website evaluation (4)
Power-Searching In a Web 2.0 World
| 4 weeks | $99
This is a 4 week overview class suitable for beginning, intermediate, and advanced searchers.- We use discussions, open-book quizzes, interactive glossaries, and learning games to teach information fluency.
- You will learn to search, evaluate, and ethically use online materials
- We will help you locate materials specific to your needs.
- We will show you how to investigate the credibility of the resources you find online.
- We will help you create a personal search engine based on the online materials you select.
- Our materials are designed to help you teach these skills to your own audience.
- Join us! It's fun!
Introduction to Google Docs
| 1 week | $40
This is a one week introduction to the essentials of Google Documents designed for those who have never used Google Docs. If you're using Google Docs and need some guidance we can help you learn how to use this powerful (and complex) online tool.
- Learn to create and share online documents using Google's powerful and free document sharing tools.
- Learn to use earlier revisions of a document.
- Learn how to create a webpage from a Google document.
- Ask questions and find answers working with an online facilitator.
- Access a rich set of educator resources that will help you teach with Google Docs
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hours a week will this take?
Courses take about 5 hours per week. (You can certainly spend more time if you wish.)Will I be working alone or with a group?
You'll be working with an online teacher who monitors the course on a daily basis. Our classes are fully moderated. That means you're working with a facilitator and other members of the class to learn together. You'll be able to get help, ask questions, and learn from both the facilitator and other participants.What if I've never taken an online class?
We have an information rich, but low pressure learning environment. This class is a good introduction to learning online. Many of your classmates will be taking their first online course. Try it!How will we learn online?
We take a hands-on approach. We use the Moodle online learning management system to organize and present our courses. Moodle is a popular online learning environment used around the world.- You follow a set of instructions that explain the goals and objectives of the course.
- You watch online videos demonstrating essential concepts.
- You refer to a glossary of technology terms to acquire a professional vocabulary.
- The PowerSearching class uses discussion forums, learning games, and open book quizzes to introduce the concepts.
- All classes have a Question and Answer forum that is monitored daily by your instructor.
What kind of technology do I need?
- You need a reliable Internet connection.
- We recommend a high speed connection.
- Those using dial-up connects will need patience as the web-based materials load.
- You need a MacIntosh or PC with an updated web browser.
- MacIntosh with Safari or Firefox
- PC with Firefox or Internet Explorer.
- (Most other browsers work with our Moodle learning management system.)
- You will also need an up dated version of Adobe's free Flash Player.
- It is very convenient if you have access to an Internet computer at home and at work.
- However this is not a requirement for success.
- You should be able to navigate the Internet with your web browser.
- You should be able to use email.
- You should be familiar with word processing fundamentals.
- You should be interested in learning new communication concepts.
- By the end of the course you'll know more about both the course topic and web 2.0 concepts!
- It really help to be curious!
How long will I have access to the materials?
We leave the course open for at least three months after the class end date. You can return and browse the resources on your own schedule.Is Course Credit is available?
- Illinois Educators can earn CDPU's for our courses.
- Educators from outside of Illinois can earn CEU's
- No additional charge for credit.
- However you must complete the required number of course assignments.
- You can audit this class. (But you'll learn more with full participation.)
- (College credit is not available at this time.)
Can I preview the courses?
Yes, follow the link below. When prompted, login as a guest. This allows you to see an outline version of the courses without enrolling.How do I enroll & pay?
Follow the link below to set up your personal 21CIF Moodle account.
- After you set up your account we will send you a confirmation email.
- You will then be able to enroll and pay for the class of your choice.
- We accept major credit cards.
- We use a PayPal based secure payment system.
- You do not need to become a PayPal member to use this system.
- Your credit card information is not stored by PayPal or Information Fluency Partners.
- When you complete the payment and registration process you will be able to login to your class.
- The full course is available on the course opening date.
- To pay by invoice contact: carl@21cif.com.
Do you have free materials?
Yes, almost all of our materials are free online at 21cif.com. You'll find many years of research based curriculum materials on our site. We support our research project by offering online classes, conference presentations, and custom online programming for educational and corporate clients.Click here to visit our list of online classes. (Login as Guest to preview the courses)
Tuesday, June 30, 2009 12:30pm–3:30pm
Gateway to hundreds of free online resources focused on 21st Century Information Fluency.
- Digital Information Fluency (DIF) is the ability to find, evaluate and use digital information effectively, efficiently and ethically.
Internet Search Challenges - Evaluation Games
6 online learning games that teach evaluation skills. Multiple levels. NETS alignment!
Information Fluency Evaluation Kit. Online resources for evaluating author, publisher, bias, links, date, evidence, and accuracy.
- Evaluating Digital Information
Part Five of the series Five Things Today's Digital Generation Cannot do (and what you can do to help) discusses how searchers have to invent their own evaluation standards because schools are not teaching them.
- Teacher's Guide: Personalized Evaluation Searches
How to use Rollyo, Swiki and Google Co-op to create personalized search engines for safe Web page evaluation practice at all grade levels.
- Teacher's Guide to Action Zone Evaluation Games
Recommended uses for the Bad Apple and Use It! or Lose It! online evaluation games in this Kit, including tips and answers.
- IMSA Evaluation Wizard
How to use our Evaluation Wizard to assess how students evaluate what they find online. (The Evaluation wizard is a 10 step online guide to investigating websites.)
Evaluating Digital Information: Introduction, Research, Resources
In depth article on evaluation of digital resources by Dr. Carl Heine.
- Every school administrator wants to maintain a safe distance between objectionable material and impressionable students. Blocking students from potential contact with sexual predators and other mal-information is absolutely well-intended. However, blocking sites does not help students think critically about the quality of the information they retrieve or prepare them for the real world of information they encounter outside of school.
- Teachers may contribute to the problem by introducing filters of their own into learning experiences. In practice, it works like this: a teacher wants her class to access digital information, so she conducts a search ahead of time and selects web pages she finds credible and appropriate. Students then engage in a Web quest using pages or sites that have approved content. Aside from the intended benefits of the exercise, the students have missed an opportunity to learn skills in searching and evaluating that they need in the 21st century.
- Our research suggests that students who search for digital information are better able to judge its credibility than students who are handed information. In a pilot study, over 100 middle school students were given a question and three relevant web pages for answering it. Two of these pages were credible. The success rate for answering the question using relevant information was 73% when the task involved reading the three pre-selected pages.
Workshop Resources: Assessing Information Fluency
Guided tours of 21CIF resources perfect for workshop presentations. This is a series of webslide style sets of pages that detail 'Speculative Searching" and "Investigative Searching".
MicroModule: Checking the accuracy of information found on a webpage.
A one page overview of how to check the accuracy of information. Includes a link to an online learning game to help learn essential concepts.
Try this interactive micromodule companion for a hands on experience in determining the accuracy of web-based information. Test your skills at:
- finding embedded evidence
- checking evidence for accuracy
- triangulation of data
Information Fluency Newsletter
Low volume, high content free newsletter to keep you posted about new resources and developments from 21cif.
- Subscribe to our free email newsletter and receive periodic updates about 21CIF including professional development opportunities and new resources.
Search Help, Evaluation and Digital Ethics for School, Business and Home
Courses Starting Soon...
Need to create a bachttp://21cif.com/img/IF_logo500.jpgk to school training?
Use our modular content to snap together your own unique training course.
Power Searching in a Web 2.0 World
Next session starts September 22, 2008 (4 Weeks $99) View as Guest | Enroll | Course Description
Website Investigator: An Introduction to Information Forensics
Next session starts October 6, 2008 (2 Weeks $68) View as Guest | Enroll | Course Description
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