Name: __________________________________________ Date:____________

CRITICAL EVALUATION OF A WEB SITE: WEB SITES FOR USE BY EDUCATORS

2006-09. Kathleen Schrock ([email protected])
Kathy Schrock's Home Page http://kathyschrock.net
What type of connection do you have to the Internet?
Dial-up connection
High-speed connection DSL T1 T3 Broadband/cable/satellite Other

What Web browser are you using?


What is the URL of the Web page you are evaluating? http://


What is the name of the site?





Part 1: Technical and visual aspects of the page
As you look at the questions below, put an X in the yes or no column for each.
YES NO
Does the page take a long time to load?
Do any pictures or photographs on the page add to the information?
Is the spelling and grammar correct on the page?
Are there headings and subheadings on the page?

If so, are they helpful?

Is the page signed by the author?
Is the author's e-mail address included?
Is there a date on the page that tells you when it was last updated?

If so, is it current?

Is the format of the page standard and readable with your browser?
Is there an image map (large clickable graphic with hyperlinks) on the page?
Is there a table (columns of text) on the page? (Check the source code to be sure.)

If so, is the table readable with your browser?

If you have graphics turned off, is there a text alternate to the images?
On supporting pages, is there a link back to the home page?
Are the links clearly visible and annotated or explanatory?
Do photographs or sound files appear on the page?

If so, can you be sure that a picture or sound has not been edited?

If you're not sure, should you accept the information as valid for your purpose?


Summary of Part One
Using the data you have collected above, write a short statement explaining why you would or wouldn't recommend
this site to a fellow educator.










2002-09. Kathy Schrock. All rights reserved. Permission to reproduce for classroom use granted.
No permisson granted for derivative works.
Deborah Johnson 07/18/2014

Google Chrome
http://www.teachersteachingteachers.org/
Teachers Teaching Teachers

The creators' names are not readily apparent. Susan Ettenheim and Thomas Locke are mainly responsible for this blog
and podcasts. Since 2006 the two of them have been the core of the webpage; however, I cannot tell who created the
page. The website is not supported by by quality photos or illustrations, but due to the domain designation (.org), I am
inclined to trust the website.



Part 2: Content As you look at the questions below, put an X in the yes or no
column for each.
YES NO
Is the title of the page indicative of the content?
Is the purpose of the page indicated on the home page?
When was the document created?
If there is no date, does the information appear to be current?
Does up-to-date information matter for your purpose?
Is the information found on the page useful for your purpose?
Would it have been easier to get the information somewhere else?
Would information somewhere else have been different? Why or why not?





Did the information lead you to other sources, both print and Web, that were useful?
Is a bibliography of print sources included?
Does the information appear biased? (One-sided, critical of opposing views, etc.)
Does the information contradict something you found somewhere else?
Do most of the pictures supplement the content of the page?

Part 3: Authority
As you look at the questions below, put an X in the yes or no column for each.
YES NO
Who created the page?


What organization is the person affiliated with?


Conduct a link: command in a search engine to see who links to this page. Can you tell if
other experts in the field think this is a reputable page?

Does the domain of the page (k12, edu, com, org, gov) influence your evaluation?
Are you positive the information is valid and authoritative?
What can you do to validate the information?


Are you satisfied the information useful for your purpose? If not, what can you do next?




If you do a search in the newsgroups (i.e. Google Groups) on the creator of the page, do
you find additional information that shows the Web page author is an expert in the field?


Part 4: Pedagogy
As you look at the questions below, put an X in the yes or no column for each.
Y N N/A
Does the information on this page adhere to research-based principles of teaching?
Does the information on this page provide easily-replicable best-practice information?
Does the information on the page provide links to professional teaching standards?

If the site is intended to provide professional development for educators, is the
information presented using multiple modes of presentation, such as the use of text,
illustrations, videos, audio, etc.?

I could have read about Detroit's Future Schools in the Detroit Free Press. Even though
biased, the information would have been concise, succinct, & perhaps, comprehensive.

Susan Ettenheim & Thomas Locke are mainly responsible for this blog and podcast. Since 2006, the 3 of them have been the core.
NWP and NYCWP

Type in one of the names on the site in a search engine.

Researched the background on one of the creators. For example, via a search engine
search, I discovered that Susan Ettenheim is a high school English teacher.

Looking at all of the data you have collected above while evaluating the site, explain why or why not this site
is (or is not) valid for your purpose. Include the aspects of technical content, authenticity, authority, bias,
pedagogy, and subject content.







2002-09. Kathy Schrock. All rights reserved. Permission to reproduce for classroom use granted.
No permisson granted for derivative works.



























Teachers-Teaching-Teachers is a weekly webcast on the EdTech Talk channel of the WorldBridges network. There
are seven names listed on the left side of the page. When I clicked on one of the names, there appeared a listing of
archived webcasts with anecdotal notes of several blogs containing audio files only. The only way back to the home
screen was by way of the backspace arrow located in the upper left-hand corner of my computer screen. In other
words, I did not find a tab to take me back to the home page. There are links to RSS Feed, iTunes, and YouTube. The
site is affiliated with NWP, and NYCWP. With an offer to subscribe to various pedagogical topics, this site, definitely, is
geared toward teachers.

The most recent webcast listed took place in March 2014. They 'talk about open learning and open educational
resources in K-12 education and discuss the benefits and challenges of open resources, such as the new K-12 OER
Community of Practice, http://www.k12opened.com/community/ and how online spaces like this and others might be
used to support educators in opening up their practice.' After listening to about 15 minutes of an hour webcast, I
decided that the website is not for me and most people that I know would not be interested in it either. However, I
clicked on another file that I thought might interest me called "Detroit Future Schools." The host took too long to get to
the topic; he spent a long time introducing and mentioning the participants; and besides, it was an audio file only. At
least, with the first webcast, I had access to a video. I became quickly disinterested. I clicked on other links, and they
were just a repeat of the first webcast.

This webpage was created using WordPress.org, which has a disclaimer on their website 'recommending not to run
the software because it is still in development.' Therefore, the technical aspects of the website are not ready for prime
time. The topics and discussions are delivered by educators who are extremely biased. Basically, the webpage
consists of teachers sharing their opinions online using audio and some video files. Since there are no supplemental
pictures to support the content of the page, the webpage is extremely uninviting. Even though this website is listed on
the top 100 educators site, I would not recommend this website to others.