The World Wide Web (of deceit)
by Nerelie Teese
Introduction · Questions · Web Resources · The Big Question · Conclusion · Rubric · Guide
Introduction · Questions · Web Resources · The Big Question · Conclusion · Rubric · Guide
Introduction
The World Wide Web, or Internet, is the most appealing resource for students of all ages looking for information. Rather than spending time looking through encyclopedias, books, journals, newspapers, and other reference materials, most students head straight for the computer and simply log on and start searching. The 'hits' are almost instantly received. Facts and information arrive on the computer screen and with the push of a button - hey presto - there are the results.
But are they accurate? Are they authentic? Are they reliable? Can this information be trusted?
Use this Knowledge Hunt activity to help develop your skills in identifying the authenticity and reliability of the sources providing this information.
Questions
- The following links to California's Velcro Crop Under Threat, The Pacific North West Tree Octopus, The Australian Drop Bear, and 10 Thing You Never Knew About Frogs, will take you to informative sites about little known endangered crops and species.
- Use the links on Web Evaluation, Quality Information and the Website Worksheet to help you develop a checklist that quickly and easily identifies the reliability of sites found on the World Wide Web.
Web Resources Links
- The Quality Information Checklist
- This eyecatching and appealing site suggests eight ways to check information on web sites.
- The Australian Drop Bear
- While not officially listed as an endangered species, the Australian Drop Bear is a little known marsupial which needs further scientific exploration and experimentation to identify its rightful place in the native Australian envrionment.
- 10 Things You Never Knew About Frogs
- This site presents fascinating information about frogs and amphibians, including some of their lesser known habits, body composition details, and a list of frog specific terminology.
- California's Velcro Crop Under Threat
- California's important Velcro crop, vital to the clothing, footwear, and sporting goods industries, has been severely stressed by drought, disease, and pests.
- Web Evaluation for Secondary Grades
- This basic evaluation worksheet could be used as a model for developing your original checklist suitable for Middle Years students.u
- Endangered Species - The Pacific North West Tree Octopus
- This site provides biological and environmental information about the unique Pacific Norht West Tree Octopus which is now threatened by global warming.
- Website worksheet
- This worksheet must be printed in order to complete the activities. A very useful guide for evaluating the presentation and content of any website. It will help develop your critical analysis skills in this and other areas.
The Big Question
The World Wide Web is a great resource for research projects. It can provide hundreds of thousands of sites on just about any topic under the sun.
However, not everyone is able to work out how to select facts and information from recognised and reliable sources rather than sites that might deliberately or otherwise not be accurate.
With a partner, develop a checklist to help Middle Years Students identify that the web sites they want to use are authentic, accurate and reliable.
Conclusion
Once you and your partner or group members have finished planning your Checklist decide whether or not it meets the crtieria of quickly and easily identifying the reliability of the information found on the World Wide Web.
If you're not really happy with it then refine it until you are satisfied. If you are pleased with the results of your work then develop a presentation to your class that shows them how and why they should use your group's Checklist.
Your next step would be, with your teacher's permission, to promote your group's Checklist in and around your school. If it receives a positive response then why not see if you can publish it on the World Wide Web to help students from other schools.
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created by Nerelie Teese email: nteese@hotmail.com http://www.web-and-flow.com/members/nteese1/topic2/hunt.htm |