¶ … Education: Web Site Evaluation
The following summarizes the elements of each Web site which were selected for evaluation:
Accuracy
It is important that any Web site which is used in the classroom or which is recommended to the students is accurate in the information presented. This is assessed on the source of the information which was used to produce the Web site content and the way in which it has been represented.
Authority
Information about the author is often useful when interpreting the information, for example a person from Iran may write differently on events in the Middle East than an American author. Therefore information about the writer may help to determine objectivity of the information. It is also helpful in establishing the credibility of the source as it may help to decide how expert the author is in that particular area.
Objectivity
This is important when analyzing evidence. It is not always important that the information is objective but it is necessary to be aware of when this is not the case.
Currency
It is important that all information is based on the most current research and evidence. The information which may accompany them however is. The currency is likely to be more important in some subjects, such as politics, than it is in others.
Coverage
This establishes how far the Web site may be used alone. This is important so that students can be advised when they will need to provide further researched information than that presented in one site.
Engagement
This is important to determine how suitable the Web site is for use within the classroom. Those sites which are not engaging are not likely to be suitable for using in the classroom as children will become bored and may become disruptive. They are also likely to learn less if the site is not engaging.
Navigation
This may help to decide which age range the site is suitable for. Those sites which are difficult to navigate are not likely to be useful, especially for younger children. They may have a limited use when using specified pages rather than independent investigation.
Design
The overall design is important in determining preference for use.
Website: Trenches on the Web
Address: http://www.worldwar1.com/reflib.htm
History - First World War
Age range: High School
Accuracy
Comments
All information is presented accurately and there is a wide variety of evidence presented in its original form.
Authority
Comments
Most of the evidence on the site is presented in its original form. All written elements on the site have an author's name associated with them although there is no other information as to the background of authors
Objectivity
Comments
All evidence is presented; the evidence is presented from all the various perspectives of the war, e.g. UK, USA, Germany, Italy and so on.
Currency
Comments
All research is current; there is evidence that the site is regularly updated. There are also various up-to-date techniques used to present the evidence, such as the use of virtual reality to present items such as weaponry. This allows the user to understand the items in a way which is more thorough than through photographs alone.
Coverage
Comments
The website provides good coverage of documentary evidence from the period. This is not always supplied with adequate descriptions and supplementary evidence such as the experiences of the soldiers
Engagement
Comments
The site has many different types of item which may be explored. The site is however not as interactive as it could be which leads to a slightly lower engagement.
Navigation
Comments
There are clear menus and a site map prominently displayed on the entry page.
Design
Comments
Not particularly suitable for anyone younger than high school, looks slightly amateur.
Trenches on the Web is designed as a source of evidence which may be used in within history classes to encourage analysis of evidence. The site presents evidence from the various countries involved in the war which allows for the comparison of evidence from all sides involved and may lead to an appreciation of the evidence without bias. The site focuses not only on the documents which are present from the period but also on many items of general evidence which present what life at the time may have been like. For example there are large amounts of photos included along with artwork, stories, cartoons and posters. This enables an analysis of what life was like both for those in the trenches and those back at home during the period. The main drawback to the site is that there is no explanation given for many of the sources. For this reason it would be suggested that the site would be most useful when used in conjunction with teacher guidance. For instance pupils could be set a homework task using various pieces of evidence from the site and this could then be reviewed in class using evidence from other sources to corroborate their interpretation.
Website: The History Channel
Address: http://www.history.com
History - General; Politics; Culture
Age range: High School to Adult
Accuracy
Comments
All information is presented accurately and there are original sources listed where the material is not a primary source.
Authority
Comments
There are author's names given for all written material. There are credits given for all the video sources so that it is clear who has filmed/edited/produced the work.
Objectivity
Comments
The site is aimed at a very wide audience and is objective.
Currency
Comments
All research is current and the site appears to be updated regularly. Many of the issues dealt with on the front pages are related to current topical interest. It is possible to access archive footage and articles also.
Coverage
Comments
The Web site covers a hugely diverse array of subjects from the social sciences. There are a wide variety of approaches taken in terms of not only video footage but also discussions, historical documents and general articles on topics.
Engagement
Comments
The main feature of the Web site is the video footage, which is very engaging. There are also interactive features such as the History Channel Traveler.
Navigation
Comments
There are clear menus given at the top of every page, with sub-menus given on the left. The home page allows easy access to all of the latest information added to the site.
Design
Comments
The entire site is very visual and looks very professional. The layout of the site is very well designed as it is easy to find related articles and evidence for every element which you are currently viewing.
The History Channel is designed to be a companion site to the TV channel. It provides optimal benefit when used in this manner as it provides extra information on the various programs which the channel screens. This means that if any programs from the channel are used in class the site can be used as supplementary material for the discussion or work done afterwards. The site is also useful for teachers for planning which shows on the channel may be useful as it provides scheduling information and often 'sneak previews' of the coming shows. It does however warrant being used in its own right as it is a fantastic source of both primary and secondary sources for all different types of social science topics, not only history. The main focus of the site is on short videos on various topics. New videos are added frequently along with supplementary material. It is possible that the videos on the site may be useful as a source of discussion in class or as a starting point for individual projects. The site also has a number of interactive components which mean that the site is a suitable resource for independent work for children of a wide range of ages. Some of the content which is presented on the site may however not be deemed wholly appropriate for younger children, as some of the videos especially, may be quite graphic in detail.
Website: The National Archives
Address: http://www.archives.gov/index.html
History - General; Politics
Age range: High School to Adult
Accuracy
Comments
The site is accurate. The fact that it is the National Archives official site suggests that there is a great deal of integrity associated with the site as a source.
Authority
Comments
All information on the author of documents and other artifacts is presented wherever possible. There is contact information provided in case of any queries arising.
Objectivity
Comments
The site presents predominantly primary sources therefore objectivity of their use is mostly the responsibility of the user. Overall the site is objective as it presents a wide array of evidence from countries other than the U.S. which can be analyzed as the same time as that from the U.S.
Currency
Comments
Content is added regularly as information becomes available in the National Archives. There are also regular news updates to inform of upcoming events.
Coverage
Comments
The nature of the National Archives means that virtually all aspects of history and politics which affect the U.S. are included on the site.
Engagement
Comments
There are numerous interactive activities which may be engaged in on the site. There are however some sections of the site which may not be so engaging for children as they are quite dry. For example some of the historical documents which are presented have no interactivity associated and may only be read as the paper versions.
Navigation
Comments
There are clear menus presented down the side to access different areas of the site. There is also a clear link at the top of every page to a site index in case it is not clear where a source would be in the main menus.
Design
Comments
There are separate areas of the site which are aimed at different types of audience. For example there is a section dedicated to students and teachers. This ensures that it is easier to find the information which is likely to be most relevant for your purposes.
The site basically provides online versions of the majority of information which is available through the National Archives. The site is useful for provision of primary sources for projects in both history and politics as the information provided is very thorough. The official nature of the site also means that it is a good resource for teachers to be able to check the accuracy of other sites which they may be considering using. The site may be most useful in providing sources for projects which will be completed in class as the site may not be very engaging for children working independently. It may also be quite difficult for students to find the relevant material in the vast amount of information which is presented on the site. There are several sources which may be aimed at a far more advanced level than that of the high school pupil.
Website: The White House
Address: http://www.whitehouse.gov/
Politics
Age range: Late High School to Adult
Accuracy
Comments
All information is presented accurately as would be expected from an official site.
Authority
Comments
Most of the information on the site relates to the different policies and actions of the government so information is usually provided as to which section of the government has been responsible, or which agency has devised the policy. There is usually no mention of the author of the specific article.
Objectivity
Comments
Most of the content is factually based as it summarizes events which have occurred or outlines various policies. Some of the content is very patriotic and there is no other perspective presented.
Currency
Comments
All the policies presented are the most current. The news is updated regularly. All important recent conferences and addresses are summarized on the site.
Coverage
Comments
Every aspect of policy is covered. All major events are included.
Engagement
Comments
The site is visually engaging as it looks professional. There are photo and video resources included for many of the news and events articles. There is little interactivity in most of the policy-related content however.
Navigation
Comments
There are clear menus on the home page but it is not always clear where to go once on a different page..
Design
Comments
The site looks very professional. The site is very thorough in the content it presents from the home page and presents the most current information directly from this page.
The White House is designed to be the official Web site of the White House and the general presidential policy and activities within the U.S. It is likely to be most useful to teachers in collecting information which will be used in class as the information is current and accurate. The site appears to be aimed predominantly at an adult audience, although some advanced students or those in the upper years may be able to collect appropriate information from it. There is a section which is aimed specifically at children but the actual content is nowhere near as thorough as that in the main section. It is possible that some of the interactive content in this section could be used in class along with other information collected by the teacher. It is also possible that e-mail bulletins may be set up to receive news updates once weekly. This may be useful to the teacher as it ensures that any class discussions would always be based on the most accurate information. There are also links to other sections of government which may be useful for collecting information when planning lessons.
Website: HyperHistory
Address: http://www.hyperhistory.com
History - General; General Social Sciences - e.g. Politics, Culture; Science
Age range: Children of all ages
Accuracy
Comments
All information on the site appears to be accurate as it is taken from authoritative sources.
Authority
Comments
While some of the information contains author details it is not always clear who has put elements of the site together. For example there are no details of who has put together the timelines on the site.
Objectivity
Comments
There is very little opinion offered, most information is purely factual.
Currency
Comments
The Web site appears to be updated regularly. It is not clear whether some of the information is based on the most current research though.
Coverage
Comments
There is coverage of history from many different countries of the world. The time period covered is also extensive. There are many different aspects of history covered along with the actual people themselves.
Engagement
Comments
The site is completely interactive and very visually engaging.
Navigation
Comments
The screen is divided so that the same menus are available along the side and bottom the whole time you are on the site, with only the centre of the screen changing as you change pages.
Design
Comments
The site is designed to be appealing to children of all ages and the type of information and the ways in which it is presented make it easy for all to use.
HyperHistory is a site which aims predominantly to present timelines of various aspects of history. This means that it is easy to see the different events which happened over different time periods. For every element it is however possible to click and access more detailed information about that specific item. The site not only contains information about historical events and people but also various aspects such as science, culture, religion and politics. The site is very appealing and it is easy to access information. The site is therefore very suitable for use in the classroom as a teaching aid. It would be especially useful in allowing the student to explore a specific period of time. For instance if the class had been discussing the Middle Ages the child could then use HyperHistory to explore the various scientific and cultural developments which occurred during that period as well as the historical events and figures from the period. The interactivity of the site means that it children are likely to enjoy using the site and therefore become more engaged in the learning. The site may also be used across the different ages, although it would be particularly useful for younger children where it is sometimes difficult to find sites which are easily accessible to them for social science activities.
Website: Exploring Ancient World Cultures
Address: http://www.eawc.evansville.edu/index.htm
History - Ancient Civilizations
Age range: High School
Accuracy
Comments
All information appears to be accurate but it is sometimes difficult to decide as it is unclear where some information has been taken from.
Authority
Comments
There is usually a name given for the authors of content but rarely is information given about their expertise.
Objectivity
Comments
Information appears to be objective, but the unclear nature of some sources makes it difficult to assess how far information is factually based.
Currency
Comments
Most appears to be based on most recent research but unclear nature of some sources. It is unclear how often some parts of the Web site are updated.
Coverage
Comments
Good coverage is provided of a number of different civilizations, not only Egypt, Greece and Rome. There is not always a wide amount of information about specific areas though. Wide range of external sources provided for every area.
Engagement
Comments
The site itself is predominantly a text with hyperlinks which is not particularly engaging. Interspersing with the linked Web sites makes it slightly less dull.
Navigation
Comments
There is an Internet index although no search and no menus on every page. This makes navigation difficult.
Design
Comments
The design of the site is mediocre when considering adult use of the site. It provides a gateway to a vast amount of information on the World Wide Web, which is its initial aim.
Exploring Ancient World Cultures is predominantly designed to be a gateway to information which is available about the subject on the Internet. The site is quite successful in this aim even though the site itself may not be particularly useful. The site manages to present a convincing argument as to the way in which the different ancient civilizations are interlinked and so may be useful to present a starting point to students. It is however most useful for teachers when planning lessons to collect a set of external links which may be useful for students to access. This is made easier by the search engine built into the site which identifies relevant sites on the topic. For example if looking for sites on Roman baths this may be used in the search engine which will identify the most relevant sites. All the sites have actually been reviewed for their relevance to certain topics rather than relying on key words only as a search engine like Google would. It may also be useful to teachers when planning lessons as it allows for searching of historical texts specifically which may allow for easy identification of texts which may be used in class projects as primary sources.
Website: From Revolution to Reconstruction
Address: http://www.let.rug.nl/~usa/revolution.html
History - American
Age range: High School to adult
Accuracy
Comments
The information all appears to be accurate. A full bibliography is provided for each section.
Authority
Comments
Authors for every section are identified although there is no information about the author.
Objectivity
Comments
Varies greatly from section to section. Most are descriptive but some sections are argumentative and so many only present evidence relative to the side argued.
Currency
Comments
As the system keeps on all content not all is current. It is clear which is current as the menus let you choose which year's content you wish to look at. The site is updated daily.
Coverage
Comments
Good coverage of all the various aspects of American history e.g. political, social.
Engagement
Comments
Not particularly visually engaging. The content is a little boring although the use of hyperlinks within the text makes it slightly less boring.
Navigation
Comments
Hypertext links in the text makes it easy to link various aspects of the information together. There is a constant menu down the left hand side which makes it easier to navigate back to where you have come from.
Design
Comments
The concept is good. The design could include more visual information such as photos. Could also provide something a little more interactive.
From Revolution to Reconstruction is a project which collects together a large number of essays and historical documents and places hyperlinks within them to allow navigation between relevant documents. The information which is presented on the site covers almost every aspect of American history which means that the Web site is suitable for almost any history project. The site is most suitable for introducing senior high school students to methods of independent research. The information on the site is very appropriate for the development of skills in searching, collation of evidence and analysis of the arguments given. This is due to the nature of the essays, many of which are subjective rather than objective. The site is suitable as an introduction as it enables the student to access a wide variety of sources on a specific topic without having to search through irrelevant information which may be difficult at first. The site may also be useful for teachers who are collecting information as there are biographies for most prominent political figures in the U.S. There is also information on almost every important piece of documentation which has involved the U.S. over time, along with several other important documents such as the Magna Carta and letters between other prominent historical figures.
Website: The Plymouth Colony Archive Project
Address: http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/users/deetz/
History - U.S. Settlement
Age range: High School to adult
Accuracy
Comments
The information appears to be accurate and there are full bibliographies provided for all areas of the site.
Authority
Comments
All author information is given for every article included. There is extensive information given about the authors of the site which show their credentials.
Objectivity
Comments
There are some articles which have a slightly subjective view but on the whole most of the information given on the site is either a direct copy of a primary source or is presented in an objective manner.
Currency
Comments
Does not appear to have been updated since 2003.
Coverage
Comments
Coverage from many perspectives of the period e.g. legal, social, political. Many different forms of evidence from texts and documents to artifacts and maps.
Engagement
Comments
The nature of much of the subject matter means that it is not particularly engaging e.g. there are legal documents from the period which may be quite difficult to understand. There have been efforts made to make the material more visually engaging.
Navigation
Comments
The main menu is available on every page but the sub-menus are not.
Design
Comments
The site enables access to a wide variety of information. The site is slightly amateurish in appearance and design. There could be an element of interactivity incorporated or even hyperlinks between areas.
The Plymouth Colony Archive Project presents a very comprehensive collection of evidence from the area during the colonization period. The evidence has been carefully considered to present a full overview. Not only have documents been presented but various articles have also been researched from 17th Century journals which present the perspective of the time. There are also supplementary materials such as maps and plans included to allow a visual representation of the events over the period. The site is not particularly suited to younger children as it is quite difficult to navigate and may not be particularly engaging for young children. The site is however suitable for older children to use in class projects as it allows them access to a wide variety of primary sources along with descriptions and opinions which may help guide their own analysis. The site would be of particular interest to classes who live in this particular area as it would allow them to build up an understanding of their direct heritage. Although the site appears to not have been updated since 2003 this should be of little consequence as most of the primary sources would be unaffected over this time period.
Website: PBS Teachers
Address: http://www.pbs.org/teachers/socialstudies/
General social studies
Age range: All ages of children and adults
Accuracy
Comments
All information appears to be accurate.
Authority
Comments
The author's name is given for all items but no other information about them.
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