ITEC2360

Casey Degabain January 24, 2010 Overview This site is appropriate for ages k-12 there is a sections for kids and teenagers the site is easy to navigate through everything is clearly labeled and easy to follow. The different sections are age appropriate and seems like a useful teaching tool Content In the teenage section there is different links that shows agro world which allows kids to see promising job opportunities in agriculture a science section that gives idea for science projects and help with science issues. There is also an issues links that show current events students opions on issues and facts. The kid's part has sciences projects as well ag-knowledge, farm & fun food, virtual tours and state ag facts. My impression of this site is good it has a lot of useful information that would really help students. The check list shows me that this site is worth book marking for future references. Design This site is designed well the kids section is age appropriate there are farm characters and games along with educational information. The same with the teen sections it has information that would help older kids with school work and projects and doesn't have games and would appeal more to older kids. The site is well designed and easy to use.

Content Summary: The site at first is a little hard to determine the basic content of the site unless you knew about the program before visiting the site. The sponsors for the site are clearly identified on the site and each one had a separate link for them. The site did no have posted anything on the information currency. However, the information on the site is talking about the program therefore; the information does not need to be updated as much. The site met all the information quality standards for the evaluation. The site was well organized and the purpose of the site was clear and easy to understand. Design Summary: The Growing Up Wild web site is very neat and fresh looking. The site and the links on the page downloaded efficiently. All of the text was well organized and easy to read. Navigating around on this site and moving form topic to topic was easy. The few graphics they displayed made a contribution to the site and was the right amount to attract the eye but not take away from the information. There was also availability of further information provided for those who want it. Overview: Growing Up Wild is a site that explains an early childhood education program. This site is for teachers or other educators. This program focuses on having students explore wildlife, nature and the world around them. It also has great activities for students to participate in and learn useful information. The site was very well designed, easy to use, and contained useful information.

Katie Hurrell January 21, 2010 Overview: The website transforming teaching through technology is a website that provides students with free plug- ins that allow them to play interactive games for learning on the internet. The intended audience is both teachers and students. The available resources are the programs that are needed in order for the students to use different websites. There is different websites and sections that students can visit to find a game that sounds interesting to them. This website seems like it could be hard to use but the design of the website makes it look not as intimidating as it could be. Content: This website makes it hard for the user to understand what the basic content of the site is. There is no information on the author but the website does talk about plug-ins which might be helpful to a student who does not know what a plug-in is. There is a contact person which is helpful if a user has questions about installing plug-ins. The content on this website appears to be complete and the content of the site is well organized and the site does offer a lot of information on the plug ins and the games that the website has on it. The content of linked sites is worthwhile and appropriate to the audiences needs/purposes. The site is very useful and worth bookmarking. Design: The homepage downloaded efficiently and the copyright date was easy to find. When installing a plug-in there is directions for the user to follow in order to insure that they have downloaded the plug in correctly. The links that are provided to other pages within the site are helpful and appropriate. The site is equally effective with a variety of browsers. There is sufficient information to make the site worth visiting and the information is clearly labeled and organized. The links are well organized and easy to use. A working link is provided to contact the website with any questions or comments. This website is complicated but the design

Olivia Mabie-January 24, 2010 Content: This website has multiple links used in the classroom for teaching with technology. There are many interactive activities for all the subjects aimed at elementary aged students. There were a few things I could not be found on the website such as when it was published and when it was last updated. Before using the links to the other websites you have to make sure the correct media players are installed on the computers, most of these are free. The website is organized in a way that would be easy for elementary students to find what they are looking for. With the topic titles at the top of the page it is easy to get to the place where they need to be in order to complete the assignment. Design: This website was very easy to navigate and it was made easy for the elementary students to navigate it too. There was not any distracting pictures or pop-ups that made it hard to find the links. There are topics/titles at the top of the page which will help find the different links for the subjects. Once the link is clicked on it takes you right to the homepage of the next site, it does not take multiple clicks to get to the website you want your students to go to. There was information I could not find on the website such as when it was published and if it had been updated recently. Once the other links are clicked on there are many multimedia uses in the new websites. Overview: This is a wonderful website for teachers to use because it gets students out of their seats and they get to do something on the computers instead of just listening to the teacher at the front of the classroom. Some students learn differently and teachers need to do more interactive things in the classrooms to get students to understand the subjects better. The site was very easy to navigate and to find the other links/websites found within the original one. This would be a site teachers need to keep in mind to let students learn in a different way.

Posted by Ashley Lyden on 1-23-09 Content Summary: This site had a very high content evaluation rank. It was easy to determine the basic content on the site right away. The information providers were clearly listed on the bottom of the page as well as the information currency. The links to other sites were all working properly and helpful information. The information quality for the site was effective and easy to understand. The information was free from bias and grammar and spelling errors. It was also well organized and the information was broken down to fit the correct subject topic. Design Summary: The site is well designed and downloads efficiently. It is very easy to travel through the site and isn't too busy you get lost on the site. There is a table of context that also makes it easy to navigate around. The content presentation was one of the best things about the site. The information was clear, organized, and labeled. There are no ads and other distractions post on the page. Overview: Kids' Health is a site to educate younger students on health topics. They provide information on a wide range of topics students might have questions on. The information is set up so it is easy for younger students to read and understand the point of the topic. It also presents its information as how real kids would think or what they would ask.

Mandy Schumacher 1-24-10 Overview: World Digital Library (www.wdl.org) is a very informational site that can be accessed by anyone. This site could be a very useful tool in the classroom. It is a huge collection of documents that teach about places from all around the world and from all different times in history. All of this information is presented in a well organized easy navigable way. Content: The purpose of this site is purely informational. Historical information from 8000 BC to 2010 AD is available on World Digital Library. The user can also pick anywhere on the globe that he/she wishes to learn more about. The information on this site seems to be legitimate and the sponsor is clearly represented at the bottom of the page. Further information about the site, help, and contact information is all included at links at the bottom of the page as well. This website is extremely useful and educational. Design: World Digital Library loaded very quickly and the homepage has very strong eye appeal. The user is able to choose which era they would like to learn more about. They can then choose any part of the world. Content can also be found by browsing a specific place, time, or topic. The user just has to click on which part of the world they wish to learn more about. This website is extremely easy to use and involves simple navigation.

Katie Hertel 1-24-2010 Overview: SFS Kids Fun with Music is a website designed to educate children and adolescents about the fundamentals of music. It also provides a great way for people of all ages to hear, learn and have fun with music. Overall it has the accurate information needed and has valuable resources but it doesn't show where it is directly coming from making the accuracy and authority questionable. These resources help if the website is not working correctly along with system requirements in order for it to work effectively and efficiently. Content: The content of this website is supported as one of the best educational music sites out there but it has faults due to the system requirements that it has. In order for it to work the way it's supposed to the required content includes Flash and audio players and Quicktime VR. Although downloading these takes time away from the learning it's quick and easy to do. It includes the kinds of instruments in an orchestra and a music lab full of fun facts and definitions of things related with music. Most of it was easily accessible and contained a lot of information but it didn't give credible information on where it was coming from. It also includes various symphonies that you can take children to enjoy great music and educate at the same time. All in all, the downsides of this included the required programs and not having credibility present. I also had trouble finding dates of publication which is definitely a disadvantage as well. Design: This site is somewhat visually attracting but it only takes up half of a webpage leaving the other side a solid yellow. It kind of takes away from the sites information that it can provide because of the little space used. While it has these faults, it also has good points to it visually due to no advertisements popping up randomly or on the side and is easy to navigate through. The headlines of the tabs easily show what that section is about and tidbits o

This site provides resources for getting a digital story started. It includes writing guides, tips, voice, pacing, etc.

Monique Koller Jan. 24 2010 These Stories in These Pictures is an interesting site that gives people a way to break through a writing block they may be encountering. Content: The content of this website is interesting however once you've read through the information on the pages there seems little reason to return to the site. I enjoyed reading the ideas given to break through a writing block and create a creative and interesting story. The ideas were useful and could be used in your classroom when directing your students in a new direction. Design: This website was very easy to navigate. You are given an apple and a couple of tabs. The site is mostly text so everything loaded pretty quickly. It had a few resources that linked you to the stories the author referenced or used examples from. Overview: This site is mostly for professional writers however it can be used by teachers as ideas on getting their students to make creative pieces. This site is worth a visit but I doubt a person would return after reading the content.

Jaymes Talkington January 23, 2010 http://www.gilderlehrman.org/ Content This is a great American history site. It is full of historical documents, maps, and podcasts of historians by era. This site also contains curriculum models and quizzes for history teachers to use in class. It also has a lot to offer for students as well. Most of the information is either talked about by a historian, or comes from digital copy of a historical document so it is cited and creditable. The content of the site seems to be updated daily. Design The website is pretty user friendly and simple to use. The headings are noticeable and specific. There is a search box instead of an index. The site loaded regularly with no delays as did the podcasts. There is no unnecessary advertising on the site. All the links I tried seemed to be sufficient. The browser capability works for Internet Explorer. There doesn't seem to be any 'out of date' material on the site. Overview The web site seems to be mostly for the use of teachers; however I think it has a lot of information that can be used by students. The historical documents, maps, and podcasts are primarily for students, but can also be used by teachers. Its main purpose is to educate, and aid teachers with American history. I think this site would be very useful for teaching an American history class or even writing a paper on a certain event in American history. I was impressed with the amount of information the site contained.

Jaymes Talkington January 23, 2010 http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/ Content This is a site full of documents from the World History Archive. However, the site doesn't presume to validate the accuracy or authenticity of the documents. The information is available but it's up to the reader to research if the information is reliable. The dates that the articles were posted are listed, but none that I observed were very recent. Despite the credibility issue, the site is very informational. Since the site is well organized, it is pretty easy to use. I couldn't find any links on the web site. Design This website is pretty clear about its content on the homepage. If you can't find what you're looking for on the homepage, there is a Google search bar in the center of the page. The page clearly identifies that the information is provided by Hartford Web Publishing. However, the copyright date is not easily distinguished. It's a very simple site to use since all the major topics are listed on the homepage. I didn't find any available links on the site. There were no advertisements on the site at all, so nothing pops up in your way. The information on the site is sufficient for the most part; however there is still an issue on its validity. Overview So this is definitely an informational site that could be used from students to teachers. It ranges from documents to magazine articles about certain world history events. I would be cautious using this site because it doesn't presume the validity of its content; however, I did find some valuable information. I would definitely double check any information I use from this site.

Jaymes Talkington\nJanuary 24, 2010\nhttp://www.whitehouse.gov/about/white-house-101/\n\nContent\nThis site is full of information about the Whitehouse and all its former presidents. Both teachers and students can find a use for this site. Other information given on the site includes facts about how our government works, how the administration processes, and issues that are currently a problem in the Whitehouse. There shouldn't be any question of the authenticity of the information since it is a .gov site, although the authors are not named. The site is well organized to find what you need right away. \nDesign\nI didn't have any problems pulling up the site right away, and all the links seemed to be working. The homepage is easy to use and has a lot of different categories and news on it. All of the videos are used to inform not to advertise anything. There is plenty of information on the site that makes it worth visiting. I wasn't able to find any dates on when the site was last revised. \nOverview\nThis is a good site to use when wanting information on the Whitehouse and how our government works. The website itself is easy to use and contains a lot of information. I would be comfortable using the information on a paper or for teaching history and government. \n

Olivia Mabie -January 24, 2010 Content: This website contains lots of information for teachers and future teachers. The website has links at the top of the page that will help with putting together lesson plans, finding out what is current, etc. The classroom link at the top has other links attached inside that will help with putting together lesson plans in certain subjects and it also has a link for the different age groups, elementary, middle, and high school. Other teachers have put this together for other teachers to use; it is a great website with information that is very useful for future teachers and current teachers. Design: This site is not hard to find the things a teacher would be looking for on this website. It is very easy to navigate and find interesting things that could be used in a classroom. The website does not have a lot of distractions on it and there is information any teacher would want to know. Once the links were clicked on there were certain ones that had graphics but not all of them. Not having graphics on each page was good because it does not draw away from the content of the website. Overview: The purpose of this website is to make it easier for teachers to find lesson plans, units, and web resources in a fast and easy way with no ads or pop-ups. Teachers, parents, and even students can use this website to find information they need using the subject/grade level search, keyword search, or the extensive menus the site offers. This is an excellent site for any teachers and future teachers. The website has a ton of good information that will help any teacher out if he/she is stuck on finding something to do in the classroom.

Overview: This is a fun and entertaining website that suggests ideas for books you should read based on whatever you read last. It is a hit-and-miss. Its intended audience is for anyone who likes reading and would like suggestions. Content: This website contains over 65,000 and growing book suggestions and also allows you to register and build your own favorite list. When you access the site is easy to determine the content and intended audience. The information is always constantly being updated and revised so nothing is out of date. The links also are easy to use and work properly. Design: This website has a very simple design. It has a search bar in the middle of the page where you enter a title and author of the latest book you read. The search results come up with an easy and organized list of recommendations. It is easy to read and very understandable and accessible. The website downloads efficiently and the site is appealing and grabs tor attention.

Overview: This Chronicle of higher education is a very useful website. Its purpose is to provide news and information on many topics and current events. It is accessible to anyone, but probably intended for educated adults. Content: This website contains a lot of information. Its content consists of that of a newspaper plus much more. It provides tabs for the homepage, which has many headings links articles, and video clips on current news and events. The Chronicle also contains several other tabs including news, opinion and ideas, facts and figures, topics, jobs, advice, forums, and events. When you access the site is easy to determine the content and intended audience. The is avaliable information and the authors and researches for the different articles. The information is always constantly being updated and revised so nothing is out of date. The links also are easy to use and work properly. The information and content presented is not biased and achieves the intended purpose of informing and entertaining. Design: The chronicle of higher education is set up much like an online virtual newspaper. It has columns and headings like any ordinary newspaper but is also colorful and neatly organized to include many tabs and links. It is easy to read and very understandable and accessible. The website downloads efficiently and the site is appealing and grabs tor attention. The sites also provide copyright informational the provider is clearly identified. The links are clear and helpful and all the information including the photos videos and articles serve a clear purpose to the site.

Katie Hertel 1-24-2010 Overview: Funschool is a teaching tool that provides educational games ranging of content for pre-school through sixth grade students. It also has a resource section for teachers and parents to use that gives tips on how to educate children in an entertaining way. I found that it had many games relevant to learning but there are quite a few games that have no educational value at all which isn't necessarily a bad thing but not great either. I also probably wouldn't integrate this in with the teaching of future students but it wouldn't be harmful to a kids learning environment at home. Content: As I reviewed this website I found that it had a variety of games and activities that help teach but the content is so broad that it is easy to get sidetracked. It contains links that each have an educational topics such as Timewarp relating to historical events, Globerider as learning about different areas in the world, and Formula Fusion which helps enhance science and mathematical knowledge. All of these have relevant content related to learning for each grade Pre-K through sixth. The information that is being taught through the games is straightforward but not as entertaining as they appear to be. It would be easy to lose interest of the audience that it aims for as it is not very challenging. Design: Although many of the games were easy to navigate through, it may be hard for younger children to understand because of all the cluttered content. The ads were also overwhelming and distracting that have no relation to the site making it hard to concentrate on the content it is supposed to.

Overview: The purpose of this website is to help both teachers and students learn a bit more about the Spanish language. You immediately know about the authors and their passion for teaching Spanish. The resources are useful and engaging. Its simple layout makes navigating the site a breeze. Content: There are no advertisements on this site which makes it feel authentic. It's nice to see the author's information right away because it creates the sense that they truly care about the information they have provided. All of the links work, although there is some downloading required for the power point presentations. The way the information is presented also makes their information look fun. All of the information provided is the authors' own. Design: The layout is simple and there aren't a lot of advertisements. The Table of Contents is divided up into sections, so teachers can easily find the information they are looking for as well as students. This design is easy for anyone to use.

Jennifer Durn January 24, 2010 Pioneer Drama Service, Inc. - http://www.pioneerdrama.com/ OVERVIEW While this site was more of a commercial nature than the others that I reviewed for this assignment, the Pioneer Drama Service website appears to be a valuable resource for the director of a children's theater program or a school drama advisor. The company provides a useful search feature to locate the appropriate play or musical and utilizes a shopping cart, as do many other e-commerce sites. I plan to bookmark this site and use it in my career when I have the opportunity to be a drama or theater advisor in a school setting. CONTENT The intended audience is readily apparent when one first navigates to the Pioneer Drama Service site - the "educational and amateur market." The site is well organized and information is logically presented. The site is updated regularly with the most recent update having occurred on the day I viewed the site. Given the abundance of copyrighted material on the website, playwrights and authors are cited consistently. DESIGN The "Ask the Playwright" feature and blogs are two tools that I had not expected to see on the site. The "Ask the Playwright" button allows the user to send a message through the Pioneer Drama Service to inquire about the particular work. The blog section provides postings from staff as well as news feeds from other relevant websites. Many of the plays and musicals featured on the site also contain production photos and production notes, a useful tool when deciding which theatrical works will be featured in the upcoming season. The site performed without incident using Mozilla Firefox and presented information in a simple and user friendly fashion - search features at the top of the site and a toolbar with drop down menus on the left.