Taking Center Stage – Act II (TCSII)

A Portal for Middle Grades Educators

Information literacy

Middle grades students represent a generation that has grown up with technology. Technology is everywhere and, yet for the most part, is invisible to them. According to the National Educational Technology Plan (2004), the largest group of new users of the Internet from 2000 to 2002 were two to five year-olds.

Today, students are comfortable using technology to socialize, communicate, do homework, listen to music, and create. Students are adept at multitasking with technology (for example, listening to music while using the computer or cell phone to send messages or for real-time chats.) Well-informed teachers can take advantage of this mind-set to motivate students by incorporating technology through such activities as:

• Online research
• Threaded discussions
• Online journaling
• Virtual field trips
• Interactive lessons
• Instant feedback student response systems using handheld “clickers”
• Data collection
• Simulations
• Presentations/publishing
• Problem solving
• Real-time online conversations with scientists, authors, and other experts
• Primary source resources

The Internet has provided instant access to information as well as the means for anyone with access to a computer to become a publisher. Therefore, it is crucial for students to learn that instant access does not mean that information on the Internet is necessarily accurate, reliable, or even authentic. Teachers need to guide students in evaluating Internet information so that students can learn to be discerning media information consumers. The following questions may assist teachers in helping students evaluate Internet content:

What does the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) tell you? Students should be able to analyze a Web site address and determine if the information comes from a trusted domain, such as a state (.ca), educational agency (.edu), government (.gov), or from a commercial site (.com). If the site looks suspicious, shorten the URL to end with the domain and view the source.

Is this Web site someone’s personal page? Check for these clues: Is there a tilde (~), a percent sign (%), or the words: users, members, or people after the domain name?

Is there an author or an organization listed in the Web site? Look for a logo, a digital watermark, or an About link on the Web site that provides this information.

Is the information current? Look at whether the Web page is dated (Last updated on ___).

Are the links within the Web page relevant to the content? Do the links connect to outside resources that are credible?

Are bibliographic references included? Are sources documented?

Does the Web site content appear to be biased? If the Web site provides information on a controversial topic or theory, is more than one opinion included? Does the content on the Web site rely on opinions rather than facts to make a point? Are the facts documented with footnotes or other types of citations?

Can the Web site information be independently verified by another source? Students should be able to verify the information through focused Web searches, library source reviews, or discussions with content experts.

Related Links

• About the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus (Outside Source).
• Evaluating Information Found on the Internet (Outside Source), Johns Hopkins University.
• Evaluating Web Resources (Outside Source), Sonoma State University Library.
• Evaluating Web Sites: Criteria and Tools (Outside Source), Cornell University Library.
• Integrating technology, Recommendation 4—Relevance, TCSII.
• National Plan for Implementation of Standards for the 21st-Century Learner and Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Programs (Outside Source), American Association of School Librarians.
• Why It's a Good Idea to Evaluate Web Sources: Evaluation Criteria (Outside Source), Susan E. Beck, Collection Development Coordinator, New Mexico State University Library.

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