Internet for Instructors

What’s Not on the Web by Joyce Valenza, explores the limitations of information that is on the free Web.  Ms. Valenza suggests the information on the web be used in tandem with books and periodicals.  On the web much of information is condensed for quick access and a quick read.  More comprehensive information can be accessed usually for a subscription.  Since, the internet is primarily a money making tool, it only makes sense that “good” information is something that will be available for a fee. 

Many students have lost or never learned sound research skills because of the internet.  There is no longer an urgency to find a topic in a book or periodical when the Web is available.  In addition, the information is condensed which makes it easier read and digest. 

Many school’s libraries are not utilized as much as they once were since the Web has become “the” place to gather information.  More varied information can be found on the web, since many school libraries are limited.  Many students want the quick fix when doing any kind of school work or research, that makes the web the perfect tool for them.

Teaching Zack to Think by Alan November is an excellent example of a student’s conception and misconception of the information presented on the internet. Many students are not savvy in determining if information is useful or valuable and can easily fall prey to believing misinformation as fact.

Alan November’s views reflect and endorse those of Kathy Schrock’s (The ABCs of Website Evaluation) but, he is more limited in his approach. November mentions that students should recognize the purpose of the information being presented on the internet. As on the internet, often times newspapers and news magazines can also be biased (i.e. when endorsing a political candidate). Without practice or assistance it could be a difficult task for a student to recognize the purpose of the information being presented on the internet (some are more blatant than others). It is a teacher’s job to instruct students, develop guidelines, provide assistance and practice in recognizing the purpose of what is found on the internet.

Validating the author is an important skill in determining the validity of the information being presented. This could be easy in some cases, a simple internet search. Other authors might be a little more difficult to research (which might turn into a project on its own). Teachers have access to many different authors through the text books and manuals which they use daily.

When searching a website for information, personal websites, often times have some sort of agenda or bias and may or may not, be qualified as a competent source. These sites are not advisable for use in the classroom. The tilde is a red flag when searching for a site. Fortunately, our school network blocks any personal websites, so we usually do not run into any trouble in this area.

All in all, most information on the web could usually be validated on the web or not as easily outside the web in a library, newspaper or magazine.   the end.

Teaching Media Literacy in the Age of the Internet by Kathy Schrock provides many areas of concern to consider when using a web site for educational purposes.  Although each site may have merit, it is a daunting task to check for each and every one of them when attempting to find a suitable site for your students.

From my experience, students left on their own, searching for websites will usually select the ones that appear first on any search engine.  Very few students will put out the extra effort to look further. 

My students and I have fallen into many of the traps that Kathy Schrock has brought to light.  There have been many times when my students have been asked for a subscription fee or name and address to be billed later.  Many of my students also have taken sites like Wikipedia as an end all.  I have tried several times to mention that it can be updated by anyone and information is not always accurate.  Their response is that it is a professional looking site and the information is easy to find.

Therefore, it is wise to limit the areas that students access on the web when searching for information.  By keeping the students at the recommended sites, it will be easier to monitor them and keep them safe and away from misinformation. It will also be less time consuming.  The teacher’s editions of many texts provide many good sources for internet sites.  Also, our school is fortunate enough to subscribe to the sites that offer a list of web sites to assist students in performing research. Finally, other teachers in the school have acquired list of great sites over the years and are usually more than willing to share.