> My kids aged 11 and 9 have been using the internet for all of their
> projects. Now both they and their teachers assume that the web will be
> the main research tool. While some topics are covered better than others,
Do they get any training in how to assess the validity, truthfulness
etc of the material they are accessing? (Something which you have
to do with dead tree stuff too, but it's even more important on the
Web where evey man and his channelled Atlantean priest can have
a Web site).
I judge for a regional science fair here and I am seeing more and
more entries based on Web site material which is complete
rubbish -- alleged NASA missions to black holes, alien autopsy
stuff, over-the-top and inaccurate environmental claims, dodgy
alternative health practices etc
It is a concern, as the general perception that "they wouldn't print it
-- or show it on TV -- if it wasn't true" has spilled over on to the
Web. Thinking of the Web as a replacement for encyclopaedias
has its risks....
I'd be interested to hear if you've been able to find any useful
strategies of sorting the dross from the gold, or helping kids to
assess the type and nature of the information they're seeing. (I
know I have enough problems myself!)
I came across quite a good assessment article for teachers looking
at Web sites:
http://www.ncsu.edu/sciencejunction/terminal/imse/lowres/3/evalwe
b.htm
which I sent off to a client who is getting us to produce an
educational site, but any other things along these lines aimed at
kids would be most useful.
Cheers,
Vicki Hyde
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