Information Literacy A New Basic Skill. Now that children are choosing to use the Internet as their personal media, we are faced with consequence of not.

Information LiteracyInformation Literacy

A New Basic SkillA New Basic Skill

Now that children are choosing to use the Internet as Now that children are choosing to use the Internet as their personal media, we are faced with consequence of their personal media, we are faced with consequence of

not teaching them to decode the content not teaching them to decode the content (Alan November)(Alan November)

The Internet as a Source of The Internet as a Source of InformationInformation

The Internet is a free and global The Internet is a free and global forum. forum.

It represents the most dangerous of It represents the most dangerous of information environments.information environments.

It can be seductive.It can be seductive.

Zach’s StoryZach’s Story

““Read the excerpt from Read the excerpt from Alan Novembers Book” Alan Novembers Book”

Page 2Page 2

The Address of the Professors The Address of the Professors SiteSite

http://pubweb.acns.nwu.edu/~abutz/ihttp://pubweb.acns.nwu.edu/~abutz/index.htmlndex.html

What can we tell about the site by What can we tell about the site by looking at the folders that make it looking at the folders that make it up? up?

14 Year Old Persective14 Year Old Persective

Teacher told him to find a unique Teacher told him to find a unique topic. This fits. topic. This fits.

The page is simple and clear. It is The page is simple and clear. It is written in a logical tone.written in a logical tone.

It is a valid source from a tenured It is a valid source from a tenured professor at a top Universityprofessor at a top University

It has a 1990’s publication date and It has a 1990’s publication date and it is on the internet.it is on the internet.

Teaching students to use the Internet is Teaching students to use the Internet is much more complex than simply using a much more complex than simply using a

search engine to search the web.search engine to search the web.(Alan November)(Alan November)

We need to teach the critical thinking We need to teach the critical thinking skills to understand the structure of skills to understand the structure of

information and how to cross reference information and how to cross reference the source.the source.

(Alan November)(Alan November)

MAPping by Alan NovemberMAPping by Alan November

Alan November identifies three areas Alan November identifies three areas of a website that must be analyzed of a website that must be analyzed critically.critically.– Meta – web informationMeta – web information– Author Author – PurposePurpose

Meta Web InformationMeta Web Information

The structure of information on the The structure of information on the internet.internet.

Url’s, - Universal Resource LocatorsUrl’s, - Universal Resource Locators LinksLinks Search EnginesSearch Engines

MetaMeta

URL – Universal Resource LocatorURL – Universal Resource Locator Domain NameDomain Name Folder StructureFolder Structure .com .edu .net .org .gov .k12.com .edu .net .org .gov .k12 Identify the parts of a web addressIdentify the parts of a web address

http://http://pubweb.acns.nwu.edu/pubweb.acns.nwu.edu/

~abutz/index.html~abutz/index.html

Public Web Server

Domain

Higher Education

Personal Web Folder Symbol

Professors Name/folder

LinksLinks What is a link? What is a link?

– the means of connection between things linked the means of connection between things linked in series. A hypelink is a connection of two in series. A hypelink is a connection of two existing websites. existing websites.

Who can author a link?Who can author a link?– AnyoneAnyone

Why are they significant? Why are they significant? – There is not link police. There is not link police. – Anyone can create one pointing anywhere. Anyone can create one pointing anywhere.

How can we use them to validate the How can we use them to validate the information? information?

Strength / Weakness of LinksStrength / Weakness of Links

The ability of anyone to add a link The ability of anyone to add a link from his or her website to another. from his or her website to another.

It is important to teach students that It is important to teach students that there is no link police.there is no link police.

The Link CommandThe Link Command

Checking the links on a page to Checking the links on a page to verify the information.verify the information.

Are the links all internal? Are the links all internal? Do they point to the same author?Do they point to the same author? What type of sites are linked?What type of sites are linked?

The Link CommandThe Link Command

Copy the web address of the source.Copy the web address of the source. Go to Go to www.altavista.comwww.altavista.com Type LINK: in the search box. (don’t Type LINK: in the search box. (don’t

forget the colon)forget the colon) After the colon paste the address.After the colon paste the address. Click SearchClick Search Your search results will have a list of Your search results will have a list of

sites that are linked to the page. sites that are linked to the page.

The Link CommandThe Link Command

In the case of Zach, Butz’s site is In the case of Zach, Butz’s site is linked from the following:linked from the following:– The White NationalistsThe White Nationalists– Fascists Resource PageFascists Resource Page– Knights of Michigan KKKKnights of Michigan KKK

AUTHORAUTHOR

Investigate the Author’s credentials.Investigate the Author’s credentials. In Zach’s case the author is an In Zach’s case the author is an

Engineering professor. Engineering professor.

PurposePurpose

Advocacy VS. ObjectivityAdvocacy VS. Objectivity Students should ask fundamental Students should ask fundamental

questions about any site.questions about any site.– What is it trying to do?What is it trying to do?– What is its purpose?What is its purpose?– Entertain, sell products or services, Entertain, sell products or services,

present information, advocate ideas or present information, advocate ideas or entertain? entertain?

The Internet is a place The Internet is a place where you can find proof where you can find proof of any belief system that of any belief system that

you can imagine. you can imagine.

Developing Critical Thinking SkillsDeveloping Critical Thinking Skills

Below is a resource from the library Below is a resource from the library association for teaching critical association for teaching critical thinking online. thinking online.

http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlissueshttp://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlissues/acrlinfolit/infolitstandards/stnd3/stan/acrlinfolit/infolitstandards/stnd3/standardthree.htmdardthree.htm

Blocking vs. AccessBlocking vs. Access

Website Evaluation FormsWebsite Evaluation Forms

http://www.cyberbee.com/content.pdhttp://www.cyberbee.com/content.pdff

http://school.discovery.com/schrockghttp://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/eval.htmluide/eval.html

ResourcesResources www.internet101.cawww.internet101.ca www.netsmartz.orgwww.netsmartz.org Alan November “Teaching Zack to Think” High Alan November “Teaching Zack to Think” High

School School Principal MagazinePrincipal Magazine, September1998, September1998 Will Richardson and Rob Mancabelli. "The Will Richardson and Rob Mancabelli. "The

Read/Write Web: New Tools for a New Generation Read/Write Web: New Tools for a New Generation of Technology." of Technology." Principal Principal - The Tech Savvy - The Tech Savvy Principal January/February 2007: 12-17.Principal January/February 2007: 12-17.

November, Alan. November, Alan. Empowering Students With Empowering Students With TechnologyTechnology. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin . Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press, 2001.Press, 2001.