elementary students. It is unclear who the intended audience is but I would assume it would be the students who may be part of this online school and their parents. There do seem to be several resources available due to the indication of other links, forums, and blogs on the homepage.  Content Evaluation I would not come back to this site for multiple reasons. The major thing is probably the lack of clarity and organization to the page. If you were to stumble across this website on accident I do not think that you would be able to infer as to what the site was about. There is a toolbar on the homepage, but the page is unclear and thus it is not clear as to what the toolbar would assist you with.  Design Evaluation My review for the design of the website is much the same as the content. For there is a lack of organization and clarity, and there is not much appeal to the site. The design does get good marks for the multimedia aspect though. There seems to be many current technologies within the site such as twitter, blogs, forums, videos, and youtube. 

Enhancing Secondary Math Education with the Net Reviewed by Betina Turner 8/31/10 ITEC 2360-02 This website has hot links to many different web sites that help teachers use technology in the classroom to teach math. Each one of the links has a synopsis on what you will find on that site. It is very easy to navigate. The Web sites appearance is simple but effective. It has a list of categories so you can simply bring up just a list of links for specific areas of focus, and it also has "asks an expert" links. I clicked on several of the links this site contains and I did not come up with any dead ends. Some of the links not only will help me find ideas for teaching math to my students but some of the sites will even help with my current math classes that I am taking. I believe I will be using this site a lot in the future. It will save me a lot of time that I would have normally spent in search engines weeding out the junk! The only problem that I could see with this site is that it may not remain on the web forever and may not get updated because it was designed by UEN to accompany a class for secondary math education teachers and it is not clearly stated when it was made and when the last update was. But all the links I went to did work!!

http://play.lego.com/en-US/default.aspx Reviewed by Angela Eiden 8/31/2010 Overview This site was created by the famous Lego Company. This site is loaded with fun and interesting games, comics, movies and downloads. Furthermore, this site has tons of content to entertain for hours. However, the drawback is that most of this stuff is not set up into a traditional educational way. Therefore, this site may be entertaining and loaded with fun stuff, but it will not be the perfect educational experience. The games are all Lego related and are quite engaging. However, they do have games for all ages, including preschoolers. Content This site is filled with content, including a copyright listed at the bottom of every page. However, there are no additional sites listed, with the exception of other sites that were created by Lego itself. There is also a copyright for all of the logos listed on the site. Design This site is extremely engaging due to the colors and themes used throughout the site. However, adult supervision may be required for younger kids. The site can be a little misleading on the easiness of getting to where you want to be. You may have to click through several pages to get to the one you are looking for. This may be quite difficult for younger ones to handle.

http://www.crayola.com/free-coloring-pages/ Reviewed by Angela Eiden 8/31/2010 Overview This site was created by Crayola, the crayon maker. It is designed for kids and teachers alike. There are literally thousands of coloring pages for teachers and children to choose through. This site also includes features such as craft ideas and games for the youngsters. The site is fairly easy to sort through, once the desired page is found simply print and color. There are also hundreds of craft ideas to sort through. There are step by step instructions for each and every craft idea. The game page is loaded with fun and interesting games and ideas for those of all ages. This site is fairly easy to navigate through and it is very age appropriate. Content The only sponsor listed on this site is Crayola due to the fact that this site was designed and created by Crayola. This site does have a copyright listed through Crayola LLC. Furthermore, there are several logos that are copyrighted within the site. There are no outside links to other sites due to the extent of the Crayola content throughout the site. The site is quite useful in the educational information for the younger elementary students. And the content is extremely age appropriate for the intended audience. Design This site has a solid design for the intended audience. It is extremely colorful due to the nature of the creators, Crayola. Furthermore, the background theme plays off of the original theme of the Crayola box.

Reviewed by Kelsey Bancroft 8/31/10 Overview This website targets educators. It is filled with lesson plans, technology integration, activity ideas, etc. for the classroom. Many teachers would benefit from this site, but especially teachers who are just starting out. There are many different links on this site to navigate to, but there are almost too many links. There is so much on this website, it's a little bit hectic for a person to find what they are looking for. The site is nice because of all the amounts of information that can be found, but it is a little busy. Content The content on this site for the most part is all very good. There is a lot of everything on this site to be found. The only downfall is the process of finding it. If a teacher or anyone has time to sit down and look for what they want, then it's a great site, but if they are crunched for time it may not be the right site for them. There is all sorts of lesson plans, technology integration, proffessional development, and so forth. There is a lot of information here on this site that is worth looking through and bookmarking. Design The design of this site is a little crazy. It is well organized by all the different categories being grouped together, but there is so much on the page that it may be hard to find exactly what one is looking for. The look of the page may turn someone away simply because of how much is going on, but if someone sat and looked through the information it gives, they might find it useful. The design could lose a little cluster.

Emily Phillips 8/31/2010 Overview: The purpose of this site is for a quick and easy way to solve simple math problems that only involve numbers, not concepts. The intended audiences are math students in lower levels of math. No available resources are provided. This site is basically a calculator with many functions, but can't do all of the functions that a more advanced graphing calculator can. While the site was easy to navigate, moving advertisements and pictures are distracting to the user. Content: A user can easily tell if this site will help their needs however in order to have full access to the site (i.e. the ability to see the steps to get the answer to the entered equation) they must be a member of the site. The information is accurate but since the answers are computer generated, once the user enters into calculus equations, they should be careful to check their answers with other sources because there is a chance that the answer could be one that is not the appropriate answer. There are no links to other sites that might be helpful or related to the subject. Design: The design was good and easy to navigate and follow. The pages within the site come up fairly quickly and the designs of each page are consistent. Some of the graphics contribute to the site but the advertisements definitely take away attention to the site.

Emily Phillips 8/31/2010 Overview: The purpose of this site is for the teacher to give his students easy access of his math notes and to provide his notes and math help to people who might need it. The intended audiences are students in his math class or math students in general, most likely in high school or college because of the levels of math that he covers (i.e. Algebra, Calculus I, II, etc.). Because it appears that he is the only one managing this site, he has provided other links where people can go to ask math questions. I think this site would be very helpful for people who need extra help and examples and need to find them quickly. Even though there weren't any stand out graphics or many colors, the site was easy to navigate and there was nothing to distract you like the ads that are normally along the side or top of the page. Content: It is very easy to tell quickly if this site would assist a person in their math needs or not because everything that one would need to find is available in a drop down menu at the very top and immediate left of the page. The information provided on the site seems current and accurate and the author appears to be qualified considering he states he is a professor at Lamar University (for which there is a link). The sponsor of the site is not clearly identified however. The links to other sites are very helpful and would further answer the user's questions if this site was unable to answer them. Design: The overall design was simple and easy to follow but maybe some more attractive colors could have been used to attract the eye of a person who might just be browsing through math websites. There were no graphics to distract from the subject and they are not necessary to emphasize anything on this subject. It would possibly be more beneficial to users if there were at least a couple examples which were interactive and let them figure out the answer for themselves.

kidopo.com Reviewed by Kristie Neises on 8/30/2010 Overview The purpose of this site is to provide free online resources for classroom activities for younger age level students in elementary school. It provides coloring pages, games, printable goodies, and craft ideas. The website is very good in both content and design. It has a theme that fits for its intended audience with bright colors and pictures. Everything within the site works very well and has a purpose. This site is worth bookmarking for anyone teaching preschool to first grade. Content Everything about this site is well done. It posts all of its legal information and contacts as links at the bottom of the page. Things that are to be given credit from another site are done so clearly. The purpose of the site is clear, to provide entertainment to teachers to use in their classroom. The content is bias free or hard to detect. All information appears to be accurate and up to date and is supplied when necessary. Overall the content is complete and cleanly done in a way that does not take away from the visual aspects of the site. Design The design of this site is extremely well done as well. The main navigation bar at the top is easy to use and clearly states each category that the site offers and makes using the site very easy. The graphics are perfect for the intended audience as elementary teachers with pictures like school buses and flowers and are not overdone. The site has sufficient information and organizes it well into categories that can be easily browsed. Links are not broken and lead to sites that are relevant and helpful as well. The site is also fantastic in keeping up to date even changing content to go with the seasons so that there are activities for every major part of the school year.