MERLOT is a resource for educators. Contributors post lesson plans, useful websites, and other tools that would be valuable to others. Here is my evaluation of a website that I will be using in my upcoming Seventh Grade Eastern Hemisphere Studies unit on World Religions. The site is an archive of sacred texts for world religions and also serves as a starting point for other information about these religions (extensive lists of links to other resources).
Quality of Content:
1. Does the software present valid (correct) concepts, models, and skills? Yes – it is a resource (archive)
2. Does the software present educationally significant concepts, models, and skills for the discipline?
Yes – an extensive database for world religions
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching-Learning Tool:
1. What stage(s) in the learning process/cycle could the materials be used?
Demonstration of the curriculum/exploration of the problem (learning about the subject being researched – World Religions)
2. What is(are) the learning objective(s)? What should students be able to do after successfully learning with the materials?
1. W3.2.1: Identify and describe the beliefs of the five major world religions.
2. W3.2.2: Locate the geographical center of major religions and map the spread through the 3rd century C.E.
3. What are the characteristics of the target learner(s)?
Seventh grade students of varying learning levels (special needs to advanced) and with varying interest levels.
4. Does the interactive/media-rich presentation of material improve faculty and students' abilities to teach and learn the materials? As a web-based resource, the information is readily available and lends to independent learning. In addition, the information is more interesting to students as a web-based resource rather than a handout or textbook.
5. Can the use of the software be readily integrated into current curriculum and pedagogy within the discipline? Yes – quality resource material is always needed in Social Studies.
6. Can the software be used in a variety of ways to achieve teaching and learning goals? Yes – many different types of research projects would lend themselves to a resource like this.
7. Are the teaching-learning goals easy to identify? Yes – source of information
8. Can good learning assignments for using the software application be written easily? Yes – a simple set of guiding questions or notes would be one example.
Ease of Use:
1. Are the labels, buttons, menus, text, and general layout of the computer interface consistent and visually distinct? Yes (use of bold text and underlining are noticeable).
2. Does the user get trapped in the material? No, easily navigable and categorized.
3. Can the user get lost easily in the material? Only if overwhelmed by the amount available.
4. Does the module provide feedback about the system status and the user's responses? No
5. Does the module provide appropriate flexibility in its use? Yes – it is a source of information to be used as the user sees fit.
6. Does the learning material require a lot of documentation, technical support, and/or instruction for most students to successfully use the software? Only to direct students to the needed material so they don’t get overwhelmed.
7. Does the material present information in ways that are familiar for students? Yes – web-based sources of information for my Social Studies students are familiar.
8. Does the material present information in ways that would be attractive to students? Yes (web-based, rather than textbook or print, but could be more visually appealing in color, font, and photos used).
This sounds like a great resource for Social Studies students and teachers. Could you provide the link so the material or the MERLOT page so I can review the resource as well?
ReplyDelete