Mach Web 2

Name: Elizabeth Mach
Date: 7/11/15
CRITICAL EVALUATION OF A WEB SITE: WEB SITES FOR USE BY
EDUCATORS
2006-09. Kathleen Schrock (kathy@kathyschrock.net) Kathy Schrock's Home Page
http://kathyschrock.net
1. What type of connection do you have to the Internet? Wireless internet
2. Dial-up connection no
3. High-speed connection DSL T1 T3 Broadband/cable/satellite Other High Speed
4. What Web browser are you using? Safari
5. What is the URL of the Web page you are evaluating?
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/
6. What is the name of the site? Scholastic
Part 1: Technical and visual aspects of the page

As you look at the questions below, type yes or no for each question.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Does the page take a long time to load? no

Do any pictures or photographs on the page add to the information? yes
Is the spelling and grammar correct on the page? yes
Are there headings and subheadings on the page? yes
If so, are they helpful? yes
5. Is the page signed by the author? Yes: Scholastic Inc.
6. Is the author's e-mail address included? Yes, there is a link to contact us with
many different phone numbers and a customer service email link.
7. Is there a date on the page that tells you when it was last updated? yes
If so, is it current? Yes, 2015
8. Is the format of the page standard and readable with your browser? yes
9. Is there an image map (large clickable graphic with hyperlinks) on the page? yes
10. Is there a table (columns of text) on the page? (Check the source code to be sure.) yes
If so, is the table readable with your browser? yes
11. If you have graphics turned off, is there a text alternate to the images? no
12. On supporting pages, is there a link back to the home page? yes
13. Are the links clearly visible and annotated or explanatory? yes
14. Do photographs or sound files appear on the page? yes
If so, can you be sure that a picture or sound has not been edited? yes, there is
an option below the video to get code or get link.
If you're not sure, should you accept the information as valid for your purpose?
n/a
Summary of Part One

Using the data you have collected above, write a short statement explaining why you
would or wouldn't recommend this site to a fellow educator.
I would definitely recommend this resource to a fellow educator. Upon evaluation, it is
clear that the author is reputable, the site is updated frequently, the videos and external
links are to educational videos and you are able to get the links or codes easily to ensure
their validity. The site map also contains a plethora of resources, tools, videos, and
activities for teachers to use in the classroom, making it user friendly. The site also
contains many pictures to enhance the visual appeal and is simple to navigate.
Part 2: Content
As you look at the questions below, type yes or no next to each question.
1. Is the title of the page indicative of the content? yes
2. Is the purpose of the page indicated on the home page? yes
3. When was the document created? Not indicated
4. If there is no date, does the information appear to be current? yes
5. Does up-to-date information matter for your purpose? yes
6. Is the information found on the page useful for your purpose? yes
7. Would it have been easier to get the information somewhere else? yes
8. Would information somewhere else have been different? Why or why not? No, this
site is very user friendly and it is nice that there are many resources all on one
website
9. Did the information lead you to other sources, both print and Web, that were useful?
yes
10. Is a bibliography of print sources included? No, but the site re-directs you to the
external link in which it originated
11. Does the information appear biased? (One-sided, critical of opposing views, etc.) no
12. Does the information contradict something you found somewhere else? no
13. Do most of the pictures supplement the content of the page? yes
Part 3: Authority
As you look at the questions below, type yes or no next to each question or answer the
question.
1. Who created the page? The page is run by Scholastic Inc.
2. What organization is the person affiliated with? Scholastic Inc.
3. Conduct a link: command in a search engine to see who links to this page. Can you
tell if other experts in the field think this is a reputable page? No, but there are links of
good reads that are published by this corporation.
4. Does the domain of the page (k12, edu, com, org, gov) influence your evaluation? No,
because I value the Scholastic site as a valid source so their .com has little influence
on my decision to choose it.

5. Are you positive the information is valid and authoritative? yes
What can you do to validate the information? There is a link to the Common
Core and contains product finders for each of the content areas under this tab.
6. Are you satisfied the information useful for your purpose? If not, what can you do
next? Yes, I am satisified.
7. If you do a search in the newsgroups (i.e. Google Groups) on the creator of the page,
do you find additional information that shows the Web page author is an expert in the
field? Scholastic is a book publisher and therefore the search shows many books
published by this company along with links to buy Scholastic books or magazines.
Part 4: Pedagogy
As you look at the questions below, type yes or no next to each question.
1. Does the information on this page adhere to research-based principles of teaching? yes
2. Does the information on this page provide easily-replicable best-practice information?
yes
3. Does the information on the page provide links to professional teaching standards?
Yes, the Common Core standards
4. If the site is intended to provide professional development for educators, is the
information presented using multiple modes of presentation, such as the use of text,
illustrations, videos, audio, etc.? yes
Part 5: Narrative
Looking at all of the data you have collected above while evaluating the site, explain why
or why not this site is (or is not) valid for your purpose. Include the aspects of technical
content, authenticity, authority, bias, pedagogy, and subject content.
I am pleased to say that after evaluating Scholastic.com I believe it is valid for my
purpose and it is a very reputable website that I would recommend to other educators.
The site contains content to support classroom learning in reading, science, social studies
and math. All activities are opened in an external links containing the lesson plans with
the CCSS that directly correlate written in them.
This site is easy to navigate and contains very few advertisements and is a reputable book
publisher. The site is also up to date with current information and even contains links for
teachers that are like mini professional development videos.
I will continue to use this site is my classroom for craft ideas, activities, and lesson plans
that pertain to units that I am teaching in subject areas- especially science and social
studies. I will also use their educational videos to enhance my teaching, now that I have
discovered them.

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Name: Elizabeth Mach

Part 1: Technical and visual aspects of the page

Does the page take a long time to load? no

Summary of Part One

on my decision to choose it.

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