SOURCE CRITERIA
With such an abundance of educational information out on the Web, we found it imperative to have sets of criteria for deciphering the useful sites from the junky sites. Not all the information out there on the Web is of quality. With the help of several sources, we have come up with two major sets of criteria, one for judging the site's educational material and one for judging the site's structure.
Home Page Contents
easy to read title immediately tells the reader about the site
very clear and precise
opening summary clues the user to what is at the site
hierarchy map gives an overview of the site layout
autobiography link gives developers background
Information Organization
information is subdivided into small, discrete and logically-related bits
a hierarchy is used to group and form relationships among bits
user to can quickly scan and locate information
the organized information either goes from most important to most optional or most general to most specific
Information Layout
information distribution happens quickly
site sticks with consistent layout methods
information must be concise
site stays away from television disease stricken pages Tufte pg.
thin substance
short attention span
over-produced styling
disdain for the audience and content
Site Layout
one general page layout pattern holds consistent throughout the site
small percentage of the interface houses computer administration
graphics and text information are equally proportional
site stays within the vertical and horizontal boundaries of the screen
site design is simple, consistent, and to the point
Site Organization
site is aesthetically pleasing
familiar and logical metaphors are used
a balance exists between all parts of the site
site has clear relations between sections
organization and structure of the site corresponds with its purpose
Menu Design
menus depict exactly what is available at that site.
menu design is neither too shallow nor too deep
there are not layers of nested menus to dig through
menus contain a minimum of 5 to 7 links, but are too boged down
Page Colors and Types
type color and background color form a readable interface
no over embellishment
headlines and titles avoid all one case writing. ex. all uppercase
a few quality title styles are chosen and then used consistently
reasonable amount of characters per line
fonts are readable
Graphics
interesting, strong and appropriate graphics only
graphics have a purpose for being at the site
downloading time for the sites graphics stays under 10 seconds
No extravagant graphics
Links and Navigation
appropriate number of buttons link quickly and easily to other sites
links to other sites contain a short, informational bit of annotation
the site links work
button bars on every page contain information about the site:
author, date of update, e-mail to webmaster
provide links to home page and other major pages
all icons and links come across as clear, useful, and predictable
no "dead-end" pages
Web Design Philosophy
language level is written appropriately for the user
web page can stand alone
timely upkeep is a must
pages do not rely solely on graphics to relay their information
users can to get in, get what they want, and move on.
Content
Emphasizes depth of understanding as opposed to breadth.
Organized around themes, not around facts.
Connects with real experiences and problem solving.
Has Hands-on element.
Is accurate and correct
Vocabulary of science is respected.
Explanations embroider the accumulation of knowledge.
Contains detailed descriptions with explanations of how we know this.
Presentation
Language is accessible to students
Written in a lively, engaging style
Instructional material is NOT choppy prose driven by readability formulas.
Instructional material respects the language of science and respects the intelligence of the student.
Vocabulary is not the main focus of the text.
Glossaries do not merely paraphrase the sentences in the test in which these terms appear.
Instructional materials reflect the use of measurement units that will be likely to be understood by students.
Instructional material does not contain euphemisms (usually a weaker pseudo synonym or a word with more neutral value in social context) as a substitute for the genuine scientific term or concept.
Instructional materials are open to inquiry, open to controversy, and non-dogmatic.
Instructional materials explain and exemplify the nature of science as a form of inquiry and understanding.
Instructional materials encourage responsible, science-based discussion of controversial or contentious issues.
Instructional material is not dogmatic, but directs the student toward inquiry rather than conclusions.
Material is integrated with other disciplines
Pedagogy
Connects with experience of student.
Instructional material involves students in science through problem solving and decision making.
Science discoveries are presented in the social, political, and historical contexts in which they took place.
Activities are meaningful and integrative.
Meets the needs of all students (diversity, learning styles, etc.)
Instructional practices are based on current research on cultural learning styles and it is integrated in the design of the students' materials.
Full range of learning goals are part of the program for every student.
The knowledge and processes are relevant (to the extent possible) to students' every day life.
The material emphasizes active endeavors rather than passive ones.
Assessment is integrative and oriented toward solving problems, not simply recall-based.
Objective tests measure recall and some integration of facts, ideas, and concepts.
It uses real-world problem solving where students work in pairs or teams using scientific investigation to find answers as an assessment tool.
Written work provides deeper insights in the creative processes and integrates understanding of students.
Projects and essays integrate writing skills and language arts concepts in the science curriculum and are used to interface with those disciplines where nonfiction literature is encouraged.
Portfolios of their work in science class, including class exercises, team work, reports on activities, creative projects, designs for experiments, and observational accounts of their results are valid assessments.
Benchmarks for Science Literacy. (1993). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Horton, S., and P., Lynch. (Jan. 1997). Yale C/AIM Web Style Guide. http://info.med.yale.edu/caim/manual/contents.html/
National Science Education Standards. (1996). Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
Rutherford, F. J., & Ahlgren, A. (1990). Science for All Americans. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Science Framework for California Public Schools Kindergarten through Grade Twelve. (pp. 198-218). (1990). Sacramento, CA: California Department of Education.
Tufte, E. (1997). Visual Explanations: Images and Quantities, Evidence and Narrative. Cheshire, Connecticut: Graphics Press.
Revised on: 6 September, 2004
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