Resources for Web User Effectiveness

Foundations for An Internet Curriculum

Computer Skills for Information Problem-Solving
Johnson-Eisenberg paper on an effective approach to using the Internet for research.
Problem Based Learning
Problem Based Learning is easily personalized to the needs of individual students, who are better able to learn at their own pace. It is especially suitable for an information-rich curriculum
Information Literacy and the Net
Jamieson MacKenzie's online course from Bellingham Schools (Washington) "emphasizes student investigations as vehicles to explore the information available over the Internet. The course engages participants in learning the Research Cycle, several types of literacy, Gardner's Seven Intelligences and much more."
Curriculum & Lesson Plans for Information Literacy
The Washington Library Media Association has gatehred together a collection of approaches and lessons that support the teaching of Information literacy skills.
The Building Blocks of Research: An Overview of Design, Process and Outcomes
This document, created by Debbie Abilock, tries to tease out the relationships among information literacy, problem solving, curriculum design and teaching.
Media Literacy
Huge collection of links related to the understanding of the mass media. Special sections on Commercial Media-Television, General and Multimedia, Media Literacy, Media and Children, and Media History.
Using Primary Sources
Suggestions for using primary sources were compiled from the National Digital Library's Educators' Forum held in July, 1995 and from the Library staff. History comes alive for students who are plugged into primary sources.
Online School Museums and Projects
Many students at K-12 schools create online exhibitions, known as "museums". This site, created by the noted online educator Jamie McKenzie (FromNowOn), offers how-to-do-it information, as well as links to student creations.

An Internet Curriculum With Children In Mind

Child Safety on the Information Highway
Parent-oriented information regarding safe, effective use of the Internet by children. Discusses risks and benefits.
Filtering the Internet in K-12 Schools and Libraries
"Provided here is information on software products and other technologies that allow schools to control access by children to objectionable sites on the Internet."
Platform for Internet Content Selection
PICS is an infrastructure for associating labels (metadata) with Internet content. It was originally designed to help parents and teachers control what children access on the Internet, but it also facilitates other uses for labels, including code signing, privacy, and intellectual property rights management.

Evaluating the Quality of Internet Sources

A Modular Approach to Teaching the World Wide Web
These materials were designed by Mike Powell, Marsha Tate, and Jan Alexander, Reference Librarians at the Wolfgram Memorial Library, Widener University. The teaching pyramid and the eight modules provide the basis for a President's Showcase of Ideas poster session at the June, 1997 American Library Association Conference in San Francisco.
Kathy Schrock's Collection of Critical Evaluation Surveys
Three useful evaluation surveys (for elementary, middle and secondary schools), plus links to related resources for the critical evaluation of Internet resources.
How to Critically Analyze Information Sources
Nice, simple set of criteria for evaluating general information sources. Has a link to a following section on developing a research strategy.
Critical Evaluation of Resources on the Internet
From the University of Alberta (Canada), a simple, straightforward set of five key points by which a Web/Internet information resource may be evaluated.
Internet Source Validation Project
The purpose of this Action Research project was to develop a set of guidelines for students and teachers who want to use the Internet as a source of information for research papers.
Teaching Critical Evaluation Skills for World Wide Web Resources
An unusually thorough presentation on the evaluation of Web resources, including both text and powerpoint versions, plus checklists for evaluating particular types of information sources: Advocacy, Business/Marketing, Informational, News, and Personal sites.
Thinking Critically About WWW Resources
This succinct UCLA checklist offers content, structural and source-date criteria for Web resource evaluation.
Evaluating World Wide Web Information
The Purdue University Library offers a simple, visual approach to evaluation through an examination of several key Web page elements.
Evaluating Quality On the Net
Hope Tillman offers an in-depth analysis and overview of criteria for evaluation of Web resources. Includes an interesting overview of resource types, with links to example pages; plus excellent sections on Search Engines, Guides, and a nice summary of criteria at the end of the document.
Web Page Evaluation Worksheet
This worksheet for Web site evalustion was created by Dr. Nancy Everhart for use in her classes at St. John's University - Division of Library and Information Science.

Workshops Online: All About The Internet

The Internet As Curriculum
Jamieson MacKenzie's article in his online magazine, From Now On, examines the nature of curriculum, and offers strategies for its use with the vast and chaotic resources of the Internet. His concept of "prospecting" for information offers effective strategies for both students and teachers.
Workshop: Teaching Uses of the Web
The purpose of this page is to provide quick reference links for a workshop to learn how to integrate the Internet into classroom teaching and design Web pages.
Internet Basics Elective
Online high school elective course on using the Internet.
InterNIC 15 Minute Series
A series of lessons on using the Web, provided by InterNIC, the Network Information Center.
MCTP Workshop Handouts
Collection of handouts from various Internet trainers at organizations, schools and colleges.
Sites to See- Internet Trainer Handouts
Collection of handouts and links to plaves to visit during a workshop on the Internet. Created by a librarian whose participants had little or no previous Internet experience.
Roadmap for the Information Superhighway
Roadmap is an Internet training workshop designed by Patrick Crispen to teach new "Net travellers" how to travel around the rapidly expanding (and often times confusing) "Information Superhighway".
US EPA Region 2 Library: Internet Training
Tips for effective use of the Internet, from a librarian's perspective, including basic and advanced searching techniques.
Collins Web Genre Categories
Classification system as a way to group or better understand (and make use of) the various kinds of Web resources available, provided by the InfoFilter Project.

All About Internet Search Engines

Comparison of search engine user interface capabilities
From Australia: "The following is a table showing the search tool features different robot-driven search engines offer. I have split the table in half for easy viewing. This can assist as a quick reference guide when using the different robot-driven search engines."
The Major Search Engines
Excellent overview and explanation of many features and characteristics of Web search engines, illustrated with helpful charts and graphics. Includes sections on: How They Work, Major Players (searchers), Features (of each), Tips for Use, etc.
How to Search the Web: A Guide To Search Tools
Handy guide to effective use of the major search engines. Each is explained and evaluated in terms of its strengths and weaknesses, and recommended searching strategies. Nice summary of search engine features near the end of the page, followed by a summary of general search tips.
Understanding and Comparing Search Engines
A collection of articles and handouts on using Internet search engines.
Guide to Searching the 'Net
This series of pages is designed to help students and teachers think about using the Internet for research in K-12 schools. "Surfing" the Internet can be as overwhelming and time-consuming as browsing a large library without a card catalog.
Search the Net: Top Ten (and Twenty) Searching Resources Reviewed
Internet trainer Tracy Marks rates and describes the twenty most effective search engines search resources on the Web.
A Collection of Search-Engines
A well organized, comprehensive collection of search engines (dozens) gathered by a Network Information Center in The Netherlands.

Reference Resources on the Internet

News Sources, Databases and Internet Guides

The Argus Internet Guides Clearinghouse
The Internet is as much about collaboration and cooperation as anything else. Individuals and organizations make their information resources available, and Guide authors search for, describe, evaluate, repackage, and include them in their guides. The Clearinghouse does much the same thing for the guides--they find, describe, evaluate, and make available these guides via a central location.

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