1. Evaluating Educational Resources W301

2. What are Educational Resources?  There are many kinds of resources available to you: –Productivity Resources are tools that you can use in lesson planning and grading to make you a more efficient teacher  For example, gradebook software, lesson plan engines, and worksheet generators –Educational Resources are software and web resources that you can use actively with your students

3. Educational Resources Formats  Educational Resources can come in a variety of forms: –Websites that are designed for use by your students –Software products that you can use in your classroom –Hardware/Tools that you can use in your classroom

4. Why Evaluate These Resources?  Just because resources are “published” - either by a software company or by an individual - does not mean they are appropriate for classroom use  To help you focus on the main points with educational resources, we are going to ask three questions…

5.  Is the resource Accurate ?  Is the resource Appropriate ?  Is the resource Aligned with state content standards?

6. Accurate  Is the information current?

7. Accurate  Is the information accurate?

8. Accurate  Who is the author? –Does the author have expertise related to the content? –Does the author project bias? –Is the author a teacher?

9. Appropriate  What is the intended grade level and content area for the resource? –Is the reading level appropriate? –Does the content provide enough detail regarding the topic?

10. Appropriate  Is the use of media appropriate? –Do things load well? –Do they not distract or detract from the content?

11. Appropriate  Is the resource designed to be used BY students?

12. Aligned  Is the resource aligned to state standards? Or can it be?

13. Aligned  A resource itself may only present an opportunity for alignment, based on how you use it.

14. Aligned  Does the resource give the opportunity to foster skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, and reading?

15. Lets Look at an Example  http://www.explorelearning.com http://www.explorelearning.com  Accurate?  Appropriate?  Aligned?

16. Now Look at other examples..  Accurate?  Appropriate?  Aligned?  http://www.whitehouse.net/ http://www.whitehouse.net/  http://www.teacher.org/ http://www.teacher.org/  http://www.lessonlocator.org/ http://www.lessonlocator.org/

17. Resources  Bert is evil image http://www.bertisevil.tv/pages/bert003.htm  Czechoslovakia map http://encarta.msn.com/media_461514954/Czechoslovakia.html  One Laptop Per Child image http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcmetroblogger/2026914020/in/set-72157594232448993/  Indiana Social Studies Standards image is edited from a screen capture I made of http://www.indianastandardsresources.org/standard.asp?Subject=soc&Grade=USH&Standard=1 Toshiba Helmet image http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=410642&in_page_id=177 0 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=410642&in_page_id=177 0