Criteria for the Evaluation of Web-Based Materials

There are a number of resources out there that can be used to evaluate web-based materials.  Anne listed several really great ideas in her blog this week.  As I did my research, I found another  wonderful resource that might be helpful, LibraryInstruction.com (“The Librarian’s Weapon of Mass Instruction”).  They list an article titled, “Evaluating Online Educational Materials for Use in Instruction.”  It also has an extensive list of other resources at the end of the article.  The article lists seven major topic areas to consider, which I’ll summarize here. 

 

Ask yourself questions, such as:  Does the site provide evidence that it comes from a reputable source?  Does the site contain any biases, errors, or obvious omissions?  Is it current and up to date?  Does it contain advertising which could limit the scope of the site or its validity?

 

Is the level of information appropriate for the intended audience?  Does it contain unsuitable vocabulary?  Is there any stereotyping?

Is the information presented clearly?  Is there a clear tie to its purpose and procedures?   Does it contain activities that are closely related to its purpose?  Are there gaps in concepts?  Are the activities challenging for the audience?  Are they appropriate for the age groups they are designed for?

 

Is it well organized?  Are there opportunities for learner engagement?  Are there clear opportunities for learner action related directly to the topic?  Will the learners have options and choices that are age-appropriate?  Does it offer any differentiation for different students that are still engaging?

 

 

Here’s the link:

 

http://www.libraryinstruction.com/evaluating.html

 

I would also add:  Is the site user-friendly?  Are any links listed current and still valid?  Does it clearly state somewhere who the author of the site is?

 

Right now, it seems very daunting to try and remember all these important pieces of evaluating web-based learning.  I suppose with time and practice, we will learn to do this automatically, but right now, it’s very easy to find a resource that might have several  parts that seem intriguing or fun, and to try to use it or even to adapt it without running through a list of criteria.  I am learning that this can be a waste of time and perhaps even damaging.  It’s our jobs as educators to be diligent and responsible in what resources we use with our students and how we teach them to use the web.