How do we evaluate the material that is on the web? That is a very tough question to not only think about, but to also answer. The wealth of information on the web is unbelievable. Whether it is accurate or not is a whole different issue. I am the type of person who generally likes to believe someone or something until it is proven incorrect. In general, this is how we all want to be treated but when it comes down to material on the web, we need to be a little bit more cautious. Since the web has broadened so that so many different individuals can publish information, accuracy has gone by the wayside. People publish their own opinions because they can, but our students take it as facts. Being able to teach not only ourselves but also our students how to search safely and accurately becomes just as important as one of the basic subject areas.
Baer with me because here I go again on my soapbox about how important it is for the LMS to spend time teaching our students the important techniques of evaluating the material on the web. State standards and district requirements are putting a huge weight on the classroom teachers shoulders and with limited time and larger class sizes it is getting harder and harder to meet these requirements. I have to again be honest when I say that the last thing I have time to do is go down to the computer lab and try to get all of my kids onto kid safe sites so that they can research a project on a Social Studies or Science topic. When it comes right down to it, it just seems easier to bring in the books. If my students were to learn what all of the different extensions mean and what are some fairly reliable sources, I would think we would all benefit from the wealth of information on the web. Since I myself am not sure what all of the extensions mean, how am I going to teach them to my students. Our building has teachers who have been teaching for 30 some years and are upset because they are being required to check their email once a day; how are we to expect their students to get the education about the web? If the LMS and the classroom teachers were to work more closely, I think some of these issues would be solved.
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Hi Kristen~
ReplyDeleteAwesome words, again! My suggestion to you regarding evaluating web sources is to use the BIG6 research information. Steps two and three, (2) Information Seeking Strategies and (3) Locating and Accessing Information will help you to prepare yourself and your students for where to find the information you are looking for. Another trick is to actually use the databases your school provides, whether it is Ebscohost, Searchasaurus, or SIRS.
Again, Google has a time and place for its use, but it is not appropriate for elementary school students. In my opinion, I believe that the use of Google should begin in or around the tenth grade, only because it becomes developmentally appropriate at this age. When you or I use Google, we possess the critical thinking skills necessary to sort out the garbage from the good. Students in elementary or middle school do not yet have these skills. Heck, some of us do not have these skills! But back on topic; there are many different information literacy models out there that can help you on your journey (…just Google it!) Sorry, had to do it…
I understand that teachers are busy. I understand how easy it is to tell a child to Google something rather than teaching them what a database is and how to use it. I understand the thought of, “Well, the teacher in the ____ (next) grade up will teach them those skills.” Once again, however, in my experience, this is not happening. When I was working at the library during my MAT program, I cannot tell you how many adults could not use the databases.
There needs to be a teacher who takes this bull by the horns, so to speak, and begins to actually start teaching these necessary information literacy skills. It should begin in kindergarten, and continue throughout the students’ school career. If we don’t choose to prepare our students to become information literate, who will?
Bit of trivia—by the year 2016, the largest English speaking country in the world will be CHINA. There are more honor students in China than there are people in all of North America. If we don’t help the problem, who will? Let’s begin by teaching our students to think, to use the world wide web, and to become 21st century learners.
Off the soap box-- Kathryn
Kristen,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. Often teachers who have been in the profession for a long time don't use technology in the classroom and/or aren't familiar with the bascis in using the internet.
As teachers, we have a responsibility to make sure that our students are safe when they are using the internet. We must possess this knowledge ourselves to be able to inform our students.
As students of a new generation, they have grown up using technology. It is important that we teach our students to properly use these tools. By intructing our students about the importance of using reliable internet resources, we will provide them with knowlsge about the importance of internet safety and evaluating websites.
Kristen
ReplyDeleteI have a similarbut opposite backround. I am a computer teacher who has been placed in the library. I face the same problem of valid sources and how to teach savvy searchers. It is very difficult in the elementary grades. Children are so often literal and they like rules and everyone should play by them. Why would anyone intentionally lie to them about aliens or puppies in danger or a flat earth.
In addition to that there are so many clever people who are creating content for themselves or their social networking group and not really considering who may be researching. A few years ago our library media specialist and I created a set of lessons together to just go over web site domain names as a start to determining a valid site. We also tried to give them a sense of what a search engine is and how they operate. I think there are teachers and parents who don't fully understand it. How does a free search stay in bussiness?
I also have some older veteran teachers who feel pressure to use the internet for reasources. They don't have the time to elvaluate or they think kids will use the same searching techiques as they do. My experience is they don't spell the subject they are searching for correctly and then it spirals out from there. I had a 4th grade teacher tell her students to just Google Martin Luther King in order to get information. I shudder to think about it now.